Now we find out whether BC's had a good summer

Ready for a big week?

The free agency feeding frenzy begins tomorrow night and while it’s not a bumper crop, it’s not bad.

And around these parts, it’s actually rather significant.

We all know that Shawn Marion, Anthony Parker and Joey Graham are unrestricted free agents, Carlos Delfino is restricted and if the Raptors don’t waive Patrick O’Bryant by Wednesday, he’ll have a guaranteed contract worth $855,189; if they do waive him, they need to write him a cheque for $500,000 to go away.

Marion, of course, is the biggest fish and presents the most significant challenge for Bryan Colangelo.

The GM’s done a good job so far addressing two crying needs in toughness (Reggie Evans for Jason Kapono) and athleticism on the wing (DeMar DeRozan) but he cannot be judged on his off-season activity until we find out what he does with his free agents.

I’m led to believe nothing is going to happen immediately tomorrow night with Marion, one league source said it might take a couple of days for that to shake out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Toronto didn’t get Delfino done quickly.

Parker and Graham? Again, I get no sense that there’ll be any urgency there. They might get offers, but I imagine teams will want to see how other things shake out before dealing with what have to been as second-tier free agents.

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After thinking about it for a little while, you know what else I might do with Shawn, even though I’m virtually sure it’d be rebuffed?

Tell him I’ve got a one-year deal at something around $10 million for him to sign.

It may not make entire sense but if he wants a long-term contract at a rich number, he’s far more likely to get it next year when there could be more than a dozen teams with huge cap space.

It puts a lot of pressure on him – he’d have to perform very well this coming season to earn something the year after but if he’s confident in his abilities, maybe he takes a shot at it.

The big concern, of course, is that a player on a huge one-year deal becomes a tad selfish to boost his numbers and get his name out there but that’d be up to Jay to deal with.

The Raptors? Well, I guess they do it to keep a piece that fits pretty well and they still have all kinds of flexibility next summer to make moves.

Again, I doubt it happens, but if I’m Bryan, I at least broach the subject.

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Hey, summer league’s approaching – Toronto’s first game is like July 10 or something – but here’s a little note that I’m sure will miff more than a few of you.

There are no plans at the moment to have television broadcasts of any of the games. Nothing from NBA-TV, nothing from RaptorsTV, nothing from There Are Too Many Channels In The Universe TV.

That means no breathless discussion of how DeMar DeRozan looked playing against true scrubs, no waiting for the broadcast of some game to see if Roko’s lost that ability to dribble out the shot clock like few other guards in the game.

And I don’t believe there will be an ink-stained wretch from Toronto in attendance – money being the big issue, the time of the games being another – so how in the world are we going to discuss something as mundane as summer league basketball? Maybe we won’t be able to, and that’s not a big shame.

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Of course, you know who controls the flow of information this week, right? Agents.

General managers are forbidden from discussing their discussions, or their signings, in the moratorium period that ends July 7 this year (it was July 8 last year, I guess the accountants are working faster this time around) so it’s up to agents to leak news out.

Just wanted you to know where it’ll be coming from.

Oh, and for those who aren’t sure about this whole moratorium thing.

In this week, accountants from the league are scouring the books of each team to find all the Basketball-Related Income that’s used to set the cap level for the coming season and the official tax threshold for the season just completed.

We’ll know those numbers late on the night of July 6, I imagine.

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I think we’re going to find out a little bit about Anthony Parker this week.

I know there are NBA teams out that covet him – San Antonio, Cleveland and Boston will call again because they’ve been making back-channel inquiries already and all present a more legitimate chance at a title than Toronto does – but I don’t know if chasing a championship is what drives him.

He’s always lauded the Raptors organization and the city, he has a valued place in the locker room as one of the grown up leaders and I’ll be quite interested to see what he eventually does.

I would think a two-year deal at somewhere around $9 or $10 million – the same salary he made last year – with perhaps a third year option would be logical jumping off point.

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Here’s one from the mail, I think we’ll parcel one or two out each day to avoid a backlog:

Q: Hey Doug. Every year foreign players are drafted in the NBA, and are left overseas to develop.

1) I imagine that most of these players hope to go in the second round or undrafted, to ensure they receive appropriate compensation if they choose to enter the NBA. But what about players that are drafted in the first round like Christian Eyenga. Do they have the choice to come to the NBA at any point they want and does this guarantee ever expire?

