Free Agent Watch: CP3 & D12

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by 41mvp

For me this all guys on that list make a difference on the court.They want to win,couple of them are great deffenders,other can score.They do everything to be better player.I don't care if he is with team one year or more ,if he gives you passion,heart and way to win,you can call him "SUPERSTAR" and all this fellas fit to my conception.

Nate Robinson did that this year. Is he a "superstar"?

[41mvp]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Nate Robinson did that this year. Is he a "superstar"?

sure he gave them a lot of big points,and he is one of the best PG in this season.

[saclare]

Originally Posted by 41mvp

sure he gave them a lot of big points,and he is one of the best PG in this season.

[41mvp]

you can laugh but this is true

[Sportstudi]

Originally Posted by 41mvp

sure he gave them a lot of big points,and he is one of the best PG in this season.

[41mvp]

Originally Posted by Sportstudi

i hope that this guy can fly

[DirkFTW]

Don't listen to them David West! You are your own rainbow!

[Underdog]

Gonna take a break from this awesome semantic debate to post the latest entries from MacMahon's series on Dwight Howard...

Plan D12: Unlike D'Antoni, Carlisle would feature big man

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Mike D’Antoni’s stubborn refusal to tweak his beloved system to feature Dwight Howard is one of the primary reasons the All-Star big man will be tempted to leave Los Angeles.

That coach/player relationship is a bad situation that could get even worse. The Lakers lost the two assistants who were Howard’s closest confidants when D’Antoni opted not to retain Chuck Person and the Bobcats hired Steve Clifford as their head coach.

Would the Lakers allow Howard to essentially fire a head coach who was hired after Mike Brown’s dismissal early last season? Would Howard even want to deal with the PR fallout from such a decision after his highly publicized divorce with Stan Van Gundy in Orlando?

If coaching is a major factor in Dwight’s decision, it doesn’t seem very likely that he’d stay in L.A.

Playing for Kevin McHale in Houston could certainly be intriguing. After all, if Howard is determined to truly maximize his offensive potential, he could surely learn a few tricks from one of the craftiest low-post scorers in NBA history.

McHale, however, doesn’t have many skins on the wall as a head coach. McHale has a 118-124 record and has yet to win a playoff series, credentials that pale compared to a certain former Celtics teammate who also currently works in Texas.

Rick Carlisle, with his 520-366 record and 2011 championship ring, is by far the most accomplished among these three coaches.

It shouldn’t be hard for Carlisle to convince Howard that the Mavs would come up with creative ways to tap into his talent. He could start by showing Howard tape of some of the sets Carlisle’s Pacers used to get Jermaine O'Neal deep-post touches in his prime.

One might think the hard-driving Carlisle would clash with the laidback Howard. But give the Virginia psychology major credit for knowing when to push buttons and having learned over the years the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with his superstars.

That’s a lesson D’Antoni ignored last season, perhaps opening the door for Howard to head to Houston or Dallas.

EDGE: Mavs

Plan D12: Hope or Rockets' readymade supporting cast?

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The Lakers and Mavericks are in similar situations when it comes to their supporting casts: They have to sell hope.

They can both make a pitch about being competitive next season with a veteran core surrounding Dwight Howard, although that didn’t work in Los Angeles last season and the Mavs would need to do some relatively significant salary-cap tinkering to keep both Shawn Marion and Vince Carter while creating room to give Howard a max contract.

What about the future?

Like the Mavs, a lot of money comes off the Lakers’ books next summer. Steve Nash, whose physical breakdown finally happened almost a decade after leaving Dallas, is the lone Laker under contract for the 2014-15 season. The Mavs only have option years for last season’s rookies on their 2014-15 ledger.

You can make a strong case that L.A. would be a more attractive destination for free agents than Dallas, but there’s one major wild card. Would Kobe Bryant, the league’s highest-paid player, be willing to take the major pay cut to give the Lakers the flexibility required to make significant additions to a Dwight/Kobe core? Dirk Nowitzki’s willingness to slash his salary will be part of the Mavs’ pitch.

The Rockets have the advantage of already having a potential long-term supporting cast in place. They might have to slice into that cast a bit to make room for Howard, but they have young building blocks such as Chandler Parsons, Donatas Motiejunas and Patrick Beverley under contract at bargain rates for at least two more seasons.

