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The Rules of Pacers Digest

Hello everyone,

Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.

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Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.

Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.

Rule #1

Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"

"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"

"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"

"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"

"He/she is just delusional"

"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"

"I'm going to take a moment to point and / laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"

"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good? "

In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.

We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.

In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

Rule #2

If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.

The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.

The right places to do so are:

A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.

B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.

If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

Rule #3

If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:

A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.

B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.

To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!

Rule #4

Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.

Rule #5

When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.

An example:

If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:

http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star

Rule #6

We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.

The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

Rule #7

Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.

It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).

We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).

However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.

Rule #8

We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.

Rule #9

Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.

Rule #10

We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.

Rule #11

Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
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The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

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  • The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

    The (second) greatest free-agency class ever - CBSSports.com

    Originally posted by EOB Staff
    Want to know how ridiculous the summer of 2010 was? If/when the 2011-2012 season is canceled, then whenever the lockout is settled, you'll have two years of free agents crammed into one signing period. You could have five likely Hall-of-Famers in it. You'd have mega-stars, great role players, talent coming out the seams at every position... and it still wouldn't be as good as the 2010 summer of free agency because of the top five guys that year. That's a bit insane.

    But as Ken Berger breaks down the potential effects on the top market of guys in what would be an insane class, we need to look at what exactly this class would look like, and how it would break down. With that, we give you the 2011 and 2012 combined free agency rankings, broken down by position, just so you can dream about who your team would angle to fill what position.

    Point Guard

    1. Derrick Rose (RFA)
    The only way Derrick Rose is not a Chicago Bull for the next 10 years is if the NBA gives up on trying to reach a deal with the current players and uses scabs forever. The 2011 MVP is the perfect building block asset and the Bulls will have every ability to retain him with a mini-max contract once his rookie deal is complete. One of the greatest shames of the lockout is that the only basketball we've seen Rose play over the last six months came inside a bullring during an adidas commercial.

    2. Deron Williams (ETO)
    The Besiktas baller represents the wildest wild card in free agency. Williams took a fearless, proactive approach to the lockout, heading to Turkey almost immediately and, once there, writing diary entries in which he made it clear he wasn't necessarily committed to the New Jersey Nets for the long haul. The new CBA will likely give the Nets plenty of incumbent advantages to keeping Williams but if he decides to bounce he will have no shortage of suitors as one of the league's elite floor generals.

    3. Chris Paul (ETO)
    To this point, Paul has done an extraordinary job swallowing his frustration with what has been a disastrous few years for the New Orleans Hornets franchise. Paul's close friends happen to be a who's who of the NBA's elite players, and no doubt he's feeling some "grass is greener on the other side" jealousy when sizing up the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks. As with Williams and the Nets, New Orleans will be poised to do everything in its power to keep Paul, but those efforts might not matter.

    4. Russell Westbrook (RFA)
    The superstar pairing with Kevin Durant isn't absolutely perfect but it's a far better one-two punch than anyone in the Western Conference -- besides the Lakers -- can muster. The Thunder will give Westbrook the Durant treatment, offering him a mini-max contract as soon as legally possible. Every indication is that he would accept it so that he can get back to work building a potential dynasty.

    5. Steve Nash (UFA)
    Nash will be 38 years old when free agency hits, having endured 2+ years of trade rumors. While his best days are behind him, he will be a tantalizing target on the open market, as he would be highly motivated to take a subsidized salary to step in as the calm captain on a ready-made contender. Just about everyone wants to see Nash retire with a ring; even though he's not the most talented player on this list, his choice of destination could wind up being the biggest postseason game-changer.

    6. Chauncey Billups (UFA)
    Should the 2011-2012 season get cancelled, Billups, who is set to make$14.2 million this year, would be missing out on the payday of his career. He'll be 35 next summer; while still productive, he might be best off signing with a veteran team where he can serve as a steady hand third guard.

    7. Jameer Nelson (ETO)
    Nelson is a solid starting point guard but his future in Orlando is likely tied to that of Dwight Howard. If Howard goes, it will be time to slash and burn the roster and start over; paying above-average money to retain Nelson probably wouldn't be worth it.

    8. Raymond Felton (UFA)
    The Blazers lack a capable, proven back-up point guard so Felton, who was acquired in a 2011 draft day trade with Denver, is sitting pretty. Portland will be highly motivated to pay to retain his services even if he never puts on a Blazers jersey during the 2011-2012 season because of the lockout.

