What would you do?

[raptors999]

Raptors should at least attempt to see if there is something to salvage when Bargnani is a free agent. Casey is a terrible coach and AB might just have been a victim. A 1-2 year deal like Ed Davis might work for both sides. If AB is willing and a new coach is brought in.

[Cody73]

magoon, who out of the FA's you mentioned, who do you want the most, and why?

I'd love to see what else people may want to go after this offseason.

[magoon]

1. LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan would not work together on the same team. Both take a ton of long-2s; in fact they are number 1 and number 2 in the entire league on jumpers between 15-19 ft.

That's exactly why they'd work well together. LMA and DeMar on the floor together is a nightmare for opposing defenders: LMA can hit long 2s remarkably well, so throw him and DeMar on the floor and you've got two players who have to be guarded closely in the "inefficiency zone" that teams now often de-emphasize on defense.

Regardless, Portland will max him, so whatever.

3. Gary Neal is absolutely execrable. The guy is shooting 47.3% true shooting this year (29% from 3), I don't know why we would pay him $4mm.

Then maybe we pay him $2m, but I think this year is just a bad year for Neal on a team where he clearly doesn't fit. This is the first year he's ever shot worse than league average at 3s. Buying on him is buying low.

That said, I don't have a lot of positive suggestions to offer myself just yet. I think Paul Millsap is the best combination of fit, quality, and likelihood to test the waters, but I'm sure the Hawks will do everything they can to retain him.

I don't think Millsap goes anywhere. He's a key part of a contending team that can afford to pay him big bones this year. Why would he go somewhere else?

Like you said, 2015 probably isn't our year. 2016 might give us a better shot, but if we don't upgrade this summer/this year, how much better will we be next year? We need to convince guys to come here in 2016 with some deep playoff action.

If our goal this year is second round of the playoffs, our goal in 2015/16 should be conference finals and/or at least a really hard fight in the second round. The problem, though, is that our biggest hole is at power forward, and 2015 is simply not a year where there will be a lot of power forwards available either in trade or in free agency. (Brandon Bass is not a long term answer.)

[Cody73]

All those FA's are guys I want. Seems magoon listens to us well.

[Scraptor]

OKC isn't trading Ibaka. It's not happening. Let's look at things that are actually possible.

First off: we'll have more than 34 million to play with. Probably about 40 at least, because the league wants to gradually up the cap following the new TV deal. Let's assume it's 40 million we've got to work with.

1. Offer LaMarcus Aldridge the max. Won't happen, but we can do it (and should). See also: Marc Gasol, which won't happen either.
2. Give Kawhi Leonard a max offer sheet. Won't happen, San Antonio will match. See also: Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green.
3. Sizable offer sheets we should consider: Tristan Thompson, Kyle O'Quinn, Tobias Harris. You always need to be careful about overpaying these guys, though, and none of them are likely to leave.
4. Unrestricted free agents we should pursue: DeMarre Carroll, Brandan Wright, Kosta Koufos, Gary Neal.

You may at this point be getting the idea that free agency in 2015 is not really great for us. That is precisely correct. Most of the top guys we like are going to stick with their current teams, who will pay them very good money.

HOWEVER: in 2015, Joe Johnson is a one-year contract, and Brooklyn will be desperate to move him because if his salary is gone, he is much more movable. And Johnson might be vastly overpaid - but for one year where we don't need to do that much, it's not that big a deal. Especially considering that what he brings (reliable shooting and defense at small forward) is exactly what we need.

