Next Years Unrestricted Free Agents??

we will be over the cap regardless next year, and we would have the MLE both years so it really does us no good other than save money to not use it both years.

 

That wouldn't give us more money next year. We'd still have the same money. You have the MLE every year. Although, next year we'll have the LLE too. Still, choosing not to spend the MLE this year wouldn't be benificial in any way, shape or form.

 

Well, not using the MLE this year would mean less total salary next year, so it would help avoid the luxury tax. We still need to spend it this year though.

 

Roster-wise it might be beneficial. It's easier to acquire players than to trade them, you know. Sometimes proper roster planning means you don't sign just because you have money to sign.

 

Precisely. Using the MLE this year will put pretty close to the luxury tax threshold and I don't think we have much expiring at the end of the season. We may hit a problem next offseason with Les not wanting to use the MLE because of the tax implications.

I still advocate using the MLE though.

 

But signing say a young 3 and developing him (when TMac spends half the season on IR) would give the Rox a trade-able asset for next offseason.

 

Next year go for Morris Peterson. I know he's out of our budget. Sue me.

 

Nope, go for him now. Start acquiring pieces that would be attractive to Toronto and offer them a deal at the trade deadline. Then re-sign Mo Pete during the offseason and use the MLE for something else. That would give us what we need. We could even throw in our draft pick for 2007 if we could work a deal to get Mo Pete.

 

our problem is that we NEED to get something with the MLE this summer.

our roster is:

yao-deke
jho-hayes
shane-novak-bowen
tmac-head-sura
rafer

we are weak at the point (we only have one) and the 4/5 with jho and deke declining.

 

Toronto wants nothing we have except for Head and our pick, and that's a maybe. We don't even have expirings for them.

And we shouldn't give up our 2007 pick right now. Our team has so many holes and we don't know what our top priority will be next offseason. We could be looking to draft some depth in our backcourt, a real PF, or a backup center. There are too many questions to be giving up a pick in what looks to be a strong draft.

 

Toronto is interested in young, athletic players that can run the floor, have talent, and some offensive skills. We should go after players like Marcus Banks and Jared Jeffries and then let them play here to build up their value. Toronto would possibly bite on a deal including a couple of these types of players along with our draft pick, especially if Mo Pete told them he wasn't coming back and would only accept a deal to the Rox. Everything would have to fall right but McGrady can work the phones behind the scenes to help make something like this happen.

Look, we just need to find a player that fits what we want, that is a big 2 guard that can defend a little and can hit the 3 ball, and then we need said player to want to come here. IF Mo Pete wanted to come here, it could happen. It all hinges on Mo Pete wanting to come here and be the 3rd option.

 

But thats why we drafted Rudy Gay.

 

Player Team Type
Esteban Batista Atlanta Restricted F.A.
John Edwards Atlanta Restricted F.A.
Royal Ivey Atlanta Restricted F.A.

Brian Grant Boston Unrestricted F.A.
Dwayne Jones Boston Restricted F.A.
Kendrick Perkins Boston Restricted F.A.

Alan Anderson Charlotte Restricted F.A.
Matt Carroll Charlotte Unrestricted F.A.

Malik Allen Chicago Unrestricted F.A.
Eddie Basden Chicago Restricted F.A.
Kirk Hinrich Chicago Restricted F.A.
Andres Nocioni Chicago Restricted F.A.
Mike Sweetney Chicago Restricted F.A.

Martynas Andriuskevicius Cleveland Restricted F.A.
Stephen Graham Cleveland Restricted F.A.
LeBron James Cleveland Restricted F.A.
Aleksandar Pavlovic Cleveland Restricted F.A.
Anderson Varejao Cleveland Restricted F.A.

Austin Croshere Dallas Unrestricted F.A.
Josh Howard Dallas Restricted F.A.
Rawle Marshall Dallas Restricted F.A.
Josh Powell Dallas Restricted F.A.
Jerry Stackhouse Dallas Unrestricted F.A.

Carmelo Anthony Denver Restricted F.A.
Howard Eisley Denver Unrestricted F.A.
Ruben Patterson Denver Unrestricted F.A.

Dale Davis Detroit Unrestricted F.A.
Amir Johnson Detroit Restricted F.A.

Will Bynum Golden State Restricted F.A.
Zarko Cabarkapa Golden State Restricted F.A.
Mickael Pietrus Golden State Restricted F.A.

Ryan Bowen Houston Unrestricted F.A.
Chuck Hayes Houston Restricted F.A.
Dikembe Mutombo Houston Unrestricted F.A.

Chris Kaman L.A. Clippers Restricted F.A.

Brian Cook L.A. Lakers Restricted F.A.
Aaron McKie L.A. Lakers Unrestricted F.A.
Chris Mihm L.A. Lakers Unrestricted F.A.
Smush Parker L.A. Lakers Unrestricted F.A.
Von Wafer L.A. Lakers Restricted F.A.
Luke Walton L.A. Lakers Unrestricted F.A.

Dahntay Jones Memphis Restricted F.A.
Eddie Jones Memphis Unrestricted F.A.
Anthony Roberson Memphis Restricted F.A.
Lawrence Roberts Memphis Restricted F.A.
Jake Tsakalidis Memphis Unrestricted F.A.

