Official 2010 NBA Free Agency Thread

[Color Me Badd Fan]

There's no reason to answer these questions because there's no scenario in which they do not win a championship.

Think about this, Kobe is basically the equal of Wade or LeBron. Gasol is, IMO, close to the equal of Chris Bosh. Then you add in players like Artest, Bynum and Odom, and LA looked unstoppable. But Boston pushed them to 7 games and led for a significant portion of that Game 7. Miami would literally have no one else, so I don't think it's that clear cut.

Regardless, these guys aren't all going to be playing together. I do think Bosh joins Wade in Miami. I keep reading that none of the other teams can get two of the max free agents. Miami's the only one that already has one of the big 3, is a desirable location and has cap space. Chicago could if it could unload Deng, but no one wants that contract.

LeBron is going to weigh his options and probably settle on a 3 year contract. He'll still be 28 when the next contract ends. I really don't think he stays in Cleveland. I, like others, think he's going to Chicago. They can pick up LeBron, already have Rose and Noah and still have some space under the cap even with Deng. Deng is probably going to be a sixth man, unless they stick either LeBron or Deng at the 2. That's a pretty good situation. Chicago makes a ton of sense.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Like I said, the best time in the history of the NBA to be a free agent.

How about when Rashard Lewis got his contract? It seems like the NBA GMs and owners haven't learned their lesson yet. This is why there's quite possibly going to be a lockout- these idiot GMs can't help themselves.

I'm sure Amare is going to get max money to make a few dunks, score about 22 points a night and then not defend or rebound. It boggles my mind.

There are 3 guys that deserve max money deals that are free agents. Dirk also commands max money but in a sane league, he'd only get a three year deal.

Joe Johnson is going to be making $20 million a year? Crazy.

[Surfah]

How about when Rashard Lewis got his contract? It seems like the NBA GMs and owners haven't learned their lesson yet. This is why there's quite possibly going to be a lockout- these idiot GMs can't help themselves.

I'm sure Amare is going to get max money to make a few dunks, score about 22 points a night and then not defend or rebound. It boggles my mind.

There are 3 guys that deserve max money deals that are free agents. Dirk also commands max money but in a sane league, he'd only get a three year deal.

Joe Johnson is going to be making $20 million a year? Crazy.

The difference is a number of Rashard Lewis' are going to get max deals this year.

[MarkGrace]

Rudy Gay gets max-money.

Which raises a question, is Rudy Gay even an All Star caliber player? Giving (near) max money to a fringe All Star is not how you build a winner...

He's AS caliber. But of course that doesn't mean he deserves the max.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

The difference is a number of Rashard Lewis' are going to get max deals this year.

If Lewis was a free agent this year, I don't think he'd get the same deal. Stoudemire, Boozer, Johnson and Dirk (aka the second tier free agents) are all better than Lewis by a long shot. Boozer may not even get max money and I know he'd be more sought after than Lewis.

[Sizzle]

I think there are WAY too many guys making Max money. There should be 10-15 guys, tops that get paid like max players. Joe Johnson and Rudy Gay are not two of them.

[Sizzle]

Would something like this work:

Booze to Miami
Monte Ellis, Beasley, Tomic and picks to Minnesota
AK to Golden State
Jefferson and Biedrins to Utah

Booze and Miami both win.
Golden State sheds salary
Minnesota gets a scorer, prospects and rid of Jeffersons deal.
Utah gets size up front to help compensate for the loss of Booze.

Pieces may need to change, but something big like that could net the Jazz some size in return.

I really want Jefferson.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I think there are WAY too many guys making Max money. There should be 10-15 guys, tops that get paid like max players. Joe Johnson and Rudy Gay are not two of them.

If you put a five year time window (today's date and going back five years so you can account for guys like Garnett that deserved max money five years ago and are still getting paid under their current contracts), you come up with the following list (in no particular order):

1. LeBron
2. Kobe
3. Wade
4. Carmelo
5. Howard
6. Duncan
7. Garnett
8. Dirk
9. Bosh
10. Nash

Close to max players: Gasol

Guys that are a little too young, but will be max players within a couple years: Paul, Williams (Howard might belong down here also).

Guys more than a couple years away but will be max players: Rose, Durant.

Garnett, Duncan, and Nash should drop off the list in the next couple seasons (Dirk won't because someone is going to sign him to a deal in excess of three years, which they shouldn't do). They'll be replaced by Paul, Williams, Rose and Durant.

In other words, at any given time there really should be only 10 max players- maybe 15 sometimes. Rashard Lewis, Gay, Johnson, Amare and Boozer shouldn't ever be on this list.

[Sizzle]

If you put a five year time window (today's date and going back five years so you can account for guys like Garnett that deserved max money five years ago and are still getting paid under their current contracts), you come up with the following list (in no particular order):

1. LeBron
2. Kobe
3. Wade
4. Carmelo
5. Howard
6. Duncan
7. Garnett
8. Dirk
9. Bosh
10. Nash

Close to max players: Gasol

Guys that are a little too young, but will be max players within a couple years: Paul, Williams (Howard might belong down here also).

Guys more than a couple years away but will be max players: Rose, Durant.

