2018 NBA Offseason Thread -- News, Free Agency, Trades, Etc

[ChiTownDoc 21097]

2 hours ago, aggie08 said:

That's fair. Maybe not waive him, but they don't HAVE to play him 30+ minutes and just use the injury recovery as the excuse/reason. Reading the tea leaves, it sounds like there is something to Boogie just wanting to recover somewhere with absolutely zero time pressure, prove he's healthy, round into shape for the playoffs, maybe have a few big games, win a ring for his efforts, then get his money next year when teams should have cap space.

LOL, really need to read 'tea leaves' to dream up a perfect scenario for him...and (SHOCK) him wanting just that...

[ChiTownDoc 21097]

1 hour ago, TexasMan said:

I also hate this for dbag bay area fanboy journalists like this guy. Woke up on 3rd base and thinks he hit a triple. Read through more of his timeline.

 

 

Cut him some slack, his parents named him Dieter Kurtenbach.  I'm sure all the punches to the face have something to do with his brain damage. 

[aggie08 21414]

I enjoy Enes Kanter shit talk, but it is rather funny that him being almost completely useless on a basketball court against Golden State in 2016 is a large part of why OKC blew their own 3-1 lead.

[TonyTexas 10481]

Conveniently forgets that CP3 gave up $15mm last year to join Rockets

[Goo Punch 4275]

I just now found out that Nerlens Noel was offered 4/$70M by Dallas last year and turned it down. Wow.

[Goo Punch 4275]

Boogie Cousins said he got zero offers. He said that the Pelicans GM straight up told him he didn't want him. Said Cousins woke up at 5am today wondering what the hell he was going to do, and he picked up his own phone and reached out to his agent/the Warriors himself. Wow. Sorry if all of this had already been posted, I'm just now catching up.

Edited July 3, 2018 by Goo Punch

[aggie08 21414]

6 minutes ago, Goo Punch said:

Boogie Cousins said he got zero offers. He said that the Pelicans GM straight up told him he didn't want him. Said Cousins woke up at 5am today wondering what the hell he was going to do, and he picked up his own phone and reached out to his agent/the Warriors himself. Wow. Sorry if all of this had already been posted, I'm just now catching up.

If true (and it's Woj reporting it, so no reason not to believe it), that's nuts. It doesn't surprise me that other teams were hesitant to commit to a 270 lbs. dude with a fucked up achilles, but even I thought that New Orleans (who doesn't have extra cap space to spend on other teams' players anyway) should have offered him a 2-year near-max, trade-able deal to at least test him out post injury. 

[BigOrange1 6422]

have to think the "zero offers" was simply because no one ever expected he'd be fine with taking the mini mid-level exception.  i'm guessing if it was known he'd be open to that (or hell the full mid-level), he would have had an offer from every team in the league.

[Radical Larry 28528]

 

[Vic Mackey 46927]

I find it hard to believe he had not one other offer. The phrase I'm reading is he had no other 'significant' offer which means he didn't want to play for those teams. He wants to stay out West, get a ring in pretty much a rehab season and then try and get the max next season.

Achilles injury or not, there had to be other teams interested. They knew they could get him for cheap in a bet on yourself, prove it season.

[BigOrange1 6422]

damn, big money for bradley in this market:

 

[Chapo 104]

Somebody pls tell why the Lakers didnt offer Cousins and gave it to KCP instead?

[aggie08 21414]

4 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

have to think the "zero offers" was simply because no one ever expected he'd be fine with taking the mini mid-level exception.  i'm guessing if it was known he'd be open to that (or hell the full mid-level), he would have had an offer from every team in the league.

I don't know if he was fine with it; I'm not sure how much choice he had. Just a tough market. The teams with cap space: LAL (didn't want him), Atlanta and Chicago (meh, and he'd feel rushed back), Sacramento (no, for obvious reasons), Philly (I think they're good at center) and Dallas (just signed DAJ). And the team with his Bird Rights just signed Randle.

Who's left? Boston would have been a more popular choice, but to what, be Al Horford's backup?

