The Pick Two Draft Thread

[Lucky17]

And, if you don't beleive me:

Thursday, 25 August 2005, 08:28 GMT 09:28 UK

Basketball brawl mars Angola win

In a thrilling clash between Africa's two basketball heavyweights, Angola beat Senegal 70-61.

But the match started 30 minutes late after the third and fourth-placed teams - Nigeria and hosts Algeria - started brawling in the stands.

Algeria's captain Ali Bouziane was taken to hospital with a broken rib.

The BBC's Farayi Mungazi in Algeria says the fighting, which spilled onto the court, was an ugly sight.

The police took 40 minutes to restore order. Local Algerian fans also got involved.

A policeman told our correspondent that assault charges would be filed against four Nigerian players, once they leave Nigeria's embassy, where they spent the night.

The play-off for third place, which preceded the final, was important because the winners - Nigeria - would go to next year's World Championships in Japan.

Wow. And I thought Udoka's biggest claim to fame was being one of only two players to have played high school, college, and pro ball in the same city (Portland).

[The Walker Wiggle]

If anyone is interested in getting under the cap, Give the Bulls a call.

Unless people took a bunch of highly paid guys being under the cap isn't too hard.

Especially since FA is no longer as valuable. Don't forget that now each team has first right of refusal on its keepers for life.

Basically they're always restricted.

So this right of first refusal is exactly like being a restricted free agent?

I think the implication is that the RFA will not sign with another club, regardless of whatever cap space the other team has to play with.

I understood it only as a right to match (essentially right of first refusal), also as I understood it, a team can only claim one of its two protected players as the team's "franchise player," so to speak.

For what that's worth.

Some of the players that will be free agents next season:

Ray Allen*
Steve Blake*
Ronnie Brewer
Marcus Camby
Tyson Chandler (ETO)
Raymond Felton
Randy Foye*
Channing Frye (P)
Rudy Gay
Manu Ginobli*
Al Harrington*
Brendan Haywood
Grant Hill (P)*
Richard Jefferson*
David Lee
Kenyon Martin (ETO)*
Tracy McGrady
Brad Miller
Mike Miller
Anthony Morrow
Jermaine O'Neal
Paul Pierce (ETO)
Joel Przybilia (ETO)
John Salmons (ETO)
Luis Scola
Tyrus Thomas

And I've identified some of those players who are held by teams currently well over the cap, ie, best targets. Although I'm relying on Bahku's salary info (another TP to him) so my efforts aren't comprehensive.

P.S. Anyone selling end of the draft picks?

[Fafnir]

Paul Pierce has a player option for 21 million.

Also most if not all of these teams still have those players bird rights.

[The Walker Wiggle]

Paul Pierce has a player option for 21 million.

Also most if not all of these teams still have those players bird rights.

Actually he has an early termination option. But I've edited the above list to indicate both ETOs and player options. Good suggestion.

Still, it's suddenly not out of the realm of possibility to think he might walk for a longer contract, given that he would immediately become a top 3 F.A. with James, Wade, Bosh, Stoudemire, etc. off of the market.

Anyway, it's a fun question for Champkind, are the Memphis Grizzlies prepared to extend Pierce for 3-5 more years at a high dollar amount? Outside of Calderon, the rest of the teams core is young: Mayo, Gasol Jr., Lou Williams, Landry.

[Fafnir]

Paul Pierce has a player option for 21 million.

Also most if not all of these teams still have those players bird rights.

Actually he has an early termination option. But I've edited the above list to indicate both ETOs and player options. Good suggestion.

A distinction without a difference from what I understand. It only matters to Pierce's agent who has to fill out a different form.

Pierce is not walking away from 21 million in a single year. That'd probably 50% of the contract he'd command on the FA market.

[indeedproceed]

Paul Pierce has a player option for 21 million.

Also most if not all of these teams still have those players bird rights.

Actually he has an early termination option. But I've edited the above list to indicate both ETOs and player options. Good suggestion.

A distinction without a difference from what I understand. It only matters to Pierce's agent who has to fill out a different form.

Pierce is not walking away from 21 million in a single year. That'd probably 50% of the contract he'd command on the FA market.

He could look at the contracts Marion and Artest signed as examples of what is waiting for him.

[ChampKind]

Paul Pierce has a player option for 21 million.

Also most if not all of these teams still have those players bird rights.

Actually he has an early termination option. But I've edited the above list to indicate both ETOs and player options. Good suggestion.

Still, it's suddenly not out of the realm of possibility to think he might walk for a longer contract, given that he would immediately become a top 3 F.A. with James, Wade, Bosh, Stoudemire, etc. off of the market.

Anyway, it's a fun question for Champkind, are the Memphis Grizzlies prepared to extend Pierce for 3-5 more years at a high dollar amount? Outside of Calderon, the rest of the teams core is young: Mayo, Gasol Jr., Lou Williams, Landry.

Depends on how the new CBA shakes out and how that effects the value of expiring contracts. An interesting question, no doubt.

[Fafnir]

Paul Pierce has a player option for 21 million.

Also most if not all of these teams still have those players bird rights.

Actually he has an early termination option. But I've edited the above list to indicate both ETOs and player options. Good suggestion.

A distinction without a difference from what I understand. It only matters to Pierce's agent who has to fill out a different form.

Pierce is not walking away from 21 million in a single year. That'd probably 50% of the contract he'd command on the FA market.

He could look at the contracts Marion and Artest signed as examples of what is waiting for him.

Yeah MLE type money, at best he'd get a Hedo type deal.

[The Walker Wiggle]

Pierce is not walking away from 21 million in a single year. That'd probably 50% of the contract he'd command on the FA market.