Garnett, Duncan, and Nash should drop off the list in the next couple seasons (Dirk won't because someone is going to sign him to a deal in excess of three years, which they shouldn't do). They'll be replaced by Paul, Williams, Rose and Durant.

In other words, at any given time there really should be only 10 max players- maybe 15 sometimes. Rashard Lewis, Gay, Johnson, Amare and Boozer shouldn't ever be on this list.

I absolutely agree with the premise. But IMO Durant is absolutely a max worthy player. I would take Durant over half the guys on your max list.

I think Bosh is borderline max. He is good, and would be a phenomenal 2nd option, but not a cornerstone max type player.

Paul and Williams in my eyes are max players. Rose is probably close. But you are right, Lewis, Boozer, Ak, Gay, etc, guys who are talented and very good #2 options, are not max players.

[MartyFunkhouser]

If you put a five year time window (today's date and going back five years so you can account for guys like Garnett that deserved max money five years ago and are still getting paid under their current contracts), you come up with the following list (in no particular order):

1. LeBron
2. Kobe
3. Wade
4. Carmelo
5. Howard
6. Duncan
7. Garnett
8. Dirk
9. Bosh
10. Nash

Close to max players: Gasol

Guys that are a little too young, but will be max players within a couple years: Paul, Williams (Howard might belong down here also).

Guys more than a couple years away but will be max players: Rose, Durant.

Garnett, Duncan, and Nash should drop off the list in the next couple seasons (Dirk won't because someone is going to sign him to a deal in excess of three years, which they shouldn't do). They'll be replaced by Paul, Williams, Rose and Durant.

In other words, at any given time there really should be only 10 max players- maybe 15 sometimes. Rashard Lewis, Gay, Johnson, Amare and Boozer shouldn't ever be on this list.

What is your opinion on Brandon Roy. He got a max deal and I do think he is a max deal worthy player.

[MarkGrace]

If you put a five year time window (today's date and going back five years so you can account for guys like Garnett that deserved max money five years ago and are still getting paid under their current contracts), you come up with the following list (in no particular order):

1. LeBron
2. Kobe
3. Wade
4. Carmelo
5. Howard
6. Duncan
7. Garnett
8. Dirk
9. Bosh
10. Nash

You forgot AK.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I absolutely agree with the premise. But IMO Durant is absolutely a max worthy player. I would take Durant over half the guys on your max list.

I think Bosh is borderline max. He is good, and would be a phenomenal 2nd option, but not a cornerstone max type player.

Paul and Williams in my eyes are max players. Rose is probably close. But you are right, Lewis, Boozer, Ak, Gay, etc, guys who are talented and very good #2 options, are not max players.

Just to answer a few posts at once. I'm only talking about guys that are either currently capable of receiving max money (both talent-wise and have been in the league long enough to get a true max deal) or have been that way in the past five years. Also, just because a guy actually made max money, doesn't mean he deserved it (Rashard Lewis). The guys I listed below like Williams, Paul, Durant and Rose are absolutely worthy of max money, but they haven't been in the league long enough.

Brandon Roy isn't a max player IMO. He has talent but he has bad knees. He's solidly in the Joe Johnson class, his stats don't back up max money. Seven years ago, when Paul Pierce was the same age as Roy, he averaged 26 points, 4.5 assists and 7.3 rebounds. Should Pierce be considered a max player?

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I absolutely agree with the premise. But IMO Durant is absolutely a max worthy player. I would take Durant over half the guys on your max list.

I think Bosh is borderline max. He is good, and would be a phenomenal 2nd option, but not a cornerstone max type player.

Paul and Williams in my eyes are max players. Rose is probably close. But you are right, Lewis, Boozer, Ak, Gay, etc, guys who are talented and very good #2 options, are not max players.

I have a high opinion of Bosh. He kicked ass during the Olympics. He's good. He's barely above Gasol who's also close to a max player.

[cougjunkie]

If you were Rob Pelinkas Boozers agent and assuming Boozers number 1 goal is to truly win a title. Would you not be on the phone to Miami saying look you guys can sign Amare, Lebron and Wade at about $15 million per, do you really think Lebron is going to turn down $20 million a year in Cleveland, New Jersey etc? Why not drope Amare, Carlos will take $12 and you can give both Wade and Lebron $17 million which is a lot closer.

Carlos would more than make up for the difference in endorsements if he is playing along side those guys and would all the bull crap about fixing his marriage and being closer to his family he shows a bit of sacrifice here.

[MartyFunkhouser]

If you were Rob Pelinkas Boozers agent and assuming Boozers number 1 goal is to truly win a title. Would you not be on the phone to Miami saying look you guys can sign Amare, Lebron and Wade at about $15 million per, do you really think Lebron is going to turn down $20 million a year in Cleveland, New Jersey etc? Why not drope Amare, Carlos will take $12 and you can give both Wade and Lebron $17 million which is a lot closer.

Carlos would more than make up for the difference in endorsements if he is playing along side those guys and would all the bull crap about fixing his marriage and being closer to his family he shows a bit of sacrifice here.

Because Boozer's 1 goal isn't to win a title it is to earn as much money as he possibly can. Just like that is the 1 goal of at least 90% of the NBA players. Boozer is a whore, he will end up where he makes the most money.