Derek Anderson Miami Unrestricted F.A.
Earl Barron Miami Restricted F.A.
Vincent Grier Miami Unrestricted F.A.
Daniel Horton Miami Unrestricted F.A.
Jason Kapono Miami Unrestricted F.A.
James Posey Miami Unrestricted F.A.
Dwyane Wade Miami Restricted F.A.

Charlie Bell Milwaukee Restricted F.A.
Ersan Ilyasova Milwaukee Restricted F.A.
Jamaal Magloire Milwaukee Unrestricted F.A.
Joe Smith Milwaukee Unrestricted F.A.
Maurice Williams Milwaukee Unrestricted F.A.

Bracey Wright Minnesota Restricted F.A.

Jeff McInnis New Jersey Unrestricted F.A.
Zoran Planinic New Jersey Restricted F.A.

Brandon Bass New Orleans Restricted F.A.
P.J. Brown New Orleans Unrestricted F.A.
Marc Jackson New Orleans Unrestricted F.A.
Linton Johnson New Orleans Unrestricted F.A.
Desmond Mason New Orleans Unrestricted F.A.
David West New Orleans Restricted F.A.

Jalen Rose New York Unrestricted F.A.
Maurice Taylor New York Unrestricted F.A.
Ime Udoka New York Unrestricted F.A.

Travis Diener Orlando Restricted F.A.
Grant Hill Orlando Unrestricted F.A.
Darko Milicic Orlando Restricted F.A.

Leandro Barbosa Phoenix Restricted F.A.
Pat Burke Phoenix Restricted F.A.
Boris Diaw-Riffiod Phoenix Restricted F.A.

Steve Blake Portland Unrestricted F.A.
Travis Outlaw Portland Restricted F.A.

Louis Amundson Sacramento Unrestricted F.A.
Jason Hart Sacramento Unrestricted F.A.
Vitaly Potapenko Sacramento Unrestricted F.A.
Ronnie Price Sacramento Restricted F.A.
Corliss Williamson Sacramento Unrestricted F.A.

Matt Bonner San Antonio Restricted F.A.
Melvin Sanders San Antonio Unrestricted F.A.
Eric Williams San Antonio Unrestricted F.A.

Nick Collison Seattle Restricted F.A.
Noel Felix Seattle Restricted F.A.
Danny Fortson Seattle Unrestricted F.A.
Mikki Moore Seattle Unrestricted F.A.
Luke Ridnour Seattle Restricted F.A.

Andre Barrett Toronto Restricted F.A.
Chris Bosh Toronto Restricted F.A.
T.J. Ford Toronto Restricted F.A.
Morris Peterson Toronto Unrestricted F.A.
Pape Sow Toronto Restricted F.A.

Devin Brown Utah Unrestricted F.A.
Keith McLeod Utah Unrestricted F.A.
CJ Miles Utah Restricted F.A.

Andray Blatche Washington Restricted F.A.
Calvin Booth Washington Unrestricted F.A.
Jarvis Hayes Washington Restricted F.A.
Michael Ruffin Washington Unrestricted F.A.
Donnell Taylor Washington Restricted F.A

 

I guess you dont remember the draft.

 

I'm not saying they need to throw a full MLE deal at somebody just because we have it, but when you look at the depth on our roster it seems absolutely ludicrous to say we're better off not using it at all. If we weren't full of holes, I'd agree with you, but we are. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that despite the presence of Yao, McGrady and even Battier and Alston, we have as many holes to fill as any team in the league. Our depth is as bad as anyones. That needs addressing. It needs to be addressed intelligently, but it still needs addressing. I can't possibly imagine that there aren't some players out there that can't help in that regard. I don't care if the guys we get are just quality second string guys, we don't have many of those right now in my opinion.

 

That never happens. Why would Mo Pete want to come here? Is he from here? 9 times out of 10, players chase the money. The only time the opposite happens is when a player's made a ton of money already and wants to go a desirable spot (Mourning, Finley, Malone). Or there's the rare occasion of player loyalty to a team (Udonis Haslem staying with his hometown team, which drafted him and stuck by him through his overweight days).

Mo Pete's case is neither. He's not going to limit his options and say, "I only want to play for Houston, free market be damned. They'll try to re-sign me for under my value, but that's my team!"

And I don't like Marcus Banks or Jarred Jeffries. But signing either one just to trade them midseason is just telling future FA's to never sign here. What are we, a farm system for Toronto?

 

Mo Pete coming here midseason and the Rox going on a long postseason run with him knocking down jumpers would do nothing but ENHANCE his value for the coming free agency. He is not limiting his options. He is INCREASING his value playing on a contender. That is why he would want to come here.

You have a legit point about signing player just to trade them later, but teams do it all the time, just look up I-45. It doesn't keep players from wanting to play for them. If Toronto knows they are going to lose Mo Pete for nothing then they should be interested in getting anything for him, any kind of talent and draft picks. Like I say, it would all be predicted on Mo Pete wanting out. Probably won't happen. They'll probably entice him to sign a long term deal but you never know.