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ThunderHorn :@Dustin
you’re right but thats not going to stop me from laughing at the Knicks who thought it’d be a done deal that they’d end up with a couple of big name guys and some solid pickups around them.

Knicks screwed themselves when they didn't trade Nate Robinson and Jeffries in 2009. They ended up having to mortgage their future to get rid of Jeffries and now if they suck they'll really have nothing to show for it.

And they ende dup trading Robinson anyway! That one little poor decision ruined this whole thing. They have no incentive to be a bad team so if they don't get LeBron they'll probably throw $$$ at Amar'e and try to snag Tony Parker from the Spurs.

@Dustin

you're right but thats not going to stop me from laughing at the Knicks who thought it'd be a done deal that they'd end up with a couple of big name guys and some solid pickups around them.

As a Western Conference contender we hope that the Knicks do get some players as the Rockets own their first round picks and we don't need the rockets picking in the lottery in 11 and 12. I think one year they (the Rockets) outright own the Knicks pick and the next year they (the Rockets) have the right to swap first round picks.

@justin

You don't think some desperate team would give us 5 unprotected first round picks over the next 10 years for Krstic, Cook and White? You're so negative all the time. You probably just want us to trade Green for a 2nd rounder. Why all the Green hate? :P

@thunder tim

Why would those teams want Krstic, Thabo, and our scraps? I don't get this line of reasoning. If teams strike out in free agency there are plenty of teams looking to shed salary (Warriors, 76ers) or decent players (Minnesota) that would gladly exchange Biedrins, Ellis, Jefferson, etc. for cap space.

@The DON
You might be on to something here, The Don. There are going to be 2-3 teams completely left out that will be desparate for players - probably of any quality. I could totally see Presti trading one or two of our non-core (Cook, Mo Pete, Thabo, Krstic, Collison)/young unproven (Maynor, White, Mullens) guys for a future 1st rounder or two. And given the sad state of the rosters of those left out of the free agency lottery, those picks could be pretty sweet.

I certainly wouldn't expect anything to happen, given Presti's rather conservative nature and the positive trajectory we are on, but I'd bet anything P is going to keep his ear to the phone as teams start getting desperate.

Celtics agree to deal with Pierce. 4 years 61 million.

@kfmsooner
I read that. I think Ainge had the best move of all of them getting Rondo for $55 million...What a smart, smart move.

@andromeda
I see it differently because I thought their draft was terrible. Cousins was, IMO, the best pick for them, considering they had no center and they could've paid Cousins on the rookie scale for the next 3-4 years but instead are going to start and pay Darko.

It seems a logical conclusion that they choices were Wes Johnson/Darko or overpaying Gay/Cousins...Admittedly, overpaying Gay would have been a bad move financially and perhaps it would never have happened in this alternate reality (Memphis might have still offered the max or not wanted anything from Minny in a sign and trade), but the possibility of Gay/Cousins sounds a lot better than Johnson/Darko.

Do you really see them winning more than 30 games if they don't get a significant haul for Jefferson? Their lineup would be Flynn, Brewer, Johnson, Love, and Darko, with Ellington, Webster, and Pekovic off the bench.

@andromeda
John Hollinger broke yesterday's action down very well. He praised Presti and others for staying out of this summer's FA since it is going nuts. All of those guys are overpaid. Darko doesn't care, doesn't work hard, pouts and he can't play. As for acquiring picks from NJ and GS, sign me up...

How does this sound for next seasons lineup? C- alrigde-kristc and collison splitting time off the bench. PF- ibaka- green. SF- durant- green and a little thabo. SG- harden- thabo and a little cook. PG- westbrook- maynor

@Albabycakes
Darko's contract isn't that bad at all (16M$ guaranteed, starting with <4.5M per) and probably is the most reasonable deal until now in this free agency. Thing with Darko is: he is slightly below average NBA center, and has several years of solid production (starting with 2 Orlando years, also some stretches in his Memphis phase). But after the Draft(the only one with big D) expectations have been too high on him, and he was few years from being ready for NBA. He got backup center money to play starting role in Minnesota (at least next year). Although there are valid questions about his mental toughness and problems with motivation and overvaluing himself as a player, for now it looks that he works perfectly in Minnesota.
Although making jokes about Kahn is very popular sport around, it looks to me that they have perfect draft/summer until now (if Wes Johnson become better player than Cousins, what is very possible). He avoid overspending on free agents, made reasonable deals with 2 Euros with high potential and one of them could solve their center position long term, stash great Euro (Bjelica), and even make solid attempt to solve problem on SG position. They become much more athletic than last year. They are good Al Jefferson trade away from perfect summer.

@The DON
Is it just me or does the DON really bring his 'A' game in the summer?

@justin

Can alway count on you to provide some form of useless smartass response.

You're a real winner.

this footage gets me ever so hot and bothered, not to mention severely moist in teh nether regions....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7WvGTHYNPY&fea...

wojo Nets awaiting word from LeBron to clear more space to have second full max; would have to move Kris Humphries' contract to get 33 mill under

@shiki=4 seasons
Comparing it to contracts that are worse doesn't make Darko's any better...I mean, they are essentially giving him Krstic's contract, except that Krstic actually had a legitimate NBA history that you could point to and say, "Yeah, it's possible that he might be able to be a starting NBA center again one day...".

I just don't see it with Darko...I'm aware he had a nice 18-game stretch with the T-Wolves last season (during which they went 2-16) that Wolves fans continually use as evidence that he's worth the money, but I would never touch him.