[Vic Mackey 46927]

3 minutes ago, Chapo said:

Somebody pls tell why the Lakers didnt offer Cousins and gave it to KCP instead?

Cousins didn't want any other team besides the Warriors. He probably got hurt that the Pelicans did not want to risk giving him a long term deal so he said fuck it and went to the team they played in the playoffs. 

This is all bullshit from his team trying to make it seem like he had absolutely no other option except the Warriors. Like he would really not have a team this year if they didn't rescue him lmao. Every single NBA team would have offered him the MLE. Every one. Lakers were already talked about wanting him. So Cousins and his team are full of shit with this narrative. If anything, it is very misleading. 

He wants that ring this year and knows he won't be asked to do much of anything for the Warriors except attempt open 3s and flush home some dunks. Get healed in the process and try for the huge payday next offseason. They make it out to be like he is some unemployed dude down on his luck with no other place to guy and is desperate. Lulz. This dude was playing at an MVP caliber level just months ago.

[aggie08 21414]

The Lakers gave Rondo $9M. If they wanted Cousins, they could have had Cousins.

[Vic Mackey 46927]

So yeah, that narrative was full of shit. He narrowed his choices down to the best team in the West and the best from the East. How convenient.  Meaning there were other teams out there before those 2.But those teams had zero chances at a ring. He did not wake up today and fearing he might not have a job this season lmao

[Vic Mackey 46927]

[MNLonghornFUKM 8799]

21 minutes ago, Vic Mackey said:

lolol. I remember this 

[Goo Punch 4275]

 

[Aqua Buddha 14501]

7 hours ago, Goo Punch said:

I just now found out that Nerlens Noel was offered 4/$70M by Dallas last year and turned it down. Wow.

Saw that earlier.  Whoops.

I was more surprised he was even offered $70M than I was he signed for a two year minimum with OKC.  Despite playing basketball his entire life, he has no offensive skills whatsoever.  

[Orca of Peace 109]

NNoels would have been a perfect fit for the 1980s, a PF who complements the Center by rebounding and running the floor for dunks. 

[GabrielsHorn 2142]

Yeah, the story that Boogie didn't  have offers or that the Pels didn't want him is full of shit. Here's the beat writer from New Orleans:

 

Edited July 3, 2018 by GabrielsHorn

[texasstrong12 4668]

Cousins obviously had offers. How else would he narrow his choices down to the Celtics and Warriors? 

 

[aggie08 21414]

New Orleans did have a meeting with him...then Randle became available. The idea that Cousins targeted Golden State and took a massive paycut to go there is also full of shit. This all happened yesterday. From Lowe:

DeMarcus Cousins, an All-NBA behemoth, fell into the laps of the two-time defending champions over a chaotic few hours during which the market collapsed on him -- so fast, several members of Golden State's brain trust (including some very close to the innermost sanctum) had no idea the deal was coming. The Minnesota Timberwolves paid more for Anthony Tolliver, and hilariously hard-capped themselves in the process...

Julius Randle's sudden availability changed the Pelicans' equation. They snapped up Randle when the Lakers renounced his rights, nabbing a third big man to play alongside both Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic -- the starting duo that worked so well down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs. Even so, the Pelicans still had something like $13.7 million to spend before bumping into the luxury tax. They could have outbid the Warriors paltry $5.3 million deal -- the mini-midlevel exception for tax teams.

They didn't. The Pelicans had a tentative meeting scheduled with Cousins in the coming days, per sources close to the situation. That will obviously not happen. Perhaps they had decided they simply did not want Cousins coming off an Achilles tendon tear, having seen what the stretchy and fast Mirotic-Davis combo could do without him. The fact pattern suggests a limited interest, at best...

Then they pounced on Randle. Given how many roster spots they might have left to fill, they couldn't realistically offer Cousins much more than the full midlevel exception for non-tax teams -- just short of $9 million per season.

Yes, the two could have worked together on a sign-and-trade that would have netted something tangible for a player the Pelicans sacrificed so much to get. Such a deal could have earned Cousins more money, over more seasons.

