Make your Free Agent Pick: Who you got?

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

I am really afraid to get near-sighted this summer. I love the fit Horford could be, but the max contract scares me. Not because of the implications it has on the roster down the road, but if he gets hurt, it is money wasted (I know you could say that about any player). But I would choose depth. Get 2 guys (plus a draft pick) that would really make our bench formidable. Even if that meant trading Bazz.

Has anyone looked at the FA crop for 2017-18? Maybe it is worth waiting on someone.

I think we can 'win now' and 'develop our talent' at the same time. If we add 2 role players (and a draft pick) and win 48 games, will we be disappointed? I won't! Then if we add someone big when KG and Pek (hopefully) are gone and push for 60 wins and a championship when the young guys are 23, isn't that a great plan?

I just hope Thibs and Layden look at both the best options this year and next and push their chips in at the right time.

There are three PGs named Curry, Paul and Westbrook that my sources tell me have some potential to be pretty good, and they're unrestricted next year. Ibaka is a PF option, but Thad Young outrebounded him this season...by a lot! Milsap is a better option. Iguodola is unrestricted next year, but I like Deng better this year.

[Coolbreeze44]

Regarding Deng. We played close to .500 ball after the allstar break under Mitchell. There's something seriously wrong if we can't make the playoffs next season under Thibs with this group plus another summer for them to improve, plus a top 5 or 6 pick, plus the addition of a couple solid free agents to shore up the bench. I see no reason to spend significant money to sign a 30 + year old free agent who would displace one of our core three (Towns, Wiggins or LaVine) in the starting lineup. This team is not going to complete for a championship next season. Deng is the kind of player you add when you need that final piece to get over the hump for a championship drive. We're not there yet. We need to strengthen our bench this summer through the draft and/or free agency. But we shouldn't do that in a way that would displace any of our core young starters. They need to play and grown together so they're in a position in 2-3 years to take us to the next level.

We should be looking to acquire players around Rubio's age, not veterans in their 30s.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Agree with Lip, Cool, Duke and others. We don't need a max guy or someone in their 30's who'll demand lots of playing time. Top 5 pick, ideally Buddy or similar and a good bench defender to play along with Tyus and Bazz. KG and Pek will come off the books after next year, let's wait until then to address this.

[TheFuture]

Agree with Lip, Cool, Duke and others. We don't need a max guy or someone in their 30's who'll demand lots of playing time. Top 5 pick, ideally Buddy or similar and a good bench defender to play along with Tyus and Bazz. KG and Pek will come off the books after next year, let's wait until then to address this.

Some of you may be missing the biggest point though. We should sign a player, or players, this year before the huge leap in cap space for 2017-2018 (which is why many max players may take a 1 year deal this year). In a scenario I like, we sign a Deng type, Pachulia or Aldrich type, and a backup PG for 2-3 years for the same amount of money that a max contract would cost us this offseason. With KG and Pek coming off the books next year that will free up money to save to sign our top 5 guys, or free up money to add one more big free agent. That combined with our top guys, if they make their ceiling in 2-3 years, will push us up into or near the luxury tax. I suppose you could make the same argument about this being the year to sign a max guy because of the same issues, but I don't see anyone outside of Durant who is worth 25mil+ a year.

Ideally we keep our top 5 pick and bring in 2-3 good role players, maybe one is a possible starter. It's definitely feasible with our young proven talent, and our new head coach. Let's not pigeon-hole ourselves with one player for 4-5 seasons when we aren't completely confident in what we currently have here.

[MikkeMan]

Regarding Deng. We played close to .500 ball after the allstar break under Mitchell. There's something seriously wrong if we can't make the playoffs next season under Thibs with this group plus another summer for them to improve, plus a top 5 or 6 pick, plus the addition of a couple solid free agents to shore up the bench. I see no reason to spend significant money to sign a 30 + year old free agent who would displace one of our core three (Towns, Wiggins or LaVine) in the starting lineup. This team is not going to complete for a championship next season. Deng is the kind of player you add when you need that final piece to get over the hump for a championship drive. We're not there yet. We need to strengthen our bench this summer through the draft and/or free agency. But we shouldn't do that in a way that would displace any of our core young starters. They need to play and grown together so they're in a position in 2-3 years to take us to the next level.

Golden State had won 47 games in previous year when they signed Iggy. Next season they won just couple of more games and it looked that their move wasn't that good. But one year later it looks like a brilliant move. I would be hoping that Deng would be our Iggy. In first year he would improve our starting five and then next year I hope Lavine would be already so good that he would push Deng to bench to be our sixth man from the bench. He could replace almost anyone from our starting five as first sub from bench.

[TheFuture]

Regarding Deng. We played close to .500 ball after the allstar break under Mitchell. There's something seriously wrong if we can't make the playoffs next season under Thibs with this group plus another summer for them to improve, plus a top 5 or 6 pick, plus the addition of a couple solid free agents to shore up the bench. I see no reason to spend significant money to sign a 30 + year old free agent who would displace one of our core three (Towns, Wiggins or LaVine) in the starting lineup. This team is not going to complete for a championship next season. Deng is the kind of player you add when you need that final piece to get over the hump for a championship drive. We're not there yet. We need to strengthen our bench this summer through the draft and/or free agency. But we shouldn't do that in a way that would displace any of our core young starters. They need to play and grown together so they're in a position in 2-3 years to take us to the next level.

