What's left? A look at unrestricted free agents on the market

[billysan]

I would add to the above that the draft picks haven't signed yet (I think) so there are 3 roster spots open.

This is true and to sign the right player later in the season, we would buy out a Pruitt type contract IMO. There is also the chance we could trade a player or two and open roster spot(s).

I think if we could lure Zo here with the hopes of another ring, we should do it asap. The Ren Wright is Lorenzen Wright, formerlly of the Kings, Hawks and Grizzlies. He is a 6'11" center with a poor track recoed for conditioning habits if memory serves. The lack of interest may bear that out.

As to wing players, we need some offense IMO and that leaves Bonzi Well as the clear first choice. I personally like Kirk Snyder but there is a reason (unknown) why he keeps switching teams. I also would take a look a Darius Miles but I would be very careful with money until I verified his knee.

I think the best thing that could happen is to invite a handful of these guys to training camp and sign them to make good contracts. Some of them will do it just to get visibility.

[TripleOT]

Two words for you: White Chocolate. 

It's looking like JWill is a Minimum Mary, unless he wants to play overseas.  The guy has made a tidy $51m over his career, and I'd be stunned if he went overseas. 

[gpap]

Ok well pretty much all of the tier 1 ufa's are gone, and many of the tier 2 as well - with some guys going to Europe (Boykins) and others finding new homes not called Boston, lets look at who is left that could potentially help the Celtics at a vet. min. contract (it ain't looking good)

Big men:

Jamaal Magloire
Juwan Howard
Theo Ratliff
Othella Harrington
PJ Brown
Dikembe Mutumbo
Alonzo Mourning
Jake Vosckul
Francisco Elson
Ren Wright
Melvin Ely
Michael Doleac
Jackie Butler

Of those guys, most are either well past their prime (Brown, Mutumbo, Mourning) or will likely never see a prime (Ely, Butler) - I think Elson may be the best of the bunch left here

Wings:

Derek Anderson
Deven Brown
Juan Dixon
Eddie Jones
Devean George
Flip Murray
Smush Parker
Quinten Ross
Kirk Snyder
Bonzi Wells
Fred Jones
Grant Hill
Michael Finley
Gordon Giricek

Not many of the guys here bring anything Tony Allen/JR Giddens don't.  Of the bunch Giricek can at least hit an outside shot.. Bonzi Wells could actually fit in, but he'd be taking minutes from TA, not filling in the role Posey left behind.  I like Finley and Grant Hill for the vet leadership, but whats left in the tank?  Juan Dixon surprised me that he's still out there, but is he more than Eddie House....

and finally point guards

Jason Williams
Damon Stoudamire
Sam I Am
Darrell Armstrong
Shaun Livingston
Anthony Carter

Slim pickings - if D.A. can bring something like Lindsey Hunter did for Detroit, I'd be all for it. J. Will is another interesting name, but again I think his best years are behind him.  the fact that Livingston is still on the market worries me - his health must be a huge concern

So after going through the list, its pretty clear how slim the pickings are out there - do the c's wait for a guy to get cut/bought out... do they take a chance on an unproven guy?  Give a veteran a chance to earn some minutes - it'll be an interesting rest of the offseason, but I do think overall whatever we do, it won't help much... that said, we still have a world champion roster minus two aging vets and one key role player - can some other guys step into those roles?  I think yes - plus Rondo should continue to develop.... I'm not worried

I'd look into Devean George, Bonzi Wells and Grant Hill. Around mid-February I'd give Alonzo a call or perhaps PJ Brown. Make it two Februarys in a row w/PJ.

[Eja117]

Do we even have the roster spot to be able to add someone? I like Ely, maybe Darrel Armstrong, and maybe Juan Dixon but for some of these guys do they bring that much more than say a Pruitt?

There is one roster spot open.

Thank you. TP. If there is only one spot open we better get it right, which is probably part of what's taking so long. Since Rondo and Pruitt are still improving and we brought back House and TA I wouldn't expect a pg, unless maaaayyyyybbeee it's Sam I Am cause there's something there we don't understand. I assume it's more of a wing to deal with Posey

[cdif911]

I really think its gonna be Bonzi Wells - he's somewhat of a poor man's Cory Maggette, who we targetted early - nowhere near the defensive player of Posey, though he does get a lot of steals (on gambles though more than anything)

[WeMadeIt17]

well i'm looking at ESPN.com free agents and they don't have Hill in there but he is definitely a FA I would love him coming off the bench for us this next season

[Mr October]

Grant Hill? ...hmmmmm...

I thought he was a lock to return to Phoenix. But if that were the case he'd be signed by now. I'd looooooove to see him at the backup 3.

