Larry Sanders looking into return to NBA.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

Sanders has plenty of warts, but if you want to have a stud interior defender, how can you not consider him. A lot of people complain about how poor our interior defending is. Here's a blurb from an article (http://www.basketballinsiders.com/nba-pm-will-larry-sanders-bounce-back/) where Larry Sanders had once been considered the game's top interior defender:

"In a report released by Kirk Goldsberry and Eric Weiss at the Sloan Sports Analytic conference that looked at interior defense, Sanders proved to be even more valuable than basic statistics would indicate. The report analyzed both shooting efficiency of opponents and shooting frequency of opponents, and according to the study Sanders was the top interior defender in the league in proximal FG% (a measure of how well an opponent shoots when a defender is within five feet of their shot). Opponents' proximal FG% when Sanders was within five feet was a league best 34.9 percent; for comparison, the league average was 45.6 percent. Sanders became an integral part of the Bucks' rotation and was arguably the team's most valuable player that season. He even garnered consideration for Defensive Player of the Year, finishing seventh in the voting and receiving four first-place votes. By all accounts, the Bucks had one the most important and desired pieces in the NBA: a dominant interior defender."

[AbeVigodaLive]

Funny, as I was thinking about available guys a while back, I actually wondered when Sanders would return. He is someone I would explore.

He certainly stepped away from the NBA in a strange fashion. At first, all I could think about were guys like McCants, Beasley, etc as the stories I heard made him out to be an eccentric "freak". Then I saw a couple interviews (one is included below), and came away from that with a different perspective. The guy is ultra-talented, and was certainly looking to explore some other pieces of his life. I think most of us have at some point wanted to completely change the direction of our careers....but unlike Sanders, not many people have the financial security to do this. I tend to fall into the camp that wonders how someone can't be happy playing basketball for millions of dollars.....

That's the rub with Larry Sanders though.

When he was making less than $2M... he was a mad man on the court, praised almost universally for his activity and tenacity. And it earned him a 4 year / $44M contract. And the problems started almost immediately.

He got into the infamous club fight in December after signing the contract. And that was followed by laziness on the court and more craziness off it until he played the Royce White and Rashad McCants card with "Meh, I don't care anyway, I'm so much deeper than every other athlete."

Meh.

He's a selfish fraud who quit once he got paid. Now he wants to get paid again. I'd rather not root for that guy. Because it's bound to happen again.

I can understand some hate for him, but he gave up money too. He had a 44 million contract and was bought out for $1.9 million a year thru 2022.

He ended up quitting with $22M in the bank instead of $44M. He worked his ass off for 3 years to make $6M... then he took his $22M and ran away. Good for him that he suckered the Bucks, I guess.

Doesn't change my attitude toward him at all.

[Hicks123 [enjin:6700838]]

I have no interest in players that don't love the game. Sanders loved what the game got him. He can take his money hungry self somewhere far away from Minnesota. We have a nucleus of good, competitive guys and it feels like a family atmosphere is growing here. Don't need Sanders and his problems. Look elsewhere for talent.

I get it Cam, but not one player in the NBA is doing this solely for "the love of the game". 90%+ of the time, guys make decisions primarily, if not solely, based on the money attached. Sanders isn't unique in this aspect.

And for Abe, I don't disregard his decision to walk away while still retaining some money. The circumstances are problematic, and this would certainly need to be vetted out. Given the circumstances, I don't see anyone offering this guy a long-term deal. But I do feel like a 2 year deal is very realistic. Then you go from there.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I have no interest in players that don't love the game. Sanders loved what the game got him. He can take his money hungry self somewhere far away from Minnesota. We have a nucleus of good, competitive guys and it feels like a family atmosphere is growing here. Don't need Sanders and his problems. Look elsewhere for talent.

I get it Cam, but not one player in the NBA is doing this solely for "the love of the game". 90%+ of the time, guys make decisions primarily, if not solely, based on the money attached. Sanders isn't unique in this aspect.

And for Abe, I don't disregard his decision to walk away while still retaining some money. The circumstances are problematic, and this would certainly need to be vetted out. Given the circumstances, I don't see anyone offering this guy a long-term deal. But I do feel like a 2 year deal is very realistic. Then you go from there.

In other news,

Royce White might be available. We can disagree. I just don't see many things that are redeemable about Larry Sanders considering his actions over the past 2+ years.

It's pretty much been a worst case scenario every team fears when they sign an unproven guy to a big contract.



[Note: As for leaving money on the table with the buyout... interesting that he's still going to be double dipping when he signs that next contract... Getting paid NOT to play is never a good thing.]

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

I have no interest in players that don't love the game. Sanders loved what the game got him. He can take his money hungry self somewhere far away from Minnesota. We have a nucleus of good, competitive guys and it feels like a family atmosphere is growing here. Don't need Sanders and his problems. Look elsewhere for talent.

I get it Cam, but not one player in the NBA is doing this solely for "the love of the game". 90%+ of the time, guys make decisions primarily, if not solely, based on the money attached. Sanders isn't unique in this aspect.

And for Abe, I don't disregard his decision to walk away while still retaining some money. The circumstances are problematic, and this would certainly need to be vetted out. Given the circumstances, I don't see anyone offering this guy a long-term deal. But I do feel like a 2 year deal is very realistic. Then you go from there.

In other news,

Royce White might be available. We can disagree. I just don't see many things that are redeemable about Larry Sanders considering his actions over the past 2+ years.

It's pretty much been a worst case scenario every team fears when they sign an unproven guy to a big contract.



[Note: As for leaving money on the table with the buyout... interesting that he's still going to be double dipping when he signs that next contract... Getting paid NOT to play is never a good thing.]

Did he kill someone? I thought he left basketball to get help with his depression. I'm not sure I want to sign the guy yet but given his defensive talent combined with structuring an incentive laden deal, there isn't a lot of risk.

[kekgeek]

Also larry lead the league in techs his last year. To much of a risk

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

How is it a risk to sign a guy without giving anything up? We could give him a short term deal with incentives like Brandon Roy got. If he screws up, he's gone. If he plays well and is a good teammate, we get a steal.

[thedoper]

I don't think we need to find deals at this point. We have an interesting enough roster that we should be trying to land a legit FA this point, a deal like this reeks of desperation. There is no reason to bring him into our locker room at this point. If we were championship contenders and had a 12th roster spot and a clear role for everyone on the team sure, but we don't want to add any more wildcards to a mix that needs stability on and off the court.

[Monster]

I read a couple articles on Saunders and he is a unique guy with a variety of issues things going on. He seems like a guy that if coming back to the game is going to work he needs to go to an established vet team and be able to just kinda blend in do some solid work off the bench. Basketball isn't his life and he does seem to enjoy the game it also stresses him out. I see him as a Birdman Sheed Rodman type who is smart has talent and can easily help your team but it's going to be a weird wild ride. He isn't a fit for this franchise right now.

[SameOldNudityDrew]

More power to Sanders, but I always thought his interviewing style occasionally got too personal.

See?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF94LvnRlKA