Are you sure there isn't one GM in this league willing to offer him near max money? What else are we going to do with our salary cap space? Doesn't hurt that most of the GMs in this league are closet Celtics fans...

[Slugger]

Anyone considering being the first to have a female on their team?

If so, Jodie Meeks is available.

Thats bound to sell some tix.

EDIT: I see the Porkers already drafed Mike Miller, so there goes that idea

What you don't like the hair? Actually that was my pick but you don't have to worry about it because the Pacers don't have the pieces.

When you say pieces, is that a reference to the fact he plays for the Wizards?

Or the fact that he is missing certain pieces that other men usually have.

Miller is a girl, you drafted him.  Good for you being an equal opportunity employer.

[slamtheking]

If anyone is interested in getting under the cap, Give the Bulls a call.

Unless people took a bunch of highly paid guys being under the cap isn't too hard.

Especially since FA is no longer as valuable. Don't forget that now each team has first right of refusal on its keepers for life.

Basically they're always restricted.

So this right of first refusal is exactly like being a restricted free agent?

I think the implication is that the RFA will not sign with another club, regardless of whatever cap space the other team has to play with.

I understood it only as a right to match (essentially right of first refusal), also as I understood it, a team can only claim one of its two protected players as the team's "franchise player," so to speak.

For what that's worth.

Some of the players that will be free agents next season:

Ray Allen*
Steve Blake*
Ronnie Brewer
Marcus Camby
Tyson Chandler (ETO)
Raymond Felton
Randy Foye*
Channing Frye (P)
Rudy Gay
Manu Ginobli*
Al Harrington*
Brendan Haywood
Grant Hill (P)*
Richard Jefferson*
David Lee
Kenyon Martin (ETO)*
Tracy McGrady
Brad Miller
Mike Miller
Anthony Morrow
Jermaine O'Neal
Paul Pierce (ETO)
Joel Przybilia (ETO)
John Salmons (ETO)
Luis Scola
Tyrus Thomas

And I've identified some of those players who are held by teams currently well over the cap, ie, best targets. Although I'm relying on Bahku's salary info (another TP to him) so my efforts aren't comprehensive.

P.S. Anyone selling end of the draft picks?

I must have missed something because I thought both players that were retained by each team were both able to held as "RFA" type players.  In my case with Utah, Boozer's contract is up but I could hold him if I choose to.  Deron williams is still under contract for awhile so I wouldn't have to worry about his free agency for quite a few years.  I should be able to resign Boozer to whatever I want without having to declare Williams as my "franchise" player.  Or did I misunderstand a rule somewhere?

[Evantime34]

If anyone is interested in getting under the cap, Give the Bulls a call.

Unless people took a bunch of highly paid guys being under the cap isn't too hard.

Especially since FA is no longer as valuable. Don't forget that now each team has first right of refusal on its keepers for life.

Basically they're always restricted.

So this right of first refusal is exactly like being a restricted free agent?

I think the implication is that the RFA will not sign with another club, regardless of whatever cap space the other team has to play with.

I understood it only as a right to match (essentially right of first refusal), also as I understood it, a team can only claim one of its two protected players as the team's "franchise player," so to speak.

For what that's worth.

Some of the players that will be free agents next season:

Ray Allen*
Steve Blake*
Ronnie Brewer
Marcus Camby
Tyson Chandler (ETO)
Raymond Felton
Randy Foye*
Channing Frye (P)
Rudy Gay
Manu Ginobli*
Al Harrington*
Brendan Haywood
Grant Hill (P)*
Richard Jefferson*
David Lee
Kenyon Martin (ETO)*
Tracy McGrady
Brad Miller
Mike Miller
Anthony Morrow
Jermaine O'Neal
Paul Pierce (ETO)
Joel Przybilia (ETO)
John Salmons (ETO)
Luis Scola
Tyrus Thomas

And I've identified some of those players who are held by teams currently well over the cap, ie, best targets. Although I'm relying on Bahku's salary info (another TP to him) so my efforts aren't comprehensive.

P.S. Anyone selling end of the draft picks?

Sweet I have 3 of the guys on that list.

[Redz]

If anyone had a live body that they'd like to trade me for the next couple of rounds picks fire away.

[Lucky17]

I think Gainesville is up?

GC, shoot me a PM before you pick, if possible.

[The Walker Wiggle]

Anyone considering being the first to have a female on their team?

If so, Jodie Meeks is available.

Thats bound to sell some tix.

EDIT: I see the Porkers already drafed Mike Miller, so there goes that idea

What you don't like the hair? Actually that was my pick but you don't have to worry about it because the Pacers don't have the pieces.

When you say pieces, is that a reference to the fact he plays for the Wizards?

Or the fact that he is missing certain pieces that other men usually have.

Miller is a girl, you drafted him.  Good for you being an equal opportunity employer.

Touche.

But if I may, ladies and gentlemen (and I use that term loosely) for your viewing pleasure and personal edification:

A comparison...

The 4-48 New Jersey Nets	Pos.	+/-	The ?-?? Indiana Pacers
Yi Jianlian	PF	Advantage Nets	Craig Smith
Jarvis Hayes	SF	Advantage Pacers	Lamar Odom
Brook Lopez	C	Advantage Nets	Nenad Krstic
Courtney Lee	SG	Wash	Courtney Lee
Devin Harris	PG	Wash	Stephen Curry

So, you've managed to assemble one borderline keeper in Curry, the Lakers' 6th man, and a supporting cast of easy to like 15 minute per game, mostly offensively challenged, role players in Barea, Hayes, Pachulia and Shannon Brown, as well as the out-for-the-season enigma, Anthony Randolph.

Could be a hard road and a lot of 65 point scoring efforts.