It's possible no such deal to Cousins' liking existed. As I wrote in May, there was not much of a market for him -- and almost none among teams with cap space once Dallas and DeAndre Jordan pulled the NBA version of college crushes who finally (and sloppily) make the leap when they run into each other at a bar in their mid-20s.

A number of teams had a No Cousins policy before he tore his Achilles. That number grew as teams feared committing to what might be a less explosive version of him. Remember: Any contract inked as part of a sign-and-trade must encompass at least three seasons. That might have been too long for teams that would have to send out some meaningful asset for him...

By the middle of Monday, Cousins' people were calling teams and pitching deals: one-year, $15 million in one place, per sources, other numbers in other places. Clearly, there was not much interest. It might be that the richest deal easily and quickly available to him was that full midlevel exception contract starting at around $8.6 million...

Even had the full midlevel been on the table, Cousins in signing with the Warriors cost himself at most $3.3 million this season -- and bought the right to try free agency again next summer in a better marketplace.

[d2o 1602]

7 hours ago, BigOrange1 said:

have to think the "zero offers" was simply because no one ever expected he'd be fine with taking the mini mid-level exception.  i'm guessing if it was known he'd be open to that (or hell the full mid-level), he would have had an offer from every team in the league.

You miss 100% of the shots you dont take.  At least call him and make an offer.    There is no penalty for doing so.    MASSIVE FAILURE by EVERY OTHER GM in the league.

[GabrielsHorn 2142]

Lowe is reporting that as is Spears, but the local guys who cover the team are saying that there was a meeting and that there were numbers discussed. 

e: And acting as if he didn't take a massive paycut is a joke. Even if you're using Lowe's article, the Pels could have offered more than double the MLE that he took. 

Edited July 3, 2018 by GabrielsHorn

[d2o 1602]

7 hours ago, Chapo said:

Somebody pls tell why the Lakers didnt offer Cousins and gave it to KCP instead?

I didnt understand the quick agreement with KCP but he does have RIch Paul as his agent so I'm guessing that he and LBJ became a "package deal"

[d2o 1602]

It says they had a meeting scheduled.......but they JUMPED on Randle.   He wasn't a priority and they apparently didn't talk to him and tell him of their plan.  

[chikin23 384]

Obviously he’s not all about winning, or he wouldn’t have gone to LA in the first place.

This. I assume he realized he wasn't sniffing 6 rings and decided to go after the all time points record and start up some kind of Hollywood career. I don't think he cares if the Lakers were able to get Kawhi, PG, or anybody else.

[d2o 1602]

Just now, chikin23 said:

9 hours ago, formermav43 said:

Obviously he’s not all about winning, or he wouldn’t have gone to LA in the first place.

This. I assume he realized he wasn't sniffing 6 rings and decided to go after the all time points record and start up some kind of Hollywood career. I don't think he cares if the Lakers were able to get Kawhi, PG, or anybody else.

Yeah, I think you guys are underselling bug time.   THe biggest problem with his CLE teams has been attracting FAs.   That's no longer an issue.   While the window is somewhat small the thought that he doesn't care about or cant win in LA is silly.

[aggie08 21414]

9 minutes ago, GabrielsHorn said:

Lowe is reporting that as is Spears, but the local guys who cover the team are saying that there was a meeting and that there were numbers discussed. 

e: And acting as if he didn't take a massive paycut is a joke. Even if you're using Lowe's article, the Pels could have offered more than double the MLE that he took. 

$3.3M to DeMarcus Cousins--assuming he doesn't come back and look like a broken man--is in no, way, shape, or form a massive amount of money.

[formermav43 4599]

2 minutes ago, d2o said:

Yeah, I think you guys are underselling bug time.   THe biggest problem with his CLE teams has been attracting FAs.   That's no longer an issue.   While the window is somewhat small the thought that he doesn't care about or cant win in LA is silly.

Unless they can trade for Leonard, the window isn’t even open yet. 

