Some Pre-Free Agency Thoughts

Two things: (1) Unless there is more to the TJ-JO deal, why would Indy bring in Jarrett Jack? I think when the deal is finalized Jack is on his way to To. (2) In terms of cap space I think we have $5M (as Smith indicates; plus the mid-level; plus the ability to sign a veteran at the @$1.5M level. And presto - we have a full roster.

Can anyone explain to me why an org such as MLSE would not go over the luxury tax threshold by a few million? They throw huge money at so-so hockey players, buy out existing deals, etc... so give BC a few extra $M and let him build sign Diop and Azubuike and Duhon (or whomever BC sees fit to acquire). These are likely short term deals so they would only be short term financial hits.

I am very surprised that we'll let Delfino walk away. AP has only 1 year of contract left: who will be our next SG?
There must be some locker room issues or issues with the coaching staff that we are not aware of. Delfino is not a player to let walk with our glaring deficiencies at the wings. I imagine Roko can play some SG however it is very uncertain he'd be capable of playing SG at NBA level.
Graham extension last year comes to bit us hard now. I would take Delfino over Graham any day of the week.
I'd pay him 12mill/3 yrs and call it a day. Minimum salaries don't count against the cap and the calculations are done at the end of the season anyway therefore we'd have the whole season to make changes to avoid the luxury tax.
In the end, we have to build for the future too. Otherwise everything looks like a patchwork for now.

Who backs up AP at the 2? Graham? The same Joey Graham who is actually an undersized power forward?

Why isn't anyone talking about this?

While I'd like to see Jarrett Jack end up here too, I don't think it'll happen. Indiana is getting rid of Jamal Tinsley, by buyout if they can't find a taker, and with TJ's injury history they'll want a solid backup who can play 20 minutes a night and take over as a starter if need be, and Jack fits the bill, while Travis Diener does not.

I hope I'm wrong, Jack would be a great backup - a good fit, and as a bonus, he's not Chris Duhon (ugh).

Would love to see Quinton Ross come here, as his talents are being wasted on the Clippers. If nothing else, he's tough as nails on the defensive end, and he does actually have a little mid-range offensive game. Bogans is another player who doesn't wow you with his athleticism, but hits big shots and plays tough D.

Not that he's a free agent, but do you think Raymond Felton could be had? He's not the purest point out there, but he's one of the quickest guards in the league going end-to-end and he can score. Might be a nice change of pace from Calderon; however, he's likely out of our price range. Ditto Hinrich: I like his toughness and scoring ability, but he's almost certainly out of our range in terms of price and what we would have to give up to get him. But I think BC has to at least look at these options.

Other than that, I think Duhon is the best available option. I have no idea about the big man situation. It all depends on how healthy O'Neal is and whether we can legitimately expect Jawai to contribute at all, or even make the team. But it's probably prudent to have a decent proven backup available.

I just read that the Knicks are going to make a major push for Duhon. Wait a minute - the Knicks going after a player who actually fills major holes? Isn't this one of the signs of the impending apocalypse?

Most of you are already ahead of me on this, but the Raps are generally getting positive reviews for their draft day performance, although there are reservations about Jermaine's health, of course. One writer also suggested that Jawai is more than likely to come here rather than play overseas...

Ross, Evans and Herrmann would be good, so would Azubuike, Anderson and Duhon. As for trades possibilities, Jack would help balance the JO deal, I like Felton who is done in Charlotte and Blale looks to be extra at Portland. One of the keys will be if it is $5 m. plus the MLE and VM as was suggested -- that's a lot more flexibility.

Franchise, you forget Ukic will take 2.5 - 3 million of the 5 we have to spend. He will be the back up point next year..

back up 2 .. 1 million
Jawai .. 0.5 million
dleague sf .. 0.5 million
dleagee big .. 0.5 million

Mazel, you stole my thunder, I was going to ask the same question. A real issue for this team as currently constructed is a lack of depth at the Shooting Guard. This is magnified by the fact that AP didn't necessarily set the world on fire last year and at times seemed to show his age. Franchise has Grahm pegged at the 2G spot, but that is not his position. He has played three and some power forward, but he is not a shooting guard.

