Bye-Bye Boys: Free Agency Open Thread

Yep that's right guys, at 11:00 pm CST the Mavericks organization can officially say "Bye-Bye" to these two yahoo's, as they come off of the Mavs payroll. This act alone will save Mark Cuban about 25 million dollars this next year... unfortunately none of that will be able to be used at that very moment to go after any free agents. Just the Full MLE is our only piece to go after FA's this summer, which this year is estimated to be at about 5.8 million dollars... enough to get one significant player, or two yuppie's that will be about as productive as the two above were for us last year, in my opinion.

BUT, I seem to think that Finley could end up back in a Mavs uniform to end his career here. Dont get me wrong by me calling him names... I fully appreciate more than anyone what he did for this team and organization the years he was here. I only call him names because he went to the worst possible team in the NBA. But now that he has his ring, I would actually welcome his return with open arms... but only if the price is right... which means he better not get 1 cent of the MLE, and sign for the minimum. At 35 years old and his recent play production in San Antonio his past few years... he's not worth a cent more than that. Plus if we were to set expectations too high by paying him more, it would require him taking up PT from guys like Foster, Wright, etc. who need to develop in the NBA, it would drive us nuts. He's been overpaid WAY too much by us the past few years, has gotten his championship, and now owes us at least this much in signing for the min. Bringing him in would also mean that Stack is gone, along with Eddie Jones. I cant see us bringing back Finley, to join those other two, to give us 3 old guys, who can only shoot the 3 ball on offense, cant defend, and will cause us all to lose hair three times over. One of these type of guys will be enough, especially if you figure that George will be retained.

Plus Stack and Jones (assuming he opts into his contract tonight) are worth about 9 million dollars together in expiring contracts... enough to lure any team out there to send us a fairly decent player in either a sign and trade deal, or just a trade.

Which now brings me too the next phase: what to do with the MLE. I cant say Diop is worth the full MLE, but being that he is the BEST center available in the market right now, and he has that thing not a lot of other guys have on this team... YOUTH... its probably what its going to take to get him here, only because its what other teams are more than likely going to offer him. So, unless we do a sign and trade deal, its pretty much all the MLE should Diop be in a Mavs uniform next year.

BUT, there in lies the question... Do we get more value from the MLE and Diop, and doing a sign and trade for some one else... or use the MLE on someone else(s), use Stack or George in a sign and trade deal with Diop, thus preventing us from going after a 10 million dollar player? Its my opinion that we should sign Diop for the MLE, and do the sign and trade thing for someone else... assuming that someone else is in the Maggette, Carter, Artest--type caliper player... someone who we COULD not get by just offering the MLE for.

So let the wild and crazy sign and trade proposals, and the lucrative MLE signing proposals lose here in this thread. If you hear of any rumors, or just wish to throw in some crazy proposal like: Use the MLE to get Gilbert Arenas or Jamison... or sign and trade Damp and Stack for LBJ... just let er rip in this thread.

Remember that tonight marks the time when teams can START TALKING with free agents, but no one can get signed until July 9^th.

Ranking of the Free Agents, according to cbssports.com...

[Note by Toddy, 06/30/08 9:55 PM MDT ] More Free Agent rankings from ESPN

Centers

Shooting Guards

Small Forwards

Point Guards

Power Forwards