Comments on: Pistons reportedly targeting Josh Smith and Gerald Henderson in free agency http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/ Your Go-To Source For Pistons Coverage Sat, 25 May 2013 15:39:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Giles http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-148706 Giles Sun, 12 May 2013 19:08:08 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-148706 Better to go for iguodala as a small forward. Better to go for iguodala as a small forward.

]]> By: Jocko http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-120128 Jocko Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:25:07 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-120128 Smith, Monroe, and Drummond can share the PF/C positions and each get 32 mpg.  In addition, slide Smith to SF on the occasion when you add a stretch PF to the mix (like Villanueva).  For the first year, you'd continue to bring Drummond off the bench, but would give him starter's minutes.   Defensively, this would be incredible.  Offensively, it would be bruising.  Maybe Smith's 35% shooting outside the paint would be high enough efficiency since we'd be holding the opponents to 2004 levels.   I'd lean toward getting him.  If it really isn't working out, we can always NOT sign Monroe after next year and recycle that savings into a SF.    Smith, Monroe, and Drummond can share the PF/C positions and each get 32 mpg.  In addition, slide Smith to SF on the occasion when you add a stretch PF to the mix (like Villanueva).  For the first year, you’d continue to bring Drummond off the bench, but would give him starter’s minutes.  

Defensively, this would be incredible.  Offensively, it would be bruising.  Maybe Smith’s 35% shooting outside the paint would be high enough efficiency since we’d be holding the opponents to 2004 levels.  

I’d lean toward getting him.  If it really isn’t working out, we can always NOT sign Monroe after next year and recycle that savings into a SF.   

]]> By: tarsier http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-119876 tarsier Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:40:33 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-119876 I don't know what he will or won't sign for. But I would not sign Calderon for over $8M/yr. He's a nice player, and that's about what he is worth... right now. There is virtually no possibility he will suddenly improve. He could suddenly get worse. So unless the rest of the team is in place and Calderon is the missing piece to make them a contender, you don't give him multiple years at his present value. This is the same ridiculous rationale that led to Rip and Prince extensions. They weren't terribly overpaid at the moment they signed them. But the players had no direction to go but down. I don’t know what he will or won’t sign for. But I would not sign Calderon for over $8M/yr. He’s a nice player, and that’s about what he is worth… right now. There is virtually no possibility he will suddenly improve. He could suddenly get worse. So unless the rest of the team is in place and Calderon is the missing piece to make them a contender, you don’t give him multiple years at his present value.

This is the same ridiculous rationale that led to Rip and Prince extensions. They weren’t terribly overpaid at the moment they signed them. But the players had no direction to go but down.

]]> By: tarsier http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-119874 tarsier Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:35:31 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-119874 I agree with your premise. However, I am expecting he will find that nobody will give him a max deal. And then he'll have to sort out where to go. I agree with your premise. However, I am expecting he will find that nobody will give him a max deal. And then he’ll have to sort out where to go.

]]> By: tarsier http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-119873 tarsier Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:34:05 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-119873 I agree wholeheartedly with some of what you said. You want to avoid big bust signings. But the relatively cheap role players aren't enough to get it done. You need to find some big names who will be big time contributors, pay them, and then fill out the roster with your Corey Brewer types. But with the beginning of a young core, one that still needs another big time piece or three, and a ton of cap room, you shouldn't make these Corey Brewer types your main targets. Get the big time player or two first. Just don't delude yourself into thinking BG or CV is that guy. Some people are talking up O.J. Mayo. He seems too comparable to BG for my tastes.  I agree wholeheartedly with some of what you said. You want to avoid big bust signings. But the relatively cheap role players aren’t enough to get it done. You need to find some big names who will be big time contributors, pay them, and then fill out the roster with your Corey Brewer types.

But with the beginning of a young core, one that still needs another big time piece or three, and a ton of cap room, you shouldn’t make these Corey Brewer types your main targets. Get the big time player or two first. Just don’t delude yourself into thinking BG or CV is that guy.

Some people are talking up O.J. Mayo. He seems too comparable to BG for my tastes. 