2) Some teams send their players to the D-league to gain experience? Wouldn't it make more sense to loan players (such as Jawai) to the Euro leagues to face better competition (which can be seen in soccer)?

Mike B, Halifax

A: The rights to players drafted in either round remain with the teams that chose them forever. The rights can be traded, of course, but any drafted player has no real say in where he goes, which is why some agents would prefer their kids not get picked in the second round, which allows them to sign a summer-league contract with any team that wants them..

And the league wants to build the talent level and public profile of the D League, which is why they don’t have any kind of working arrangement for signed players with any European league;

Unsigned players can go over there with a team’s blessing, if they’re under contract, it’s the D League or the NBA, no other options exist.

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Comments

[Josh]

Did you see Pops recent tweet:

Pops Mensah-Bonsu: Would love to be a raptor, that's all!!!!!!

Blogger's note: I imagine if he had lasted the rest of the season last year in San Antonio it would have been: "Would love to a spur, that's all!!!!!"

[Tim W.]

Confused: "I may not know anything about basketball, but why are we trying so hard to get Delfino back and potentially lose Parker? I would take Parker over Delfino in a heartbeat."

Delfino is younger and, at this point, probably going to be more productive than Parker. Parker really started showing his age last year. You also have to look at the situation of the two players. Parker is an unrestricted free agent so the Raptors are on pretty even ground with the rest of the league in trying t re-sign Parker. I'm sure they'd love to re-sign him, but if he decides to go somewhere else, there's nothing they can do.

Delfino is a restricted free agent, so the Raptors are in much more control over where he goes. That's why it may seem like they are concentrating more on Delfino. It's just that they have control over his future but not Parker's.

[jhl]

http://www.raptorblog.com/090629a.php old dougy getting it from scott carefoot!

Blogger's note: Yawn, flicks lint off shoulder, considers source, goes on with life

[doug]

the easiest thing to do in life, whether it be personal, business, or in this case sports is to point out the bad without offering alternatives. All Eric does is rant without offering his alternatives, his solutions,like i said easy to be negative, just let us know what your alternative solutions are...if not your rants are just baseless...

I am indifferent to Delfino I get the distinct impression that people are seeing something there that is not present...when he was with the Pistons and then the Raptors he proved what he is, a spot starter, or early man off the bench... more valuable some games then others due to match-ups, just a piece of the puzzle but not a major piece...fans tend to get caught up in these discussions concerning, Bryant, Pops, now Delfino ...as for me I would like to have Delfino back , but only at a reasonable price...

[DD]

i don't like the idea of signing marion for 1 year because if he does well, he'll ask for more money and we'll be dealing with the same issue again just like this year or he'll be gone. if he doesn't do well, the team suffers and he'll (or his agent will) blame the team and leaves anyways. we'll lose him either way, just a matter of this year or next year unless he really likes BC and does him a flavor by signing a long term deal.

as for free agents, i like Matt Barnes and M. Daniels. Barnes can bring some toughness and leadership to the team and he's a versitile player that can create his own shot and finish at the rim. Daniels proofed last year he's an adequate but not a consistent starting sg. he drives to the basket and that's what the raptors needed.

Doug, can you find out why the Raps don't like Earl Clark?

Blogger's note: I could ask, but it's not going to be a priority because I presume the answer will be the same reason 12 other teams passed on him: Turnover-prone tweener with questions about his mental toughness

[Alex]

Doug, didn't only 12 teams pass on Earl Clark?

Blogger's note: Yeah,they did, got it fixed, sorry

[Tim W.]

DD: " don't like the idea of signing marion for 1 year because if he does well, he'll ask for more money and we'll be dealing with the same issue again just like this year or he'll be gone. if he doesn't do well, the team suffers and he'll (or his agent will) blame the team and leaves anyways. we'll lose him either way, just a matter of this year or next year unless he really likes BC and does him a flavor by signing a long term deal."

Marion can ask for anything he wants, but it doesn't mean that's what he'll get. What a one year contract does is give the Raptors one year to have the following possibilities happen:

A) Marion has a successful year and the team does well. This makes it much more likely Bosh re-sign and either Marion re-sign, or a good free agent sign with the team. This is obviously best case scenario and the best reason to do it.

B) Marion has a successful year, but the team doesn't. If the team is not successful, there's no real point in keeping Marion (who would probably want to sign elsewhere, anyway), so the 1 year deal doesn't hurt the team. Bosh is less likely to return, but the team has lots of cap room to do with what they please.

