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@Joshau

I see Avery says Outlaw will be the starting SF so you were right. If he replace Hayes then they do not gain on 3 point shooting.

OKC IS ALL I WILL SAY....WATCH THEM CRY IN SOUTH BEACH...WHEN SAM GETS IT ALL PUT TOGETHER..KEVIN KNOWS ITS ALL ABOUT THE FANS AND NOT HIMSELF..

@Joshau

I imagine Outlaw will split time between SF and PF. Maybe more SF eventually depending on how quick Favors develops and what they do with Humphries, other SF options, etc.

@Jared M
What are you talking about? There are some players on that list who were good 5 years ago but there's no one currently good. Look up their stats last year. These guys are all has-beens and retreads.

Boykins was awful last year. Ask any Wizards fan.

Looking for some rationale basis for the free agency frenzy, owners and GMs may fear that the new CBA will give players even more incentive to stay at home to9 maximize their dollars and thus they might feel that future free agency opportunities will be lower. Just a speculation.

DXL :
Jason Williams of Orlando was the only vet I could find who signed for the minimum last year and played productively. The rest of the list is UGLY, a lot of washed up big men, emergency third point guards, and guys coming back from major injury: Jason Collins, Joe Smith, Randolph Morris, Sheldon Williams, Theo Ratliff, Johan Petro, Adonal Foyle, Sean May, Keith Bogans, Tim Thomas, Earl Boykins, Jamaal Tinsley, Carlos Arroyo, Luthor Head, Sean Marks, Ike Diogu, Jonathan Bender.
Again, UGLY. Miami’s not winning many playoff series with a bunch of minimum salary players in the rotation. And let’s not exxagerate how good Chalmers is. All this talk about Maynor being average–actually, Chalmers is the definition of mediocre.

those are some pretty good players on that list. If all they are asked to do is rebound, pass the ball, and hustle. I think many of those players will be okay. Lebron would is good at making people around him better.

I like boykins a lot more than any of the rest.

@Crow
Have the Nets said that Outlaw will play mostly PF for them? My first thought was that he would play SF, but I guess they have holes at both forward spots.

@MartzMimic

The Players' Association isn't going to argue that the owners are overspending. They're going to argue the opposite. That BRI is increasing and salaries should increase in kind. They'll point to this summer and all the wild spending as an example.

The Players' Association wants MORE spending. The owners want LESS spending. Opposing sides.

Jason Williams of Orlando was the only vet I could find who signed for the minimum last year and played productively. The rest of the list is UGLY, a lot of washed up big men, emergency third point guards, and guys coming back from major injury: Jason Collins, Joe Smith, Randolph Morris, Sheldon Williams, Theo Ratliff, Johan Petro, Adonal Foyle, Sean May, Keith Bogans, Tim Thomas, Earl Boykins, Jamaal Tinsley, Carlos Arroyo, Luthor Head, Sean Marks, Ike Diogu, Jonathan Bender.

Again, UGLY. Miami's not winning many playoff series with a bunch of minimum salary players in the rotation. And let's not exxagerate how good Chalmers is. All this talk about Maynor being average--actually, Chalmers is the definition of mediocre.

Mavs re-sign Haywood 6 years for 55 million. Wow.

The Nuggets look ripe for the complete implosion everyone assumed they'd eventually have.

Somehow George Karl was able to control all the egos/head-cases, got them to put aside their ridiculousness and actually buy into what he was selling.

@MartzMimic
Yes. Basically, the owners need to be saved from themselves.

Kukoc was the highest usage but played little PF on the champ teams. Horry and Bonner were low usage. Not leading forces of the offense, merely an efficient relief valve. Traditional PFs were primary for champs.

@Mark!
If they argue that the owners are overspending on players, aren't they essentially saying these players are being paid too much?

@Vince

I agree w/ you about Denver. They dropped off some last year (never mind post Karl efforts) and I don't see a reason that would turn around.

I think OKC has a realistic shot at at top 4 next year w/ Boozer + Amare going East.

I like Lakers, Blazers, Mavericks, Thunder at the top.

Houston is a wild card... if they're healthy, they should be a top 4. But I don't see how they can be healthy and going full force all year. I put them at 5 for that reason.

The middle is so crowded... Jazz, Phoenix, Spurs, Nuggets, New Orleans (w/ a healthy Paul)

Sacto still looks a year away to me, not worried about Memphis, Clippers, GS or Minny.