So:

1. Take Joe Johnson off the Nets' hands for one dollar. Brooklyn can send us their 2020 first-rounder to pay us for taking Johnson off their hands.
2. Extend Amir in the $6-8m range for 2-4 years as Amir prefers. Given his current health he's not going to command much more than that on the open market right now; the whole league knows he needs rehab time, so let's use that to get a discount on his services.
3. Trade Ross to Phoenix along with our 2015 first-rounder (and other considerations as needed) to pry Tyler Ennis and Miles Plumlee from them.
4. Sign Gary Neal for $4m (it's about what he commands) to be a heat check guy at SG.
5. Bring back Landry for the minimum because he's a good end of the bench guy.
6. Sign DeAndre Daniels to be a smallball four.
Team is now:

PG: Lowry, Vasquez, Ennis
SG: DeMar, Neal, Landry
SF: Joe Johnson, James Johnson, Bruno
PF: Amir, 2Pat, Daniels
C: Jonas, Bebe, Plumlee

You make some great points, but I'll just throw out a couple things to consider:

1. LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan would not work together on the same team. Both take a ton of long-2s; in fact they are number 1 and number 2 in the entire league on jumpers between 15-19 ft. http://stats.nba.com/league/player/#...t.%20FGA&dir=1 All mid-range shots? 1st and 4th http://stats.nba.com/league/player/#...ange=By%20Zone

2. Tristan Thompson turned down 4yrs/$52mm.... not sure we want any part of that.

3. Gary Neal is absolutely execrable. The guy is shooting 47.3% true shooting this year (29% from 3), I don't know why we would pay him $4mm.

That said, I don't have a lot of positive suggestions to offer myself just yet. I think Paul Millsap is the best combination of fit, quality, and likelihood to test the waters, but I'm sure the Hawks will do everything they can to retain him.

Like you said, 2015 probably isn't our year. 2016 might give us a better shot, but if we don't upgrade this summer/this year, how much better will we be next year? We need to convince guys to come here in 2016 with some deep playoff action.

This is why I'm hoping something weird and unlikely emerges on the trade market. Free agency has never been kind to the Raps.

[magoon]

OKC isn't trading Ibaka. It's not happening. Let's look at things that are actually possible.

First off: we'll have more than 34 million to play with. Probably about 40 at least, because the league wants to gradually up the cap following the new TV deal. Let's assume it's 40 million we've got to work with.

1. Offer LaMarcus Aldridge the max. Won't happen, but we can do it (and should). See also: Marc Gasol, which won't happen either.
2. Give Kawhi Leonard a max offer sheet. Won't happen, San Antonio will match. See also: Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green.
3. Sizable offer sheets we should consider: Tristan Thompson, Kyle O'Quinn, Tobias Harris. You always need to be careful about overpaying these guys, though, and none of them are likely to leave.
4. Unrestricted free agents we should pursue: DeMarre Carroll, Brandan Wright, Kosta Koufos, Gary Neal.

You may at this point be getting the idea that free agency in 2015 is not really great for us. That is precisely correct. Most of the top guys we like are going to stick with their current teams, who will pay them very good money.

HOWEVER: in 2015, Joe Johnson is a one-year contract, and Brooklyn will be desperate to move him because if his salary is gone, he is much more movable. And Johnson might be vastly overpaid - but for one year where we don't need to do that much, it's not that big a deal. Especially considering that what he brings (reliable shooting and defense at small forward) is exactly what we need.

So:

1. Take Joe Johnson off the Nets' hands for one dollar. Brooklyn can send us their 2020 first-rounder to pay us for taking Johnson off their hands.
2. Extend Amir in the $6-8m range for 2-4 years as Amir prefers. Given his current health he's not going to command much more than that on the open market right now; the whole league knows he needs rehab time, so let's use that to get a discount on his services.
3. Trade Ross to Phoenix along with our 2015 first-rounder (and other considerations as needed) to pry Tyler Ennis and Miles Plumlee from them.
4. Sign Gary Neal for $4m (it's about what he commands) to be a heat check guy at SG.
5. Bring back Landry for the minimum because he's a good end of the bench guy.
6. Sign DeAndre Daniels to be a smallball four.
Team is now:

PG: Lowry, Vasquez, Ennis
SG: DeMar, Neal, Landry
SF: Joe Johnson, James Johnson, Bruno
PF: Amir, 2Pat, Daniels
C: Jonas, Bebe, Plumlee

[SideKar]

Ross+Amir+Hans+Nogueira+NYK pick for Ibaka. Resign Lou. Give Hayes the min. Sign Daniels. Draft a PG. Sign a backup C.

