The Big Name Free Agents Are Almost Settled
by Steve Perrin on Jul 7, 2010 12:28 PM PDT
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PrintWith the news today that Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will both sign in Miami, the big names in the big summer of 2010 are mostly settled. Of the top ten free agents, we now know where seven of them are going:
- LeBron James - ?
- Dwyane Wade - Miami
- Chris Bosh - Miami
- Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas
- Amare Stoudemire - New York
- Joe Johnson - Atlanta
- Carlos Boozer - ?
- Rudy Gay - Memphis
- David Lee - ?
- Paul Pierce - Boston
And while we don't officially know where James will sign, it's looking more and more like it will be in Cleveland.
Ignoring that fairly obvious eventuality for the moment, the Wade/Bosh announcement today is a crack in the window of opportunity for the Clippers. It would seem unlikely that James is heading to Miami, or Bosh and Wade wouldn't have gone out on their own to announce, clearly a last ditch ploy to try to lure LeBron to South Beach with them. Chicago, New York and New Jersey are all less attractive options now, since he would have neither Wade nor Bosh with him. The Clippers, the most complete roster, the place where he was going to have to fly solo regardless in terms of the signing, remains just as valid after Wade/Bosh as it was before Wade/Bosh. To be clear, that's still not very valid, but it's still out there.
I'd say it's about 98% Cleveland, 1% Heat (where even with a sign and trade for Beasley, someone would have to take a pay cut), <1% Knick (where he'd at least join Stoudemire) and <1% Clippers at this point.
The other thing to note here is that only two players have changed teams so far. That means that many of those teams that moved mountains to clear cap space will now be trying to win basketball games with cap space next season. Well, not really. They'll spend the money on someone. But the Nets are sitting there with $31M in cap space, the Bulls with $30M, and they've likely got Carlos Boozer and David Lee as the 'big fish' to go after. Not to mention that the Knicks, Clippers, Heat and Kings all still have a lot of dough to spend, and several other teams have more than the mid level exception.
So the salary inflation that we've already been seeing (Chris Duhon, 4/$15M, and I thought he was going to be the CHEAP point guard alternative this summer) will likely accelerate in the coming weeks.
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Well maybe if they actually gave a quality presentation
Then he’d give the team a second thought.
But at this point he probably forgot he even met with the Clips. Just remembers two old white dudes asking him for pictures and autographs and giving him advice on where to eat.
He probably thinks they were reps from Zagat.
because you were there at the meeting, right.
i mean, forget meeting for an hour, talking basketball with LeBron,
like adults.
the Family Guy and Sopranos approches were much better.
… please.
Cleveland met with him for an hour too
The Clippers come with everyone set as their starters except for Lebron. Other teams had to sell him on the possibility of who they could get. NJ & CHI have totally failed so far, at least NY got Amar’e & Miami got what they said they could. The Clippers didn’t need to have the pitch for 3 hours because it was done and done.
They needed a better DVD and some strippers
"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
by Jax on Jul 7, 2010 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions
I knew it - we lost it with the poor presentation - Damn!!
"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
by Jax on Jul 7, 2010 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, this TV announcement thing pretty much makes it clear that it's Cleveland
But really, what the heck are they going to do for an hour? Hire Ryan Seacrest or Howie Mandel to build up the suspense and then cut to commercial?
I'd be surprised if he stayed in Cleveland,
the team has been very quite and hasn’t gone after any big names like Bosh or Amare. My guess is the Knicks.
Oh, and 120m for a 20 and 4 guy – what was Atlanta thinking?
Cleveland went after Bosh...
they were ready to do a sign and trade with toranto, and lebron was pushing bosh to come to the Cavs, but bosh shot them down.
cause Bosh said Cleveleand (the city) is lame...
wonder how that made LBJ think/feel.
(these are not exact quotes)
No Way then He goes to Miami at all
Bosh just told him basically he doesn’t care enough to play with him (and get more money). L.James wouldn’t reduce himself to chasing after Bosh after he got turned down, to Miami.
Cross Miami completely off that list.
He's definately not staying in Cleveland
or there wouldn’t be a need for a 1 hour show explaining his decision. It’s the Nets or Clippers…either one of those choices would require quite a long explanation.
