[ESPN] Offseason Blueprint: Sign-&-Traders

J.R. · Jun 26, 2010

ESPN will be doing "Offseason Blueprint" for all 30 teams. Teams are divided up into 6 categories:

BIG SPENDERS(New York, Chicago, Miami, New Jersey): They're all after LeBron James and other max-contract free agents. But what other plans do they have up their sleeves?

SIGN-AND-TRADERS(Phoenix, Toronto, Atlanta): With big name free agents likely walking away, these teams will have to scramble to get something in return.

MOVE MAKERS(Philadelphia, Cleveland, New Orleans, Utah, Sacramento, Dallas, San Antonio, Minnesota): They don't have the cap room to sign a big-time free agent, but they'll actively seek major trades.

CHANGE AGENTS (6/28)(Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit, Golden State, Washington): The acquisitions don't have to be big, but these teams are looking to make changes just for change's sake.

ACCESSORIZERS (6/29)(Charlotte, Milwaukee, Memphis, Indiana, Houston, Oklahoma City): These teams are targeting particular areas of need, which they could address through niche free agents or clever trades.

VESTED TEAMS (6/30)(Portland, Boston, Orlando, Denver): Their rosters are largely locked in, so these teams need to find unusual ways to improve as they chase a title next season.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5323398&addata=2009_insdr_mod_nba_xxx_xxx

Next up, as mentioned, the "Sign & Traders".

If their free agents decide to leave, these three teams need to get something in return
By Ric Bucher

ESPN Insider is breaking down what every team in the league could -- and should -- do during the most anticipated offseason in NBA history. Ric Bucher and Chris Broussard have separated the league into six groups based on everything from cap room to organizational philosophy. Next: the sign-and-traders -- the Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns.

Toronto Raptors

Objective: Add size, toughness and shot blocking to frontcourt.

Assets: Free agent Chris Bosh for sign-and-trade deal or $4 million in cap space if Bosh walks; No. 13 draft pick.

The Plan: Having Bosh simply sign elsewhere is the worst scenario because they aren't going to replace his talent with $4 million in cap space. The Raptors insist there remains a chance Bosh might re-sign with them, which is why Jose Calderon is on the trading block; no matter what, the Raptors can't come back with the same group. The ideal scenario is to move Bosh to a team in the Western Conference in a sign-and-trade for a front-line defender and a 3-point threat. Cleveland, Miami and Chicago are all eager trade partners but are capable of offering, at best, combinations involving rotation players like Udonis Haslem.

Alternative Advice: Move Bosh somewhere in the West to avoid the embarrassment of him leading an East rival to the playoffs. The West teams, thanks to deeper rosters, are also capable of offering better deals without bankrupting themselves -- Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol and Sasha Vujacic, say, from the Los Angeles Lakers; Brendan Haywood and Jason Terry from the Dallas Mavericks; or Chase Budinger and Luis Scola from the Houston Rockets. It's OK to posture that bringing Bosh back is a viable alternative -- just don't think about actually doing it.
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Atlanta Hawks

Objective: Reduce tax burden ($19 million over the threshold if keeping rights to Josh Childress and re-signing Joe Johnson) while somehow adding veteran leadership.

The Plan: The Hawks are stuck as a good team without the financial flexibility to acquire the necessary pieces to be great. While letting a talent like Johnson leave via free agency is sure to upset their fans, the Hawks don't have much choice, unless they want to be tax payers. Cleveland and Chicago are both interested in a sign-and-trade for Johnson, but Atlanta would be getting back lesser talent (Kirk Hinrich from Chicago, Anderson Varejao from Cleveland) and still be over the cap.

Alternative Advice: Be fiscally smart -- there's no veteran talent being offered for Johnson that is going to make the team better or increase attendance. The team's growth will come from the continued maturation of Al Horford and Josh Smith. Deal Johnson in a sign-and-trade to a team with cap space and the best first-round pick, start Jamal Crawford in Johnson's spot and bring back Childress for needed leadership and depth.
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Phoenix Suns

Objective: Retain nucleus without incurring the luxury tax.

Assets: Pick Nos. 46 and 60, trade exceptions of $2 million and $1.071 million.

The Plan: Try to re-sign Amare Stoudemire to something less than a maximum contract and Channing Frye to whatever is left below the luxury-tax threshold. With GM Steve Kerr and assistant GM David Griffin both leaving as of July 1, and owner Robert Sarver running the show, the Suns really don't have an alternative. The idea of Sarver wheedling the best sign-and-trade deal, especially if it means coaxing Miami or New York into a three-team trade, just isn't realistic. For an idea of how owner-commandeered deals can turn out, see Memphis owner Michael Heisley's Pau Gasol-for-Kwame Brown masterpiece.

Alternative Advice: Move Stoudemire in a sign-and-trade for a draft pick and a quality player on his rookie contract (Mario Chalmers?) and use the massive trade exception that comes back to make a separate deal to a taxed team looking to move a monstrous contract. (New Orleans with David West?) With the miracle-working reputation the Phoenix trainers have, even using the exception to get Andrei Kirilenko or Tyson Chandler -- both on fat contracts with a year left -- would keep the Suns competitive next season and then offer fiscal flexibility as the new collective bargaining agreement is hammered out.
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http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=5322416

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[ESPN] Offseason Blueprint: Sign-&-Traders

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