Which is the point. If he wanted to give himself the best chance to win now, he’d have gone to Philly. 

He has to hope it opens before he inadvertently closes it himself with age.

[GabrielsHorn 2142]

14 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

$3.3M to DeMarcus Cousins--assuming he doesn't come back and look like a broken man--is in no, way, shape, or form a massive amount of money.

So are you going to admit that the story that he had zero other offers is full of shit?

e: It's clear Boogie did whats best for him once he didn't get a max as he can get a ring for nothing and rehab. But to act as if he had no other options and that this isn't a massive cut from what he expected or what other teams could offer is hilarious. Spears is doing damage control for him. 

Edited July 3, 2018 by GabrielsHorn

[aggie08 21414]

23 minutes ago, d2o said:

You miss 100% of the shots you dont take.  At least call him and make an offer.    There is no penalty for doing so.    MASSIVE FAILURE by EVERY OTHER GM in the league.

I guess not a huge surprise that it was Myers and Ainge that best sensed the collapsing market. You're right, other teams should have been all over offering their full mid-level when Cousins' people were essentially panic calling teams offering to play for 1 yr/$15M.

[Thatguy 8492]

15 hours ago, aggie08 said:

I do find it fascinating how many low IQ guys--or guys with high IQ that are just nut cases--find their way to LeBron's teams. I'm thinking that he really, really likes the "carrying his team on his own" narrative.....and just maybe he likes the built in "well, of course he lost, look at his teammates" excuse as well.

So now we are pushing the "Lebron is building the Lakers" narrative too? He hasn't even walked in the door yet. You guys never cease to amaze. Carry on.

 

 

[texasstrong12 4668]

15 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

I guess not a huge surprise that it was Myers and Ainge that best sensed the collapsing market. You're right, other teams should have been all over offering their full mid-level when Cousins' people were essentially panic calling teams offering to play for 1 yr/$15M.

Or maybe Cousins is bullshitting and it's obvious he's chasing a ring. Do you think it's a coincidence he narrowed his choices down to the best team in the West and East and then picked the heavy favorites to win it all?

Edited July 3, 2018 by texasstrong12

[52-80 19076]

12 hours ago, TexasMan said:

Goddamn. Why even watch this season?

Guys the warriors barely beat the rockets, and had their worst record since 2013!  they *need* boogie if they want to win next year.  

Boogie had to get out of the toxic environment of New Orleans. 

If you had a better job offer wouldn't you take it too otherwise you are hypocrite hurr hurr hurr! 

[aggie08 21414]

15 minutes ago, GabrielsHorn said:

So are you going to admit that the story that he had zero other offers is full of shit?

Do I think that there were any real (i.e. 8 digits) offers on the table after they swooped up Randle? No, I don't.

Do I think that Cousins probably got a little butthurt when they signed Randle, panicked, didn't let the market play out, and potentially cost himself a decent 1-yr deal? Probably.

But I definitely think people are highly overstating his value on the market right now when you factor in his personality, the achilles, and the few teams that actually have cap space.

[aggie08 21414]

6 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

Or maybe Cousins is bullshitting and it's obvious he's chasing a ring. Do you think it's a coincidence he narrowed his choices down to the best team in the West and East and then picked the heavy favorites to win it all?

Haven't I already said in this thread that it's apparent that, once he had to settle for MLEs, he went to the best, easiest rehab destination possible?

Lowe also goes on to spell out how potentially little this is going to matter on the basketball court, which was my point yesterday. I'd rather have JaVale, but it is what it is.

[d2o 1602]

19 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

Or maybe Cousins is bullshitting and it's obvious he's chasing a ring. Do you think it's a coincidence he narrowed his choices down to the best team in the West and East and then picked the heavy favorites to win it all?

If he is doing the calling why would he choose other teams?    If there are no offers and he is thinking he will have to take MLE is he supposed to have ORL and ATL in his final 2?  

[aggie08 21414]

22 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

So now we are pushing the "Lebron is building the Lakers" narrative too? He hasn't even walked in the door yet. You guys never cease to amaze. Carry on.

