Free agency starts / reported signings (merged)

[Roy H.]

Tough offseason for the defending champs. The Nuggets lost key pieces in Bruce Brown and Jeff Green and Thomas Bryant already. Their options for adding decent bench players are also declining quickly.

On what planet was Thomas bryant a key piece? He wasn’t in their rotation.

I never said he was. He's just another guy they lost. Brown was a big piece, and Jeff Green was a key bench player. They've added nobody so far.

They did bring DeAndre Jordan back almost immediately.  Maybe he's their good luck charm.

[Who]

Charlotte got a lot of forwards

F - Brandon Miller, Oubre, Cody Martin, Hayward
F - Miles Bridges, PJ Washington

6 rotation caliber forwards. Well, 5 and a half - half a season Hayward.


Their backcourt is funny looking

G - Terry Rozier
G - LaMelo Ball, Nick Smith Jr, Amari Bailey

I suppose it is not too bad. Just needs a quality backup PG.

Those two small SGs alongside LaMelo Ball. And Rozier a scoring PG. I wonder if they will use Nick Smith Jr or Amari Bailey as their backup PG. It is the balance of that I found odd.

C - Mark Williams, James Nnaji (draft pick from Barca)

[Who]

Cody Zeller signs with Pelicans.

He'll be their new backup C to replace Jaxson Hayes.

[celticinorlando]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
6m
ESPN Sources: Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent F Miles Bridges is preparing to sign a $7.9 million qualifying offer for the 2023-2024 season, clearing the way for him to become unrestricted next summer. Hornets and Bridges are far apart in extension talks. Story soon.

Does this affect their plan to offer a contract to Grant?

It helps them if anything.  Bridges cap hold was $16 million, so this clear a little over $8 million in cap space.

Looking forward to giving up two #2s for a trade exception that we let expire.

That’s exactly what’s going to happen

[hpantazo]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
6m
ESPN Sources: Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent F Miles Bridges is preparing to sign a $7.9 million qualifying offer for the 2023-2024 season, clearing the way for him to become unrestricted next summer. Hornets and Bridges are far apart in extension talks. Story soon.

Does this affect their plan to offer a contract to Grant?

It helps them if anything.  Bridges cap hold was $16 million, so this clear a little over $8 million in cap space.

Looking forward to giving up two #2s for a trade exception that we let expire.

That’s exactly what’s going to happen

At this rate Houston will sign him too for 20 million/year and reunite him with Ime.

[tonydelk]

Adrian Wojnarowski
@wojespn
·
6m
ESPN Sources: Charlotte Hornets restricted free agent F Miles Bridges is preparing to sign a $7.9 million qualifying offer for the 2023-2024 season, clearing the way for him to become unrestricted next summer. Hornets and Bridges are far apart in extension talks. Story soon.

Does this affect their plan to offer a contract to Grant?

It helps them if anything.  Bridges cap hold was $16 million, so this clear a little over $8 million in cap space.

Looking forward to giving up two #2s for a trade exception that we let expire.

That’s exactly what’s going to happen

But but The C's will have flexibility to do something they never intend to do. 

Honestly if they are giving up their 2nd round pick that will be at the very end of the draft that you can buy every year who cares.  If they are giving up a 2nd round pick that they just got that has potential to be in the top half of the 2nd round then I'd agree this would be idiotic.

[Who]

Tough offseason for the defending champs. The Nuggets lost key pieces in Bruce Brown and Jeff Green and Thomas Bryant already. Their options for adding decent bench players are also declining quickly.

I thought Denver had one of the worst benches in the league last year. They were basically 6 guys and some minute eaters. The loss of Bruce Brown is huge for them. I am not sure they can repeat without Bruce Brown.

I do wonder though even if DEN cannot replace Bruce Brown with a high quality backup SG/SF, could they improve their overall bench enough with sound minimum contract guys to get the overall quality as high as last year's bench. A worse 6th man but better 7 through 10.

Of course that is not happening either. Denver making no headway in improving their bench thus far.

[Who]

They re-signed Reggie Jackson. He did not play last year. I wonder if he can step up next year. Can he be their 6th man offensive creator off the bench? Maybe so.

I was surprised they didn't use him last year. Their bench sucked so badly. They desperately needed some help. Instead they just rode their top 6 guys and got whatever they could out of old man Jeff Green and young raw C Braun.

They seemed to prefer playing Bruce Brown as backup PG and playing bigger and more aggressive defensively than playing Reggie Jackson. Getting that extra size on D.

