[gatorheelsParticipant]

I just copy & pasted this stuff from different websites. I thought a lot of this was interesting. Enjoy

2009 NBA Free Agents- Where will they land?
Jason Kidd – UR
Sacrifices pay to play with Lakers in 2009/2010. Signs a Mid-Level Exception.

Ben Gordon – UR
Utah Jazz sign Gordon. Utah is in need of a shooting guard more than any team. He will take pressure off Brewer and allow him to come of the bench.

Allen Iverson – UR
Signs with Dallas at the Veteran Minimum. They are the only team willing to take a risk, giving A.I. major playing time. The contract will not last more than 2-3 years.

Andre Miller – UR
Signs with the Portland Trailblazers and will make a major impact in the 2010 playoffs.

Shawn Marion – UR
Chicago is likely to move some players to open up some cap room for this offseason and Marion would be a great fit.

Carlos Boozer – UR (player option)
Does not utilize player option. He will, however, be in the pool heading into the 2010/2011 season.

A few random thoughts about the list:

– I hadn’t thought about a potential Andre Miller-to-Portland signing. The Blazers will have about $9-$10 million in cap space, so it is a possibility, though they may elect to save the dough and gear up for a bigger splash in the summer of 2010. I think Portland is taking a more long-term approach to building a winner.

– Players like Zaza Pachulia or Wally Szczerbiak are unlikely to get the full mid-level exception (starting at ~$5.8 million per season) this offseason. My best guess for Pachulia is a contract that averages somewhere in the $3-$4 million per season range. I’d estimate that Wally would earn less than that.

– As a longtime Bucks fan, I sure hope the team doesn’t make an offer to Raymond Felton. They already have their point guard of the future in Ramon Sessions, and he’ll likely come at a cheaper price than Felton.

– Utah might sign Ben Gordon, but how does Jerry Sloan feel about his shot selection and lack of defense? I think the Jazz will stick with Brewer, who continues to progress.

– I don’t see the Pistons re-signing Rasheed Wallace though I suppose it could happen. They have a ton of cap space, but if they sign him to anything other than a one-year deal, it will jeopardize their flexibility next summer. Remember, Rip Hamilton becomes a free agent in 2010 as well.

– Ron Artest to Toronto? Maybe — the Raptors will have some cap space ($11 million), but is he a good fit? They want to push the ball and he seems to thrive in a half court setting. I think he’ll end up signing with a contender for the mid-level. In fact, he might re-sign with Houston.

– I don’t see the Bulls clearing cap space to sign Shawn Marion when they have a Shawn-Marion-in-the-making in the form of Tyrus Thomas. Why blow up a promising young team to sign the 31-year-old Matrix?

More NEWS/Rumors

The two in-house candidates to fill the backup power forward spot are Sean May (a free agent) and Alexis Ajinca. Both are question marks. Brown might go to Chapel Hill this weekend, in part to visit retired Tar Heels coach Dean Smith, but also to check in on May’s progress. May is working out while taking classes at North Carolina. Brown said the draft could be a factor in how the Bobcats deal with May’s free agency, but that won’t be the only factor. “My biggest thing is to (evaluate) the progress he’s been making,” Brown said. “Obviously, he’s a huge asset. “We were all hopeful he’d be able to start last year. We’ll see how things go.” Brown said Ajinca’s lack of weight and strength make it iffy whether he’ll be in the rotation next season. “Right now, I don’t know (if he’s ready for) the physical part of the game,” Brown said.

Neither of the Jazz’s 2008 second-round draft picks, Croatian center Ante Tomic or Serbian forward Tadija Dragicevic, will be coming to the Jazz this season. Tomic reportedly will sign with Euroleague power Maccabi Tel Aviv in what could be the next step before making the jump to the NBA.

“I’m convinced Marcus Thornton is the guy for the New Orleans Hornets.Admittedly, there’s a bias for the former LSU shooting guard. Having seen more of him than of the other draft prospects the Hornets have worked out, and having fallen hard for the way he played and competed in games en route to becoming the SEC Player of the Year last season, the personal preference previously has been stated. But after watching the little bit of the workout that the media was allowed to see this week during his New Orleans visit with five other candidates, Thornton only confirmed the belief that if he’s available when the Hornets pick at No. 21 in the first round of the NBA Draft, they should take him and consider themselves fortunate.”