C) Marion has a bad year. Obviously, you don't re-sign him, so his contract doesn't hurt the team.

The main point of the one year deal is the flexibility it gives to both the Raptors and Marion. Either way, if Marion is re-sign long term, he's going to be demanding a lot of money. With a one year deal, he'll get more than he normally would for that one year and get to enter the free agent market at a better time. And the Raptors are not locked into a long term deal that they might not end up wanting, especially if Bosh ends up walking.

[Charles]

I really don't think you are to worried about it but for what it's worth I think Scott Carefoot was very unfair in his article talking about you, at this time of year with all the rumors and speculation I dont think the statement of AP possibly getting 9-10 mill over to years is even noteworthy. Sure I agree he isn't worth that much but to write an article talking about how ridiculous it is, with all the other speculation flying around is pretty lame!

[petro]

sackman... you stole my thunder.

Was away this weekend with the boys golfing and we talked about that exact trade for about an hour.

Only deterrent, and it's a big one, was Yao's health and proness to injury.

However, having Yao play the 5 would move Bargs to the 4. The spacing would be unreal. I personally would love to see that trade.

I like Bosh, a lot, but I don't see him being a "max money go to franchise kind of guy". And in the same breath, Bosh is not a stranger to the injury list either.

Doug... what do you think???????????????????????????????????????

Blogger's note: Considering that today there's a suggestion Yao might miss all of next season and that perhaps his career in jeopardy makes me think it's nothing at all to even think about for a second.

[Juan]

The past couple of weeks, with the draft and now free agency, have been interesting to see the level of intensity around here get jacked through the roof.

Now Doug, I'll be the first to admit in all honesty that you sort of bug me sometimes with the snarkiness, but lately I've considered that if I had to wade through half the crap the that gets posted here I'd be a miserable sort without much patience in life.

What kills me though, abolutely kills me, is how seriously some of these fantasy site writers and readers take themselves. It leads to a fundamental difference in purpose between this blog here and those sites. Correct me if I'm wrong Doug, but it appears to me that you're here to pull back the curtain a little and shed a bit of light on aspects of NBA life and business that we would otherwise never see, and share that with readers. You can pick up the phone and get Jay, or BC and probably even Bosh to return your call. You've got access and I appreciate that. It appears however that this REEAAAALLLLY bugs the guys who don't have it.

The fantasy sites seem to give us loads of screaming opinion wrapped up in "I can't believe I'm not an NBA GM, and I've memorized way more stats than these idiots" attitude. Grow up guys, it's called FANTASY for a reason. It's the same reason that you'll never marry a supermodel. The combination of arrogance and cluelessness is astounding!

I've never met Doug, I'm not related to him, and he doesn't pay me so I've got no reason to kiss his butt, but some of you need to get a grip. BTW, Carefoot? Sounds like something you put in your sneakers so they don't stink.

[petro]

Immediately after I wrote the post above I read this...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-yaorockets062909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

YIKES... I rescind my statement.

[Travis]

10 mill for Parker is too much, dougie.

He's old and on his way out... that's too large of a golden parachute for a locker room guy.

I'd try to throw that kind of cash at Linus Kleiza instead. He's a gamer and would provide more toughness off the bench, or maybe even starting. We could provide him minutes where Denver couldn't.

[chris]

Juan - have you read Carefoot's stuff? He's actually REALLY good.

And i say that while being a big fan of Doug's. I tend to disagree with a lot of his opinions, and think he's a bit snarky, but at the same time "doug smith blog" is usually teh first thing i type into my browser every morning.

[Michael]

Hey Doug, I just noticed the bucks didn't make offer to Charlie V. I'm a bit shock about this. What happened there? Maybe, they want to unload all the big contracts? Maybe they will be shopping Michael R too?

Thanks.

[cb]

Qualifying offer to Bonsu!!

Is that a formality or is there something behind this??

Blogger's note: Mere formality at this point, keeping options open

[doug]

Charlie V is free, Bucks renounced him, so interesting....also I read Doug to get info, as I do certain other writers... to many bloggers write their opinions, I could frankly give a rat's ass what they think, I have been a b-ball fan for 35 some odd years and can formulate my own thoughts....it's easy to sit at home on your blog,in a fantasy world without having to go into a press scrum, a locker room, etc...to many people hide behind their on-line monikers, there anonymity that the internet provides, when you have to face the people you write about in real life it's a different ball game...