]]> By: frankie d http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-119867 frankie d Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:22:51 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-119867 of course you want to have the best players possible, but the difference between a 2-3 year player who can be signed for a relatively cheap contract and a more established player who commands that 10 million dollars can be negligible, if it exists at all. one of the keys in the current nba is to find and acquire cheaper, younger players who have been overlooked or cast aside, for any number of reasons.  you add those guys to a core of all-star level talent - in detroit, that would be monroe, drummond and (player to be acquired soon, hopefully) - and you just churn through that talent until you find the guys that fit and work.  or you keep acquiring them until you can package the most attractive ones and bring in that all star talent. houston has done that exceedingly well and now we shall see if they take that next step up to legit contender.  SA and OKC have also been using that same basic formula to great success. (in fact, joe d was the sucker in one of houston's coups, when they stole a mid-second round pick - budinger) and later parlayed him into a mid-first round choice in a trade.) trying to sign free agents through the competitive bidding process is the absolute worst way to build a team.  you are guaranteed to overpay because of the bidding process.  and that player, typically a 5-7 year vet, who gets that 10-11 million dollar contract may be, and often is, no more productive than a younger guy being paid one half or one third the salary.  you just have to have very good scouting and a very good idea of who will fit your particular team.  and you also have to make sure you devote time and attention to actually developing that young talent once you bring it on board. i would have gladly taken a daniel gibson-type player at a third of the price, instead of signing a guy like ben gordon to that ridiculous contract.   is gordon a better player?  yea, maybe...arguably.  but is it worth paying gordon 2 times, 3 times the salary to do basically the same thing gibson has been doing for cleveland at a much cheaper price. i don't think so. of course you want to have the best players possible, but the difference between a 2-3 year player who can be signed for a relatively cheap contract and a more established player who commands that 10 million dollars can be negligible, if it exists at all.
one of the keys in the current nba is to find and acquire cheaper, younger players who have been overlooked or cast aside, for any number of reasons.  you add those guys to a core of all-star level talent – in detroit, that would be monroe, drummond and (player to be acquired soon, hopefully) – and you just churn through that talent until you find the guys that fit and work.  or you keep acquiring them until you can package the most attractive ones and bring in that all star talent.
houston has done that exceedingly well and now we shall see if they take that next step up to legit contender.  SA and OKC have also been using that same basic formula to great success.
(in fact, joe d was the sucker in one of houston’s coups, when they stole a mid-second round pick – budinger) and later parlayed him into a mid-first round choice in a trade.)
trying to sign free agents through the competitive bidding process is the absolute worst way to build a team.  you are guaranteed to overpay because of the bidding process.  and that player, typically a 5-7 year vet, who gets that 10-11 million dollar contract may be, and often is, no more productive than a younger guy being paid one half or one third the salary.  you just have to have very good scouting and a very good idea of who will fit your particular team.  and you also have to make sure you devote time and attention to actually developing that young talent once you bring it on board.
i would have gladly taken a daniel gibson-type player at a third of the price, instead of signing a guy like ben gordon to that ridiculous contract.   is gordon a better player?  yea, maybe…arguably.  but is it worth paying gordon 2 times, 3 times the salary to do basically the same thing gibson has been doing for cleveland at a much cheaper price.
i don’t think so.

]]> By: MrCarter http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-119837 MrCarter Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:04:27 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-119837 Are you kidding. Calderon will NOT re-sign for the MLE. I say we re-sign him, but for about 3yrs/$25million with a team option for a fourth year. However, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Knight should go to the bench. I personally would like to trade him before the deadline for, say, a young swingman prospect and an additional 1st round pick in this years draft. Thats my take. Are you kidding. Calderon will NOT re-sign for the MLE. I say we re-sign him, but for about 3yrs/$25million with a team option for a fourth year. However, I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks Knight should go to the bench. I personally would like to trade him before the deadline for, say, a young swingman prospect and an additional 1st round pick in this years draft. Thats my take.

]]> By: tarsier http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-119831 tarsier Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:28:51 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-119831 This is a terrible idea. Signing a bunch of role players to medium deals can get you in the playoffs, but it won't get you far. You gotta get at least fringe all-stars. And once you've spent basically up to the cap building your core out of such guys, you fill out the roster with these role players. For $11M/yr, you can get a very good player. Why get two mediocre players instead?  This is a terrible idea. Signing a bunch of role players to medium deals can get you in the playoffs, but it won’t get you far. You gotta get at least fringe all-stars. And once you’ve spent basically up to the cap building your core out of such guys, you fill out the roster with these role players.

For $11M/yr, you can get a very good player. Why get two mediocre players instead? 

]]> By: Venice http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-119797 Venice Wed, 13 Feb 2013 05:19:37 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-119797 I don't think Gores would waste his money on Clark .I mean 3 yrs/113 mil ?! I don’t think Gores would waste his money on Clark .I mean 3 yrs/113 mil ?!

]]> By: mateo http://www.pistonpowered.com/2013/02/pistons-reportedly-targeting-josh-smith-and-gerald-henderson-in-free-agency/comment-page-1/#comment-119794 mateo Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:47:52 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12762#comment-119794  This is what I would like to see(realistically): -I would like to trade Jerebko and Bynum, second rd pick to the Lakers for a future 1st rd pick and D Morris and ?(just to make the salaries work). - Let Maxiell and Maggette walk. -Amnesty C Vill, or trade him for a higher pick or future pick. -Hope to draft Otto Porter(SF) and Patrick Young(PF/C). -Resign Calderon(3yrs/MLE), extend Monroe(5yrs/48mil$). -Try to sign OJ Mayo(4 yrs/30mil$), E Clark(3yr/113mil$). Total offseason additions(includes draft cap hold) = approx. 26 mil$.  Total salaries lost: approx. 24mil$ Calderon/Knight/Morris Mayo/Knight/English Porter/Singler/Clark Monroe/Clark/Young Drummond/Young/Slava plus a few other players Not a amazing scenario, but it seems pretty realistic. A lot of youth, and we replaced players and filled needs with betters players, or one's with more upside.   This is what I would like to see(realistically):

-I would like to trade Jerebko and Bynum, second rd pick to the Lakers for a future 1st rd pick and D Morris and ?(just to make the salaries work).

- Let Maxiell and Maggette walk.

-Amnesty C Vill, or trade him for a higher pick or future pick.

-Hope to draft Otto Porter(SF) and Patrick Young(PF/C).

-Resign Calderon(3yrs/MLE), extend Monroe(5yrs/48mil$).

-Try to sign OJ Mayo(4 yrs/30mil$), E Clark(3yr/113mil$).

Total offseason additions(includes draft cap hold) = approx. 26 mil$. 
Total salaries lost: approx. 24mil$

Calderon/Knight/Morris
Mayo/Knight/English
Porter/Singler/Clark
Monroe/Clark/Young
Drummond/Young/Slava

plus a few other players

Not a amazing scenario, but it seems pretty realistic. A lot of youth, and we replaced players and filled needs with betters players, or one’s with more upside. 

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