You're the GM! Realizing free agency isn't some buffet where you get to just pick what you want and they're all yippy skippy to sign... who would you most want to get - given the price tags and ramifications attached? Keep in mind - you gotta make the space... who are you gonna move? Here's the contracts you would have to clear (assume you can without taking back payroll) the nonguaranteed contracts (Troy, BBrown, Wiltger, Taylor) gets you to 9.7M...and Nene is unsigned... Ryno 19.5M Dekker 1.8M EG 13M Trez 1.5M Lou 7M CC 2.4M Ariza 7.4M Onu 1.3M Bev 5.5M CP3 starting max is 35M... Given that he's 32, the final year of a 4 year deal would put us on the hook for paying a 35 yr old CP3 around 40M.... if you give him the max you're gonna have to clear a few rotation guys... Then for the sake of argument, let's assume he is devoted to trying to win a chip and would take a contract starting at 30M - with that final year coming around 35M.... Same options and paycheck with Lowry... with him being 31... Same options and paycheck with Milsap... another 32 year old... Blake is 28 and I figure he's getting maxed starting at around 28-30M.... with final year coming at 31 yrs old at around 35M Paul George is the 1 year rental at 19.5M and will cost you at least EG, a future 1st and Bev.... to bring him in, get 1 year and then hopefully pay him to stay... realizing the gamble involved... Carmelo trade on a 2 year deal at 26M next year... You're the GM - who's your #1 desire? PS: if you opt for the cheaper contract on CP3, Milsap or Lowry - you're saying you would NOT pay the 35M pricetag... you're only interested at the 30M starting...
I'm going Blake... he's a big gamble from a maturity standpoint - but I also think he's got about the best upside... for the cost of Ryno's contract and nonguarantees - I'm all over it! Plus given his age... I don't see a 4 year contract being a future albatross...
Well lucky you... for the sake of this thread, you get to assume you can jettison him for nothing and use the 19.5M toward your next acquisition! But he's not gonna fly as a trade chip for PG13 - Indy's gonna want real assets back...
I don't think its about his maturity as much as his injury history. But I'm also voting him, because I don't think any of the above move the needle enough to matter, and a Harden/Blake combo surrounded by 3 point shooters is absolutely bar none the most fun. My second choice would be PG... because I actually think he makes the most sense, outside the rental part. But if he's a rental, and the team kind of is stuck where they are with him, and he bolts to LA, it might force their hand to do something more dramatic, which is what they'll need at that point.
If we are not taking into account the assets needed to clear capspace or trade then ofc Paul George. Give it a go and maybe he will stay. After that I would rather have Paul Millsap in a 3 year contract.
You're right - i think its actually closer to 30M... I goobered it - lol... I've been figuring him at 5M less than the 32 yr olds and then when I gave the 30M options on the 32 yr olds I knocked 5M off that for Blake... unfortunately wont let me adjust in the poll - but adjusted in the text... thanks for the catch!
Answer should be Hayward, though it seems he doesn't want to play here. Is that why he's not in the poll?
I dont see him as being remotely realistic... utah is maxing him... he's the main guy... why come play second banana to James?
Hayward? If you include FAs who don't want to play here then it's Hayward you choose? Not Durant or Curry?
Well Hayward is rumored to be leaving Utah, but likely to Miami or Boston. Curry and Durant are going to re-up 100%.
To play with Harden and CP3 and form a new big 3 that has a better chance of contending than Utah...not saying I agree but I think that's the logic.
I just hope, in the case Houston somehow manages to secure two stars, its not CP3 and Blake Griffin. That'd feel very weird, given the playoff history.
Harden & Griffin fit well together; plus Griffin is better than he has shown in the past couple of seasons. When Paul was out Griffin's all around game picked up in his absence. He has the ability to run as a point forward. He cost less than the others and is around the same age as Harden and will sign longer. Keeping Bev would do the team wonders. There is only one ball let Harden and Griffin have it and find solid 2 way role players to fill in the gaps. ie RoLo or Lee types not big names but good players. Open up the rotation and play most of our players or trade the one we don't play for ones we will. We need solid play and growth in every position not 3 all worlds and nothing else. We fell apart in playoffs after Nene went down not before. Let Peak and Oliver development happen at the end of the bench the old school way 5 minutes a night till they demand more on the court. Ariza PT needs to be cut way down if he is still here.