    9. Andre Miller (UFA)
    Miller finds himself in much the same situation as Billups, in that he will be 36 years old when free agency hits, he's still productive but he will no longer command big dollar offers on the free agency market. It's quite possible the rebuilding Nuggets move to retain his veteran hand as George Karl appreciates the subtleties in Miller's game, but serving as a role player so that he can make the first real playoff run of his lengthy career is always a possibility.

    10. George Hill (RFA)
    The Pacers traded for Hill on draft day and will have plenty of cap space to retain his services. It would be nice if Indiana is able to see how he fits with their other young pieces before committing to him, but he's shown what he can do with the San Antonio Spurs and shouldn't cost an arm and a leg.

    11. Kirk Hinrich (UFA)
    On the books for $8 million in 2011-2012, the oft-injured Hinrich can look forward to a large pay cut next summer. With Jeff Teague set to take the reins in Atlanta he could very well be looking for his fourth team since 2009-2010.

    12. DJ Augustin (RFA)
    The Bobcats are in full-blown blow-it-up rebuilding mode and drafted their presumed new face of the franchise, Kemba Walker, in June. Charlotte should have money to pay him; his future will be a matter of determining whether the two pint-sized points are redundant.

    13. Jason Kidd (UFA)
    Kidd will be 39 next summer but, if the 2011 playoffs were any indication, he will play until he's 55. His basketball intelligence, leadership in the halfcourt and defensive prowess mean he will be able to select from multiple attractive options, although he'll be taking a major pay cut from his $9.6 million salary in 2011-2012 in the process.

    14. Aaron Brooks (RFA)
    If Nash leaves Phoenix, as many suspect, Brooks will be in line for a solid offer from the Suns as long as he has proven to the decision-makers that he can keep his emotions in check.

    15. Jose Barea (UFA)
    A prime target to get overpaid with someone's mid-level during a weak 2011 free agency crop, Barea could be a big loser of the lockout in that future MLE offers will likely be smaller and he will face stiff competition for free agency dollars in 2012.

    Shooting Guard

    1. Eric Gordon (RFA)
    How does "Eric Gordon, scoring champion" sound? Because it's not all that far from being a realistic possibility. With him playing alongside Blake Griffin who gets most of the defensive attention, Gordon has become one of the game's top inside-out guards. He can hit from deep, mid-range or use his solid frame to get to the rim. He's probably not a max player, but he's definitely top scorer material and those type of players tend to get paid.

    2. Ray Allen (UFA)
    So he's 36 years old. But he also just put up maybe his most efficient season ever, hitting 44 percent from 3-point range. When you're a specialist like Allen, you can continue your craft for a long time. And as long as he can make a 3 better than anyone else in basketball, he's going to have a lot of value.

    3. Jamal Crawford (UFA)
    Want a guard that's willing to shoot, score and shoot some more? Want to pay him a lot to do just that? Then Jamal Crawford is your guy.

    4. Jason Terry (UFA)
    The Jet elevated himself to a high level last postseason. He's instant offense no matter where you have him. The fact he's 34 is a bit of a concern though.

    5. Arron Afflalo (RFA)
    A defensive stopper that shoots around 40 percent from 3? Afflalo might turn into the top dollar-for-dollar free agent in the entire class.

    6. Jason Richardson (UFA)
    He may be past his prime a bit, but Richardson still has his athleticism and can still make an open 3. He's not go-to scorer material, but he certainly is worthy of being a quality supplemental scorer.

    7. O.J. Mayo (RFA)
    A talent never fully realized, Mayo could be a big time scorer if afforded the opportunity. He has a ton of ability, but he's never really found that role that could allow him to let loose. I don't know that he'd ever be an extremely efficient scorer, but he has value in the market because he can shoot and score. Those two things always are worth a decent payday.

    8. J.R. Smith (UFA)
    What did I say about Jamal Crawford? Apply pretty much all of that again here, but add in the disclaimer, "Might be a headcase" to it. Who's interested?

    9. Lou Williams (ETO)
    Before battling an injury with Williams, the 76ers were a pretty dangerous team. There's a reason: He's a high quality scorer. He's a combo guard that scores at an efficient rate. Daryl Morey just started drooling.

    10. Jodie Meeks (RFA)
    Did you know Meeks shot 40 percent from 3 last season? Did you know he was, per minute, one of the best scorers in the league? Put him in the right situation and you might be looking at Sixth Man of the Year potential.

