Fast or Slow in FA pursuit?

[BillMc]

There's two ways of looking at FA: move quickly to get who you want before others do OR wait it out. Concerning the latter, with the economy doing poorly and many teams slashing payroll it just might be possible to get one of these guys who presently wants way more than the MLE money with the MLE. As the summer turns to autumn there are bound to be a few good bigs who have priced themselves out of the market, and will be cutting their prices to get signed. Reading all these analyses I really believe guys like Varejao will find they aren't getting what they want and come down. Then the Spurs can get a bargain. A year ago Boozer thought he'd have some mega deal offers, now he's almost certainly going to stay with the Jazz. I think there will be a good big (probably a young guy who has gotten some bad advice) who finds out the hard way that the money's not out there.

Then RC and Pop get another steal.

So, I'm for the slow approach. Let our opponents overspend, especially if all the candidates are relatively equal.

Thoughts?

[crc21209]

Move FAST. The Spurs FO priority should be to feed the need for Sheed! And if they can't get him for some reason, go for McDyess, Gortat, Pachulia, Gooden, etc. But I have a feeling Sheed is going to be here.

[timvp]

You have to move fast. There isn't much depth at the top. It's Sheed, McDyess ... and then that's about it.

[DPG21920]

Sheed would have to wait until the 8th to sign or is that only RFA?

[bigdog]

The Spurs must move fast. That is their only option right now. They can't be waiting, because before you know it, all of the good options will be gone.

[rayray2k8]

Yeah, let the FA well run dry. Very smart. :rolleyes
You forget that there are teams that are willing to overpay for players to lure them away from teams.
Example? Looks at Jefferson. He's really not worth the money he's getting payed for.

Sorry, but this thread fails.. :wakeup

[Ice009]

Sheed would have to wait until the 8th to sign or is that only RFA?

Good question. I don't think any free agent can sign until the 8th?

[crc21209]

Sheed would have to wait until the 8th to sign or is that only RFA?

You can begin talks with a FA on July 1st and have verbal commitments but the signing can not happen until July 8th I believe. But people can commit thats for sure.

[coyotes_geek]

Whoever the Spurs #1 target is, Pop needs to be on his doorstep in 6 hours and 10 minutes with an offer in hand.

[BillMc]

Yeah, let the FA well run dry. Very smart. :rolleyes
You forget that there are teams that are willing to overpay for player to lure them away from teams.
Example? Looks at Jefferson. He's really not worth the money he's getting payed for.

Sorry, but this thread fails.. :wakeup

I wouldn't say it fails. People are making interesting points. However, it is clear that after Sheed and McDyees they are all considered about equal. And if you wait, you will get the best bargains as the season draws closer.

[DBMethos]

Whoever the Spurs #1 target is, Pop needs to be on his doorstep in 6 hours and 10 minutes with an offer in hand.

Agreed. Pop can go visit Sheed, RC to McDyess. Ring their doorbells as soon as the clock strikes midnight. And hope they don't get attacked by guard dogs.

[rayray2k8]

Good question. I don't think any free agent can sign until the 8th?

I think you're right, since FA can't sign until the 8th.
You can commit verbally to teams and Restricted free agents can sign offer sheets and teams have I believe another
week to decided if they want to match the offer.

[BlackBellamy]

Bring our FA in tonight, fer chrissakes! And then move the start of the season to the middle of July! :smchode:

[4RINGS]

If Sheed decides not to sign with the Spurs, we can take our time with the rest of the FA's. Sheed is the ONLY FA BIG we should rush to sign.

[BillMc]

if sheed decides not to sign with the spurs, we can take our time with the rest of the fa's. Sheed is the only fa big we should rush to sign.

+1

[rayray2k8]

I wouldn't say it fails. People are making interesting points. However, it is clear that after Sheed and McDyees they are all considered about equal. And if you wait, you will get the best bargains as the season draws closer.

But what the spurs need will likely be gone if you wait even a week. THAT'S why this thread fails.
It more than looks like the majority will disagree with you.
Although, this is the same game plan that the Mavs have and look where it's gotten them. Nowhere

[Vic Petro]

No all free agents must wait a week to sign, but verbal agreements begin to take place in the hours after the moratorium begins tonight.

[bigdog]

If Sheed decides not to sign with the Spurs, we can take our time with the rest of the FA's. Sheed is the ONLY FA BIG we should rush to sign.

Think about this: Once Sheed and McDyess sign with a team, then NBA teams are going to rush to sign whoever is left, so I think no matter what, they should be quick in this year's FA period.

[BillMc]

But what the spurs need will likely be gone if you wait even a week. THAT'S why this thread fails.
It more than looks like the majority will disagree with you.
Although, this is the same game plan that the Mavs have and look where it's gotten them. Nowhere

Because you disagree with me doesn't mean the thread fails, it means we disagree.

[mountainballer]

Whoever the Spurs #1 target is, Pop needs to be on his doorstep in 6 hours and 10 minutes with an offer in hand.

I heard he just rented a car in Belgrade to drive all the way up to Ljubliana.

[4RINGS]

No all free agents must wait a week to sign, but verbal agreements begin to take place in the hours after the moratorium begins tonight.

We will start to hear of verbal commitments from FA's as soon as tomorrow morning. I am glad the Spurs will be a big player in the FA market this year. :toast:toast It makes for interesting speculation. :flag::flag:

[200 miles]

Just sign Zaza and call it an offseason.