I like the idea of adding Azubuike. He's uber athletic, a decent shooter, has the tools to be a good defender and is young with room to grow.
Alternatively we would have to sign a combo guard to back up Calderone which could kill two birds with one stone. There are options, but this is an area that needs to be dealt with.

Here's an interesting thought. BC stated that he wouldn't mind having a lean roster and just go with 13 players. Leaving two open spots. What are your thoughts on this?

I think most Raptors fans are realizing Ukic won't play big minutes... so why sign him to a deal worth around $2 million? I think the team is better suited putting that money towards Diop or another PG. Am I in the minority here in thinking this?

Ryan,

I don't know how much Ukic is making in Europe, but I imagine you might have to sign him for that much to cover his buyout (if he's still under contract over there) and to give him enough of a raise to come over here.

Hey it's me again, the same person that said that Bargnani is a bust, waaay back in last december.
I'm here to report that I'm really happy about the O'neal trade. The should shore up our interior defence and provide toughness.

Moon should be starting as he can develop into a Bruce Bowen type of player.

Also I think that our bench could be one of the wort in the NBA next year.
With not a lot of money, and foreseeable injuries to Bosh, O'neal, and Calderon, we could end up having a below .500 record.

If toronto plays to potential then we can be 4th in the Eastern Conference. But, we didn't play to potential las year, so I don't see it.

And oh yeah - Bargs needs to be traded as fans are going to boo him out in the month of November as he continues to play like a second rounder averaging 3 Rbs a game.

It's interesting how this time of year people are agreeing with what I said about Bargs back in December. Shows that I'm smart. :)

Great piece Franchise, well thought out. Some nice gems in there with the Herrman, Azubuike and Anderson ideas.

I agree that there is no way you pay Ukic 2 mil+. He can take less than a mil or he can keep on developing in Italy.

I thought that if we re-signed Del it wouldn't count against the cap since he is our own FA? Or did he have to be here longer than one year for that to be true? If he is gone, we are desperately weak at SG.

That said, we still need a back up PG more that we need a back up SG. Besides back up SG's are a dime a dozen. In a pinch, Kapono can play SG (who cares if he is a pylon at SF or at SG).

I know i might get beaten down for this idea but... what about Hump and JG for Jaric. His contract isn't great, so I am sure Memphis would love to unload him but he would fit on the raps well. He is a good defender, good shooter and underrated as a passer. He could back up both guard spots and we wouldn't be giving up much. I think he might fit quite well. You would have the same starters, Bargs backs up bigs, Moon the wing and Jaric the guard spots. Then you still have your MLE to fill other holes.

About Garbo's contract, can't we trade it just to balance numbers on a trade? If so maybe we can use his contract to get Jaric or something else. If not, then surely we can use some of the money we are saving from the buyout towards the luxury tax!

Robert, if AP is injured and we move Kapono at SG what's left of the wings rotation: Moon and Graham?I realize Boston played practically without back-up prototypical SG however the circumstances are very different.
Maybe BC will find a gem as back-up SG, a 10 MPG thriving on defence and slashing, for League minimum. The chances for this happening are very slim though.
By design or by the force of circumstances we turned around completely the way we designed our team: from a pretty deep team with a similarity of talents at almost all positions to a pretty thin roster focused heavily on starters and an inexperienced bench at NBA level. Luck will play a big role in our success/failure next season however i do like the new make-up of the team. I just think we need another experienced wing on the roster and Delfino looks pretty suited for me.

I can’t say this enough. I am AMAZED at what LITTLE respect Delfino is getting from Toronto. His numbers over the course of 20minutes is as good or better than most of the people that you've selected to occupy the two or three spots. Parker's got one year, if Graham was going to amount to anything we would have seen glimpses of it already. Kapono can't create his own shot and Moon's offence shows up about as often as an eclipse. Funny, I'not even a fan, I just want to win. But even if he doesn’t get any better (which is unlikely considering he’s only 25) he’d still be worth a couple of million they could throw at him.
What I need someone to answer is how is it that this guy is on the court at the end of every big game coming down the stretch and playing well; And the guys that are buried on the end of the bench during those times are the ones we decide to keep… Ya – that makes sense.

chris duhon would be an excellent back up, i dont know why so many people disagree. and marko jaric, yikes. no way. the only positive i can take if we made a trade for marko jaric is that he'll have to bring his wife, adriana lima, to toronto. HOT, lol

Birdman is the choice for me... every team needs a giant crazy white guy, and Brezec is heading back to Europe.