The most important 3 pt making stretch 4 to a championship team over the last 20 years was Horry in 3 places, in part because he was good on D (blocks, steals and shot defense with mostly modest fouling) and a clutch shooter.

The only others I can think of on a champ in the last 20 years were Bonner and Kukoc. But that still makes it about half the champs with a significant stretch 4 and half not.

@Vince
That may be the case, but they are just so talented it would be a shame to see them fall apart like that.

@Mark!
I knew I was forgetting someone (plus I dont like Dallas, I think it stems from NO being in OKC and having that long losing streak) stick them in at 4.

@Derrick
I don't like Denver next year. Carmelo is talking about leaving, Karl is sick...there's always so much drama with that team but next season will be even worse. If they start 15-13 or something like that and then spend 3 months dealing with "Is Carmelo getting traded?" rumors I think they could fall quite a bit from where they've been.

@Derrick

No Mavericks?

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/07/08/tracking-lebron...

some funny quotes in there

Nets were 4th lowest on 3 pt makes so the fastest way to up that is probably get a stretch 4. Outlaw doesn't deserve that much but guys like Radmanovic got that much years ago. Lewis is the ultimate overpaid stretch 4.

*When there may not be a next summer.

Greg :what time is our game today?

noon CDT . . .

that's the story to me - how Miami fills out their roster . . .

what time is our game today?

@J.G.
I'm not sure these 3 egomaniacs are going to take a pay cut to keep Michael Beasley. $900,000 is just the first year's paycut, with lost 15% raises it's a larger loss over 5 or 6 years. Think Antoine Walker: these guys spend too much to afford to leave millions on the table.

I didn't say Miami with the big 3 wouldn't be competitive. They'll definitely win 50 games if they're healthy. I just don't think their team, filled out with minimum salary players, can beat Boston or Orlando in the playoffs. Cleveland had the best record in the NBA last season--why would Lebron move backwards?

Who are the 3 to 4 solid veterans Miami's going to sign? Tell me the decent players who signed for the minimum last year. Not the mid-level, not the bi-annual exception, the absolute veteran's minimum. We're talking about Kevin Ollie and a D-league team, that's it.

No one decent's going to take a paycut this year to advertise themselves for next summer when there may be a next summer.

@Oh, Kay
I think Amare gone from the Suns is a hefty blow, but Boozer off the Jazz isn't so bad. They probably get everything they would have out of Korver with Hayward, and Millsap has been very nearly as good as Boozer in his absence before. Utah is probably the same team, not better, but not much worse if at all.

I think it helps our playoff seeding a bit for the Suns to tumble, but the bottom of the league (Clips, Kings, Wolves) are probably more competitive than they were last year.

The Jazz will definitely be in contention. Deron Williams can carry that team, I mean have you seen his arms and shoulders.

Suns, In my opinion over performed last year and will not make the playoffs w/o Amare.

I say the top 6 in order will be

LAKERS
NUGGETS
THUNDER
TRAILBLAZERS
SPURS
JAZZ

CBA is going to be a complete mess. All thanks to Bron, Wade, Bosh and all of these idiot GMs.

@MartzMimic

Why would the PA argue the people they represent are overpaid?

I agree there are a lot of owners who can't seem to restrain themselves from overspending, but does the players association then argue that these free agents are overpaid?

I find it difficult to feel sorry for either side.

J.G. :

justin :The Nets sign Travis Outlaw for 5/35, unbelievable.

And you know the thought that kept running through my mind when I first saw this deal…
Jeff Green’s going to legitimately command a $9 million a year deal if Travis Outlaw can get a $7 million a year deal.
And everyone wonders why there’s such a fear of a lockout. The league is losing it’s minds on these contracts, even despite the higher than expected salary cap haul.

All the more reason not to extend Green now. Still an interesting summer for the Thunder... not over yet.

I'm not really concerned where LeBron goes. I feel the only place he can win a championship is in Chicago.

I do love the fact that Boozer and Amar'e are heading east. That essentially puts the Suns and Jazz out of play off contention.

The Blazers will wither without Prich'. The Spurs are getting too old, then again Tiago, Anderson, Hill, and Blair could be just what San Antonio needs. N.O. is going nowhere fast.

Perhaps the Clippers will make the playoffs next season.