"Excellence...is not an act, but a habit" Aristotle
LOL
It would be cold blooded for LBJ to go on TV and tell Cleveland he is bolting.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
It would be pretty funny to listen to his explanation (to Cleveland) as to why he's joining the Clips
"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
by Jax on Jul 7, 2010 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Don't think so
I heard that Houston does have a house in Greenwich, but that it’ll be from the Boys and Girls Club in town.
The Knicks are sounding like the front runners now.
Notice how it's just the Boy & Girls Club with no city?
I would not be surprised if The LBJ Hour is hosted right here in LA Live.
Everything starts out New, Gets Old and Dies or is Destroyed.
He should go to a neutral Boys and Girls Club
somewhere that isn’t anywhere close to any of the teams.
LeBron or Bust !!!!
I did read that it's not in any of the city's he met with.
Probably doesn’t want to be lynched after the announcement.
"It would seem unlikely that James is heading to Miami"
I’m surprised that you are still so doubtful of this possibility.
I put it 60% Cleveland, 20% Miami, 10% Knicks, 7% Bulls, 3% Nets.
I think he is intrigued by the “Dream Team”. It is his best chance to win.
I think LeBron and Amare are just as competitive as Wade/Bosh, so NY is still in the cards. And they will have cap space next year, too.
If Chicago can get Bron and Boozer together, that would really help them out. Chicago’s biggest need is low post scoring (always has been). Boozer or Lee will take care of that. New Jersey will take the other, though what they really need is a scorer.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
There are way too many reasons he won't go to Miami
for one they won’t be able to pay him the max, second his ego won’t let him do it and if you doubt his ego then why do you think he is demanding an hour long special to make his announcement.
LeBron or Bust !!!!
Rather have BGriff then Boozer, STAT, CB4 or DLee
Everything starts out New, Gets Old and Dies or is Destroyed.
Why would they?
Expectations are so much lower now that the Clippers record won’t even matter.
Coaches don't matter. - Bill Simmons, The Book of Basketball
Here I am crazy enough to think the
Clippers will be good this year. Just like I was every year when I re-upped. I don’t think Vinny was that bad. He did pretty well while working for a team that wanted to can him months ago.
Win total prediction?
Coaches don't matter. - Bill Simmons, The Book of Basketball
41 wins
The Del Negro special
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
41 wins for the Clips is HUGE.
That’s quite a prediction.
The thing that's always killed me about this team is
on paper, 41 shouldn’t be hard to get. You’d think with this roster they’d possibly do better. Then….
The clippers always fall short of my expectations
I’m going to with 81 wins next season.
Then might as well go with 82 regular season wins
Plus another 16 wins in the playoffs!
He will get seven years
"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
by Jax on Jul 7, 2010 1:05 PM PDT up reply actions
Why would he stay in Cleveland?
They have done nothing. The best “other” players on that team are Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison. There’s no way that team can compete with Orlando, Miami, and Boston. Out here, with the roster the Clips have… No one could really compete with that. And doesn’t LeBron ultimately want to win championship(s)?
The Cavs had a better record than Orlando & Boston
They can compete with them to a point. Still no chance against those bastards who also play in our building.
Not when it matters
they’re a great regular season team, just like the Atlanta Hawks. But neither of those teams can make it far in the playoffs because of the way they’re constructed. They don’t have a real point guard or a real center. And CLE has done nothing to change that. ORL is still improving, MIA is going to be great, BOS is on the decline. No competition.
Also, the Lakers aren’t going to be that great for much longer. Kobe is starting to break down, they don’t have a consistent center because Bynum is the Man of Glass, Odom is still inconsistent, The team is hardballing Fisher, and Artest is still Ron Artest. The Lakers also have never had a bench except LO. Their only really great piece right now is Pau, because Kobe is falling apart.
How can LBJ go wrong?
LA (Hollywood)
Staples Center
Head Up with KOBE
Starting Five
BD
EJ
LBJ
BGriff
Kaman
and the Cherry on top
Chachi running the Show.
Everything starts out New, Gets Old and Dies or is Destroyed.
