Sunday is the big day for free agents in the NBA.
Orlando, Miami, Charlotte, New Jersey, New York, Portland ... it's the proverbial list as long as your arm of teams which are interested in retaining the services of Rashard Lewis.
According to a Miami paper, the Heat have ramped up their interest of teaming Lewis with the Wade-O'Neal combo that propelled Miami to the title last year (is it me or does that seem about 4 years ago now?). With Udonis Haslem as the bait, I'm guessing the Sonics are less than interested in biting.
Orlando and Charlotte are, of course, the most likely destinations for Rashard, but even those clubs are starting to look more unlikely. After acquiring Jason Richardson's $10 million salary, are the Cats all that thrilled about adding Lewis to the mix? Considering Gerald Wallace is as or more likely than Rashard, probably not.
Which leaves Orlando. Personally, if I had to wager on whether Lewis will be wearing blue or green next year, I'd have to bet on blue. If you're Orlando, and your options are 1) renounce rights to Milicic and sign Lewis or 2) sign Milicic and give up on Lewis, you've got to go with door number 2, right? Interesting to see how the front office will spin trading away a first round draft choice to get a center who played about 100 games in a Magic uniform before leaving, but that's their problem, I suppose.
Put it this way: If I'm Rashard Lewis' personal shopper, I wouldn't be buying any green bananas.
20 comments:
I agree. Rashard paired with D. Howard is going to be a sweet front line. How could he stay on such a weird crowded team where he has to be the leader responsible for next years lottery slot?
Unless--- the Sonics have some more trading up their sleeves, though I am not sure what that could be. Presti is clearly not of the mind to win this year, so likely any trades would be for youngsters and picks.
This blog is a joke. Do you all even follow the NBA? Bobcats TRADED the cap exception. Earth to Megatron.
stick it george...
I love this blog. Keep it up Nuss.
Nuss, I don't fully understand your Orlando point...at first, it seems like you're saying that you'd see him playing for the Magic...then you say that the Magic are more likely to sign Darko (and I agree on that point)...
I still think Rashard is more likely to stay here, because he can't get big money on the open market and none of the teams that are interested in him can offer anything the Sonics would want.
If I'm the Supes, especially if Orlando dries up, I say to Rashard: "we want you back, but we're not giving you the max...we'll give you $12 mil a year for 5 years (or whatever they think is fair), and if you don't like it then you can take some team's mid level exception and make $5 mil next year."
This is Rashard's chance to cash in, and I doubt he's willing to walk away from all that guaranteed money to take a good team's mid-level.
I love Ray, but the team had been losing big time. Rather see young guns get a chance.Trade Lewis is a coin toss.He needs to start playing defense too.Durant is going to be the best player in the game.Just give him a few games to get adjusted and look out.MVP by his third year.
There's a chance we can keep Darko and sign Rashard if we dump Hedo Turkoglu or Tony Battie on somebody. I hope that's what happens. If not, Gerald Wallace isn't such a bad consolation prize.
I just hope the team that gets dumped on with Battie or Hedo isn't the Sonics.
My bad on the typo for door #1 or #2; that's what I get for writing something after 10 o'clock on a Friday ... will be interesting to see the chess game between the Sonics and Rashard in the next few days after they meet up in Houston to talk.
Off Topic:
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-25-147/Just-Pick-Me-Already--Zabien-Dowdell--Take-4.html?post=true
Virginia Tech PG Zabian Dowdell, who was projected as a early 2nd round pick, but went undrafted, will be a part of the Sonic's summer league squad.
Maybe 'Shard will be wearing red.
ESPN.com reported early this morning that the Rockets are interested in making a sign-and-trade deal that would bring him to Houston, where he played his high-school ball.
Ugh.
Why not a sign and trade with Dallas?
Josh Howard at the 2 will fit into our new system.
I seems that most people easily forgot that both ray and rashard were injured for more then 2/3's of last season and didn't really get into sync with each other. We got rid of a one of our all-stars, lets not make the mistake of loosing our last one. The season before that, there were no upgrades to that team, but only downgrades by loosing daniels and james. So now we blow the team up replacing our 2 all-stars with two players who have always been physically gifted over anybody they've ever played, oh, and they have yet to play their first NBA game. What do we really expect being that we are in the Western Conference? Championship? Lottery? A reasonable goal each year should be reaching the playoffs and putting on a respectable outing, because in the end, there is only one team out of all NBA teams that actually raise that trophy, and with what's available out there, keeping Rashard and playing him along KD and Green are our best chances.
Any chance the Sonics could sign Lewis and trade Lewis and Petro to Minnesota for Garnett?
That sure would stregthen the rebounding.
If the Sonics S&T Lewis for Garnnett they still need alot more salary going to T-Wolves & would need to insist the T-Wolve take Wally Z. - who is an overpaid pig.
Any trade for Garnett has to add up to $28 M for cap purposes - Garnett's trade kicker went into effect today.
The T-Wolves might like Wally. He was very popular in his first go-round with them.
I just hope Presti gets it together to sign D. Casey for our next coach!
If we sign & keep Lewis it will represent a very unique/different/creative approach on the court. Versatility etc. etc. - no more traditioanl #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 etc..