Anyway, Reggie Jackson looks their best bet for good play off the bench at the moment. Hopefully they can add someone with their TMLE to put them back in the mix in the West. I like Denver a lot more than I like those other teams.

[gouki88]

Cody Zeller signs with Pelicans.

He'll be their new backup C to replace Jaxson Hayes.

Seems quite duplicative with Willy Hernangomez, who is better than him.

[Celtics2021]

Cody Zeller signs with Pelicans.

He'll be their new backup C to replace Jaxson Hayes.

Seems quite duplicative with Willy Hernangomez, who is better than him.

They declined Hernangomez’s option, so he’s not duplicative unless I missed his resigning.

[gouki88]

Cody Zeller signs with Pelicans.

He'll be their new backup C to replace Jaxson Hayes.

Seems quite duplicative with Willy Hernangomez, who is better than him.

They declined Hernangomez’s option, so he’s not duplicative unless I missed his resigning.

Ah, the place I had looked hadn't updated that and said Willy was still contracted.

I would have kept Hernangomez at his salary over old man Zeller, but each to their own.

Willy Hernangomez is a guy I would be pretty happy with as a minimum contract 3rd string big. Great rebounder and foul-drawer

[Who]

Lonnie Walker signs for Brooklyn. One year deal.

I like that fit for team and player. BKN need a replacement lead bench guard with Patty Mills and Seth Curry both leaving. Lonnie Walker gets to have the ball in his hands there more so than in LAL. Gets to play more his game.

Brooklyn now have two big PGs in Dinwiddie (6-6) and Lonnie Walker (6-5). Fun 1-2 punch. Big size SG-SF-PF as well with M Bridges, Cam Johnson and D Finney Smith.

Edit: Oh wait. My mistake. They signed Dennis Smith Jr as well so Lonnie Walker will be playing backup SG in Brooklyn. Not PG. Just like he did LAL.

Bad news for Cam Thomas. I hoped he would get regular minutes next season but this should shunt him back to 3rd string SG.

[Who]

Brooklyn Nets

G: Dinwiddie, D Smith Jr
G: Mikal Bridges, L Walker, Cam Thomas
F: Cam Johnson, R O'Neale
F: D Finney Smith, Ben Simmons
C: Nic Claxton

Need a backup center. Lack of a useful reserve center for Nic Claxton was a big problem for them last year. If they can fill that hole, that is a rock solid team. Good quality. Strong depth.

The East is looking strong 4 through 8 with Cleveland, Indiana, Miami, New York and Brooklyn. Those 5 look like locks to be in the playoffs along with the main 3 (BOS, PHI, MIL).

Atlanta are in trouble. I have them outside the top 8. Then ORL and TOR.

[JBcat]

Lonnie Walker signs for Brooklyn. One year deal.

I like that fit for team and player. BKN need a replacement lead bench guard with Patty Mills and Seth Curry both leaving. Lonnie Walker gets to have the ball in his hands there more so than in LAL. Gets to play more his game.

Brooklyn now have two big PGs in Dinwiddie (6-6) and Lonnie Walker (6-5). Fun 1-2 punch. Big size SG-SF-PF as well with M Bridges, Cam Johnson and D Finney Smith.

Edit: Oh wait. My mistake. They signed Dennis Smith Jr as well so Lonnie Walker will be playing backup SG in Brooklyn. Not PG. Just like he did LAL.

Bad news for Cam Thomas. I hoped he would get regular minutes next season but this should shunt him back to 3rd string SG.

You would think with the offensive punch Thomas showed last season (3 straight 40 plus games) he would be given that chance. Maybe he’ll be part of a trade going somewhere else.

[JBcat]

Brooklyn Nets

G: Dinwiddie, D Smith Jr
G: Mikal Bridges, L Walker, Cam Thomas
F: Cam Johnson, R O'Neale
F: D Finney Smith, Ben Simmons
C: Nic Claxton

Need a backup center. Lack of a useful reserve center for Nic Claxton was a big problem for them last year. If they can fill that hole, that is a rock solid team. Good quality. Strong depth.

The East is looking strong 4 through 8 with Cleveland, Indiana, Miami, New York and Brooklyn. Those 5 look like locks to be in the playoffs along with the main 3 (BOS, PHI, MIL).

Atlanta are in trouble. I have them outside the top 8. Then ORL and TOR.

Day Ron Sharpe should fill in adequately as the back center, and can handle the bigger centers better than Claxton. He played pretty well towards the end of last season.