    11. Marcus Thornton (RFA)
    That instant offense stuff? Yeah, right here.

    12. Landry Fields (RFA)
    There's just no way the Knicks would let a promising young player slip away right? Right?

    13. Courtney Lee (RFA)
    It's always seemed like Lee has missed out on being better than he is. He started to become something in Orlando, but then was moved to New Jersey and then was moved again to Houston. He's had difficulty finding a stable situation which sometimes, is all a player like him needs.

    14. Shannon Brown (UFA)
    I'm not exactly sure what makes Shannon Brown a good player other than he jumps high, but he's had a quality role on one of the West's best teams the past few years. That means something.

    15. Mike Dunleavy (UFA)
    Everyone loves a shooter. Especially when he's 6-9 and plays shooting guard.

    Small Forward

    1. Gerald Wallace (ETO)
    "Crash" would be 30 when this free agency period would hypothetically start, but his combination of toughness, stat-stuffing, and defensive prowess would still make him the top guy at this position. His injury history is deceptively good, with long-term issues resulting from freak accidents, injuries like a collapsed lung thanks to Andrew Bynum and a concussion thanks to Wallace's aggressiveness won't be issues as he gets older.

    2. Nicolas Batum (RFA)
    The Blazers have turned down mighty attractive offers for Batum over the past two season, so you have to expect him to return to Portland, especially if Wallace hits the open market. A do-it-all wing with perimeter range and tremendous athleticism, Batum would be just 23 in this signing period with amazing potential. If teams want to front-load a contract offer, this is the guy to use it on.

    3. Danilo Gallinari (RFA)
    Another talented athletic forward with range. Gallinari has the potential to be a legitimate scoring star in this league and has the body to defend to go with it, if he winds up in the right place. Gallinari would be 23 as well, and just like Batum, would be worth the front-loaded offer to try and steal him from Denver.

    4. Wilson Chandler (RFA)
    Good thing the Nuggets have all that cap space in this scenario, they'd need it to keep their guys. Chandler is expected to hit the open market when he returns from China, and at just 25, he's a guy who could make "the leap" and surprise everyone. Chandler could be a steal based on value in this free agency class.

    5. Tayshaun Prince (UFA)
    32 years old and with fading athleticism, Prince isn't going to make a huge payday, not after how his tenure in Detroit has likely ended. But for a veteran team needing a wing defender with range (hello, Miami), Prince has tremendous value. Short-term contract with big impact recommended.

    6. Jonas Jerebko (RFA)
    Hard worker, tough as nails, coming off an injury, which is a downside. Just 25 and does all the things you want a roleplayer to do. Jerebko is a steal if he can be had in RFA.

    7. Michael Beasley (RFA)
    You can break the bank on Beasley to hope he matures and puts all his skills together to become a star. You can bank on him becoming coachable and being a franchise leader. Or you can stay away like the plague and write him off as a gunner with poor off-court decision making. Your choice, really.

    8. Caron Butler (UFA)
    Like Prince, Butler would be 32 in this period, having not played in an NBA game since last winter after his knee injury. Butler's back to full strength and playing in the charity games. But his overall value was of question last year and even moreso after the injury. With another year on him, he's still worth the money as a veteran player to help try and win a title, but couldn't be given a starter's investment.

    9. Chase Budinger (RFA)
    Tall, and can shoot. Still has upside coming off rookie deal and won't break the bank. A value addition with little downside for what he is.

    10. Andrei Kirilenko (UFA)
    Never lived up to his last massive contract, and will be 31 for this signing. But Kirilenko can give quality minutes at a range of positions and needs, and can likely be had for good value as a trackback from his last deal.

    11. Sam Young (RFA)
    How many rookies are 27 coming off their rookie deals? Young has started to mold into a great defender under Tony Allen's tutelage in Memphis and can work as a reserve small forward.

    12. Grant Hill (UFA)
    Depends, can you get the Phoenix training staff to accompany the soon-to-be 40-year-old in this instance?

    13. Shane Battier (UFA)
    Losing this year would crush Battier's final contract value with him being 34 when he'd sign. Still worth it for experience and defense, but only on a limited deal.

    14. Mikael Pietrus (UFA)
    Bizarre that he spent all that time under SVG and still lacks the defensive chops teams need him to have. Would be 30 for the beginning of this contract.

