HoopsWorld.com: Free Agency, Round 2

[mcHAPPY]

One month ago, the NBA’s condensed free agency period began. Teams were forced to fill out their rosters quickly since training camp was getting underway at the same time. After chaotic two weeks, the majority of free agents had signed and a number of trades had been completed.

While it wasn’t your typical signing period, round two of free agency should be even stranger. Over the next two months, many of the players who signed overseas without an opt-out clause will be released from their teams and given a letter of clearance to return to the NBA. This includes players such as Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, Aaron Brooks, Patty Mills and Sonny Weems among others.

International teams are refusing to release players until their season comes to an end. In Martin’s case, he was cut by the Xinjiang Flying Tigers and sent back to the United States, but he’s still banned from signing with an NBA team until Xinjiang’s season is over.

The Chinese Basketball Association’s regular season ends on February 15 and the postseason ends on March 28. Players will be given permission to sign during that period, depending on when their team is eliminated. NBA executives are already reaching out to the overseas players and expressing interest.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors extended a qualifying offer to Mills and Weems, which means they’ll be restricted free agents as well. Mills would love to re-sign with the Blazers, but they currently have a full roster. Weems has received interest from a number of teams so he’ll have no problem finding a home if the Raptors decide against re-signing him.

Source: HoosWorld.com


This touches on a topic discussed in the Small Forward Discussion thread.


The only teams with any significant cap space to offer a contract would be Indiana, Sacramento, and Toronto.


Any of these players interest you?

[Mack North]

Chandler is the only one I'd like to see here, but I'm not sure I want it to happen.

Patty Mills? I never saw her play college ball. Is she trying to be the first woman in the NBA?

[Maleko]

Chandler definitely, I would be open to Weems coming back in if the rumours of game development are true, and I like Patty Mills, but I don't see BC waiving current players to get any of them BESIDES Chandler, unless he is freeing up slots via trades.

[saints91]

How about Aaron Brooks? Might be a nice pairing with Calderon

[NoPropsneeded]

it would be good to have weems back for DeMar's sake.

[Nilanka]

Definitely sign me up for Chandler. No need to use our lottery pick on a SF if we nab Chandler. He'll easily be our starter of the future, with either Kleiza or Johnson backing him up.

Our top 10 pick can then be packaged for additional pieces, or maybe even traded down in hopes of drafting Kabongo.

I'd like to see Weems back, mainly because I'm curious about his new found abilities (his friendship with DeRozan helps too). But I'd want both Barbosa and Bayless gone. Weems is a SG, not a SF. So if he's retained, he should be splitting minutes with DeRozan.

[Bendit]

Yes to Chandler and as has been suggested the Raps can do creative things with their draft pick. I dont understand this need to sign Weems as some crutch for DD. The relationship didnt do anything for Weems last year and if DD needs daily emotional uplift then we may have the wrong guy. This is the big time and his third year.

[TheGloveinRapsUniform]

I actually dont mind having JJ as the starting SF PROVIDED they get a scoring PG, Demar ups his avg to 20-25 a game, and Bargnani and JV at the frontcourt.

JJ is a hard-nosed defender, like a young Battier, with more athleticism. I dont mind him not scoring, as long as the other 4 are.

[NoPropsneeded]

i'd rather draft an SF then sign chandler. Chandler, Jv, DD, Bargnani will make us a mediocre team again, we need to score big in the draft with a superstar SF to push us over the edge.

[ceez]

We need more talent and just about every position. The idea of signing chandler but not drafting a stud SF if they're there is silly. A big reason we're not winning many games is because our bench is so meh.

[jimmie]

Chandler is probably the best overall talent option on that list, and he fits a need in Toronto, but I'd still be wary of planning around him as the long-term starting SF, which is essentially what you'd be doing, because I think he's going to command a pretty decent salary. He looks pretty good at 14/5/2, but if people are looking to make the SF spot one of the top producers/franchise-type spots on the team, I don't know that Chandler's the guy. Might be better gambling on a Barnes, Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones type on a rookie contract and hope they end up being a 20/5/5 guy. I'd definitely do both (sign Chandler and draft a SF) but I don't think that would be economically wise.

Patty Mills at the right price would be way better as a backup PG than either Bayless or Carter.

I think more and more that Weems will be back with the club before this season is over. I know you can't take production in the Euroleague as proof that he'll be improved in the NBA, but he looks like he's playing more of a team game and taking more leadership over there. If nothing else, he's as good as Butler or Forbes, and will still probably come at a reasonable price. Just no more than a 3-year contract, please.