JV-FA-Hayes
Ibaka-PPat
JJ-Bruno-Daniels
DD-Lou
KL-GV-Rookie

I love it!

[JawsGT]

This a couple of days after D J Augustine scored 35 on us.

Maybe I'm wrong, but might a defensive stopper to pair with Lowry be a more pressing need?

No, Lowry needs rest and to get his shit together. He forgot Demar returned.

[3inthekeon]

I wouldn't trade for Ibaka, and hopefully buy a pick and draft a PG in the second round, our biggest need is PF with Amir's leg diminishing as season progresses.

Jarrett Jack, who scored a career-high 35 points and matched a career-high with 13 assists

This a couple of days after D J Augustine scored 35 on us.

Maybe I'm wrong, but might a defensive stopper to pair with Lowry be a more pressing need?

[e_wheazhy_]

So you wouldn't trade for a PF, you'd draft a PG when you specifically said we need a PF.

I think he meant he'd buy a late pick to draft a PG, and get a PF with our first pick.

But yeah, if Amir comes back at a reduced price, Hans can go and we need a starting PF. Can it be Pat/Amir committee? Maybe. I have a feeling that unless we sign Millsap (which I don't think is whatsoever likely) Amir will continue to start as long as Casey is head honcho.

[Bonus Jonas]

I wouldn't trade for Ibaka, and hopefully buy a pick and draft a PG in the second round, our biggest need is PF with Amir's leg diminishing as season progresses.

So you wouldn't trade for a PF, you'd draft a PG when you specifically said we need a PF.

[tenforthewin]

I wouldn't trade for Ibaka, and hopefully buy a pick and draft a PG in the second round, our biggest need is PF with Amir's leg diminishing as season progresses.

[Heatdreamer]

Ross+ Amir + Bebe+ Hansborough+ tor 2016 1st round pick = Ibaka+ Mitch McGarry

Chuck becomes Vet minimum, Lou is extended, 66 million dollars for 2015/16- sign Demarre Carrol with your MLE and your 1st round pick is a point guard

[blackjitsu]

I keep Amir, keep Chuck, most likely let Hans go ... toughest decision is whether I would keep Terrance or move him. If I let Lou go then I keep Terrance -- if he's cool with that role.

Otherwise, I would seriously talk to my stars, and coaches about moving him. The team needs a real starting SF -- probably more than a PF (I believe that Amir and Pat can fill that position in no particular order). Trading TRoss and maybe the pick should be enough for a starting quality SF who brings the tools that I want (3 and D).

Unless I'm blown away by this draft, what's the point? Daniels, Bruno and Bebe will all be fighting for some level of play time.

I might also listen to offers for GV. The biggest issue with the Raps is perimeter defense. He's a big part of that. Most importantly, I try to limit the amount of turnover on the roster. If I move Ross for a SF I try to keep the rest of the starters intact. If I can move GV somewhere that will start him, for a young more defensive minded backup PG, I try to keep the rest of the bench intact (IE keep Lou and Hans in that scenario).

I like JJ off the bench -- he can literally defend 4 positions -- if he's happy with his role, cool. My primary goal would be to sure up perimeter defense in the starting lineup. With that secure, Val can play more minutes...maybe I talk with Amir about coming off the bench as the primary big off the bench.

Finally, I wish Steimsma (m/s) good luck in his future endeavors.

[Bonus Jonas]

Ross+Amir+Hans+Nogueira+NYK pick for Ibaka. Resign Lou. Give Hayes the min. Sign Daniels. Draft a PG. Sign a backup C.

JV-FA-Hayes
Ibaka-PPat
JJ-Bruno-Daniels
DD-Lou
KL-GV-Rookie