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AKA Coastal
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- Aug 7, 2008
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This is interesting. I guess this answers weather or not this is Carter or Harris team. Harris is going to average some nasty stats next year with Carter out of the picture. Nets might not win a game in '09 ,but I'm sure they will pick up Harris a sidekick in 2010.
As best as we can tell, the Nets haven't jumped into the Amare Stoudemire Sweepstakes yet, but we know this much:
It's inevitable. They'll make the call, they'll suggest two young players, cap filler and probably their own draft pick, and then stay by the phone until Steve Kerr realizes that there's no way Portland is going to part with LaMarcus Aldridge.
This works: Yi, Anderson, Simmons, and a No. 1 -- preferably, that spare one from Dallas in 2010.
We're interested to see if the Suns can find something better. It gives them cap relief and their last, best chance to start the youth movement, because they're already two years behind that curve.
Yes, this probably tears the Nets' long-term blueprint, and the risks are obvious. But if you land Amare, you may not have to play that 2010 game, which is risky at best, because bidding wars usually are. And, yes, you can roll out a lineup that includes VC, Harris, Senor Pez, and the best power 4 in the league, and pick-and-roll everyone to death every night.
The trick, of course, is getting Amare and Charlie Grantham to agree to an extension after next year, because he can opt out in the summer of 2010.
We pause here for a word from your sponsor.
"I don't see any (moves) right now, but that can always change," Rod Thorn says.
Just two weeks from the deadline, here's how The Boss sees the climate:
"Well, it's an economic climate that we've never had," he said, "one where there are 20 to 25 teams who aren't interested in making deals where you take on more money. That limits movement. Everyone's looking a couple years down the road, but people aren't willing to take chances with contracts that are onerous."
Just the same, the Nets are - in fact - going to gauge whether there's any interest in their most onerous contract right now.
Vince, of course. Yes, it seems unlikely that any owner can sign off on a 32-year-old guy making $33M the next two years without blushing, but it's not impossible.
Two agents told us today that the Nets have talked to San Antonio, Cleveland, Chicago, and -- really, one said this, and we don't believe him - Toronto. Interesting choices, none of which fit into your "perfect world" scenario.
# Spurs: They are contemplating whether Vince puts them over the top in the West, and the key component to any discussion would be Roger Mason ($3.5M) coming East. But the SA payroll is very top-heavy, so that makes it very complicated: They'd have to pile on some contracts to make it add up, and not even throwing in Bruce Bowen ($4.0) and Michael Finley ($2.5) would accomplish that. Still, at least one side believes some creative accounting can get it done (we doubt the Nets would also be able to land George Hill, a kid they like), though it would obviously involve a body count - probably with Bowen/Fin returning to the Alamo after the Nets cut them.
# Cavs: There's always a doable deal with Wally and probably Delonte. But then, Rod and Kiki would never live down the accusation that they handed the Cavs their first title on a silver platter. Can't see it.
# Bulls: We still have this fantasy in our little brains that Ben Gordon is getable, even though he'd have to relinquish his Bird Rights - you'd just have to whisper some magic words in the ear of Raymond Brothers (among them: "re-sign" and "cap space"). But. . . .longshot/no shot. Chicago probably hates Carter's contract anyway, as most teams do. We just like it because the Bulls aren't re-signing Ben anyway, and they'd have to include some nice frills (Nocioni, Sefolosha) in the package.
# Raps: No clue what this means, unless it's the Nets' way to go all-in for 2010 (VC/Simmons for Jermaine), and give them enough space for two max players. Forget we even mentioned it.
# Anyone: Say they get wasted in the next three games, they're sitting at 23-30 at the break, and even if they're only two games out of eighth, they realize this playoff chase is a pipedream. What keeps Ratner from calling Thorn and saying, "salary dump time," given the economy? Unlikely, yes, but it can't be ruled out.
As best as we can tell, the Nets haven't jumped into the Amare Stoudemire Sweepstakes yet, but we know this much:
It's inevitable. They'll make the call, they'll suggest two young players, cap filler and probably their own draft pick, and then stay by the phone until Steve Kerr realizes that there's no way Portland is going to part with LaMarcus Aldridge.
This works: Yi, Anderson, Simmons, and a No. 1 -- preferably, that spare one from Dallas in 2010.
We're interested to see if the Suns can find something better. It gives them cap relief and their last, best chance to start the youth movement, because they're already two years behind that curve.
Yes, this probably tears the Nets' long-term blueprint, and the risks are obvious. But if you land Amare, you may not have to play that 2010 game, which is risky at best, because bidding wars usually are. And, yes, you can roll out a lineup that includes VC, Harris, Senor Pez, and the best power 4 in the league, and pick-and-roll everyone to death every night.
The trick, of course, is getting Amare and Charlie Grantham to agree to an extension after next year, because he can opt out in the summer of 2010.
We pause here for a word from your sponsor.
"I don't see any (moves) right now, but that can always change," Rod Thorn says.
Just two weeks from the deadline, here's how The Boss sees the climate:
"Well, it's an economic climate that we've never had," he said, "one where there are 20 to 25 teams who aren't interested in making deals where you take on more money. That limits movement. Everyone's looking a couple years down the road, but people aren't willing to take chances with contracts that are onerous."
Just the same, the Nets are - in fact - going to gauge whether there's any interest in their most onerous contract right now.
Vince, of course. Yes, it seems unlikely that any owner can sign off on a 32-year-old guy making $33M the next two years without blushing, but it's not impossible.
Two agents told us today that the Nets have talked to San Antonio, Cleveland, Chicago, and -- really, one said this, and we don't believe him - Toronto. Interesting choices, none of which fit into your "perfect world" scenario.
# Spurs: They are contemplating whether Vince puts them over the top in the West, and the key component to any discussion would be Roger Mason ($3.5M) coming East. But the SA payroll is very top-heavy, so that makes it very complicated: They'd have to pile on some contracts to make it add up, and not even throwing in Bruce Bowen ($4.0) and Michael Finley ($2.5) would accomplish that. Still, at least one side believes some creative accounting can get it done (we doubt the Nets would also be able to land George Hill, a kid they like), though it would obviously involve a body count - probably with Bowen/Fin returning to the Alamo after the Nets cut them.
# Cavs: There's always a doable deal with Wally and probably Delonte. But then, Rod and Kiki would never live down the accusation that they handed the Cavs their first title on a silver platter. Can't see it.
# Bulls: We still have this fantasy in our little brains that Ben Gordon is getable, even though he'd have to relinquish his Bird Rights - you'd just have to whisper some magic words in the ear of Raymond Brothers (among them: "re-sign" and "cap space"). But. . . .longshot/no shot. Chicago probably hates Carter's contract anyway, as most teams do. We just like it because the Bulls aren't re-signing Ben anyway, and they'd have to include some nice frills (Nocioni, Sefolosha) in the package.
# Raps: No clue what this means, unless it's the Nets' way to go all-in for 2010 (VC/Simmons for Jermaine), and give them enough space for two max players. Forget we even mentioned it.
# Anyone: Say they get wasted in the next three games, they're sitting at 23-30 at the break, and even if they're only two games out of eighth, they realize this playoff chase is a pipedream. What keeps Ratner from calling Thorn and saying, "salary dump time," given the economy? Unlikely, yes, but it can't be ruled out.
