Cap space article.

[Buzzard]

We lose out on Howard ( A ) and CP3 ( B ), then plan C has to be Evans. He has the size and ability to play SG. This years draft is weak, and when it comes to wings it gets worse.

I think Ferry targets Evans, then drafts bigs who there seems to be more of later in the draft. We don't have a go to shooter at the 2 or 3. We need that and the pickings are slim. Evans is going to get a lot of attention; especially from Dallas.

Put it to you this way, if I have to choose who to pay, Josh or Evans, I pay Evans. Its the smart move. He may not be Hardin, but he is the closest thing out there to him in this seasons free agency crop.

[AHF]

I'd rather shoot for Wiggins than Evans.

[Buzzard]

I'd rather shoot for Wiggins than Evans.

How do we secure the #1 pick in next years draft? If Ferry walked away with Evans and Pekovic ( max contracts or not ), that would be a hell of a off season.

#1 Howard, #2 CP3, #3 Pekovic, #4 Evans, #5 Deng is my FA rankings in relation to our needs. If we needed a PF, Hickson who I see as 6th, would be a good get. But at 6'9" 240 he is no more a true center as Josh is.

[Guest]

How do we secure the #1 pick in next years draft? If Ferry walked away with Evans and Pekovic ( max contracts or not ), that would be a hell of a off season. #1 Howard, #2 CP3, #3 Pekovic, #4 Evans, #5 Deng is my FA rankings in relation to our needs. If we needed a PF, Hickson who I see as 6th, would be a good get. But at 6'9" 240 he is no more a true center as Josh is.

iYou are seriously ok with giving Evans and Pekovic max contracts? I prefer Ferry to be judicious and patient than just giving out money all willy nillly because he has it ala Detroit.Hicks on has already said he is looking for a situation where he is NOT a full time center - which he isn't.

[Buzzard]

iYou are seriously ok with giving Evans and Pekovic max contracts? I prefer Ferry to be judicious and patient than just giving out money all willy nillly because he has it ala Detroit.Hicks on has already said he is looking for a situation where he is NOT a full time center - which he isn't.

The new CBA is so much better and smarter than the old one. A bad contract is only 4 years long vs 5 for the stealing team. 3 yrs out and it becomes a valuable expiring. And what I am suggesting is not like Detroit at all. They gave big money to tweeners like Charlie V, best season 6.7 rpg, as a power forward and Ben Gordon, 6'3" shooting guard who has never rebounded or passed very well.

Both Evans and Pekovic play their positions very well unlike Charlie and Gordon. Everyone talks about what Memphis and GSW are doing and its because of balance. Teague, Evans, SF?, Horford, Pekovic gives us balance. You will not steal players away by paying them a fair price. Not going to happen.

It may not take a max for Evans but centers who can play their position will not come cheap.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Buzzard

[GameTime]

How do we secure the #1 pick in next years draft? If Ferry walked away with Evans and Pekovic ( max contracts or not ), that would be a hell of a off season.

#1 Howard, #2 CP3, #3 Pekovic, #4 Evans, #5 Deng is my FA rankings in relation to our needs. If we needed a PF, Hickson who I see as 6th, would be a good get. But at 6'9" 240 he is no more a true center as Josh is.

[Buzzard]

LOL

[Guest]

Couldn't have said it better...lol.

[Buzzard]

i

You are seriously ok with giving Evans and Pekovic max contracts? I prefer Ferry to be judicious and patient than just giving out money all willy nillly because he has it ala Detroit.

Hicks on has already said he is looking for a situation where he is NOT a full time center - which he isn't.

I posted my top five targets:

#1 Howard, #2 CP3, #3 Pekovic, #4 Evans, #5 Deng is my FA rankings in relation to our needs.

What or who do you suggest we go after if we lose out on Howard and CP3?

[Guest]

I posted my top five targets:

#1 Howard, #2 CP3, #3 Pekovic, #4 Evans, #5 Deng is my FA rankings in relation to our needs.

What or who do you suggest we go after if we lose out on Howard and CP3?

I have no issue with the players you listed just not ok with handing out MAX deals to B listers.

[Buzzard]

I have no issue with the players you listed just not ok with handing out MAX deals to B listers.