I think that all of the backup SF/SGs that can play D are retired: Ruben Patterson, Latrell Spreewell, etc.

Keyon Dooling or Quinton Ross could play some D on a SG. Tony Allen (Restricted) might also be a decent risk.

Are there any pesky euro guards like Vujacic we can bring over?

The way I see things, BC is gearing up for the 2010 free agent market. I think that's why he made the JO deal. He realized that this team was going nowhere with the pieces he had and he got himself a very good player in JO (IF healthy), while clearing 20+ million for 2010 when JO's deal expires. Or he could trade O'Neal in the last year of his contract to a team looking for cap space who has a star they want to unload......ahem.......Pau Gasol.

Either way, I expect this team to be in the 6-8 playoff spot for the next 2 years until they can make a run at a big time wing player.

Gotta agree with mycall on Delfino. He's not great but he's young so if we can get him for around what we paid last year I think we have to do it. For this year and next.

I'd also at least investigate trying to deal Hump for whoever Memphis would be willing to give us from PG Lowry or Crittenton with Lowry being the obvious preference. They might be in need of a backup big and Hump has some potential and a reasonable deal. Of course such logic might be lost on Chris Wallace.

Lots of great points here for debate and a few I'll be discussing in articles over the next few days.

This post was a tad on the lengthy side but I wanted to get it up before tomorrow and get the discussion going.

The Carlos Delfino situation deserves an article in itself as I agree, he's a better option than most of the players on my team-by-team free agent breakdown. The question simply comes down to money. If he were a point guard, I'd ante up and keep him for sure. Same if he was a center. But as an inconsistent 2-3 who might cost up to $4 Million (depending on overseas offers) it just doesn't make sense to try and keep him.

The only possible option I see is a sign-and-trade but there are so few teams with the cap space to make it happen.

On top of this, players like Moon, Graham and Kapono can all play the 2 in a pinch and perhaps Roko can as well. It's a solid point however that this team lacks solid depth behind AP so in that light, it would be great to groom Delfino into his back-up or eventual replacement.

I just worry that with little funding, BC will have to go in another direction...

Great ideas with Duhon, Azubuike & Anderson. I'd personally like to see Jarvis Hayes in a Raps uniform - brings toughness, 3 pt shooting, scoring etc. I've always thought he was a bit underrated...

I've said it before, but I'm a big Delfino fan, it would be a shame to let him go.

Kelly Dwyer has a nice piece on the Raps and BC over on Ball Don't Lie, its worth a read and is making me feel better about the JO trade.

Also, RealGM has a story on the Bucks apparently wanting to unload Charlie V. pretty badly. I'd love to see him back in a Raps jersey. I know that Joey G isn't worth anything to us, but if the Bucks really want to move CV3 maybe they'll take a flier on him for one year....we can always dream, right?

BC - Dude I really laughed out load, no short cuts, at your white guy line! Funny shit!

No reply on that Delph and Birds rights question yet - I am guessing no. If he doesn't count against the luxery tax - of course we should sign him, if he does; we should still think about it.

Franchise, you rock, I really get the feeling you are a huge fan. This is your house, but you still make us all feel personally elcome. Thank you for your skills, knowledge and effort.

I may be drunk on red wine, but I still think having Jaric backing up Jose is better than having Hump and JG on the bench. It also means that the whole MLE is available for signing FA's. I bet you could sign Diop and Hermann for around 6 mil. If ANYONE knows about Del, let me know...

Apparently a couple of you are a little confused when it comes to NBA economics. Not surprising really since they don't make a lot of sense. So, let me try to clear some things up.

The salary cap number effects how much money a team can throw at free agents. how ever much they are under it is how much they can spend.

If a team is over the salary cap they can still use the mid-level exception to sign free agents. Like the Raps did last year with Kapono. The MLE has been around 6 mil recently.

