Resigning Powe

[cordobes]

The priority has to be to stop reaching.

Yeah, that's perfect. TP. We simply need guys who have showed they can play.

[bruinsandceltics]

the problem is going to be roster spots potentially

assuming we resign Baby and Pruitt (though I have my doubts) - and Eddie picks up his player option, we have 3 open roster spots.  Now say we sign Erden or find a way into the draft, there's 1 spot down.  We need another swingman, so there's another.  And we need a backup pg, or to bring steph back, there's the 3rd.  Now I know trades can happen, but do you give a guy who may not be able to play for half a season a guaranteed deal, or do you go out and get help that we need now - and if Leon recovers, we can always sign him midseason, assuming another team doesn't pick him up

I say let Pruitt walk, and don't even consider Erden (who I believe is under contract overseas, but I could be wrong) or another rookie.  Bring back Powe.

I second the motion to let Pruitt walk.  This is his second year on a team that has begun the season with no clear-cut backup point guard and this is the second year that he's failed to work himself into the rotation.  If they find themselves with an extra roster spot, I don't mind if they re-sign him, but he shouldn't be a priority by any means.  More than likely if we let him go, nobody is going to pick him up.  And while he may some day be a serviceable PG, I don't think any of us are ever going to rue the day we let Gabe Pruitt walk. 

As for Powe, I'm all for re-signing him if it's at small money.  It's just that we really need to make an effort to get another 7-footer here that can actually bang (not Mikki Moore).  As long as there's room to do that and to get another backup PG (if Steph walks) and another swingman, I'm all for it. 

Yeah, that's the way I see it.  We should bring back BBD, Powe, and Starbury (assuming he signs a cheap contract that doesn't require any of the MLE).  Then, we let Mikki and Pruitt walk, and replace them on the roster with a legitimate big man and a legit swingman (McDyess and Grant Hill would be perfect).  If possible, you try to trade Tony and Giddens for more guard depth.  If possible, you keep Scal, but if his expiring contract is the only thing holding up a deal for a legit player (say, Nocioni), you let him go, too.

Right on the money, but with the following question: do you think McDyess and BBD replicate each other's skills too much? Might the Cs be better served with a more traditional center who plays close to the basket?

Yes, but who's that guy? My priority would be to make a bold move for Marcin Gortat, who's a restricted free-agent. But Dice would probably be my 2nd choice.

I don't see the point of keeping House and Marbury, I'd rather sign a legit backup wing able to play most of the minutes available behind Allen and Pierce (Grant Hill would indeed be a fantastic signing). As a 3rd string guard, I'd rather sign a young guy.

As for Powe, the only thing to do is to make sure we're not bidding against ourselves. With that in mind, a 1+1 at the minimum, with the 2nd one being a team option, is probably feasible. That would be the deal I'd propose in the first place.

Zaza Pachulia
Johan Petro
Adonal Foyle
Shelden Williams

Just tossing some names around.

[NicaraguanFan]

I would love to sign him in a multi-year option and I think before his injury he deserved it.   But in financial perspective one year with team option for future seasons.

NF.

[nickagneta]

I'm pretty sure Pruitt is signed on for next year and isn't a free agent until the year after. ESPN has it listed that way.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-09-10

As for Leon I think cordobes' idea of 1+1 with the team option is the best Leon could hope for considering the results of players coming back from microfracture AND ACL surgery are mixed at best.

I'd love Hill for the back up wing behind Ray and Paul or Noccioni in a trade, if that is possible. Nesterovic, Zaza, or Gortat are all good options at the 5 and I wouldn't be against bringing back Marbury say for the LLE for two years. But I see Orlando matching anything decent for Gortat and getting Zaza/Nesterovic and Hill for the MLE seems extremely unlikely.

My bet is that Danny goes vet minimum on the center back up and possibly the PG back up and think he'll make an impact with the MLE signing with definitely at least one trade(possibly big) happening.

[Roy Hobbs]

I'm pretty sure Pruitt is signed on for next year and isn't a free agent until the year after. ESPN has it listed that way.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-09-10

I think his deal is only partially guaranteed.  That means we'd have to eat some salary (I'm not sure what percentage), but frankly, it would be worth it to get a player in here who can actually play.  Hoopshype has it as a full team option.

[Who]

Nesterovic, Zaza, or Gortat are all good options at the 5 and I wouldn't be against bringing back Marbury say for the LLE for two years. But I see Orlando matching anything decent for Gortat

Orlando may not be able to match substantial contract offers for Gortat this summer. They need to re-sign Hedo and they're already right up against the luxury tax, so that will put them well into the luxury tax land. Otis Smith has said repeatedly that Orlando doesn't want to be a luxury tax paying team.

Smith has said that he will try to cut some salary this (did not say how, said he'd be creative) summer to make space for Hedo's new contract. So, there's a good chance that he won't be able to match the offer, especially if Gortat gets a $3-5mil per annum type of contract.

[nickagneta]

I'm pretty sure Pruitt is signed on for next year and isn't a free agent until the year after. ESPN has it listed that way.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-09-10

I think his deal is only partially guaranteed.  That means we'd have to eat some salary (I'm not sure what percentage), but frankly, it would be worth it to get a player in here who can actually play.  Hoopshype has it as a full team option.

