Post by Boston Celtics on Apr 11, 2009 16:13:37 GMT
Off Season Projections - a look at this Off Season's free agent class.
Centers
One big name dominates the list of expiring centers this year; the Atlanta Hawks' Andrew Bynum! In fantasy terms, Bynum can be a bit of a mystery at times purely because of his injury plagued recent history in real life making him unreadable in terms of potential. Also his spot on the star-studded Lakers team deflates his stats and there's no telling just how dominant he's becoming under the tutelage of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. However, it seems pretty certain that whilst Bynum isn't in the class of the great Lakers centers over the years (Chamberlain, Mikan, Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq), he's clearly already one of the best in the league whilst still only 21. Add to this analysis the fact that the Atlanta Hawks GM seems blissfully unaware of his team's $63.8m payroll expected for next season, which effectively renders his team unable to re-sign Bynum this off season, and there's already a taste piece of free agent bate on the hook at the start of this analysis.
Big name expiring centers:
ATL - Andrew Bynum
CHI - Mehmet Okur
OKC - Andrew Bogut
Power Forwards
Headlining the long list of expiring big-name power forwards this off season is Boston's Carlos Boozer. Boozer's been struggling with injury this season in real life for the Jazz and his understudy, the also expiring Paul Millsap, has been filling in for him without a hitch, putting up almost all-star numbers for a Jazz team who have excelled since Deron Williams' return. Boozer is proven big-man talent though and should command a strong contract in real life and here at D5, regardless of the economic situation. It comes as no surprise then that Boston have been shopping Boozer around the league this season since the prospect of re-signing him as well as the always dominant Deron Williams looms large on their horizon. Regardless, the Celtics have a projected $26.6m of cap space to offer their duo of Boozer and Williams this off season, and an accumulating reward point balance of 145 (+win/loss ratio) no doubt saved up for a rainy day just like the one expressed here.
Big name expiring power forwards:
BOS - Carlos Boozer
IND - Paul Millsap
DEN - David Lee
OKC - Shawn Marion
DET - Rasheed Wallace
HOU - Marvin Williams
MEM - Chris Wilcox
Small Forwards
Yet another Atlanta player tops the list, this time of small forwards, expiring this off season, and the plight of Atlanta's cap situation falls under the spotlight once again. With only enough cap space this off season to make a $1.5m play, the capacity of the Hawks organisation to re-sign both Granger and Andrew Bynum this year is completely non-existant, and whilst their team continues to excel in the incredibly tough South East Division, not even an 82W - 0L season could earn them enough reward points to compensate!
Granger has been one of the sole sources of inspiration for Pacers fans in real life this season, sixth in the league in points per game behind Wade, Lebron, Kobe, Dirk and Durant and snubbed of an all star debut, there's no doubt that teams around the league will be hot on the heels of Danny once free agency begins!
Big name expiring small forwards:
ATL - Danny Granger
ORL - Hedo Turkoglu
DAL - Lamar Odom
CHA - Grant Hill
Shooting Guards
A surprising lack of depth in the number of shooting guards available may cause Allen Iverson's inflated ego to receive a correspondingly inflated contract this off season. But how much will the former MVP be demanding exactly? And who will be willing to pay it? Iverson has shown that he cannot integrate himself into a system in the NBA, rather he has to *be* the system of the team he plays for, and unless that mentality changes then coaches like Detroit's Michael Curry will continue to prefer the service of guys like Rodney Stuckey, Rip Hamilton and even the lowly Will Bynum to that of Iverson's - as he has done in a frankly bizarre rotation stategy.
The Clips have only $10.5 million to spend this off season, but the way things are going for AI, that might actually be enough to keep him in LA.
Big name expiring shooting guards:
LAC - Allen Iverson
CHA - Anthony Parker
IND - Jamal Crawford
Point Guards
And now we come to the heart of this off season's free agent pool: the point guards! I would venture as far as to say there has never been a free agent class more filled with point guard talent than there is this year! Three, maybe four, potential hall of famers line the star studded walk to the top of the list where there sits none other than MVP candidate, probably the best point guard since Magic Johnson, Chris Paul of the Chicago Bulls! CP3 has been tearing it up in real life, being practically the sole reason for the resurgence of New Orleans and being mentioned, without any doubt, amogst the Lebrons, Wades and Kobes of the league. His play in real life was mirrored here at D5 with a rating raised to a lofty 92 and there's no doubt that all teams eyes will be fixed on Chris Paul this year.
The Bulls have been preparing for his possible departure all season, after being surprisingly stung by Emeka Okafor's departure last season, and have created an immense $27m of cap space for next season. There's no doubt CP3 will be top of the Bulls list of priorities come the free agency period and money is in no short supply in Chicago thanks to some prudent spending by GM Erik Lassen. With a so far excellent 19-16 record, the Bulls are looking as safe as they can be to re-sign Paul.