There is also the bi-annual exception that is around 2 mil that can be used for the same purpose.

teams can pay players that are already on their roster anything they want when it comes times for extensions or free agency.

The really important number is the luxury tax threshold. Which should be about 72 mil this year. Once a team crosses this they pay a dollar for dollar tax.

It is widely believed that BC is not allowed to cross the luxury tax threshold. So, given the salaries of the players who will be on the roster after the JO trade has been completed, BC will have about 12-13 mil to go before he hits the luxury tax threshold. Assuming that Humphries is making about 3 mil a year.

About 7-8 mil of this is going to Calderon. Leaving about 4-6 mil with which BC can fill the roster.

Signing Roko Ukic and Jawai, which are very likely to happen, will leave at best 4 mil and 4 open roster spots.

If BC were to resign Delfino is would likely cost between 3-4 mil putting the team right at the luxury tax threshold. Personally I'm not opposed to this scenario, though it would leave the Raps a little thin up front in case of injury.

Another possibility is that Delfino will be offer a contract by a European club that will exceed anything that BC can offer him.

Having said all this, I would really like to see the Raps resign Delfino. His ball-handling and versatility would be very valuable to them next year. Ideally BC would find a way to do this a still have a little money left over to sign someone like Herrmann or a D-league big to shore up the Raps front line.

Robert Archibald - every dollar of every contract counts against the luxury tax threshold

Sorael - Thanks for the nice capology summary. Realized I forgot to mention the bi-annual exception in there. Also should have stated that the $5 Million I expected BC to have was after signing Roko and Jawai.

And really that's another wrinkle in things...if Roko is asking for a large amount, or there is some contractual difficulties, it could mean a huge chunk of that $5 Million is gone on a player who has yet to play a minute in the NBA.

One thing to remember is it's quite conceivable Kapono will be dealt....his stock is pretty high, even with a mediocre (to be kind) regular season. I like the guy, but I say get someone else in return if possible to improve....I think Colangelo might feel the same.

Confusing, but interesting. Although I cringe to think of Jaric coming to TO, the idea of spending a little more on someone who is a capable back up for the one and the two is an interesting one. If we could package Graham in there,it would give us a few extra million of talent to purchase. I like the idea.

To add to BC's problems, he has to leave a little money for a contingency fund, doesn't he?

Defino would be a good resign as he can play some point and the two and three. He shoots and cuts. I wonder if he could be signed by someone else and then traded back to us for Graham and a second round pick, or something. The league would never allow it. But we should seriously consider that we can get 3 roles filled by one guy in Delfino.

Franchise, you come up with some good ideas here. As for Ukic, I think that BC has probably given his word to something at this point and won't go back on it. I can't see us filling the need for another wing, PG, and big with our limited resources. The legomaster will really need to earn it here.

So what if BC goes a little over the cap. It wouldn't be that expensive. Are there other trade restrictions that go with it?

I'd like to address minimum salary contracts, since there is an interesting exemption about them.

If a veteran of 10 years or more is signed to a minimum contract, a significant portion (~50%) of that is paid by the league, although I believe the full amount of the contract counts on the cap. Derrick Martin fell under this category for the Raptors last year.

I'm hoping that the addition of JO makes the Raptors more appealing for these types of players, since at that price they would have their pick of teams.

A few links for anyone who wants to learn more about NBA contracts and the cap:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_Salary_Cap
(covers the basics)

www.cbafaq.com (really detailed)

Franchise, do you think Ukic will get a first year contract similar to Calderon's (3 years x 2 million)

I agree with the posters who suggested a 13 man roster, better to go for quality over quantity.

The void behind Anthony Parker is greater then I originally thought.

I'd also float the theory that it DOES matter which position Kapono is doing his pylon impression at. In general, it's easier for a bigman to help on a SF, since they tend to drive the paint more, and shoot from distance less then shooting guards.

Thinking a bit more long term, throwing a chunk of the money at a SG would mean the position isn't completely bare when AP's contract ends after next year.

Bogans or Maurice Evans from the Magic look promising.

Adding to Sorael's breakdown, some people also get Salary Cap and Luxury Tax confused, so I'll try to clear that up.