Maybe one of these cap-filled teams will take Mo Pete's contract that no one seems to keen on.

@The DON

or even better if they ended up with NOBODY. That would be pure greatness.

@ThunderHorn

I will DIE laughing if they really go from thinking they were gonna have Lebron/Bosh to ending up with Lee/Felton in reality

@Albabycakes
Is Darko worse than Amir Johnson or Frye?They have bigger and longger contracts than Darko.And the contract is 3 years guaranteed.

@The DON

Madison Square Garden could be burning on July 8th. The Knicks could be in a position to whiff on Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Johnson, Boozer, Amare. These past 2 years would have been a complete waste and not only that they would have no draft picks in the next 2 drafts.

After all the talk and all the maneuvering, their big haul could be Felton and Lee. 2 solid players that fill needs but that would be an epic failure on their part.

RedDirt717 :Shouldn’t this have been done approximately 24 hours ago?
What in the hell is taking so long?

Kevin Durant's leaving to play with LeBron. Sorry, dude.

Shouldn't this have been done approximately 24 hours ago?

What in the hell is taking so long?

@The DON
I don't know how we could take advantage, but a team like the T-Wolves (if they were competently run) could really take advantage because they have so many physical assets that don't make sense for their team roster...

It will be interesting to see what they can get for Jefferson. Everyone's saying he has low trade value right now, but I think that will change when a couple of these teams whiff in FA and are looking to score something to appease their fan bases...

Of course, it is the T-Wolves and they just gave one of the greatest draft busts of all time $20 million...

I don't know, but Presti is a glorious enough of a snake to squeeze something out of someone none of us can conceive of right now off the top of our heads

How do we take advantage of them? What do we send them? Suppose the Clippers whiff in free agency, I don't see how we could help them.

What happens to all these cap clearing teams that are unsuccessful in signing free agents? Once the dust settles, for example Miami could be left with 2 players on their roster. In that scenario would they be trotting out a roster wholly filled with d-leaguers? Or trading future picks for role players to make up the roster spots?

There is a fascinating situation brewing we are not talking about here that might create some infinite possibilities....THIS SUMMER

With Johnson, Gay, and Salmons already signing with their respective teams it is looking like it is a sure thing that maybe one or two of these teams that put ALL their eggs in this year's free agency basket will be left out in the cold when all is said and done and everyone signs. That means we will have one or two teams in absolute desperation mode before next season starts. They will have to answer to their fanbases who they have sold 2 years worth of losing to over the chance to sign big time players this summer. If they get nothing, they will be desperate. This will be the perfect scenario for Presti to swoop in like a bloodthirsty vulture and take advantage of them somehow. Maybe getting some unprotected picks for next draft or something?

Keep your eyes on this developing situation....

@justin

Gold digger

Kris Humphries, Nets 2011 first rounder, Golden State 2011 first rounder and $3 million in cash for Kyle Weaver.

@The DON
thanks for sharing that imagery.

I'd want the Nets 2011 first and that Golden State pick.

@Gavin

These "talks" have the glorious stench of Presti all over them. Watch this GOD known as Samuel Presti get us a few more 1st rounders which will then be used to pick some gems and studs.

I'm gonna go pleasure myself now over how lucky I am to be a fan of such a sexy organization.

Rudy Gay - MAX CONTRACT (Grizzlies)
Darko Milicic - 4 yrs/$20 Million (T'Wolves)
Drew Gooden - 5 yrs/$32 Million (Bucks)
Amir Johnson - 5 yrs/$34 Million (Raptors)
Channing Frye - 5 yrs/$30 Million (Suns)

Has the world gone mad???

Depends on what the Nets sent with him. They own Golden State's 2011 first rounder but it's heavily protected:

New Jersey receives 2011 Golden State first round pick (lottery protected in 2011, top 11 protected in 2012, top 10 protected in 2013. *If it is not conveyed by 2013, the Nets get second-round picks in 2013 and 2015).

@Gavin

At this point, sure why not? Sounds like a good deal to me.

We don't have room on the roster.

The Nets will have to move Kris Humphries’ $3.2 million salary to accomplish this, and it is believed that they have had productive talks with several Western Conference teams that would be willing to absorb the power forward’s contract for the price of draft picks and cash. Newark Star-Ledger

Must be OKC and Presti.

@ Daniel. Yeah it feels pretty good when your sitting on a phat diamond! Our team is set, I'm my mind I think we can push for that top spot in the west. Ok I found the roster. Damn! Even the summer team looks good

I find it hilarious how fans of all these cap space teams are sitting on pins and needles right now, unsure of their futures, biting their nails, praying that a star comes to them.

Meanwhile, here we are sitting pretty, knowing exactly what we have and how bright our future looks. And not worrying about a thing because we know our genius GM Sam Presti will get the job done.

It's good to be a THUNDER FAN!!!

@Kenny
it is ready now

Ahmen!

When will we know the summer team roster?

I'm ready to watch some thunder summer ball!

@Royce

I'm not sure why, because at this point we should certainly know where Kevin Durant stands regarding the Thunder and where he wants to be, but stuff like this does just make you almost smile and feel fortunate to have a player like Durant on the team you call your own.

@justin
So odds are it will be a 5 year deal, with an ETO on the 4th.

Greg :@justinWill there be a player option after 3?

Maybe. Bosh had one... a player option can only be in the final year of the deal, so it can't be a five year deal with the fourth year an option year. You can have a five year deal with an ETO (early termination option) on the fourth year, though. ETO is different from an option.

Bargain at twice the price!

Assuming that it was a 5-year deal.