[K Price]

Now that Charlie V is a FA u think they might think about him??

Blogger's note: Yeah,, they might make a call

[dean]

Doug,

Is Milwaukeee tanking this year? First they trade Jefferson, then don't even offer Charlie V a contract??

They seem to be moving backwards, but for what....the 2010 free agency splash?

Also if Yao is out, and TMAC is broken, what are the chances that this year TMAC is traded just as cap freedom at years end and Yao's rights are traded in his final year as well for the same reason? Houston...........we have a problem...........

Peace Doug

Deaner

[Rob]

I generally go to a strong source for my Raptor news, and that is right here on Doug Smiths blog. Don't have time for the ramblings of some homemade "couldn't get a newspaper gig so I will take my free geocities webpage and then act like an authority on Raptor related events, even though the best seat I get at the ACC is in the Sprite zone" blog.

THAT being said... 9-10 mil is abit high for Parker... AND I am a huge parker fan who wants the guy back!

[Jacques]

Doug,

extended qualifying offer to Pops. What do you think about this? why would they do it?

Blogger's note: Keeps options open, means nothing more than that

[dean]

Wow

Must say that I didn't see the Raps extending a qualifying offer to POPS today...........does that effectively spell the end of O'Bryant ??

Peace

Deaner

Blogger's note: No, not in the least. It means they keep options open, it does not mean by any stretch of anyone's imagination that he'll be back

[Steve]

When you look at guys like Mo Pete and Jerry Stackhouse making 5mil+ and 7mil+ its not that hard to believe that a team out there will be willing to give Parker 4.5 to 5mil a year considering he has more to offer then them, even if that is off the bench.

And I am sure there are more player examples out there, but I can't be bothered looking.

[JJ]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=CapSpace-090629

Chad Ford's saying $9 million of cap space if the Raps let Marion, Parker and Joey go. As far as I can tell that keeps money allotted for Delfino's qualifying offer (around 2.7M).

Consider this for a moment though, in the moratorium week, General Managers are still free to negotiate and talk shop. Doesn't it make sense if your BC to talk to the agents of Marion, Hedo and whoever else to get a read on where they stand?

Most major free agents agree to contracts during this week (of course, they aren't made official until after the moratorium, but the deals are brokered then). At the end of the moratorium, the Raps and the rest of the NBA should know or have a very good idea of what it will take to sign Hedo, Marion and other top targets.

If it looks likely that Marion will accept the 3 year $21-24 million dollar deal, then lock him up and the cap space is filled. If it doesn't, then why not make an aggressive push to land Hedo?

And if Hedo will agree to something like a $5 year $50 Million deal (something the Raps could offer with a starting salary of 8.5 million with the maximum 8% raises per year), then there's no reason to hold onto Marion's rights (other than the slim chance they'd get something back in a sign and trade for Marion). The Raps aren't going to be able to have both Hedo and Marion on the roster.

So if the Raps can sign Hedo, it would mean renouncing Marion's rights and then Parker's and Joey's too (to create the cap space for Hedo's contract). But Delfino would still be in the fold via his qualifying offer. And at which point, the Raps would still have the full Mid-Level to add someone to play the 2/3 with Hedo, DD and Delfino. And I would like to think for the full MLE, they could find someone who could replace Parker/Joey.

But the general point, I'm trying to make is that they have the moratorium week to negotiate with everyone before they have to decide whether to renounce anyone's rights. At the moment, BC and co may be saying they aren't inclined to renounce anyone's rights, but that can change quickly as various different scenarios present themselves.

Case and point: the Orlando Magic weren't planning on renouncing Darko's rights two years ago, but once they got Rashard Lewis to agree to a max contract, Darko's rights were renounced to create the cap space for Lewis, and Lewis joined the Magic.

[Damian]

Haha

I wouldn't bother reading Carefoot's reply to your response... but man, dude needs to get a grip and just chill. If someone doesn't like your work, either improve your stuff or just move on. You'd think with that one sentence response Doug gave, he had insulted his mom or something.

[Edward]

Hey Doug now that cv31 is a free agent , what are the chances he'll be back with Toronto? He can probably play the 3 for us , and pernonaly I think do a better job then Shawn!!

Blogger's note: Offensively, sure; and I presume they'll make a call. I don't presume he'll sign