    15. Tracy McGrady (UFA)
    Too many injuries, too much age. McGrady had a nice season last year with Detroit, but with another year on the knees things get dicier.

    Power Forward

    1. Kevin Love (RFA)
    It's hard to know exactly why people try and underrate what Kevin Love did last season. Maybe it's because some see it as a fluke season. Maybe it's because some think because his team was so bad it inflated his stats. But here's the thing: You can't ignored 20.2 ppg and 15.2 rpg. You can't ignore a power forward shooting almost 42 percent from 3. And you can't ignore the fact he's just 23. There are a ton of names in this free agent class and while Love doesn't have major starpower to him, he's going to get paid in a big way by someone.

    2. Kevin Garnett (UFA)
    Nevermind that he's played almost 1,200 games during 16 seasons. Nevermind that he's 35 and suffered a major knee injury two years ago. He's still Kevin Garnett. And he's still a major impact player. Is he the automatic 20-10 machine he once was? Not at all, but he's still a great leader, communicator and defensive stopper. Plus, he's got name recognition which is sometimes the best thing a guy can have.

    3. David West (UFA)
    Players recover from knee injuries, but that first season back there's always some hesitation. And that's what West is going through right now. He suffered a major injury last season and is going to have to get paid before he plays. Meaning someone's got to trust some doctors and give him a shot.

    4. Thaddeus Young (RFA)
    There's a question every GM will have to ask about Young: Is he starting material? And that will likely be what his future payday and team hinges on. He was great as a role player off the bench in Philly last season but is he ready to carry the load as a starter at the 4 for 82 games? Or is he just a niche 4? The Sixers definitely don't want him to slip away though, that's for sure.

    5. Jeff Green (RFA)
    Someone will go hard after Jeff Green. Why? Because he's a really good basketball player. He's 6-9, has outside touch, is athletic and is a good passer. One problem: No one has any idea where to play him. Green is so caught between small forward and power forward that he might not ever produce how he was expected. But that's not going to stop someone from taking a chance on him.

    6. J.J. Hickson (RFA)
    It really felt like the Cavs let something potentially special go for very little when Hickson was dealt to the Kings. Because he's young, raw and fairly gifted. His game needs some tuning and he's not likely to blossom into a star or anything, but he'll be a productive big for a long time.

    7. Kris Humphries (UFA)
    Big guys that produce double-doubles have a lot of value. He's already stated pretty clearly that he wants to stay in New Jersey (or Brooklyn), but like I said, teams pay for 10-and-10.

    8. Glen Davis (UFA)
    Did you know Big Baby is just 25 years old? Not to say he has a ton of ceiling above him still, but he certainly has a number of years of solid production ahead of him.

    9. Carl Landry (UFA)
    Typically, physical defenders don't carry a ton of value in the market. But Landry is a bruiser and someone that can step out execute a pick-and-pop. Not the best power forward out there, but he's potentially starting material or a nice bench piece.


    10. Kenyon Martin (UFA)
    There's still a little left in the tank for Martin. Early on he dominated opponents with strength and athleticism. While most of that has left him, he's still a formidable presence in the paint and certainly still has his intimidation skills.


    11. Brandon Bass (ETO)
    Bass was chronically underutilized for most of last season in Orlando, but when he saw opportunity, he produced well. Big guys with smooth jumpers always have and always will have value.


    12. Antawn Jamison (UFA)
    He's old at 35, but he still had a fairly productive season for an abysmal Cleveland team last year.


    13. Boris Diaw (UFA)
    For Diaw, it's all about what type of shape he's in. If he's ready to go, he's an impact 4.


    14. Darrell Arthur (RFA)
    Quietly, Arthur has started to find himself a bit as a backup to Zach Randolph. Long, athletic and equipped with a mid-range game add up to a quality player.


    15. Ryan Anderson (RFA)
    Not everyone loves a finesse stretch 4, but Anderson has serious touch from the perimeter.


    Center

    1. Dwight Howard (UFA)
    Howard will probably be the most sought-after commodity on the market, even with Chris Paul and Deron Williams out there. Defensive Player of the Year, MVP candidate, huge personality and big ticket-draw. Howard is the diamond of this class.

    2. Tim Duncan (ETO)
    Yes, we're labeling him a center here. Let's save the debate for another day. Imagine Duncan in another uniform. Weird, isn't it? Yeah, us too.
    3. Marc Gasol (RFA)
    Gasol's not going to score 40 for you, but he's going to do everything else. Defend on the perimeter, in the post, on the weakside, and in space. Work in the pinch-post, pass out of the block, score from mid-range and the post. Gasol does it all and does it with a tougher approach than the elder-Gasol.