[Tully365]

The tampering rules notwithstanding, I'm sure most FAs already know which teams are interested, and besides, Rasheed and Dice are savvy enough to not just sign with whatever team is the first to wave a contract offer at them. Those guy have had a lot of time in the past month-- probably while drinking margaritas on a beach-- to think about things. It's really more their call than anything, and I don't think calling at, say, 9 am is going to trump calling at 9:20 am.

[MarCowMar]

IMO we can afford to move slow. I know I post this again and again, but economic times are TOUGH for teams right now. A couple will overspend but most are hoping to dump salary--not take on more!

In fact I would even suggest considering going with what we have and filling out the roster mid year when some team makes a desperation dump. Teams are looking at _bankruptcy_ now folks. Some would probably already be bankrupt if the NBA hadn't arranged for special loans a few months back. There'll be some interesting bargains around.

[Brazil]

It's quite simple. Spurs should have two obvious targets : Dice and Sheed, they have to move fast cauz competition will be tough for both of them cavs magic celts.. if it doesn't work then wait for a good opportunity.

[Brazil]

IMO we can afford to move slow. I know I post this again and again, but economic times are TOUGH for teams right now. A couple will overspend but most are hoping to dump salary--not take on more!

In fact I would even suggest considering going with what we have and filling out the roster mid year when some team makes a desperation dump. Teams are looking at _bankruptcy_ now folks. Some would probably already be bankrupt if the NBA hadn't arranged for special loans a few months back. There'll be some interesting bargains around.

too much of a bet for a team that want to win NOW. They already commit 30 M$ on RJ it's for winning now not to wait an hipothecal bankrupcy by the midle of the year.

[BlackBellamy]

You start off slow and then you go faster as it is called for, until...

[Tully365]

IMO
Teams are looking at _bankruptcy_ now folks. Some would probably already be bankrupt if the NBA hadn't arranged for special loans a few months back. There'll be some interesting bargains around.

Great point. It's kind of shocking to look at the Salaries page on Hoopshype.com now and see every team below the 80 million mark. This is the first time in many years that the NBA has had an entire league of teams seriously concerned about fiscal restraint.

[BillMc]

IMO we can afford to move slow. I know I post this again and again, but economic times are TOUGH for teams right now. A couple will overspend but most are hoping to dump salary--not take on more!

In fact I would even suggest considering going with what we have and filling out the roster mid year when some team makes a desperation dump. Teams are looking at _bankruptcy_ now folks. Some would probably already be bankrupt if the NBA hadn't arranged for special loans a few months back. There'll be some interesting bargains around.

Exactly! The SPurs, who manage their money well AND contend, will be able to take advantage of all the teams on the edge. (Sad as it is for the league as a whole). RC will find us a gem at an appropriate price.

[phyzik]

Great point. It's kind of shocking to look at the Salaries page on Hoopshype.com now and see every team below the 80 million mark. This is the first time in many years that the NBA has had an entire league of teams seriously concerned about fiscal restraint.

I think its more about 2010 FA hype than it is about fiscal responsibility. Thats just my opinion though.

[loveforthegame]

Like many have said you must move fast. I think most players will want to sign early before teams run out of money or become unwilling to use the MLE on them.

[Spursmania]

Sheed please and now.

[Tully365]

I think its more about 2010 FA hype than it is about fiscal responsibility. Thats just my opinion though.

Good point. That's a big part of it too.

[4RINGS]

Sheed please and now.


http://www.thelampoonjournal.com/img/2009/apr/sports/rasheed_wallace.jpg

In Sheed We Trust...

[Spurtacus]

Timmy already invited Sheed over for some D&D. We're moving fast.

[MarCowMar]

Here's an interesting summary of the financial positions of the teams as of December 2008. That was the last good year. 2009 will be different. Think cheaper tickets, empty luxury boxes, slower retails sales, sagging endorsement income, oh and of course higher debt service payments.

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/32/nba08_NBA-Team-Valuations_Rank.html

From this:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/26/nba-set-to-acquire-175-million-line-of-credit/

..and the recent trade with the Bucks, we can probably assume that the Bucks, Grizzlies, Magic, and Kings are all teams that will probably be cost sensitive and looking for shorter or smaller contracts. With real estate problems in California, Arizona, Florida, and Georgia, I'd look for teams in those areas to suffer in general. Watch out for the Nets too--their Brooklyn move may encounter some problems.

The free agents that are out there right now--they are not building block players. Teams--if they have any sense--will not be be paying 8 million + for these guys. They are complimentary pieces and should be in the 4 to 7 million range IMO.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=freeagents-09-10

Out of that list the only names I could conceive of giving > $7 million to are Millsap, Gortat, Marion, Hedo, Odom, Glenn Davis, Childress, or Marvin Williams.

Anyway, I stand by "take it slow", or maybe a better way of describing it is "be cheap--don't just toss the MLE around like candy". Life will be interesting in December. Have some patience. A lot of these owners are big real estate gurus. Let CRE and ARMs collapse. There will be other "Richard Jeffersons" available then. :)

[fyatuk]

You go hard and fast after your top target or two. If both those fall though, you take it slow and see how things shake out and get the best overall deal.

Not going hard after your top targets means you are already out of the running.

[4RINGS]

Let's move faster... Boston is moving in fast on Sheed.... NOOOOOOOOO!!!