[EJPLAYA]

If we can't get a defensive stopper in free agency,  then we might at least go for the opposite. You can keep a lead by playing great D with the second unit, or you can keep it by outscoring the 2nd unit. I think we had a much tougher time last year scoring points at times with that 2nd squad than we did holding down scoring. Bonzi is the perfect person to sign at this point to come in and be able to provide instant offense. Think of this lineup:

House
TA
Wells
Powe
O'Bryant

That's not a bad defensive team by any stretch, in fact I'd say it is pretty solid. It also has 4 out of the 5 guys that can erupt for 8-10 pts if they get hot. This is what we need!

[gar]

Would love to have Grant Hill. Heat recently signed Bobby Jones and Yakhouba Diawara - am I missing something? There are a  lot of wings out there and these guys were not among the ones I had on my radar. Did Riley find anything here, I hope we did not miss out on anything while Danny is on a well deserved vacation.


http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53920/20080807/miami_signs_diawara/

[BigThreePeat]

I thought Grant Hill already made his intentions clear a while ago that he was going to return to the Suns...  No?   If not, I would totally 100% support bringing him in.  He would have been the perfect bench player for this team last year, but unfortunately he was already signed on in PHX before we pulled off our big trades.   

Interesting thought on JWill also, but he seems like the type of guy who would go overseas.   I imagine there is still some marketability in a flashy flamboyant point guard who can make passes off his elbow, right?  He basically matured as a player in the NBA to cut down on turnovers, but if those European teams are looking for a show... JWill wouldn't be a terrible option.   He was extremely popular throughout the league when he was playing for the Kings.

[Evantime34]

this is a great thread because who ever is left from this list is probably who we will sign at the last minute. Just keep crossing them off and whoever is left for a cheap price we sign.

[cdif911]

well i'm looking at ESPN.com free agents and they don't have Hill in there but he is definitely a FA I would love him coming off the bench for us this next season

hoopshype has him as an unrestricted FA - checked the news links, no word on him yet

[TripleOT]

well i'm looking at ESPN.com free agents and they don't have Hill in there but he is definitely a FA I would love him coming off the bench for us this next season

hoopshype has him as an unrestricted FA - checked the news links, no word on him yet

Hoopshype also has Hill on the Suns salary page, with one year remaining, making $1.97m.  I think he's under contract for one more year.

I found this on the web 

"By Jerry Brown
East Valley Tribune
July 5, 2007

Just five days into free agency, the Suns are done shopping — leaving with exactly what they wanted. What started as a rumor in April became a reality Thursday when seven-time All-Star Grant Hill committed to the Suns.

The deal will not become official until the league’s salary cap is officially set on Wednesday. Hill, who turns 35 on Oct. 5, will earn Phoenix’s biannual exception for this season ($1.83 million) and a player option for 2008-09 (the salary would increase to almost $2 million). "


And this was on ESPN.com on June 27 of this year:

"Suns forward Grant Hill exercised his player option for the 2008-09 season, the team announced Thursday."

 

I'd say that Hill's under contract for one more year in Phoenix. 

[billysan]

well i'm looking at ESPN.com free agents and they don't have Hill in there but he is definitely a FA I would love him coming off the bench for us this next season

hoopshype has him as an unrestricted FA - checked the news links, no word on him yet

Hoopshype also has Hill on the Suns salary page, with one year remaining, making $1.97m.  I think he's under contract for one more year.

I found this on the web 

"By Jerry Brown
East Valley Tribune
July 5, 2007

Just five days into free agency, the Suns are done shopping — leaving with exactly what they wanted. What started as a rumor in April became a reality Thursday when seven-time All-Star Grant Hill committed to the Suns.

The deal will not become official until the league’s salary cap is officially set on Wednesday. Hill, who turns 35 on Oct. 5, will earn Phoenix’s biannual exception for this season ($1.83 million) and a player option for 2008-09 (the salary would increase to almost $2 million). "


And this was on ESPN.com on June 27 of this year:

"Suns forward Grant Hill exercised his player option for the 2008-09 season, the team announced Thursday."

 

I'd say that Hill's under contract for one more year in Phoenix. 

Nice work TripleOT, TP4U.

Grant Hill would be a decent 6th man candidate I suppose, but he was inadequate as the Suns starting SF last year. He just doesnt have the legs for big minutes anymore IMO. I am not sure he would be much better (if at all) than Michael Finley, just a 15mpg max player at this stage on most nights.

[Who]

Grant Hill would be a decent 6th man candidate I suppose, but he was inadequate as the Suns starting SF last year. He just doesnt have the legs for big minutes anymore IMO. I am not sure he would be much better (if at all) than Michael Finley, just a 15mpg max player at this stage on most nights.

Why do you think he was inadequate? The reason they felt comfortable trading Shawn Marion partially stemmed from how high a level Grant Hill was playing at. He was a game changer on both ends of the ball.