EMP, we absolutely will be over the salary cap (most teams are, as the NBA has was is known as a "soft" cap), the secret is to stay below the Luxury Tax, which is a number that is higher than the Salary Cap, and is based on revenue and last years tax. For next year, it will probably be around 70 mil. If you exceed the cap, you have to pay a dollar for dollar tax to the league which is divided amongst the teams that are under the tax. So, not only does a 6 million dollar contract cost you 12, that extra 6 mil goes to your opponents.

I hear a lot of talk both here and elsewhere that the raps should spend over the tax. In my opinion, you should only exceed the tax if you are a REAL contender and are looking to add/retain players for a run. To do so when you are a .500 team just makes you the Knicks. Its bad business. The vast majority of teams can work within the tax, so I see going over that number without immediate and significant results to be a hallmark of bad management.

You don't need 12 good players, and elite teams show us year in and year out that you can really only run/need 7-8 guys in the playoffs. Get good starting talent and 3 solid guys off the bench....then hope like hell you don't get injuries, because you can't win with injuries, no matter how deep you are.

Simply put...........Darrick Martin

Actually Barea is my number #1 choice.

I don't think your back-up PG necessarily has to be a change of pace type of player.
Rather I think his style (which resembles Jose's) could only benefit everyone as the offense should run similarly with either PG on the floor.

An 8-9 man rotation is just fine.

C- Oneil-Bosh-Bargs-Jawai
PF- Bosh-Bargs-Hump-Graham
SF- Kapono-Moon-Bargs-Graham
SG- Parker-Kapono-Ukic
PG- Calderon-Barea-Ukic

Basically just a 3 man front court rotation.

Hermann would be interesting too.

Please not Duhon!

well i am surprised i thought the raptors had more options than this, but i think we should make a run for Jr smith or either duhan and get someone from europe that looks liek the only options that are on teh table.

I'm still reeling from the news that we've gone from 5'11 point guard with neck problems to a 7 foot all-star centre with knee problems. I liked TJ Ford a lot, but I really like door number two a lot more.

I haven't got a reason for thinking its the case except gut feeling but my spidey sense tells me that;

- Delfino will stick around with the Raptors (and see time as back-up PG as a result). Why? Versatility.

- Kapono will be the player dealt/let go to make room. BC is quick to fix his mistakes when he makes one (see: Fred Jones, TJ Ford), and Kapono while very good in the playoffs seems to me to be a good bet to go elsewhere.

- I have to believe that Graham's time has come. And gone. A trade for warm bodies is in the cards and any kind of 2 for 1 deal that can be struck..should.

- I much prefer Jawai to Hibbert. Heck I'd prefer a card-board cut-out of Pamela Anderson from 'Barb Wire' to Hibbert. Mmmm Barb Wire.

- I assume we are calling in all our overseas chits? Ukic, Jawai, and that guy we got last year with San Antonio's pick?

- Colour me among those legions who do not want Duhon but do want Azubuike.

- I love this site. Will you marry me ?Franchise? I know my wife is an issue, and I live very far away, and I'm not really into guys, but I think it can work.

Jose has resigned with the Raps!!!!!

It is the headline today on his official website!!!!!

From his site:

Early this morning, through my agents, I reached a preliminary agreement with the Toronto Raptors. I want to thank Bryan Colangelo, Maurizio Gherardini, Sam Mitchell and all of the Raptors family for the confidence that they have placed in me. I am sure that together we are going to achieve big things in the future.

José Manuel Calderón

Great to see that Jose made quick work of re-signing with Toronto. We were going to put up a post on the subject this morning but really, it's nothing too unexpected considering the Ford deal. Financial terms haven't been released but I'm guessing he'll be making a similar amount to what we were paying TJ.

Outside of the Raptors though, a number of interesting moves are being made.

Apparently the Clippers aren't going to keep Maggette but instead are making a big run at Baron Davis to pair with Brand! That has huge implications as apparently now Golden State is chasing Arenas. If Davis goes to LA, that could start the dominoes falling and perhaps Washington suddenly finds itself with a ton of cap room with which to make a play for say an Ellis or someone else. Plus where does Corey Maggette then go, Philly? If the Clippers grab Baron and G State manages to snag Arenas, that doesn't leave many teams able to pay for his services...