 

 

C'mon man, don't play naive. You and I both know that LeBron at least had to sign off on those deals. But they got them on the cheap, so it's well worth the risk. Playoff Rondo is a real thing. You need an irritant like Stephenson. And JaVale is going to catch some ridiculous lobs from LeBron. 

...they just also make for great fall guys.

[d2o 1602]

17 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Do I think that there were any real (i.e. 8 digits) offers on the table after they swooped up Randle? No, I don't.

Do I think that Cousins probably got a little butthurt when they signed Randle, panicked, didn't let the market play out, and potentially cost himself a decent 1-yr deal? Probably.

But I definitely think people are highly overstating his value on the market right now when you factor in his personality, the achilles, and the few teams that actually have cap space.

I do believe it was some of this too.    In another week or two he would prollly have got a bigger offer but as of yesterday he hadn't got a better offer and didn't wanna wait any longer with the money drying up out there.

[South Austin 52105]

So where does LA sit right now?  Are they still hoping that some acquisitions and current players might be good enough to pry Kawhi from the Spurs this offseason?  Or will they be content with the current roster for another season knowing that next year they can sign Kawhi as a free agent and give up less for him?  Or will they orchestrate a three-way, like your mom did last night? 

[TommyGufano 6021]

2 minutes ago, South Austin said:

So where does LA sit right now?  Are they still hoping that some acquisitions and current players might be good enough to pry Kawhi from the Spurs this offseason?  Or will they be content with the current roster for another season knowing that next year they can sign Kawhi as a free agent and give up less for him?  Or will they orchestrate a three-way, like your mom did last night? 

I think this is the prudent course. But given the insane hodge podge of "assets" they've accumulated, I think they're going a different route

[South Austin 52105]

Just now, TommyGufano said:

I think this is the prudent course. But given the insane hodge podge of "assets" they've accumulated, I think they're going a different route

What route would that be?  Another top free agent in an effort to make LA competitive with Golden State this year?  Not sure who else is out there that might make the Lakers even challenge Houston.

[Machinator 32097]

I think Lowe is right. No team was willing to offer Cousins a big multi-year contract or even a JJ Redick style deal, so he figured that if this was going to be a "lost year" financially, take a little more of a hit and win a ring.

[aggie08 21414]

28 minutes ago, d2o said:

If he is doing the calling why would he choose other teams?    If there are no offers and he is thinking he will have to take MLE is he supposed to have ORL and ATL in his final 2?  

Exactly.  Not to mention, Golden State has, by far, the worst collection of centers among contenders.  That starting job is his whenever he comes back, even if he's at 75%.  I mean, where else could he have that guarantee?

Boston - Horford

Philly - Embiid 

Portland - looks like they're holding onto Nurkic

Houston - Capela

Utah - Gobert

SA - presumably they're one of the "No Cousins Ever" teams

Indiana - Turner

OKC - Adams

Dallas - DAJ

Minny - KAT

Miami - Whiteside

New Orleans - even if they eventually did offer their full MLE, they now have a nice 3-man front-court rotation without him

I really don't think the Lakers wanted him.

So you're really left with Milwaukee, Washington, and Toronto maybe?  Okay, Boogie in Canada would have been fucking awesome.

[TommyGufano 6021]

5 minutes ago, South Austin said:

What route would that be?  Another top free agent in an effort to make LA competitive with Golden State this year?  Not sure who else is out there that might make the Lakers even challenge Houston.

I think that they are going to acquire Kawhi via trade rather than waiting until this offseason. To do so, they are going to give up Brandon Ingram and long-term are going to look foolish for doing so when they could have just waited one year (a year they weren't going beat GS anyways)..

 

But uh, we shall see. The fact that LeBron is locked in for 3 years should allow them to demonstrate some patience. It's just tough to make sense of anything they've done since the tweet from Klutch went out

[MNLonghornFUKM 8799]

[Orca of Peace 109]

i don't understand the Klay one.. Explain