@J.G.
yeah i think the biggest issues are the fact that lebron and wade are both slashers and not good 3 pt shooters, so when they slash and kick it out then it goes to a 33% 3 pt shooter in lebron or a 30% shooter in wade. Now obviously they will still score a lot, but i dont know if it will be enough against good teams. Just through a zone at them and force them to score from the outside and they will not be great.

I feel like they need a pass first pg that they will listen to to run the offense through, i really doubt they run a triangle and the bench will be nonexistant.

I think a Wade / LeBron / Bosh combination would be really, really, good basketball wise. Wade and LeBron are both capable and willing passers. Bosh isn't so bad himself. If they can put egos aside and just want to win it'll work, IMO.

With the MLE and bi-annual exception and I assume draft picks Miami can refill and even have trade options again in a year or two. This next season would be the toughest.

@f5alcon

I think some owners including Atlanta and Memphis partially justify these big signings in terms of maintaining or building franchise value, for a possible sale or just to make their Forbes valuation look better.

f5alcon :@J.G.the problem they have is they are all high usage players, can they play off the ball?

Now that's a much more relevant question/dilemma. And one that the Olympics showed that they COULD do it, but over an 82 game season, playoffs and crunch time moments, "can" is not the same as "will."

My only problem is everyone talks about Wade and Lebron like they're selfish players, which they're not (Wade averaged 6.5 assists on a pretty bad Heat team last year). What they are, though, is ball dominant players who are accustomed to having everything go through them, which obviously won't be that way in Miami if it all shakes out that way.

@J.G.
the problem they have is they are all high usage players, can they play off the ball?

@DXL
One other thing, they won't have to get rid of Beasley to sign all three if Lebron, Bosh and Wade all only take a pay cut of $900,000 because of the new $58 million dollar cap.

And since Florida has no state tax, that reduction in salary really isn't a pay cut when you factor in what other teams' max offers would give them in terms of net money at a max deal.

@DXL
While this is true, they will all be in Miami for 5-6 years. And next year, they'll have even more options to bring in better talent to go alongside those three.

Personally, I hope Lebron goes to Miami and they never reach a Finals. But to say that they won't have depth or be competitive because of a lack of a great point guard or center is a bit short-sighted. Joel Anthony is by no means useless and Chalmers is sufficient enough to get the job done when you team him with 3 of the TOP 4 PER players in the NBA from last season.

After that, get 3-4 vets who are solid (3, if they keep hold of Beasley as their sixth man) and they will EASILY be a Top 3 team in the East next year, let alone what they could look like in 2-3 years.

@DXL
yeah the only true way to build an allstar squad is if wade/bosh/lebron all take a lot less then max.

Anything else going on? I think that’s pretty much it…

I think this guy named Lebron James is supposed to decide something tonight. ;)

@Anonymous
Exactly, even if there's the Holy Trinity in Miami they are going to have serious problems filling out the roster with competent players. No mid-level exception, no bi-annual exception, just straight minimum salary players. They'll have to get rid of Beasley for nothing to even sign all 3, so it's Chalmers and a summer league team.

If we've learned anything from Antoine Walker's bankruptcy: NBA vets aren't really rich enough to pass up the millions available in this free agency period, especially if there's a lockout next summer.

The NBA exploits match-ups mercilessly. If Miami trots out a center or point guard who can't play defense there will be clearouts and isolations all game long.

@J.G.
yeah really the only reason why contracts are so high is because gm/owners are stupid and are overpaying players. Gay and JJ did not need to be maxed for them to not leave probably.

justin :The Nets sign Travis Outlaw for 5/35, unbelievable.

And you know the thought that kept running through my mind when I first saw this deal...

Jeff Green's going to legitimately command a $9 million a year deal if Travis Outlaw can get a $7 million a year deal.

And everyone wonders why there's such a fear of a lockout. The league is losing it's minds on these contracts, even despite the higher than expected salary cap haul.

I'd love to see LBJ/Wade/Bosh in Miami, and they still lose to Boston in the playoffs! Then we have a OKC v. Boston 2011 Finals! It's not as crazy now! Say that last year, even about 2011 and people call you an idiot.

the nets lost big time on free agency unless lebron magically signs with them. i want lebron to the knicks, even though i hate lebron on the knicks, just so amare/lebron vs wade/bosh can happen.