The Blazers wanted to protect that cap space for next season. That's why Pritchard went on the offensive speaking to the media about Miles's knee and how the drug suspension was conveniently leaked. It was even hinted it was mar1juana but it ended up being diet pills.
I think it doesn't matter. To my knowledge, they have Bird rights to all those players so they can sign a max player and then extend their own players and pick up options and go over the cap...or do they have to pick up the options before the free agency starts? In that case, yes, Miles playing for Boston could forbid them from signing a max player outright.
How likely is it he makes the team? If he makes the team, how often will he be activated? This talk about "the East" being weak is overblown nonsense. Did you know the Celts were 25-5 against the WEST last season? This coming year, the conferences are more balanced than last year.
I understand that the odds are he gets in 10 games... but he has alot working against him... he has a 10 game suspension, and is on a non-guaranteed contract for a pretty old [read brittle] team. if health were to become an issue for the Celtics I don't think they would hold a roster spot for Miles simply to spite the Blazers. for the record I think he will get in 10 games...but it's something to keep an eye...
the cap holds that A_3PO was referring to would come into play in that scenario...a teams free agents count against the cap at a certain percentage increase from their previous salary (sorry...I am too lazy to look up the percentages right now).
It's their last opportunity to add a major free agent from outside their team. Paul Allen thinks they can do "big things" in free agency with their cap space next year.
I remember reading that the Blazers were high on Deng and were hoping he would sign a qualifying offer in order to become an UFA next offseason... well since then Deng has signed a pretty lucratice extension and the Blazers have brough over Rudy Fernandez... any names on this list jump out at you?
PG & SF are their weakest positions. Andre Miller, David Lee (can play SF), Hedo Turkoglu, and Danny Granger are the names that stand out. They could also go left-field by picking up Boozer. That'd make a crazy 3 man tandem in their frontcourt of Oden, Boozer, and Aldridge.
Iverson? Nah, I doubt they go that route. The thing with Blazers is that they have such a well rounded team. You can't really point at one position and say, that's their weakness (I am assuming Bayless will play point and will do good). ...That is a pretty terrible list of free agents. Iverson, Artest, Marion and some that could opt out. I could see the Blazers going after Marion though I don't see anyone on that list being worth signing when all things are considered.
Marion and Artest were the two that stuck out to me, as well. if Bayless pans out, then there would be no use for Iverson. they are high on Aldridge and I think he has a more well rounded game (but with less polish) than Boozer (plus he's younger).
This really could screw the Blazers. You can't look at the salary cap figures just by the salaries they make. Sure, the Blazers have a lot of players coming off the books, but if they want to actually spend that money on other FAs, they have to renounce the rights to some of their own key pieces. This happened with Yao a while back, who counted something like $10 mil against our cap even before we picked up his option and gave him an extension. So in other words, if Miles get back on the Blazers' cap, they have no chance at an impact FA, unless it's a S&T.
That's because the disparity between the conferences couldn't get any bigger. The Celtics having success against the west has nothing to do with how crappy the east was last year. It means the Celtics are good. I can't imagine how easy it would be to rack up wins against all those cupcake teams. Every year people like you say the east has closed the gap, but the end result is the same: one or two good teams, followed by mediocrity at best. A few teams are getting back some injured players, but besides Brand to Philly, not much major talent left the west for the east. Some eastern teams shuffled some players between each other, like Jefferson and J. Oneal, but those moves arent exactly making anyone shake in their boots. But hey, maybe it will actually take a .500 record to make the playoffs.
I wish Morey picked up Miles to sabatoge Portland back. Morey probably would have called Kevin Pritchard the night before Miles' 10th game and offered him Alston and Miles for Outlaw and Fernandez.
How does a gimpy knee loser like Darius Miles get signed ahead of Bonzi Wells. This reminds me of last year when Ruben Patterson who was coming off his best year with the Bucks was signed after Penny Hardaway. Still can't believe that Kirk Snyder hasn't been signed yet. If Toronto were smart they would sign Wells because their SF need to be upgraded.
That would leave us with no PG. I would ask for Outlaw and Jerryd Bayless. But you're right, that would be one badass move. Too bad we don't have the cap nor roster space on our team for that.
