Free agent freeze

[Mr October]

@WojYahooNBA 
Teams and agents agree: Outside of role players now, the market is frozen until Miami's free agents and Carmelo Anthony make decisions.

Hat tip to nacceltic for posting this in the Bird wants Rondo thread. I think this idea is worth its own thread.

The significance of the freeze is that an unusually high number of teams have max cap space this summer. Anthony and the Miami trio are the only players on the market worth the max (or near max). A bunch of players are about to be very overpaid.

Perhaps this is why Ainge jumped the gun with a Bradley contract. He would have been around the 16th most sought after free agent this off season (around the level of Trevor Ariza).

Teams with max cap room:

Atlanta
Chicago - if amnesty Boozer
Houston - if offload Lin
Charlotte
Cleveland
Dallas - room for 2 max players
Detroit - depending on Monroe
LA Lakers
Miami - so far expected to bring back their 3 stars
Orlando
Philadelphia
Phoenix - room for 2 max players
Utah

Plus some other teams could have 10 million available.

Meanwhile here are the biggest names left:

James
Anthony
Bosh
Wade
-------
Bledsoe
Nowitzki
Monroe
Parsons
Deng
Gasol
Hayward
Stephenson
Ariza
Pierce
I. Thomas
Frye

[Mr October]

I find it a little odd that James still hasn't committed to Miami. He is such a diva.

When you are the number one target you get to pick your team. He has had weeks, or months to think about it already.

[manl_lui]

I find it a little odd that James still hasn't committed to Miami. He is such a diva.

When you are the number one target you get to pick your team. He has had weeks, or months to think about it already.

decision part II, where will he take his talents next?

[furball]

I hate to defend LeBron but he needs to find out what Wade and Bosh are going to do first.  No reason for him to come back if they are going to have the same team.  They need to create a chance to improve or he can find greener pastures.  Hopefully Melo will decide by the weekend, after he takes his little tour, and that will get the ball rolling. 

[LarBrd33]

Let's be honest... LeBron can hold the league hostage as long as he wants.  He's on another level from the rest of the league... only like 1 guy sniffs that (Durant) and he's not available for a couple years at least.

Once LeBron makes up his mind, you'll see Melo fall into line... and then depending on that, the Love situation could finally be resolved (those who miss out on Melo will get into a bidding war for Love)... and assuming Boston continues to be on the outside looking in, I imagine Ainge pulls the trigger on a Rondo trade shortly after.  I imagine every team in the league has various contingency plans that will activate once the dominos start falling.  Unlikely we'll see anything major happen from a Celtic perspective until LeBron->Melo->Love gets worked out.

[BigAlTheFuture]

Can TPE be used to absorb Lin? Not sure how that works. I'll take on Lin for the Rockets if they give us Capela as well.

[LarBrd33]

Can TPE be used to absorb Lin? Not sure how that works. I'll take on Lin for the Rockets if they give us Capela as well.

Yeah it can.

[Mr October]

I hate to defend LeBron but he needs to find out what Wade and Bosh are going to do first.  No reason for him to come back if they are going to have the same team.  They need to create a chance to improve or he can find greener pastures.  Hopefully Melo will decide by the weekend, after he takes his little tour, and that will get the ball rolling.

So far it sounds like Bosh and Wade are willing to take some kind of discount, with the hope that Miami can lure another piece to join the team. But with Lebron wanting and deserving the max, and other players resigning with their own teams, they are starting to run out of options.

Pau Gasol might be a fit, and Riley is trying to get him. Dirk isn't going anywhere, and the heat wont have enough money to overpay one of the restricted guys. That would leave them with a guy like Ariza at best. And i doubt he is taking less than 8 per year on his last big contract.

Meanwhile Melo is in LA today and will fly back to New York for a final pitch on Friday.

[heyvik]

I really hope that Pau stays in LA.

I hate to defend LeBron but he needs to find out what Wade and Bosh are going to do first.  No reason for him to come back if they are going to have the same team.  They need to create a chance to improve or he can find greener pastures.  Hopefully Melo will decide by the weekend, after he takes his little tour, and that will get the ball rolling.

So far it sounds like Bosh and Wade are willing to take some kind of discount, with the hope that Miami can lure another piece to join the team. But with Lebron wanting and deserving the max, and other players resigning with their own teams, they are starting to run out of options.

Pau Gasol might be a fit, and Riley is trying to get him. Dirk isn't going anywhere, and the heat wont have enough money to overpay one of the restricted guys. That would leave them with a guy like Ariza at best. And i doubt he is taking less than 8 per year on his last big contract.

Meanwhile Melo is in LA today and will fly back to New York for a final pitch on Friday.

[D.o.s.]

I heard Gasol to the Thunder. That would be a silly, fun team.

[Mr October]

Pau is supposedly the Bulls' number 2 target if they fail to land Carmelo Anthony. They are even sending a pitch squad to meet with him in LA.

[Who]

Pau is supposedly the Bulls' number 2 target if they fail to land Carmelo Anthony. They are even sending a pitch squad to meet with him in LA.

I don't think Pau will be much of an upgrade over Boozer. Pau's defense is pretty bad these days at that PF position. Just not quick enough / mobile enough anymore. Really needs to play center full time from now on.

If I were the Bulls owner, I wouldn't amnesty Boozer just to sign an aging Pau Gasol. Not worth the financial cost.

[Mr October]

Dallas and LA are the hardest to predict out of the playoff hopeful teams. I have no clue what their roster will look like in the fall.

The dark horses to do something nutty are Orlando, Philadelphia and Utah. They have a ton of space, but are they ready to rise out of the bottom of the tank yet?

I bet Ainge was worried that Philadelphia was going to throw some silly contract offer at Bradley.

[Mr October]

Pau is supposedly the Bulls' number 2 target if they fail to land Carmelo Anthony. They are even sending a pitch squad to meet with him in LA.

I don't think Pau will be much of an upgrade over Boozer. Pau's defense is pretty bad these days at that PF position. Just not quick enough / mobile enough anymore. Really needs to play center full time from now on.

If I were the Bulls owner, I wouldn't amnesty Boozer just to sign an aging Pau Gasol. Not worth the financial cost.

I agree, but the word is that the Bulls are going for it as their fall back plan. 

[Endless Paradise]

Pau is supposedly the Bulls' number 2 target if they fail to land Carmelo Anthony. They are even sending a pitch squad to meet with him in LA.

I don't think Pau will be much of an upgrade over Boozer. Pau's defense is pretty bad these days at that PF position. Just not quick enough / mobile enough anymore. Really needs to play center full time from now on.

If I were the Bulls owner, I wouldn't amnesty Boozer just to sign an aging Pau Gasol. Not worth the financial cost.

They wouldn't need Pau to be a defensive anchor given that Noah's there.  That said, Pau's inherently a significant upgrade over Boozer in that he gives you the same scoring while also being a playmaker.

That said, I hope Pau goes to OKC, since that team would be transformed immensely.