Sort of a Golden State approach with a bunch of 3's instead of a bunch of 2's!
I don't see Presti going after KG - to expensive & maybe to old. But if the T-Wolves took Wally S. Who knows - it might make sense...
Rashard, Wally & one other guy at around 5 million +/- ... Watson, ridnour, Swift, Collison, Wilcox - take your pick. I think it makes sense for Minnesota in that they get Lewis in him prime for 5/6 years plus in 2 years when Wally's salary is gone they have $$$ to re-sign the other sonic(s) who came along. They have Cory Brewer & Randy foye is their future PG.
Something to think about
The more I think about it....
Rashard (10-12 Million per year)
Wally S. (12 Million)
Collison/wilcox (5/6 million)
Maybe Sonics throw in a draft pick(s)
T-Wolves would probably rather have either collison or Wilcox since the have their #2 on Brewer & Foye at PG - but if they wanted either Luke/Watson (5/6 Million) that could work.
Maybe throw in one of these guys - all cheap now (Petro/Swift/Sene)
Or even D. Wilkins who they wanted 2 years ago. Maybe we have to take one of their crappy guys (Just NOT Ricky Davis or Jaric - NO Way!)
T-Wolves get an all-star SF in Lewis to build around who is locked up for 5-6 years in his prime. They get Wally S.'s contract coming off the books in just 2 years. They get 1-2 other young guys with potential to be solid role players or better.
Sonics get KG - who is a top 5 player in the league IMO. He could be gone in 1-2 years - I think he has an opt out after next year - but it's hard to imagine anyone would have the $$$ room to sign him. He has a very unique contract.
KG is awesome but he will be hard to deal - kind of like Shaq 2 years ago - loaded contract etc. - this framework may represent the best value he can get.
KG has 3-4+ great years ahead of him I think - We KNOW Mchale has to move KG - If they would do this type of basic deal with Rashard/Wally & 1-2 other solid sonics I would go it in a heartbeat.
Even if KG walks after 1-2 years you then have $20,000,000 of salary room to work with which could buy another all-star level Free Agent at that time.
If T-Wolves take Wilcox or collison both those guys have just 2 years on their contracts - they are up when Wally Z. is up. T-Woplves would have flexibility pretty soon with a young team
Reason all this will likley mean nothing: Why would R. Lewis want to go & rebuild with the T-Wolves? Only way he would is if he gets 6 years at near max $$$$ & that may be too steep for McHale & Co.
But if the Sonics wanted a 32 year old making a ton of money, they'd have kept Ray Allen, no?
KG is not going to agree to be a Sonics... period!!!
One idea that I'm intrigued by is doing a sign and trade with Orlando for Lewis straight up for Darko. If we agree to do it straight up we could get Darko, without signing him (he's currently as restricted FA) to a contract extension. We know he's a center, and although he isn't a world beater, but he's still young (just turned 22 last month). He's already a good help side defender with his shot blocking ability. He's certainly a more know quantity than Swift or Sene and I believe heads and shoulders better than Petro. If we get him (without an extension) and he's a bust then we just don't resign him and it's not like it would kill us cap wise for the 06-07 season (6.8 million dollar qualifying offer for next season).
If the Sonics are all about getting young quality defenders I think Darko fits that bill. Sure he's not a lock down defender at the 5 or the 4 position. But as I stated before, he is a good help side defender. And if Casey is the hire (as rumored today) then he might play more zone like he did with Minnesota the last two seasons, which means having good help side defenders is key.
Any thoughts?
-mc
Like the Darko idea. Seeing that both Wilcox and Collison are pluses offensively and minuses defensively, Darko might balance them off nicely.
My biggest concern with this team is not the lack of a shooting guard, but of a big time power forward or center stopper. Look at our own division. Who do we have that can slow or stop Portland, Utah, or Denver's front line? Who can we stick on Boozer, Oden, Camby, and the other bigs in the division. If we are ever going to compete, we need a strong inside Defense.
I really think we need to make a run a Jermaine O'Neal. His game would mesh in perfectly with Wilcox, Collison, Durrant, and Green's. That is one heck of a front court.
However, it's unlikely for us to get O'Neal. Darko wouldn't be a bad option. He young, big, pretty good at running the court and would be a nice mid-sized contract rather than than Lewis or O'Neal's max. He would bring about 75% of O'Neal's defense and about 25% of his offense. More importantly, he would be a nice compliment to the front court options we have.
With D-West help securing our backcourt D, I think Darko (or do I wish, O'Neal) would secure up our front court, I think we might be 5-8 seed next year!
I think the Sonics are really hoping for some help from Swift this year. He's muscled up a tremendous amount from when we saw him last, and defensively he would probably give the Sonics an adequate amount of defense, for far less money. Bear in mind that Durant will help tremendously, especially when he's out there with Green and Wilcox is on the bench (or traded). Wilcox killed us last year with his indifferent attitude on D.
It's hard to gauge what Darko will get as a FA; the Magic seem to be looking at or around $7 mil. a year, but I'm Darko wants more than that.
O'Neal would be ideal, though ...
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