If we don't get any of those five, our draft better be stellar. Otherwise we are in exact or worse situation next season. And the 2014 FA class is worse. Horford cannot carry us anymore than Bosh could carry the Raptors or even Wade could carry the Heat.

He needs help. We either get it while we can, or tank. I hate tanking.

[Peoriabird]

Al Jefferson!

[Buzzard]

Al Jefferson!

Jefferson would be better than a complete wash but I prefer Pekovic and his 7ft frame and 300lbs of bulk. They both play inside and both shoot free throws extremely well for bigs. And yes, I would rather have Jefferson than Josh no doubt.

[Peoriabird]

Jefferson would be better than a complete wash but I prefer Pekovic and his 7ft frame and 300lbs of bulk. They both play inside and both shoot free throws extremely well for bigs. And yes, I would rather have Jefferson than Josh no doubt.

And since everyone hates him and he is almost guaranteed not to return to Utah, he should come relatively cheap.

[Buzzard]

And since everyone hates him and he is almost guaranteed not to return to Utah, he should come relatively cheap.

We will see what cheap is. Most of the teams with cap need either a PF or Center and Jefferson can be penciled in at either spot. The problem they all have is they can only target one then they are done. We can target two premier players.

Dallas, Charlotte, Detroit etc have to pick their one. I have no idea what the market is going to be like. But in the past, its always been pay the bigs and fill in with scorers. Someone like Evans or Deng might be gotten at very fair prices.

Edited May 15, 2013 by Buzzard

[Peoriabird]

We will see what cheap is. Most of the teams with cap need either a PF or Center and Jefferson can be penciled in at either spot. The problem they all have is they can only target one then they are done. We can target two premier players.

Dallas, Charlotte, Detroit etc have to pick their one. I have no idea what the market is going to be like. But in the past, its always been pay the bigs and fill in with scorers. Someone like Evans or Deng might be gotten at very fair prices.

Not interested in Deng...Too broken down. Agree with Evans though. Might throw Splitter in there too.

[Buzzard]

Not interested in Deng...Too broken down. Agree with Evans though. Might throw Splitter in there too.

Sorry meant Iggy not Deng. Deng is a FA in 2014.

[Peoriabird]

Sorry meant Iggy not Deng. Deng is a FA in 2014.

Not too excited about Iggy either...can't shoot.

[thecampster]

A possibility? Who in their right mind would keep Josh Smith over Horford and would pay him more money?

Moving Horford can bring you back another piece. You aren't thinking about this as a whole picture thing. For example, you can't trade Josh for Rondo right now. But you could trade Al for Rondo and keep Josh.

So ask yourself. Is Rondo/Josh/Dwight better than Teague/Horford/FA? This is a complicated mess of who can you get to take our money and how much of it do you have to give up to get them here and if you build around Horford you don't have tradable assets. If you build around Josh you get Horford as a tradable asset. If you trade Horford for a comparable PG/SG/SF, you now have the goods to sign Dwight. Don't think of it as comparing Josh and Al...its a puzzle, not a straight up comparison. By letting Josh get to free agency and letting all your talent get to F/A...the only assets you now have are Horford, Teague and an injured Williams. Even Jenkins, Scott and your two draft picks aren't real assets at this point thanks to Drew barely playing developing the rooks.

Because of the difference between the cap and the LT you can't just sign 70 million in talent but you can trade for it to fill in the gaps. Building your roster into a contender is easier building around Dwight and trading Al than letting Josh walk and hoping to sign the best of what's left after Dwight/CP3.

[thecampster]

Adding on to that, the wildcard is Bynum. If you are willing to gamble that Bynum is going to be healthy, happy and focused then by all means a big 2 of Horford/Bynum is cheaper and possibly better than Dwight/Smith. Horford/Jefferson is not. Horford/Petrovic is not. Your only hope of landing a 1-2 punch that will give Miami and Indiana fits is Bynum/Dwight. Their collective size is something Hibbert can't deal with and their defensive presence makes Miami's free throw carosel run a little slower. If you fail to land either, you aren't contending next year.

Defense isn't sexy but defense wins. Rebounding is boring but rebounding controls the flow of the game. We were woeful in these categories after Zaza went down and unless we fix it, Horford is nothing more than a trophy on a shelf.