[ESPN] Offseason Blueprint: Change Agents

J.R. · Jun 28, 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(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

Here is "Change Agents".

Offseason Blueprint: Change agents
The moves don't have to be big, but these teams will change for change's sake

By Chris Broussard and Ric Bucher

Detroit Pistons

By Ric Bucher

Objective: Add size and depth to the front line and a true point guard without incurring the luxury tax.

Assets: None.

The Plan: The first swings of the axe came in the draft when they took Georgetown center Greg Monroe at No. 7 and combo guard Terrico White at No. 36. Monroe gives them a center, at least in name, and White is a terrific athlete who could conceivably play some minutes at the 1. But the crux of the offseason rests on moving Rip Hamilton and the three years, $37.5 million remaining on his contract for more flexible assets -- a trade exception, picks or younger players. With Ben Gordon signed to a long-term deal and the acceptance that Rodney Stuckey is more a 2 than a 1, Detroit has three players and $24 million invested in its shooting guard position. Small forward Tayshaun Prince is a far more attractive trading chip, because he's in the last year of a deal that will pay him $11 million this season, but the Pistons won't move him if it means deepening their financial burden, especially since Stuckey becomes a restricted free agent next summer.

Alternative Advice: There's no worse place than not being good enough to compete for a playoff spot nor bad enough to have a shot at the No. 1 pick, and the Pistons are closer to the latter than the former. The primary objective would be to move Hamilton and offer whatever else is necessary to do that -- Stuckey, Prince, Monroe, you name it. With the franchise up for sale, moving Hamilton is only going to make the franchise more attractive to a prospective new owner. No area, obviously, has been hit harder by the economy than Detroit and the team not being competitive isn't going to convince out-of-work fans to clip their grocery money to buy a few Pistons tickets. GM Joe Dumars has kept the team a force for nearly a decade, but his assets are limited. Time to reload, even if it means taking a short-term beatdown to do it.
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Golden State Warriors

By Chris Broussard

Objective: Add a quality small forward and a veteran with leadership qualities in the locker room.

Assets: None.

The Plan: It's all about development right now, as the Warriors have lots of young talent but probably aren't yet ready to make a playoff run in the mighty Western Conference. With Stephen Curry at point, Monta Ellis at shooting guard, Anthony Randolph at power forward and Andris Biedrins at center, the Warriors have young talent at every position except small forward. They'd like to fill that need this summer. On top of that, Golden State is looking for an under-30 veteran who can be a leader and a positive influence in the locker room.

Alternative Advice: Let's start by getting rid of coach Don Nelson, who's hampered the development of some of his young players with his mind games and ever-changing lineups. Let the young foursome above play major minutes to see if they can jell and show what they've got. Let's offer Dan Gadzuric, and his $7.2 million expiring contract, along with Brandan Wright to Detroit for Tayshaun Prince. Landing Prince, who has an expiring contract, fits a need at the 3 position and brings a solid, veteran presence. Pistons need help up front, and Wright is still young enough to entice teams with his potential.
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Los Angeles Clippers

By Ric Bucher

Objective: Acquire a dynamic scoring small forward.

Assets: $16.8 million in cap space, $3.4 million trade exception and several sub-million exceptions.

The Plan: They technically covered all their needs by drafting small forward Al-Farouq Aminu eighth, trading for No. 18 pick PG Eric Bledsoe and grabbing another PG, Willie Warren, at No. 54. Aminu has a chance to start, and Bledsoe and Warren can battle for backup duty. But the primary directive is to land LeBron James, or the next-best veteran scoring SF, with their cap room. Don't laugh, because they are expected to get an invitation to make their case in Cleveland to King James -- and it's a fairly compelling one. If LeBron were to come to L.A., he'd play with the best shooting guard, power forward and center of his career in Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin and Chris Kaman, respectively. And while Andre Iguodala is off the market, there have been rumblings that they'd also make a run at restricted free agent Rudy Gay.

Alternative Advice: The above plan is fine, but the key is going to be who the Clippers hire as coach and his relationship with Baron Davis. This is a tantalizing squad, but Davis is its biggest locker-room presence. If he's happy and motivated, the Clippers are a very good team; if he's a nonbeliever, he's a two-ton anchor pulling them under. This young team is full of such promise that, as much as they still owe Baron, they'd be better off sending him away, a la Jamaal Tinsley, than have him drag down Gordon, Griffin and Aminu.
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Los Angeles Lakers

By Ric Bucher

Objective: Acquire a scoring, slashing guard to relieve/support Kobe Bryant.

Assets: None.

The Plan: The Lakers and Raptors discussed sign-and-trade possibilities involving free agent Chris Bosh, but that talk has evaporated since the Lakers won their second consecutive title. Now Lamar Odom supposedly has been dangled as trade bait. The sense is that, after three consecutive runs to the Finals, Bryant is breaking down physically as a result of carrying the load as the team's closer and lone dribble penetrator. So the Lakers need an infusion of fresh blood and a scorer who can carry the fourth-quarter load, at least during the regular season. Odom is capable of being both but is simply too inconsistent. There's already a plan afoot to bring in Raja Bell, which will help the Lakers' perimeter defense but not the dribble-penetration issue.

Alternative Advice: Odom, on paper, is the ideal sixth man in the Triangle offense and a vital component to the team's locker-room chemistry. But if the Lakers are committed to making a change, there are no clear-cut solutions. Options include sending him to Portland (a team that desperately wanted him two years ago) for Jerryd Bayless and Andre Miller, both of whom the Blazers are willing to move. The Raptors would jump at the chance to move Hedo Turkoglu, who has the tools to be an excellent Triangle player. And it's probably worth checking to see if the Pacers are interested in getting off their long-term commitment to Danny Granger. Almost every option would make the Lakers weaker defensively, but relying as heavily as they do offensively on Bryant's ability to draw double-teams all year long is a dangerous proposition at this stage of his career.
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Washington Wizards

By Ric Bucher

Objective: Shed the image of a gun-toting, underperforming team.

Assets: $19.8 million in cap room, two trade exceptions for $6.1 and $4.6 million, and a new owner, Ted Leonsis.

The Plan: It's already underway. On July 8 that cap room will become available and the Wizards will use it to take guard Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick, Kevin Seraphin, from Chicago, for a future second-round pick. That gives them the perfect combo guard to support John Wall, the No. 1 pick, a role Hinrich ably filled next to Derrick Rose for the Chicago Bulls.

Alternative Advice: The next step is to move Gilbert Arenas. Yes, the four years and $80 million left on his contract is daunting, but whether it's to a New York Knicks team desperate to satisfy its fans, a Philadelphia 76ers team needing a point guard and looking to get off Elton Brand's equally onerous deal or an Orlando Magic team fed up with Vince Carter's disappearing act and eager to make a title run with the East still under construction, there will be interested parties.
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http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=5335682

opticon · Jun 28, 2010

why am i not surprised that as usual espn forgets about houston

J.R. · Jun 28, 2010

Houston is tomorrow, along with a few other teams.

rockets934life · Jun 28, 2010

Rockets should be Move Makers, they will be looking at making major moves not just need areas.

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[ESPN] Offseason Blueprint: Change Agents

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