Restricted free agents and their value as compared to the MLE

[Brickowski]

Delonte West is more valuable to Cleveland than he is to the Celtics, because he's their only point guard.  The Cavs would almost certainly match whatever the Celtics were willing to pay.

In addition to Krstic and Childress, Azuibuke isn't a bad player.

There's an interesting timing question with Childress.  You want to wait until the Clips or some other team makes a big offer for Josh Smith, then you present Childress with the offer sheet. Hawks ownership might not be willing to fork out for both players. But there hasn't been much interest in Josh Smith, probably because he's not a very good basketball player (great athlete, though).

[nickagneta]

I think in the next few weeks this list is going to be seriously smaller as some of the guys at the top take the qualifying offers, sign long term with their current team or are packaged in sign and trades for just the reason Roy stated.

There just aren't a lot of desirable landing spots for an RFA from teams that can offer more than the MLE. Who has considerable room under the cap now?

Memphis?

Golden State? Only if they let Biedrins and Ellis walk and I don't see that happening.

Charlotte? Only if they let Okafor go or sign Okafor at about the qualifying offer which would leave them a bit over the MLE still available.

Philly? Only if they let Iguodala go and that's not happening.

I think if the Celtics are looking at RFA's they have to target players that the team doesn't look to be bringing the player back, which are very few. They just don't have the assets to pull off a sign & trade for one.

My pipedream is hoping someone went nuts on an offer to Josh Smith and then have the C's immediately sign Childress to a full MLE and then see what Atlanta does. I looks like it would be extremely impossible for this to occur now.

[jaketwice]

I would be quite interested in Kristc, who I do not think would even require the full MLE to steal from the Nets.  They've already got 3 other centers under contract:

Boone
Brook Lopez
Sean Williams

The need to be under the cap by 2010. Granted they only have ~18M on the books by thenm but consider, LeBron is not going to go to a team with no good players on it.  Not even for a maximum deal.  The Nets have to re-sign all of those guys (who will have to prove themselves) to multi-year deals...  That includes Devin Harris and Stromile Swift (who will want big money). And Josh Boone and Sean Williams (who can both expect probably at least $4M/per).  Re-signing those (I would consider necessary) pieces, puts them (by my count) at ~$54M in 2010.

Krstic is probably only worth taking a flier on at $3M/season.  I think we offer ~$4M over 3-4 years and the Nets won't match. Krstic is good, but he's not as athletic as their other bigs, and not a good player for a running game.

[wdleehi]

There is nobody on here that I am sure if the Celtics offered enough of the MLE, the other team would not match.


And none of the maybes are worth the 7 day wait being unable to make a different move. 

[Brickowski]

Well, you make a fair market offer that's acceptable to the restricted free agent and if the other team matches, so be it.  You've lost 8 days, that's all.

There are also sign-and-trade possibilities.  TA, House, Giddens, Walker, Powe, BBD, Scalabrine and Pollard could be used in a trade.