Parsons, the second-round steal who averaged 15.5 points in his second season, could be a phenomenal complementary piece for Howard and James Harden for years to come. The multi-skilled 6-foot-9 small forward’s perimeter shooting makes him a perfect fit for the Rockets’ system and accentuates the offensive strengths of the potential Houston co-stars.

A commitment from Houston ownership to keep Parsons when his contract expires after the 2014-15 season could go a long way.

EDGE: Rockets

[EricaLubarsky]

The beat down on 41MVP is epicly entertaining and is as good as anything I've read on DM.com since the awful 2011-2012 season.

[41mvp]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

The beat down on 41MVP is epicly entertaining and is as good as anything I've read on DM.com since the awful 2011-2012 season.

my nick is 41mvp!!!!!!not41MVP!!!!

I feel proud of my self when you guys can't reject facts.I feel like a champion.

Thanks guys

[DirkFTW]

Originally Posted by 41mvp

my nick is 41mvp!!!!!!not41MVP!!!!

I feel proud of my self when you guys can't reject facts.I feel like a champion.

Thanks guys

After setting yourself up so nicely, you chose 'champion' instead of 'superstar'?

C'mon son.

[41mvp]

Originally Posted by DirkFTW

After setting yourself up so nicely, you chose 'champion' instead of 'superstar'?

C'mon son.

for you I am Champion and superstar

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by 41mvp

my nick is 41mvp!!!!!!not41MVP!!!!

I feel proud of my self when you guys can't reject facts.I feel like a champion.

Thanks guys

Never change, 41mvp - you're perfect exactly the way you are!

[nowhereman]

41mvp, just stop. please. you're giving me a headache.

[41mvp]

Originally Posted by nowhereman

41mvp, just stop. please. you're giving me a headache.

so you should take pills. It is only my opinion and you have to respect it.It is forum and people here can talk what they want,you can't break rules.

[Underdog]

[sefant77]

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...ng-free-agency

[Underdog]

Woops...

Source: Chris Paul 'angry' with Clips

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Chris Paul is upset with the Los Angeles Clippers organization because he is being widely blamed for the firing of Vinny Del Negro as coach, according to a source close to the situation.

How much of an impact this will have on Paul's decision to re-sign with the Clippers as a free agent is not clear, but the source conceded that Paul's anger could lead him to look elsewhere.

"He's angry right now and his anger is directed toward the Clippers organization," the source said. "Chris is a man of principle and if he feels like you've gone against his principles, it will affect how he feels about you. He's very agitated that his name has been put out there as the reason for Vinny's firing. He had nothing to do with it."

It has been widely assumed that Paul will re-sign with the Clippers this summer. He often has spoken as if it's a foregone conclusion.

Plus, the Clippers can offer him a five-year, $108 million deal, $28 million more than any other club. But the source said he would not put it past Paul to turn down more money if he feels strongly that he's been slighted.

Del Negro was fired on May 21 after leading the Clippers to 56 wins, the most successful regular season in franchise history. That same day, Clippers owner Donald Sterling strongly implied in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that Paul and Blake Griffin were to blame for Del Negro's ouster.

Sterling told the Times that Del Negro "is a wonderful man" and that he's "sad about the whole thing."

Sterling was asked by the Times if Del Negro was fired "just to hang on to Chris Paul."

Sterling said: "I always want to be honest and not say anything that is not true. So I'd rather not say anything. But you know, the coach did a really good job. I think he did. And I liked working with him. There are just factors that make life very complicated and very challenging."

The Times then asked Sterling if it was "off base" to say the "players are now calling the shots."

"No, you're not off base," Sterling said. "This is a players' league, and, unfortunately, if you want to win, you have to make the players happy."

Sterling later told the Times, "If you have special players, and special players think that they know the best opportunity to win, you have to support them."

True or not, Del Negro believes Paul got him fired, according to a source close to the Clippers' ex-coach. The source added that Del Negro had no idea during the regular season or the playoffs that Paul wanted him out. During an appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show," Del Negro implied on Thursday that Paul was the reason he was let go.

But a source with knowledge of the situation said Paul refused to get involved in the Clippers' coaching situation and that he wanted nothing to do with the decision to retain or release Del Negro.

"Chris made it abundantly clear to the Clippers that he did not want to be involved in any decision about Vinny's future," the source said. "And Blake had nothing to do with it, either."

The source said the Clippers' front office was at odds with Del Negro for much of the season and that its differences with him were so strong that the executives did not need to consult Paul or any other players when deciding on Del Negro's future with the team.