NY?
This is crazy…after it was reported that their presentation was the worst of all. I guess them getting STAT, along w/ Danillo Galinari, etc. is enough. In the end, the dude is an East Coast guy who wants to win but whenever I take his position, I see him craving to get out of Akron and head for a bigger city.
The location seems to be telling. If he wanted to stay in Cleveland, why not just announce it there?
He's scared
Because when he says LAC, the Clevelanders would have immediately rushed upon him and flayed him alive.
Or they might think
“damnit, I didn’t know the Lakers had money….complete forgot….”
or be like “Cuh-lip-errz? is that an nba team?”
Yeah, the possibility of misdirection
Opens everything up. We’re still in this!
by ghost_ride on Jul 7, 2010 2:15 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
For two years of buildup...this was extremely anti-climactic.
The landscape didn’t change much at all….
This is like a movie with a crazy buildup that just fizzled at the end….
so cross Bulls off LeBron's list?
does anyone find it funny that LeBron kept saying that he will decide asap because he knows the other top FA are waiting for him, but now it seems like he (and David Lee) are the only ones left.
Basically all of LeBron’s waiting has lost his chances in Miami (and Chicago if that report is valid)
Boozer has reached a verbal agreement
As with all Dukies, we know it’s not a done deal until the ink is dry.
Of course
No way Boozer was getting the Max.
He gets 5 yrs, $80M. Still enough room for LBJ, too. Plus they can move Deng and try to sign Ray Allen or something.
If LeBron goes there.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
Chicago can still afford LBJ
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
Yes they can
It’s just huge.
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
Man, the Cavs fans are going to be doubly heart broken
The Cavaliers fans hate Chicago.
"Excellence...is not an act, but a habit" Aristotle
Hubris at its best
he actually thought that he had everyone wrapped around his pinky…that everyone would wait for him….the king.
Uh, this move makes it so every team is still trying to get him.
Every team now looks that much more appealing for Lebron. Chi, Miami, NYK all probably told him who they could bring in to play with him and now they have put those pieces in place and it is all up to him now. Stay in Cleveland and pretty much lose a chance at a championship or go to Chicago or Miami (sorry NY) or our Clippers and contend.
$5 says he's not going to the Clips.
We are getting Mike Miller.
I think it is between Cle and Mia
with NY and Chi longshots.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
Source?
Even the Clippers, those longtime losers, thought they could be a player this summer.
never mind i just saw it lol
Even the Clippers, those longtime losers, thought they could be a player this summer.
Maybe the Agents know more then the public?
with the inside info they probably know that LBJ has made his mind up.
Everything starts out New, Gets Old and Dies or is Destroyed.
I don't understand why everyone says he will stay in Cleveland
they clearly won’t win, and miami won’t be trading bosh there
LBJ is gone, no doubt about it.
He is either going to Chi, Ny, Nj, or Mia. I wish I could say he was coming to the Clips, but the 1 hour meeting and the lack of talks after are not promising.
NJ's only hope is to get David Lee signed by the end of the night
Otherwise I’d count them out because they couldn’t get any of the big names. NY still needs a lot of help. Chicago, Miami & our Clippers are the most set for him to come in and win with today’s actions.
It's got to be Chicago
This is the first moment I’ve felt any conviction. I don’t see how he can stay with Cleveland, and I can’t imagine them working out the details in Miami. NJ? Maybe if they had gotten Amare. NY? I really doubt it, though at this point I might rank them 2nd.
Does Lebron have any kind of relationship with VDN? Before Boozer signed, I was actually feeling slightly optimistic about our chances. But I don’t see him leaving the east if there’s a competitive team for him, and Chicago’s the one, baby.
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
The negotiations didn't go well when Sterling said
“write a number on a piece of paper and I’ll do the same…”
Breaking news: on July 8th, Lebron James will announce his plans to sign with the Clippers.
On July 9th, in a teary eyed news conference, Lebron James will announce he has inexplicably come down with a degenerative bone disease, causing him to retire from the NBA.
The curse strikes again.
I've got nothing.
Nah
not enough time to build up the optimism. The announcement will come on the eve of the season.
FA in 2010.