The Blazers have quietly invested their confidence in Bayless and structured their summer plans to start refining the raw rookie into their future point guard. t started this week, when teammate Greg Oden joined Bayless in Phoenix so the two could work out together and start developing their chemistry. And it will continue during next month’s summer league, when Blazers coach Nate McMillan expects Bayless to run the team as its full-time point guard.”

Bogut, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, said he hoped to become more consistent on offense and have more 20-point, 12-rebound nights, rather than settling for 10 and 8. He averaged 11.7 points and a career-best 10.3 rebounds in 36 games last season. “Sometimes I need to be selfish and just stay aggressive offensively,” he said. Bogut said he would be watching the Bucks’ off-season moves, including their choices in the June 25 draft. “I think the draft is going to be very, very big for us,” he said. “Our first-round pick might play minutes and our second-round pick might play minutes. We’ve got Joe (Alexander) and Luc (Richard Mbah a Moute) in summer league trying to get better. We’ll get everyone in by Sept. 10 and start working.”

Sounds like the Wolves are trying to pull together a super-duper point guard workout for next Friday, planning to get Steph Curry, Jonny Flynn, Brandon Jennings and Jrue Holiday in one session together.
That’s what they have scheduled now, but you never know who’s going to drop out or have their agent change plans at the last minute. If that pulls off, it’d sure be one interesting session to catch the last 4 1/2 minutes of!. Tyreke Evans and DeMar DeRozan also are due in next weekend — when the Wolves have workouts scheduled for Friday and Saturday — but each is expected to only do a solo workout for the Wolves staff. Haven’t heard that they’re going to get James Harden in, and they might have to go to a guy like him, like they did last year with O.J. Mayo, if they think they have a shot to get him. Probably the same for a guy like Thabeet, Id think.

The Warriors’ second-year Anthonys, Morrow and Randolph, have been working out together like crazy at the Warriors practice facility. Morrow has the staff gushing over his work ethic and development. His shooting ability still has members of the organization shaking their heads in disbelief. Today, he was playing some form of horse with assistant coach Russell Turner. Morrow was shooting with his left hand, banking 17-footers with ease. “I shoot better with my left than you,” Morrow shouted across the gym to Randolph, who is left-handed. He later challenged Randolph to a shooting competition. “I’ll shoot with my left hand and you shoot with your left hand.” During shooting drills, Morrow made 98 of 114 from 3-point range. That’s 86 percent.

[eprizzle14Participant]

like I said Morrow > Bellineli.

[NYKnicksuperFanParticipant]

if i was a player and i had a players option for next year i would take it nobody wants to spend money this summer, theres going to be a lot of cash floating around in 2010 and the losers of Bosh/Amare are going to drastically overpay for Boozer to satisfy their fans

[auberParticipant]

I’ve been saying this for awhile now, but I really think Andre Miller winds up in Portland. It’s a great move for both parties.

[D HampParticipant]

Auber, for the third time, why is Eric Devendorf a thug???

And people keep saying you have a personal vendetta against college players with urban backgrounds. Even ask Sheltwon. I’m not accusing you. I just want clarification.

Dhamp…the greatest basketball mind in the world. Next to Hubie Brown anyway.

[JNixonParticipant]

I think the 76ers should try to get Anthony Morrow. I thought he was a good looking shooter at Georgia Tech, but I didnt think he would make a roster. Man was I wrong lol..but he would be a good fit at 2-guard for Philly. I am glad they got Kapono though, that was a pretty good pickup.

[D HampParticipant]

Auber, for the third time, why is Eric Devendorf a thug???

And users keep saying you have a vendetta against college players with urban backgrounds? Ask Sheltwon. I’m not assucsing you. I just want clarification.

Dhamp…the greatest basketball mind in the world. Next to Hubie Brown anyway.

[auberParticipant]

Here’s your response D Hamp, you can stop cock riding myself and Eric Devondorf Now.

http://www.nbadraft.net/node/6822

[D HampParticipant]

Again, how is he a thug??? You didn’t answer the question. That’s the problem. Stop calling him a thug if you don’t have proof. You keep providing excuses for calling him a thug. That’s what happens to a bunch of youngs kids in society today. Because call them degrading names and after a while they buy into it. People like you are degrading his image. He gets in one unjustified incident and people go haywire.
People call him a thug because he’s a white player with tattoes and he talks trash. Urban players do it everyday.

