06-04-2005, 08:00 PM
|
#1
|
Platinum Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,146
|
Free Agent Big Men
Before summer kicks off, I thought it might be nice to take a quick glance at some of the names that will be available in free agency this summer. I know everyone is busy making their fantasy trades, and I like that as much as anyone, but I honestly think the Mavs will try to first see if there is anything to help them in free agency without having to lose a player in a trade...
Kevin Willis
Chandler and Curry are both restricted
Diop is restricted
Zydrunas Ilgauskus
Robert Traylor has a team option
Elden Campbell
Dikembe Mutombo
Dale Davis
Mikki Moore
Zeljko Rebraca
Stromile Swift
Ryan Humphrey (could be a Najera type)
Alonzo Mourning
Gadzuric and Pachulia are both restricted
Eddie Griffin is restricted
Mark Madsen
Cliff Robinson has a team option. I could see the Nets letting him go.
Chris Andersen - says he's opting out
Bruno Sundov
Andrew DeClerque
Samuel Dalembert is restricted
Bo Outlaw
Steven Hunter has a player option he'll certainly take
Darius Songaila has a player option. I think he could get more elsewhere.
Sean Marks and Tony Massenburg
Reggie Evans looks to be restricted
Jerome James
Vitaly Potopenko
Mike Ruffin
Kwame Brown is restricted
Now, if the Mavs want a more athletic presence, as many of us have presumed, this list gets a lot shorter. Add in how many of these players will be wanted as starters somewhere, and it gets even shorter. All in all, looks like the Mavs should have some options before they ever have to consider making any trades.
|
|
|
06-04-2005, 09:44 PM
|
#2
|
Diamond Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Just outside the Metroplex
Posts: 5,539
|
RE: Free Agent Big Men
Let's break these down into categories:
<u>Older than dirt, and trying to draw Social Security (in other words-- my age)</u>
Kevin Willis
Dikembe Mutombo
Dale Davis
Elden Campbell
Cliff Robinson has a team option. I could see the Nets letting him go.
Alonzo Mourning
<u>Restricted - no guarantees, if they have any upside at all.... see Redd and Lewis </u>
Chandler and Curry are both restricted
Diop is restricted
Gadzuric and Pachulia are both restricted
Eddie Griffin is restricted
Samuel Dalembert is restricted
Reggie Evans looks to be restricted
Kwame Brown is restricted
<u>Players to look at -- but, which would be an upgrade?</u>
Zydrunas Ilgauskus
Robert Traylor has a team option
Mikki Moore
Zeljko Rebraca
Stromile Swift
Ryan Humphrey (could be a Najera type)
Mark Madsen
Chris Andersen - says he's opting out
Bruno Sundov
Andrew DeClerque
Bo Outlaw
Steven Hunter has a player option he'll certainly take
Darius Songaila has a player option. I think he could get more elsewhere.
Sean Marks and Tony Massenburg
Jerome James
Vitaly Potopenko
Mike Ruffin
I don't think the Mavs get from category 1 or 2, which leaves category 3. Is their anyone who would be a big upgrade on this list? Come on Benga and PPod...........
__________________
"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have". Gerald Ford
"Life's tough, it's even tougher if you're stupid." -John Wayne
There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order.
-Capt. Bob "Wolf" Johnson
|
|
|
06-04-2005, 11:15 PM
|
#3
|
Golden Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,874
|
RE: Free Agent Big Men
If not for Benga and PPod I say go for Steven Hunter. He gave Duncan fits...if it is at all possible.
__________________
"They better not put me in the All-Star Game. I won't shoot, but I'll dominate that easy game. I'll be playing hard defense. I'll be foulin'. I'll be flagrant fouling. Everyone will be like, 'What are you doing?'" -- Ron Artest.
|
|
|
06-05-2005, 02:19 AM
|
#4
|
Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 886
|
RE: Free Agent Big Men
Dan Gadzuric is my guy, followed by Mutombo for a couple of years. Mutombo might be old but he doesn't play like it and he could teach DJ a lot. I would almost rather have Mutombo just to get him working with DJ consistently, that could really pay off.