More likely they'll say he's fine but that he might
need a month or two to rehab some vague injury – then keep pushing the timeline out till the entire year is gone. They’ve got to sell the tickets you know.
Then the scenario repeats the next year and the year after until Sterling has manages to milk all the money from the fans.
No, that only happens for top rookies
With a star veteran, DTS trades him to a league rival for cash considerations.
"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT
I have a funny feeling...that he's choosing the Clippers...
If not, why have the Clippers kept so quiet about who they wanna spend their money on?
Why were they the last team to hire a head coach?
Why have a 1 hour special about if not for something totally unprecedented and league changing?
Why hasn’t any Clipper player said anything about anything? Like they’re supposed to keep quiet?
Why haven’t we seen DTS? Is he taking the last vacations of his life because all of his money is going towards LBJ?
Chupa! Chupa!
by DonaldSterlingSucks on Jul 7, 2010 3:33 PM PDT reply actions
Your questions
So either the Clippers are super geniuses or incompetent. I think that is the answer to all your questions. Which do you think is the more likely scenario?
FA in 2010.
Well most of those don’t mean they are incompetent (though that made me laugh.)
1) No money? Well, they are waiting on Lebron to formally say no.
2) Coach? Okay, incompetence is good enough for me.
3) 1 hour special? Because Lebron loves Lebron.
4) Clippers quiet? None are real big stars, and they are probably just living their life in off-season.
5) DTS missing? We never see that dude in the offseason.
by Michael White on Jul 7, 2010 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions
He's had this tv news conference planned for a while
His team even picked Jim Gray to do the questions and introduction portion.
When do we ever see DTS?
Choosing the Clippers would certainly come out of nowhere and take everyone by surprise. But LeBron will be villified for leaving Cleveland unless it is for a good reason (winning).
That is why he is either picking Miami, or staying put.
Choosing NY or LA would reveal him to be an ego maniac.
Choosing Chicago would be just cruel (same division).
He can justify Miami by saying it gives him the best chance to win. He can’t say that about the rest of the bunch.
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
Chicago? Hell no!
I don’t think LeBron would re-team up with Boozer after the way Boozer bolted on him and the Cavs…
As for Miami, I just don’t see it…he’ll be seen as the player who rode along with Wade and Bosh. Don’t get me wrong, he’ll still be LeBron, but I’m sure he wants to do it like Kobe has done it. It would just be way too easy to follow Wade’s and Bosh’s asses down to South Beach.
NY and NJ are not out of the picture, though…
But NO! It will be the Clippers!
Chupa! Chupa!
by DonaldSterlingSucks on Jul 7, 2010 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Why won't he just stay in Cleveland, then?
Do not worry. (Matthew 6:27)
Because he wants to win multiple championships and play in a big market
He doesn’t have be in a big market but he likes the excitement of it. I’m still saying it’s between New Jersey and the Clippers.
"Excellence...is not an act, but a habit" Aristotle
I didn't want to jynx it
but I was thinking almost the same thing. Also, ESPN and all the other sports outlets have not mentioned the Clippers as one of the teams he might be choosing. They mention every other team that met with him EXCEPT the Clippers. I mean not a peep…weird.
"Excellence...is not an act, but a habit" Aristotle
That's b/c they don't know we exist
"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
by Jax on Jul 7, 2010 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions
lol you think too much
if the clippers knew he was coming it would of been leaked so Sterling could sell out season packages we all know that’s all that Donald cares about he wouldn’t keep quiet
by LBClippersFan on Jul 7, 2010 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Don't think your point is valid
Whatever team signs him will get a huge boost in ticket sales. Doesn’t really matter when the news is released.
At least I'm also a Redskins fan... oh wait. My sports life sucks.
Actually it would be the opposite
they wouldn’t leak the info because they would want to jack up the prices the second Lebron signed. There was a article on this somewhere… but the average ticket price for the Clippers last year was $56… when Lebron played the average ticket price jumped up to $186. So its safe to assume the Clippers could double their ticket prices if they signed Lebron.
FA in 2010.
Good point
"[Fans are] not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that [I] weigh them."