Dhamp…the greatest basketball mind in the world. Next to Hubie Brown anyway.

[NYKnicksuperFanParticipant]

Hes a thug because he beat his girlfriend thats pretty much a reason to call some one a no-good, trailer-trash thug

[jsdghifadgfuiogjkaghsdauigParticipant]

They said on this source Iverson is going to Dallas, I dnt think so…many sources, such as espn, have stated numerous of times that The Answer is going to the Bobcats to play for former coach Larry Brown. I think he might go for this move but who knows, he can land anywhere, I just think he’ll be a Bobcat.

[D HampParticipant]

He didn’t hit the girl. She admitted to lying.

Hubie Brown

[NYKnicksuperFanParticipant]

I dont think he would be a good fit for the Mavs, Yes Kidd and Dirk might be able to keep him in line BUT he would take major minutes from the 6th man of the year Jason Terry, and Barea the fan favorite AND the Mavs have one of the most volatile owners in the NBA Mark Cuban who has called out players before, so I think Him and Iverson would clash a lot AND Josh Howard the Mavs blossoming star is already a head case who is up to his third strike, If him and another troublemaker like A.I were to go out to a strip club instead of practice just once you might have to say good bye tothem and the Mavs playoff hopes AND of course that question of playing time

[knicksfreakParticipant]

Jason Kidd supposedly doesnt want to be a “rent-a-player” so he hopes to re-sign in Dallas and I doubt they give him away after all they traded for him.

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Iverson could go to Charlotte but I think he would be a better fit in Dallas. Charlotte should re-sign Sean May in my opinion. When healthy is he is good PF.

The Blazers sure could use Andre Miller, he would offer them some playoff experience at PG which they need. With Miller the Blazers would be a much tougher opponent come playoff time then they were this year. I’m still not sold on Bayless. I don’t think he can be a full time dependable starting PG. He reminds me of like a Ben Gordon or Randy Foye type combo guard.

I gotta admit I also though Morrow would not make it on an nba team. I’m happy for him, that just shows you where hard work can get you. I still think Golden State should keep Bellineli too. I like both of them. The Warriors are a very entertaining team.

I also agree that the loser of the Amare/Bosh sweepstakes is going to overpay for Boozer.

I still think the Hornets can find a player better than Thornton with the 21st pick.

[TocaneParticipant]

Either Gordon or Artest is ending up with Olympiacos.

They’ve both been offered 15+ million per year by that team.

[2K_DAVISParticipant]

nice post

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Thanks

Gordon has already stated that he isn’t going to play in Europe. Even though the money is good he just doesn’t have any interest. At least that is what he is saying now.

Artest is kind of a crazy character, he would be the one to bolt overseas.

[ckowalskiParticipant]

iverson and terry would be a good combo with iverson driving and terry waiting for the kick out three. iverson may be a headcase but no one can ever question his passion and drive. he plays with heart, he plays injured and most importantly he wants to win now. plus dallas has the added bonus of being able to offer him starters minutes since wright is more of a defender off the bench and terry likes being the 6th man anyways. barea thinks he is a superstar and he shoots a little too much but he does come to play every day and brings a lot of energy.

[maravich44Participant]

Gordon has said he wants to play for an NBA team with a chance to win and thinks the Bulls are one player away. The issue is that if they sign him for big $ they might not have enough left to get that player. Marion I don’t think is that player, though Tyrus Thomas may not be on the team either. His inability to play inside frustrates Bulls and their fans immensely. Not tht he doesn’t have the ability to play inside. He does, but would rather take a 15 foot jumper. Gordon would d drive Sloan nuts, Not good on D and questionable shot selection. He would be better coming off the bench. He reminds me of Vinnie Johnson in that role. Brewer is good on D and more of a Sloan type player. Somhow Bulls need to get a post game offensively. It would be nice to re-sign Gordon too.

[HaleParticipant]

Maybe Auber has a different definition of a thug then you do? Is that so hard to understand? That you are not always right?

[Author]

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