See anybody we need on the list besides TMac that could tremendously help this team? One player in particular I wouldn't mind would be Redd... http://www.realgm.com/src_feature_article.php?articleid=29 With most key members of the 2004 free agent class locked and signed, teams are already beginning to point to the list of talent available next summer. An impressive unrestricted roster will be available, including the likes of Tracy McGrady, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Ray Allen and Michael Redd. Salary cap relief is a process that takes NBA general managers several years to achieve. It is an arduous course of exchanging one handcuffing contract for another handcuffing contract and adding personnel to the roster, which may clearly damage overall team chemistry in the short term. The temporary sacrifice becomes worthwhile when finally a team manages to be many millions of dollars under the cap. A textbook example of this finessing were the Orlando Magic during the summer of 2000. The Magic, still reeling from the loss of Shaquille O'Neal to the Lakers, had managed to clear enough cap room to sign the two most desired free agents of that class. They had elected not to retain players such as Penny Hardaway and Horace Grant, which hurt them immeasurably in the short run, but a clear plan was in place. When in one summer, they signed Tracy McGrady from the Toronto Raptors and Grant Hill from the Detroit Pistons, the consensus was that they had played the salary cap situation to perfection. Adding two franchise caliber players to a solid hard working young core, which included Ben Wallace. Unfortunately, chronic injuries to Hill prevented this team from reaching its dreamt potential. Doc Rivers was fired early in the 2004 season; they ended the year with the worst record in the NBA and found McGrady requesting a trade in June. This summer, following the Magic model of clearing significant cap space, teams such as the Suns and Nuggets were able to acquire proven NBA talent, immediately improving their club. Phoenix dealt away Stephon Marbury in the middle of a disappointing season, which made them worse in the short run, by gave them ample room to maneuver and sign free agent guards Steve Nash and Quentin Richardson. The Nuggets were able to not only resign Marcus Camby, but also acquire Kenyon Martin in a sign and trade deal with Nets, making Denver one of the more formidable teams in a reshaped Western Conference. Teams jockeying to craft similar coups next summer include the Hawks, Blazers and Sonics. These three teams will have significant contracts, Antoine Walker, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Ray Allen respectively, coming off their cap, allowing them to make runs at players who are better aligned with their long term objectives. The biggest name of the unrestricted lot is clearly Tracy McGrady. His free agency is conditional on how he and Yao Ming merge into what may become the most lethal inside/outside threats in the NBA, with the Lakers disbanded. If Rocket head coach Jeff Van Gundy is unable to facilitate an effective combination of these two players, McGrady may very well walk come July and play for his third team in three years. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, one of the league's pure centers, will be a very coveted commodity on the open market. He, however, is not likely to become available, as Cleveland will be especially ardent about keeping him after the fiasco surrounding Carlos Boozer signing with the Utah Jazz. Ilgauskas will probably settle for staying with the Cavs, playing alongside of Lebron James and also because they will be able to compensate him more lucratively than any other club. Ray Allen appears to be the member of this list who is most keen on signing an extension immediately. His market value has diminished, as few NBA observers believe Allen has the mental makeup to command the role as franchise cornerstone. He is undoubtedly one of the league's best pure shooters, but appears to feel more comfortable as a team's second star, in the mold of Scottie Pippen. The Sonics will try to retain Allen, but will avoid at all costs, signing him to a maximum deal, and would likely let him leave, before they concede contractually. Finally, the most intriguing unrestricted name is Michael Redd of the Milwaukee Bucks. He is coming off a stunning breakout season, proving himself to be one of the league's most promising shooting guards, in some ways what Ray Allen was a few short years ago. Redd is the youngest and perhaps the most likely to switch teams. He may be a Midwest product, out of Ohio State, but he would likely find greater championship opportunities playing for a team with a more talented roster. This past season, restricted free agents such as Stromile Swift and Darius Miles were avoided by most teams, not for a lack of interest, but because their respective teams made it clear that they would match any offer sheet conferred. Quentin Richardson, Martin and Boozer, were the only significant free agents to be playing in a different city this coming season. Heading the list of restricted free agents will be Zach Randolph, Pau Gasol and Jason Richardson, but again these players are likely to be retained by their current clubs. The summer of 2005 will surely be an intriguing one in terms of player movement. This past summer will initiate a new growing trend where numerous All-Stars and future Hall of Famers will change uniforms during a single off-season. The days of superfluous role players being the only ones to be moved are clearly over, as there is a clear precedent that all players, no matter how vital, can and will be exchanged.
So is McGrady going to sign the extension with us or not I think we have until october 31st to get it done, right?
I hope T-Mac signed an extension, and out of the rest of the free agent list, my favorite is Michael Redd. I wouldnt mind having Ray Allen either.
Well, is has been reported that TMac and the Rockets have agreed on a contract. I think everything will be signed and sealed the moment TMac walks in for camp.
Do you have a link for that mogrod? I would really like to have Redd on our team but unless T-Mac agrees to play as a 3 he won't be able to fit in with us.
I want use to go after Bobby Jackson and not resign lue. Redd and Allen will want huge money and we cant afford 3 max deals.
I dont have a link, it was posted a few weeks back here and was linked from a report on Sport Radio 610's site.
It'll be almost impossible to sign 3 max contracts to this team and still have enough cap space to form a formidable team. We simply don't need a ton of stars on this team. Just increased depth with smart signings, and our own superstars to come into their prime. Redd or Allen would be great signings, but we also don't want to create a crisis with how many shots any of our stars get per night. Even to modest Hakeem, it mattered how many shots he could take a game. Aside from being a chattermouth, why do you think Cassell was traded? He didn't dish the ball enough to the man.
I don't get why these places keep reporting that T-Mac's re-signing is conditional upon how he and Yao work together. That is an absolute fabrication. The Rockets and McGrady will have a deal before training camp starts. Period.
precisely the team doesnt get enough respect for the 94 and 95 title runs and winning another ring would make us a true winning franchise having won titles with two completely different teams. imagine if a thing like the run we had in 95 happened now, it'd be televised like crazy imo that 95 team does not get enough credit for what they accomplished
Anyone who signs Redd to a max contract is an idiot. Since he has become a starter his shooting has dropped way off. .350 from downtown is very pedestrian, and that was his best attribute the year before. For some reason, whenevver guys have a great season coming out of nowhere, everyone thinks they will be like that the rest of their careers. I am not immune to this, I thought Loaiza was a great pickup for the Yankees. Redd is an inferior player to Mobley, and shouldn't get a bigger contract. He was also better coming off the bench.