One divide between Del Negro and the front office stemmed from the fact that the ex-coach made trade calls to other clubs during the season, according to a source. As the February trade deadline neared, the source said Del Negro discussed a potential deal with the Boston Celtics that would have sent DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe to Boston for Kevin Garnett. The rumor became major news around the league, even though the Clippers' front office was staunchly against the trade.

"The front office's feelings about getting rid of Vinny were strong enough that the players didn't need to get involved," a source said.

"The reason Vinny is no longer the Clippers' coach is because the front office didn't think he was the guy that could get them where they were trying to go. The players didn't have anything to do with it."

One source added that Paul is also steering clear of the Clippers' search for a new coach. The Clippers have a short list of current ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy, Brian Shaw and Byron Scott, according to a source. They are also considering asking the Nuggets for permission to interview coach George Karl, a source confirmed. Alvin Gentry and Nate McMillan are also candidates, a source told ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Paul will be eligible for free agency on July 1. Several clubs will be willing to offer him a maximum-salaried contract. If he wants to leave the Clippers, Paul could also request a sign-and-trade to a team without salary-cap space.

If Paul considers leaving the Clippers, the Atlanta Hawks would be a potential landing spot. Paul always has been fond of the city of Atlanta, and the Hawks have the cap room to sign both Paul and Dwight Howard, a Lakers free agent, to lucrative contracts. Paul and Howard have spoken in the past about joining forces, but once Paul was traded to the Clippers in December 2011 and Howard was moved to the Lakers last summer, the duo figured that possibility was dead.

Howard, an Atlanta native, has been lukewarm at best about the idea of playing in his hometown. But the possibility of playing with Paul likely would get him to rethink his position.

[oilfieldtrash]

Paul and Howard are drama queens that after a lot of drama will re-sign with their LA teams.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

Paul and Howard are drama queens that after a lot of drama will re-sign with their LA teams.

You're probably right, but Paul being pissed at the Clips doesn't hurt.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

You're probably right, but Paul being pissed at the Clips doesn't hurt.

Meh, he doesn't want to be labeled as a coach killer. That seems to be a valid concern. There's a difference between being THE reason he was let go or just part of the reason. I've talked to different players and Deron's situation caused them to have a little bit of a different outlook on him.

[grndmstr_c]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

Meh, he doesn't want to be labeled as a coach killer. That seems to be a valid concern. There's a difference between being THE reason he was let go or just part of the reason. I've talked to different players and Deron's situation caused them to have a little bit of a different outlook on him.

BG, I'm not following you. What aspect of Deron's situation are you talking about, and how have outlooks changed?

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

BG, I'm not following you. What aspect of Deron's situation are you talking about, and how have outlooks changed?

I'm guessing he's talking about Jerry Sloan... But it wouldn't shock me at all if he forced Avery Johnson out as well.

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

BG, I'm not following you. What aspect of Deron's situation are you talking about, and how have outlooks changed?

The Sloan stuff. I've spoken to different team officials and players and they know he's got diva in him and that the situation with Sloan wasn't seen favorably.

[EricaLubarsky]

WOOPS, already posted

[saclare]

SOURCES SAY!!!

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/93...rd-sources-say

We've got a long month of June ahead of us, starting tomorrow. Can we fast-forward to camp?

[Dirk's Knee]

Houston looking to free some cap room...

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--ho...215915027.html

[The Ghost of Championship]

http://www.celticsblog.com/2013/5/10...way-trade-with

Danny Ainge's comments and actions seem to indicate that he'd like to find a way to trade Paul Pierce and move on with the next era of Celtics basketball. Maybe I'm reading too much into his comments yesterday, but he said his first decision would likely be to decide what to do with Paul Pierce (after a lot of "discussions" with all the parties involved). He also said that he expects Pierce to play and and that the Celtics were more than one player away from a Championship.

Also, go back to the last trade deadline and you'll find that he was pretty close to moving Paul Pierce to the Mavericks - as outlined by Wojo (and hat tip to the forums poster "chambers" that unearthed this article from back in early March).