    4. Brook Lopez (RFA)
    The Nets may actually let Lopez go free in pursuit of Howard, and if he hits the market, he'll draw big suitors. Lopez' biggest restriction is rebounding, which he's become pitiful at. But he can score out of the post and in the pick and roll. He's young, smart, coachable, and can still improve.

    5. Nene (UFA)
    The biggest free agent of 2011 could still be shopping for that final contract in this scenario. Nene should only be acquired by a team looking to contend now, as he'll be turning 30 next September. But for explosiveness and toughness inside, you can't go wrong with the Brazillian Baby.

    6. Andrew Bynum (UFA)
    If, and that's a big if, if Bynum is healthy, he could be the second best option on this list at center. If he's not, if he continues to struggle with his knees, the Lakers will be faced with a big decision. But at his age and with those freakish arms of his, someone will want him, and pay him handsomely. The most likely scenario is Bynum is tabbed as the successor to Kobe's franchise player throne in L.A. with Jim Buss in charge.

    7. Tyson Chandler (UFA)
    Chandler's value will be significantly diminished with another year lost, but on the plus side, the last memory of him in GMs minds will be him hoisting the trophy. He'll stick at the top here.

    8. Roy Hibbert (RFA)
    Hibbert's not that tough. He lacks scoring ability in the post. He has a lot of question marks. But he's tall. And that matters in the NBA. With his youth, he's still a better option than others.

    9. DeAndre Jordan (RFA)
    Jordan was a rail when he came into the league, but he's bulked out and now is flat-out beastly. You'd expect the Clippers to keep him, it's the only thing that makes sense. Which means they'll probably figure out a way to lose the rebounding partner Blake Griffin needs.

    10. JaVale McGee (RFA)
    Crazy? Little bit. But McGee has incredible length and too much talent to slide any further.

    11. Marcus Camby (UFA)
    Zombie Marcus Camby is slowly ambling towards your low-post block.

    12. Omer Asik (RFA)
    The Bulls phenom could be top five on this list if he improves on his first season. But AsiIk's value is heightened by Thibodeau's defense. Missing a year, he won't have the same kind of pull he'd have with a bigger role.

    13. Chuck Hayes (UFA)
    No one knows how he does it, but Hayes continues to excel despite his size deficiency.

    14. Chris Kaman (UFA)
    You realize Kaman was a near-All-Star two years ago? Kaman will be 30 at this point, and he could be a steal. He could also be the kind of free agent that gets overpaid. You know, why we're missing a season.

    15. Spencer Hawes (UFA)
    Ha ha ha, just kidding.

  • #2
    Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

    I'm not entirely sure the NBA won't offer to re-instate all contracts for 2012-2013 as if no time was lost at all, in return for their %47 revised proposal.

    It wasn't about being the team everyone loved, it was about beating the teams everyone else loved.

    Division Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
    Conference Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005
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    • #3
      Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

      Originally posted by Kstat View Post
      I'm not entirely sure the NBA won't offer to re-instate all contracts for 2012-2013 as if no time was lost at all, in return for their %47 revised proposal.
      Yeah, saves a lot of headaches for everyone.

      It's nice to dream of a mega free agent class though

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

        I Disagree vehemtly with his assesment that " Roy Hibbert can't score in the post"

        ah, yes he can
        Sittin on top of the world!

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        • #5
          Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

          I like this list, but lots of RFAs that really won't be available.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

            I could probably figure this out on Hoopshype myself, but does anyone know how many teams will have lots of cap space if this carries over to next year? I'm concerned that yeah, we'll have lots to spend, but so will a lot of people.
            Come to the Dark Side -- There's cookies!

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            • #7
              Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

              Well, flipping through, here's what I see:

              Boston only has $30M committed and 3 players under contract (Pierce, Rondo, and Avery Bradley.)

              Cleveland drops all their bad contracts and also are at $30M.

              Houston is at $30M, but all their rookie contracts are read for team options.

              Phoenix drops Carter and Nash to drop to $30M.

              Really, that's it. For the most part everyone else stays where they were, respectively. A few teams drop into the 40s, so they'll be able to get one good guy if they want, but it's not massive cap space, especially when you think about where the new cap will probably be.
              Come to the Dark Side -- There's cookies!

