I'll name this offseason thread later: The NBA 2019 Offseason/Free Agency Thread
- Thread starter Morethan1
- Start date
Conversely, why should we as fans give a fukk about sparing billionaire owners pockets?
I’m not talking about sparing billionaires pockets
I’m talking about not overpaying and signing players to dumb contracts and paying them closer to your value so you can have more money to improve the team
For a team like Utah, who exactly would they spend the money they’re gonna offer Tobias that would make their team better?
Flex Luger
Job Is Finished
that's what I don't think a lot of brehs look at with cap space. It only means something if you are a free agent destination or willing to commit a crazy overpay...
Atlanta, Utah, Indiana, Cleveland, Charlotte, Denver, Detroit, Indiana, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Orlando, Oklahoma, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio (they bank on draft picks and unsigned players), Toronto (same as San Antonio for the most part but still in the infancy), Washington for one reason or another don't seem to be destinations.
ThIs is a good percentage of the NBA that has to rely on trades and the draft for the most part to improve. These teams need to still properly manage their salary cap situation but for the most part they will either need to draft well/trade well if they want to improve. All-star level players likely only go to them if they are connected to the area/team somehow or they are being overpaid.
So who does this leave as potential free agent destinations and to be honest I'm starting to realize some of these teams are just being used for leverage LA, NYK, Boston, Philly, Chicago, Dallas/Houston, GSW, Miami....So what I haven't been able to figure out is why aren't teams like Atlanta (dudes literally live here in the offseason) , Orlando (it was a destination at one point), Charlotte (dudes must not really mess with Jordan like that) , Denver (mile high and it's great) , Portland (nike hub), and Toronto (taxes and weather got it) aren't destinations. I'd love to live in any of those cities but the players have their reasons.
So from what I can see the really "elite players" that deserve the supermax (not that many of them to be honest) are going to get paid no matter where they are they don't "need" to be in the big markets but it helps. Dudes don't actually live in the cities they play in offseason a lot of times, during the season they are likely only home a little over half of the season. So what is it that the dudes value it clearly isn't history or team culture. It's not coaching not front office. So as far as I can tell just like any of us dudes want to play with people they are cool with.
So if you are a teams GM and you have a max slot you already know going in that your team isn't a destination and you can only improve via the draft/trades and lets be honest the really good players are not traded often and when they are does your team even have the assets the team trading the star wants. The owner is telling you that your job is on the line unless you make the 2nd round of the playoffs or that he wants you to cut salary but still be competitive you damn near don't have a choice but to overpay or let a dude like Tobias Harris or Julius Randle go.
Lets look at team like the Sac Kings at the end of the day they just want to be competitive and improve on their culture do you really think them tossing a max at a guy like Vucevic or Horford won't help them get to that point we know these dudes will be overpaid...But than at the same time as much as it pains me to say this the worst thing for the Hornets to do is actually resigning Kemba Walker to anything more than a regular max....If you have to give him an extra year that's cool but you know your team is already on the treadmill and not a threat to sign anyone. You brought in Kupchack you may as well just blow that thing up so you don't become another Wizards who are about to end up in a bad situation.
The only team I have seen able to remain competitive over the course of a long time frame is San Antonio and to lesser exten Utah.
The Utah Jazz when they had their recent horrible season drafted Dante Exum he hasn't really developed into what you would expect from a number 6 overall pick. But when you look at that draft in hindsight they made a pick for a potential star and it didn't workout.
The Spurs however have routinely been in the playoffs but they have elite level player development/scouting. They always seem to find late round picks, undrafted players, or overseas signings. But most importantly they got lucky with the season where they were killed by injuries by being able to select 1.David Robinson followed by 2.Tim Duncan which led into a crazy player development situation that led to them trading George Hill for another elite player 3. Board Man Leonard...The Spurs should be the franchise teams emulate but if it was that easy teams would do it. Spurs last missed the playoffs in 1997.
The only other NBA team that has shown to be capable of doing what they have done is the Golden State Warriors who hit on the picks of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and overpay of Iggy and somehow convinced Kevin Durant to sign with them. But they went through hell for a bunch of years. The Warriors will likely remain contenders as long as they have Steph/Klay/Dray but KD pushed them into overdrive. And their success although elite is all fairly recent. Warriors last missed the playoffs 2012.
So the Spurs don't overpay much they developed for the most part via player development, remained competitive, signed basically one major free agent but I really think that may have been caused by how horrible the Lakers did during their recruiting pitch and him just wanting out of Portland (Aldridge). Spurs aren't afraid to make trades or let free agents go. But their success could moreso be tired to culture, coaching, player development. But also what should be said is that they have maintained the same coach/gm this whole time also and it seems like the owner is hands off.
Could it be possible that they have met twice because KD want's to go to the Knicks and Kyrie want's to go to the Nets?
Ric Bucher is not a reliable source....
Brandon M.
City of Angels
lol at rich bucher having a job in basketball still
Why would KD want to go to the Knicks?
They’re talking cause teams only want Kyrie for real if he brings KD
I don't know but thats fukked up that teams wouldn't just want Kyrie solo.
He can comeback to Cleveland if he bring KD with him