Big name expiring point guards:
CHI - Chris Paul
BOS - Deron Williams
WAS - Gilbert Arenas
MEM - Jason Kidd
DEN - Baron Davis
SAS - Andre Miller
DAL - Raymond Felton
DET - Mike Bibby
Centers
One big name dominates the list of expiring centers this year; the Atlanta Hawks' Andrew Bynum! In fantasy terms, Bynum can be a bit of a mystery at times purely because of his injury plagued recent history in real life making him unreadable in terms of potential. Also his spot on the star-studded Lakers team deflates his stats and there's no telling just how dominant he's becoming under the tutelage of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. However, it seems pretty certain that whilst Bynum isn't in the class of the great Lakers centers over the years (Chamberlain, Mikan, Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq), he's clearly already one of the best in the league whilst still only 21. Add to this analysis the fact that the Atlanta Hawks GM seems blissfully unaware of his team's $63.8m payroll expected for next season, which effectively renders his team unable to re-sign Bynum this off season, and there's already a taste piece of free agent bate on the hook at the start of this analysis.
Big name expiring centers:
ATL - Andrew Bynum
CHI - Mehmet Okur
OKC - Andrew Bogut
Power Forwards
Headlining the long list of expiring big-name power forwards this off season is Boston's Carlos Boozer. Boozer's been struggling with injury this season in real life for the Jazz and his understudy, the also expiring Paul Millsap, has been filling in for him without a hitch, putting up almost all-star numbers for a Jazz team who have excelled since Deron Williams' return. Boozer is proven big-man talent though and should command a strong contract in real life and here at D5, regardless of the economic situation. It comes as no surprise then that Boston have been shopping Boozer around the league this season since the prospect of re-signing him as well as the always dominant Deron Williams looms large on their horizon. Regardless, the Celtics have a projected $26.6m of cap space to offer their duo of Boozer and Williams this off season, and an accumulating reward point balance of 145 (+win/loss ratio) no doubt saved up for a rainy day just like the one expressed here.
Big name expiring power forwards:
BOS - Carlos Boozer
IND - Paul Millsap
DEN - David Lee
OKC - Shawn Marion
DET - Rasheed Wallace
HOU - Marvin Williams
MEM - Chris Wilcox
Small Forwards
Yet another Atlanta player tops the list, this time of small forwards, expiring this off season, and the plight of Atlanta's cap situation falls under the spotlight once again. With only enough cap space this off season to make a $1.5m play, the capacity of the Hawks organisation to re-sign both Granger and Andrew Bynum this year is completely non-existant, and whilst their team continues to excel in the incredibly tough South East Division, not even an 82W - 0L season could earn them enough reward points to compensate!
Granger has been one of the sole sources of inspiration for Pacers fans in real life this season, sixth in the league in points per game behind Wade, Lebron, Kobe, Dirk and Durant and snubbed of an all star debut, there's no doubt that teams around the league will be hot on the heels of Danny once free agency begins!
Big name expiring small forwards:
ATL - Danny Granger
ORL - Hedo Turkoglu
DAL - Lamar Odom
CHA - Grant Hill
Shooting Guards
A surprising lack of depth in the number of shooting guards available may cause Allen Iverson's inflated ego to receive a correspondingly inflated contract this off season. But how much will the former MVP be demanding exactly? And who will be willing to pay it? Iverson has shown that he cannot integrate himself into a system in the NBA, rather he has to *be* the system of the team he plays for, and unless that mentality changes then coaches like Detroit's Michael Curry will continue to prefer the service of guys like Rodney Stuckey, Rip Hamilton and even the lowly Will Bynum to that of Iverson's - as he has done in a frankly bizarre rotation stategy.
The Clips have only $10.5 million to spend this off season, but the way things are going for AI, that might actually be enough to keep him in LA.
Big name expiring shooting guards:
LAC - Allen Iverson
CHA - Anthony Parker
IND - Jamal Crawford
Point Guards
And now we come to the heart of this off season's free agent pool: the point guards! I would venture as far as to say there has never been a free agent class more filled with point guard talent than there is this year! Three, maybe four, potential hall of famers line the star studded walk to the top of the list where there sits none other than MVP candidate, probably the best point guard since Magic Johnson, Chris Paul of the Chicago Bulls! CP3 has been tearing it up in real life, being practically the sole reason for the resurgence of New Orleans and being mentioned, without any doubt, amogst the Lebrons, Wades and Kobes of the league. His play in real life was mirrored here at D5 with a rating raised to a lofty 92 and there's no doubt that all teams eyes will be fixed on Chris Paul this year.
The Bulls have been preparing for his possible departure all season, after being surprisingly stung by Emeka Okafor's departure last season, and have created an immense $27m of cap space for next season. There's no doubt CP3 will be top of the Bulls list of priorities come the free agency period and money is in no short supply in Chicago thanks to some prudent spending by GM Erik Lassen. With a so far excellent 19-16 record, the Bulls are looking as safe as they can be to re-sign Paul.
Big name expiring point guards:
CHI - Chris Paul
BOS - Deron Williams
WAS - Gilbert Arenas
MEM - Jason Kidd
DEN - Baron Davis
SAS - Andre Miller
DAL - Raymond Felton
DET - Mike Bibby