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              • #8
                Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

                Originally posted by Kstat View Post
                I'm not entirely sure the NBA won't offer to re-instate all contracts for 2012-2013 as if no time was lost at all, in return for their %47 revised proposal.

                So your saying the 2012 season will start with the 2011 contract numbers?
                So there is no penalty to the players for sitting out a year other than they are a year older
                and the teams get hit with all their losses?
                {o,o}
                |)__)
                -"-"-

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                • #9
                  Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

                  Originally posted by Kegboy View Post
                  Well, flipping through, here's what I see:

                  Boston only has $30M committed and 3 players under contract (Pierce, Rondo, and Avery Bradley.)

                  Cleveland drops all their bad contracts and also are at $30M.

                  Houston is at $30M, but all their rookie contracts are read for team options.

                  Phoenix drops Carter and Nash to drop to $30M.

                  Really, that's it. For the most part everyone else stays where they were, respectively. A few teams drop into the 40s, so they'll be able to get one good guy if they want, but it's not massive cap space, especially when you think about where the new cap will probably be.
                  You could add the Raps to that list also
                  "So, which one of you guys is going to come in second?" - Larry Bird before the 3 point contest. He won.


                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

                    It would be nice to add Felton, JR Smith, West, Prince and Hickson (consider these are our realistic options). There might be a possibility of adding Gordon (given that he is from Indy), but the way that the Clips are set up, I dont see him leaving.

                    Would be a nice line up of:

                    Felton/Hill
                    George/JR Smith
                    Granger/Prince
                    West/Hansbrough
                    Hibbert/Hickson
                    "So, which one of you guys is going to come in second?" - Larry Bird before the 3 point contest. He won.


                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

                      every decent PG in the NBA not named rondo is a FA next year. pacers need to figure out who they want. with so many guys on the market at the same time, it should be some what of a buyer's market.

                      millertime, FWIW, if felton is the guy that the pacers end up with, i will be disappointed. felton is just not enough better than what the pacers have to get excited about.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

                        Originally posted by xIndyFan View Post
                        every decent PG in the NBA not named rondo is a FA next year. pacers need to figure out who they want. with so many guys on the market at the same time, it should be some what of a buyer's market.

                        millertime, FWIW, if felton is the guy that the pacers end up with, i will be disappointed. felton is just not enough better than what the pacers have to get excited about.
                        From the OP's list, that is the PG we have a realitic chance of obtaining.

                        I highly doubt we're going to acquire Rose/Williams/Paul/Rondo in an open market.

                        Keep inmind, if there's that many quality players available, there's also many teams available to to acquire those players
                        "So, which one of you guys is going to come in second?" - Larry Bird before the 3 point contest. He won.


                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

                          Originally posted by Kstat View Post
                          I'm not entirely sure the NBA won't offer to re-instate all contracts for 2012-2013 as if no time was lost at all, in return for their %47 revised proposal.
                          Whats the precedent for something like this? Did that happen with Hockey?
                          "As a bearded man, i was very disappointed in Love. I am gathering other bearded men to discuss the status of Kevin Love's beard. I am motioning that it must be shaved."

                          - ilive4sports

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

                            Originally posted by MillerTime View Post
                            From the OP's list, that is the PG we have a realitic chance of obtaining.

                            I highly doubt we're going to acquire Rose/Williams/Paul/Rondo in an open market.

                            Keep inmind, if there's that many quality players available, there's also many teams available to to acquire those players
                            Yea, it is most likely going to be players the caliber of Jameer Nelson and Raymond Felton. Just depends if you think either one of those guys is an upgrade on Collison or not. Not sure about Felton, maybe Nelson is.

                            Though, I still hope Larry Bird calls Deron Williams personally and offers the max, cause you never know... If Boston and New York use up their cap room on Howard and CP3, we may have the best looking roster of all the teams left with cap room. If he values being competitive over playing in a big market, we have a shot. The Nets roster is junk.
                            "As a bearded man, i was very disappointed in Love. I am gathering other bearded men to discuss the status of Kevin Love's beard. I am motioning that it must be shaved."

                            - ilive4sports

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                            • #15
                              Re: The (Second) Greatest Free-Agency Class Ever

                              Don't forget that these two sides (players and owners) have to eventually negotiate a deal. Just because the 2011-12 season won't happen doesn't guarantee that the 2012-13 season will.

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