After trade talks to send Paul Pierce to Dallas fell through, Celtics make another spring run - Yahoo! Sports

In a three-way deal that would've secured Josh Smith and surrendered Paul Pierce to Dallas, Atlanta wanted Boston's first-round draft pick, too. The Celtics were in talks to send Paul Pierce to Dallas at the trade deadline. (AP)As much as any of the proposed deals discussed in February, perhaps this had been the closest Pierce had come to parting with the Celtics, sources told Yahoo! Sports. Dallas had constructed a package that included Jae Crowder, Brandan Wright and Dahntay Jones to Atlanta, with the Mavericks and Hawks exchanging positions in the 2013 NBA draft. Nevertheless, Boston wouldn't relent on the pick and the deal died on meeting-room grease boards in three cities.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by The Ghost of Championship

http://www.celticsblog.com/2013/5/10...way-trade-with

The original rumor back at the deadline was Kaman/Crowder/Jones/Carter, but Carter was an apparent deal-breaker because it would've left our roster too thin... Although, the details of a rumor have a way of changing over time to fit one's current agenda, so who knows?

[rabbitproof]

I think this sort of thing is hard to peg. Could be as simple as asking Chris "do you want Vinny back?"

Anything short of "yes, I really want him back" is construed as "get him out" by management while the player can plead innocence.

[grndmstr_c]

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

I think this sort of thing is hard to peg. Could be as simple as asking Chris "do you want Vinny back?"

Anything short of "yes, I really want him back" is construed as "get him out" by management while the player can plead innocence.

But when the owner goes out and intimates, whether accurately or merey clumsily, that the player was the one behind it, it gets a little harder for the player to plead innocence.

[BGMaverick9]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...-back-clippers

[ribosoma]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...-back-clippers

Donald Sterling has the most self-destructive mouth since Michael Richards.

[yahyes]

Mark Cuban > Donald Sterling in a heartbeat. It's clearly so obvious Sterling is putting the foot in his mouth once again. Now if this can be a great sign for CP3 to unite with Dirk.

[sefant77]

Even without the Mavs as potential new team:

Paul would be stupid to stay. LA is Lakers and nothing more. Sterling is horrible, no coach so far, no proven FO. And im pretty sure that he saw allready that Griffin/Jordan wont lead him anywhere near the finals (skillset, maturity etc).

Looks like Howard is really considering Houston, so lets hope there wont be a teaming up in Houston...

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Even without the Mavs as potential new team:

Paul would be stupid to stay. LA is Lakers and nothing more. Sterling is horrible, no coach so far, no proven FO. And im pretty sure that he saw allready that Griffin/Jordan wont lead him anywhere near the finals (skillset, maturity etc).

Looks like Howard is really considering Houston, so lets hope there wont be a teaming up in Houston...

Schematically, it doesn't hit the true bang for the buck if Howard and Paul unite with Harden in Houston. Paul and Harden like to operate out of the pick-and-roll and they need the ball. One of them with Howard works, but I think you're looking at a remix (a lesser version) of Miami if all three are together.

[Dirk's Knee]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

Schematically, it doesn't hit the true bang for the buck if Howard and Paul unite with Harden in Houston. Paul and Harden like to operate out of the pick-and-roll and they need the ball. One of them with Howard works, but I think you're looking at a remix (a lesser version) of Miami if all three are together.

Houston has Lin on contract and 2 decent backup PGs with options, they really don't need Paul. Howard in Houston takes them into the second round if not a contender for the Western Conference Championship. I mean, think about a Lin, Harden, Parsons, Asik (at PF, though I could see Houston trading him if they get Howard), and Howard starting 5.

Dallas would look nice, but a little old with Howard, Dirk, Marion, and Carter in the starting lineup, but we've still got a gaping hole at PG (draft Schroeder?). If Paul and Howard were colluding Dallas or Atlanta would be better franchise fits. But I just don't see it happening.

[The Ghost of Championship]

Dallas targeting Josh Smith?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dallas-...164600877.html

As NBA teams become shrewder on the idea of not overpaying wing players Josh Smith might be considered the bridesmaid of this year's free agency class, thus pricing himself into a deal closer to the $8-11M range as apposed to the max-deal he and his camp are sniffing around for. And while Smith has solid playoff numbers his overall production still indicates that he's most likely a complimentary piece, as apposed to the cornerstone of a perennial championship contender. Therefore, even taking Shawn Marion's contract situation aside, the reality is Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson don't need to overpay for a player with Smith's numbers just to make a splash in the market.

[yahyes]

Originally Posted by The Ghost of Championship

Dallas targeting Josh Smith?

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dallas-...164600877.html

Plan A/B/C

[BGMaverick9]

Unless the story has changed from when I last talked to people about him, that's well after B and C on the plan depth chart.