And as usual the truth is not all what it seems at ESPN. Yeah, if it is just a partial, I agree, dump the salary. But, if some are right and Wyk is cheap, perhaps he doesn't allow Danny to flush even the partial on Pruitt's salary.

Never mind, that sounds ludicrous. But will shall see.

Even if that is still the case, I see Danny moving Ray this off season as his best way of improving the team while keeping salary as low as possible. I still think a Jason Terry and Josh Howard for Ray Allen and Gabe Pruitt deal makes perfect sense for this team. Terry and Howard make a great three guard rotation with Rondo and  solves all your back court problems leaving MLE money for Hill and Nesterovic.

[RebusRankin]

Gortat or Rasho at the 5. Hill, Parker or Udoke at the 3 would really help our bench.

[GeoDim]

I'm probably going to catch a lot of heat for this but...

I say let him go.  He's an undersized PF who can't stay healthy.  Great story, but I'm not interested.  He's only 25 and has already banged up both knees.  Resign BBD, get some big men and a backup at the 3 spot.

[yagru]

not sign powe? trade ray allen?

man I have to say i i would be pretty dissapointed if either of those things happened 

[Txusberg]

I say let him go.  He's an undersized PF who can't stay healthy.

I have to disagree about the fact that he can't stay healthy. In 3 years with us he has played 189 games and even this season he played 70 games. I know that he had surgeries before when he was in High School and College but he came back after every single injury and i believe he will do it again now. He is a hard worker and if we sign him , lets say for 1+1 year minimum deal, we will have an extra asset in our roster by mid-season, somebody that already knows the system and that could be huge. And all of us know that Leon deserves a chance to play for us again.

[GeoDim]

I'm pretty sure Pruitt is signed on for next year and isn't a free agent until the year after. ESPN has it listed that way.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-09-10

I think his deal is only partially guaranteed.  That means we'd have to eat some salary (I'm not sure what percentage), but frankly, it would be worth it to get a player in here who can actually play.  Hoopshype has it as a full team option.

And as usual the truth is not all what it seems at ESPN. Yeah, if it is just a partial, I agree, dump the salary. But, if some are right and Wyk is cheap, perhaps he doesn't allow Danny to flush even the partial on Pruitt's salary.

Never mind, that sounds ludicrous. But will shall see.

Even if that is still the case, I see Danny moving Ray this off season as his best way of improving the team while keeping salary as low as possible. I still think a Jason Terry and Josh Howard for Ray Allen and Gabe Pruitt deal makes perfect sense for this team. Terry and Howard make a great three guard rotation with Rondo and  solves all your back court problems leaving MLE money for Hill and Nesterovic.

Trade Ray Allen?  I see the value we'd be receiving here, but come on....really?  You want to trade arguably the best shooter in the history of the game?  I know he's 33, but I'm fine with keeping him for as long as he wants to play.  He hasn't been an injury liability and he's having one of the best seasons of his career.  

One bad game and they already want you gone.  The negativity in this town SUCKS.

[GeoDim]

I say let him go.  He's an undersized PF who can't stay healthy.

I have to disagree about the fact that he can't stay healthy. In 3 years with us he has played 189 games and even this season he played 70 games. I know that he had surgeries before when he was in High School and College but he came back after every single injury and i believe he will do it again now. He is a hard worker and if we sign him , lets say for 1+1 year minimum deal, we will have an extra asset in our roster by mid-season, somebody that already knows the system and that could be huge. And all of us know that Leon deserves a chance to play for us again.

He's 25 and has had both of his knees go out this season.  Do you really think that this isn't a precursor for things to come?  A 1+1 contract sounds okay, but you have to remember that our Big 3 are aging...the door to another championship is closing.  We need to build the team for the next 2 years and what we need right now is size and a solid backup at the 3 spot.

[Bankshot]

I'm probably going to catch a lot of heat for this but...

I say let him go.  He's an undersized PF who can't stay healthy.  Great story, but I'm not interested.  He's only 25 and has already banged up both knees.  Resign BBD, get some big men and a backup at the 3 spot.

I'm with you on that.  People are thinking with their hearts, not their heads.  I sympathize with Powe, but he is an undersized power forward that may be limited with what he can do after the injury. 

I would sign Big Baby, ZaZa and Grant Hill. 

[celts55]

I'm probably going to catch a lot of heat for this but...

I say let him go.  He's an undersized PF who can't stay healthy.  Great story, but I'm not interested.  He's only 25 and has already banged up both knees.  Resign BBD, get some big men and a backup at the 3 spot.

I'm with you on that.  People are thinking with their hearts, not their heads.  I sympathize with Powe, but he is an undersized power forward that may be limited with what he can do after the injury. 

I would sign Big Baby, ZaZa and Grant Hill. 

Hate to say it, but I would have to agree. To me it's pretty much been a choice between Davis and Powe and right now, I think you have to go with Davis. While I like Hill, I'm not a big fan of Zaza. I would prefer a more defensive minded big.