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
by Jax on Jul 7, 2010 7:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Either way if he comes or not there's one good thing about all of this.......
The western conference just got weaker with boozer leaving the jazz and amare leaving
the suns and the spurs just getting older. We don’t have dumbleavy anymore damn we
should be an elite team in the west.
Even more reason for Lebron to come to the Clippers
The East just got a lot tougher. The Bulls are better, the Magic are still the Magic & the Heat got better. Heck, even the Knicks are better but still out of it. The Cavs could still win the East during the regular season if he re-signs but they are not going to get out of the 2nd round 2 years in a row. Come on, Lebron.
I've been wanting to discuss the new outlook for the western conference...
How will the Clippers sneak into the playoffs? This could be tough.
Will the Nuggets implode? Will a Jerry Sloan team actually miss the playoffs just because they don’t have Boozer? Isn’t Millsap a decent replacement? Can anyone believe Tim Duncan/Popovich not getting his team into the playoffs?
1) Lakers
2) Thunder
3) Mavs
4) Nuggets
5) Spurs
6) Blazers (upgrade w/everyone back healthy?)
7) Jazz (downgrade?)
8) Suns (downgrade?)
9) Rockets (upgrade w/Yao back?)
10) Hornets (upgrade w/CP3 back?)
I can definitely see the Suns sliding
I think the Hornets are going to slide due to bad chemistry, I think the Jazz could slide but I am not sure, Blazers will definitely rise, and I think the Rockets will probably be better.
LeBron or Bust !!!!
I sort of think the Nuggets might have a huge break up this season - that would be just one open spot
I’ve been getting a bad vibe ever since news on Coach Karl came out – that mixed with JR Smith (a ticking time bomb), an aging Billups, and KMart the knuckle-head…they plummet big time.
Otherwise, I think Suns and Jazz will hold their spots unless we start beating those teams a la Thunder last season.
Can the Clippers beat out the Rockets (and all others) for an open spot at the playoff table?
It all depends on our team chemistry and the Blake
I think the Mavs & Spurs are older, the Suns & Jazz definitely weaker with FA leaving (especially if they can’t work S&T’s which I hope they don’t). The Rockets are questionable because Yao’s health and when & how he comes back is up in the air. The Hornets, meh & the Nuggets have older players and are mental. Last season we would lose to all of those teams. This year I think, depending on who we get at SF and how Blake and Baron play along with Coach VDN means we could either move up many spots or still be on the outside looking in if we don’t take advantage of this golden opportunity. We are still a very very young team, not every young team turns out the way OKC did.
I think Jazz stay
Millsap is a good replacement for Boozer, they just need a good replacement for Millsap’s bench points. I trust Sloan can do it.
Suns will slide depending on how much magic Nash still has in him.
If CP3 is healthy they will improve, just for the fact that its CP3
Nuggets slide, but not out
I think these 6 will make it forsure (not in order)
Mavericks
Nuggets
Lakers
Blazers
Spurs
Thunder
Jazz
And the last 2 spots will go between these 5
Rockets
Clippers
Grizzlies
Suns
Hornets
That is looking at the rosters as of today
im just waiting for the clippers to do something
something, anything. every other cap space player has been so proactive, be in trade talks at least, we need to fix that SF spot.
if we start next season without having that spot at least temporarily resolved then this free agency summer will have been a big bust.
how has every other cap team been proactive and we have not?
The Nets have nothing, the Bulls, Knicks & Heat got PF’s that we don’t need plus the Heat re-signed their own player. We have one need and we are holding out for him because you don’t just pass on a chance like Lebron. After tomorrow night, I expect a lot of chips to start falling. Yes, it’s going to be for a lot of money because many teams have that to spend but that’s the name of the game.
its going to be very interesting how the dice fall now that most of the big names are taken, teams really have nothing but cap space now. so it seems like there will be alot of 1-2 year contracts going around, and the chances of teams signing bad contracts are very high.
Luckily, the clippers dont have to worry aobut playing with cap space as they already have a good core. but im very interested to see what the knicks do, will they hold tryouts for the public to fill out their roster lol?! Perhaps they will try to lure Ewing out of retirment
In Kobe we trust!
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