PS - Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian readers and Bedhead, marriage proposal sounds good...she we get Colangelo to MC ha ha?

Happy Canada Day everyone. Good to hear about Calderon although it wasn’t surprising. One surprising rumor that I read this morning was that the raptors were going to sign Hassan Adams the former NJ Net. Anyone familiar with his game and what he brings to the table?

Yeah, Grange is reporting that Hassan Adams has been signed to league minimum contract to play the 2-3. And that Ukic has been inked, but stating he will be given chance to be backup PG.

From what I understand Hassan Adams is a tough SG with good athleticism. He's a good defender and decent slasher, but he can't shoot very well. At least he couldn't when he was drafted a couple of years ago.

Looks like a decent replacement for Delfino. Now the Raps just need a little more front court depth and they should be set.

Hassan Adams

Earned First Team All-Pac-10 honors as a senior… Named Honorable Mention All-Conference his sophomore and junior seasons… Finished collegiate career as Arizona’s seventh all-time leading scorer with 1,818 points… Also ranks second in steals (238) and eighth in blocked shots (85)… Is the only player in Pac-10 history to record 1,800 points, 700 rebounds, and 200 steals in a career.

A native of Los Angeles, California… Grew up 10 minutes away from the Great Western Forum and lists Magic Johnson as his favorite player growing up… Cites his older brother, Ganiyu, who is an engineer in the Air Force and has served for the United States overseas, and his mother, Connie, as the two people he looks up to the most… When he is not playing basketball, he enjoys bowling and claims that while he is not as good as former Arizona teammates and current NBA players Channing Frye and Andre Iguodala, he has bowled a "twohundred- something."… Earned a degree in sociology from Arizona… While he was at Arizona, volunteered at the Arizona Special Olympics and the Ronald McDonald House… Lists basketball movies "He Got Game" and "Glory Road" as his two favorite movies of all time… Would like to coach youth basketball when he is done with his playing career.

Born: Jun 20, 1984
Height: 6-4 / 1,93
Weight: 220 lbs. / 99,8 kg.
College: Arizona
Years Pro: 1

NCAA Tournament: NBA Draft Stock Watch (round of 32, Sunday games)
March 20, 2006

The statline may not indicate it, but this was not a very good game for Adams. As he has shown the tendency to do in the past, Adams played most of this game out of his element, hoisting up ill-advised jumpers rather than taking the ball to the hole. He pulled up for mid-range jumpers on repeated occasions, missing the majority of them. Some of them were off-balanced, others early in the shot clock, others at the expense of giving the ball to the open man. He even took three three-pointers despite the fact he should know by now that he’s a horrible three-point shooter at 27% on the year. When he was actually taking the ball into the lane, he did pretty well, as he usually does. But Adams spent most of the game fooling around with his shot, hurting his team because of it.

Defensively, Adams had a pretty solid game, not gambling as much as he often does. He did lose Villanova guard Randy Foye on a few occasions, but he’s a tough cover for anyone. He spent most of the game playing smart, solid defense while still playing the passing lanes, getting three steals as a result. Some of these led to transition opportunities, where Adams did well as always.

Adams neither hurt nor helped his draft stock in the tournament this year. He still has a questionable perimeter game and questionable ball-handling, to go along with a tendency to play too aggressively on the defensive end. He is a fringe first-rounder at this point, though he could still improve his stock at the pre-draft camp and workouts.
*****************************

Kinda sounds like Jamario, a player who can take it to the hoop when he wants to, but settles too often for jumpers. Hope Moon and Adams have learned this, and will take it to the hole more often this year.

good find on Hassan gerry but the article following looks a Adams in more detail as an NBA prospect. Talk about warts, a whole frog pond full.
At min. salary though he is certaily worth a gamble. Hope he has been working on his outside shot.
Roster is filling out and Maggetti is out there ready to be taken by a mid level offer. Dare we hope?

Give please. Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion.
I am from Pakistan and too poorly know English, give true I wrote the following sentence: "For workplace products, the distribution file is one where two routes are arriving each influential, but are founded by order, drug, or day, astelles sales force."

Thanks for the help :o, Kimi.