Golden State had won 47 games in previous year when they signed Iggy. Next season they won just couple of more games and it looked that their move wasn't that good. But one year later it looks like a brilliant move. I would be hoping that Deng would be our Iggy. In first year he would improve our starting five and then next year I hope Lavine would be already so good that he would push Deng to bench to be our sixth man from the bench. He could replace almost anyone from our starting five as first sub from bench.

I already see Deng as that 6th man. Give us a solid veteran laden bench, and we can hang with anybody. Sure, the young starting 5 may lose some games because they're inexperienced, but It'd do wonders to have a bench that wouldn't lose the games that the young guys excelled in. It would bring a boatload of confidence to that group to see their strong efforts pay off in wins rather than more losses due to melt downs from an extremely inferior bench.

[Coolbreeze44]

Agree with Lip, Cool, Duke and others. We don't need a max guy or someone in their 30's who'll demand lots of playing time. Top 5 pick, ideally Buddy or similar and a good bench defender to play along with Tyus and Bazz. KG and Pek will come off the books after next year, let's wait until then to address this.

Some of you may be missing the biggest point though. We should sign a player, or players, this year before the huge leap in cap space for 2017-2018 (which is why many max players may take a 1 year deal this year). In a scenario I like, we sign a Deng type, Pachulia or Aldrich type, and a backup PG for 2-3 years for the same amount of money that a max contract would cost us this offseason. With KG and Pek coming off the books next year that will free up money to save to sign our top 5 guys, or free up money to add one more big free agent. That combined with our top guys, if they make their ceiling in 2-3 years, will push us up into or near the luxury tax. I suppose you could make the same argument about this being the year to sign a max guy because of the same issues, but I don't see anyone outside of Durant who is worth 25mil+ a year.

Ideally we keep our top 5 pick and bring in 2-3 good role players, maybe one is a possible starter. It's definitely feasible with our young proven talent, and our new head coach. Let's not pigeon-hole ourselves with one player for 4-5 seasons when we aren't completely confident in what we currently have here.

Okay I see your point, but then I'd much rather give that money to someone like Barnes.

[TheFuture]

Agree with Lip, Cool, Duke and others. We don't need a max guy or someone in their 30's who'll demand lots of playing time. Top 5 pick, ideally Buddy or similar and a good bench defender to play along with Tyus and Bazz. KG and Pek will come off the books after next year, let's wait until then to address this.

Some of you may be missing the biggest point though. We should sign a player, or players, this year before the huge leap in cap space for 2017-2018 (which is why many max players may take a 1 year deal this year). In a scenario I like, we sign a Deng type, Pachulia or Aldrich type, and a backup PG for 2-3 years for the same amount of money that a max contract would cost us this offseason. With KG and Pek coming off the books next year that will free up money to save to sign our top 5 guys, or free up money to add one more big free agent. That combined with our top guys, if they make their ceiling in 2-3 years, will push us up into or near the luxury tax. I suppose you could make the same argument about this being the year to sign a max guy because of the same issues, but I don't see anyone outside of Durant who is worth 25mil+ a year.

Ideally we keep our top 5 pick and bring in 2-3 good role players, maybe one is a possible starter. It's definitely feasible with our young proven talent, and our new head coach. Let's not pigeon-hole ourselves with one player for 4-5 seasons when we aren't completely confident in what we currently have here.

Okay I see your point, but then I'd much rather give that money to someone like Barnes.

Why Barnes?

As I see it, we're not a starting 5 player away from contending, we're 3-6 players away from the #6-#11 slots from contending for/in the playoffs.

[TheFuture]

Name 8 Western Conference teams who you believe have a better starting 5 than us currently.

Next, name 8 overall teams..

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Regarding Deng. We played close to .500 ball after the allstar break under Mitchell. There's something seriously wrong if we can't make the playoffs next season under Thibs with this group plus another summer for them to improve, plus a top 5 or 6 pick, plus the addition of a couple solid free agents to shore up the bench. I see no reason to spend significant money to sign a 30 + year old free agent who would displace one of our core three (Towns, Wiggins or LaVine) in the starting lineup. This team is not going to complete for a championship next season. Deng is the kind of player you add when you need that final piece to get over the hump for a championship drive. We're not there yet. We need to strengthen our bench this summer through the draft and/or free agency. But we shouldn't do that in a way that would displace any of our core young starters. They need to play and grown together so they're in a position in 2-3 years to take us to the next level.

Golden State had won 47 games in previous year when they signed Iggy. Next season they won just couple of more games and it looked that their move wasn't that good. But one year later it looks like a brilliant move. I would be hoping that Deng would be our Iggy. In first year he would improve our starting five and then next year I hope Lavine would be already so good that he would push Deng to bench to be our sixth man from the bench. He could replace almost anyone from our starting five as first sub from bench.

It seems like most of the great contending teams have a mix of young, middle-aged, and older guys. If you truly believe we already have the makings of a "big three" in KAT, Wiggins, and LaVine, than I don't see why everyone else needs to be in the same age range.

The sooner we can get these guys playoff experience, the better in my opinion. Also, success begets success. Other veteran free agents may have more of a desire to come here if we start looking like a perennial playoff contender. So as the original older guys retire or become FAs, there are always others anxious to join the team because they are chasing a ring.

So I'm all for making a big spash or two. We have enough young talent on this roster.