__________________
"When you (Coach Johnson) get behind your players like that it’s something special. He’s the general and we are soldiers, you go out there and want to lay it all on the line…that’s the type of situation I wanted to be in."-Doug Christie
|
|
|
06-05-2005, 05:37 AM
|
#5
|
Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 680
|
RE:Free Agent Big Men
From that list, I would probably be interested in the following:
Reggie Evans- probably my first pick; would Seattle match $4 mil per year or thereabouts? He doesn't have the athleticism, but with Damp, Dirk, and Josh, he could make us the best rebounding team in the league. We could really exploit a poor rebounding team like Phoenix.
Steven Hunter- good size and athleticism, may want to stay in Phoenix
Uncle Cliffy- nearly fosilized, but still a quality defender. Might consider him if he came cheaply.
Chris Anderson- definitely has the athleticism we're looking for...
ZaZa Pachulia- hard-nosed player, would Milwaukee keep him and Gad if they draft Bogut?
I might consider Mikki Moore or hard-working, talent-free Mark Madsen for minimum salaries...
This is all assuming that the really desirable guys (Big Z, Dalembert, Gadzuric) get more than the MLE.
__________________
When asked after the Dallas Mavericks impressive game 3 win over the Sacramento Kings whether he thought the Mavs won because they played well or because the Kings played poorly, Nelson responded that it was hard to tell, much like a thermos. "How do it know?" queried the ever eccentric Nelson. When you put something hot in it, it stays hot. When you put something cold in it, it stays cold. "How do it know?"
|
|
|
06-05-2005, 06:23 AM
|
#6
|
Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 128
|
RE: Free Agent Big Men
Remember last year, free-agent bigmen with no talent got 7-10M a year last year. That doesn't bode well for our 4-5M MLE
|
|
|
06-05-2005, 07:37 AM
|
#7
|
Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 128
|
RE: Free Agent Big Men
I think that the Mavs should make no moves. The MLE s not big enough to bring in anyone useful at the Center position and I don't want the team to make a trade for that position (except maybe the Bradley for Najara thing)
The MLE would be good for getting a SG/PG backup (they are, compared to big men, cheap). This is the only move that I would conceder as a big man would require a trade to pull off (I like the team that we have, thank you)
|
|
|
06-05-2005, 10:22 AM
|
#8
|
Diamond Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,181
|
RE: Free Agent Big Men
I'd go for Chris Anderson. I don't like him a whole lot and if he's on the Mavs he has to sign something to never in his life be in a dunk competition. However, he has the physical ability and size that we are looking for at a cheap price tag.
|
|
|
06-05-2005, 11:23 AM
|
#9
|
Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 939
|
RE:Free Agent Big Men
I agree, I think Chris Anderson is one of the guys that we can easily obtain without using the full MLE and also he would help us out for 12 minutes per game. The guy is a little out of control (not to mention ugly), but he plays with a lot of heart.
|
|
|
06-06-2005, 08:25 AM
|
#10
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 178
|
RE:Free Agent Big Men
I take Evans or Anderson.
Both are role players who will give maximum effort for 18-24 minutes a game. Evans is the better defender and rebounder while Anderson is the higher flyer and shot blocker. Either would be good additions to a more defensive AJ type team. Evans kinda reminds me of a young Malik Rose...all hustle on D and the boards with no offensive game...maybe Evans develops a little offense to keep teams honest maybe he doesn't but his hustle, toughness, and physicality are things this team could use.
|
|
|
06-06-2005, 10:40 AM
|
#11
|
Diamond Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,460
|
RE:Free Agent Big Men
Curry has the heart condition then no. Big Z will stay with the Cavs. The Birdman not really interested. The dude had one good season with a bad nugget team.
Gadzuric seems to be the guy. The bucks will probably go with Marvin Williams. I just don't see how the Bucks can let Gadzuric go. Mutumbo had a fantastic series against the Mavs and would be a great backup .
I would say that Reggie Evans would be a great fit. Seattle probably resigns Allen and Jerome James. Big men are hard to come by in the NBA and he had a great playoff run.
Evans seems to be the odd man out in Seattle.
Mark Madsen might be a good free agent signing. All the guy does is hustle he is a 6'10" forward. He could back up Dampier that allows Van Horn to exclusively backup Dirk.
Mikki More gave the mavericks troubles when the Clippers played the mavs. He might be a great 10-20 minute backup.
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:28 AM.
|