If a team is over the salary cap and enters into a new player contract with a Bird or Early Bird free agent or an extension of a Rookie Scale Contract, that provides for a salary in the first year of the contract in excess of 120% of the player’s salary in the prior season, the player will be subject to a Base Year Compensation (BYC). If such a player is traded, his Base Year Compensation will be used instead of his salary for purposes of determining the amount of his Traded Player Exception. The player’s Base Year Compensation will equal the greater of the salary for the last season of his preceding contract, o 50% of the player’s then-current salary.
Some BYC players include:
Kendrick Perkins, Matt Carroll, Gerald Wallace, Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni, LeBron James, Sasha Pavlovic, Anderson Varejao, Josh Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Amir Johnson.
Showing posts with label Sasha Pavlovic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sasha Pavlovic. Show all posts
Monday, February 11, 2008
Monday, October 22, 2007
Cleveland's "New" Offense
Brian Windhorst mentioned in a recent article about the Cleveland Cavaliers that head coach Mike Brown has been working to revamp the offense.
Windhorst wrote:
The Cavs' coach said he felt like he was back in college over the summer. Determined to rework his oft-criticized offense, the defensive specialist immersed himself in learning more about offense. His professor was famous Italian coach Ettore Messina, who led CSKA Moscow to the Euroleague title in 2006 and a runner-up finish last season.
It included a trip to Italy and CSKA's training camp so Brown could observe the way Messina, who befriended Brown over the past several years, coaches offense. Brown said he read and re-read a translated version of Messina's book "Basket" like he was studying for a mid-term. Not all the concepts translate, of course, but Brown is hoping to teach the Cavs to move more like a European team.
CSKA has several players who can start the offense, which feeds off multiple drive-and-kicks in the same possession. Brown is making that a priority -- an effort to reduce all the standing around when LeBron James is just dribbling -- with plans to employ a different kind of stat to entice his players to continue moving. It's sometimes called a "hockey assist," when a drive or a pass leads indirectly to a basket. His assistant coaches will keep it and, just like with charges, there figures to be a monthly bonus to the player who piles up the most.
There certainly is no question that Cleveland needs to change the structure of their offensive sets. Last season, especially in the playoffs, often times everyone would just stand around and watch LeBron James work. Very little movement or post up game was utilized.
With players such as Daniel Gibson, Larry Hughes, Sasha Pavlovic, and James able to effectively get to the basket and Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall able to shoot the ball effectively from the perimter, this offensive concept seems to make sense. The one player who this concept does not apply to is Zydrunas Ilgauskas. With more than $30,000 remaining on a three year contract, it will certainly be interesting to see how Brown works Ilgauskas into the offense.
Windhorst wrote:
The Cavs' coach said he felt like he was back in college over the summer. Determined to rework his oft-criticized offense, the defensive specialist immersed himself in learning more about offense. His professor was famous Italian coach Ettore Messina, who led CSKA Moscow to the Euroleague title in 2006 and a runner-up finish last season.
It included a trip to Italy and CSKA's training camp so Brown could observe the way Messina, who befriended Brown over the past several years, coaches offense. Brown said he read and re-read a translated version of Messina's book "Basket" like he was studying for a mid-term. Not all the concepts translate, of course, but Brown is hoping to teach the Cavs to move more like a European team.
CSKA has several players who can start the offense, which feeds off multiple drive-and-kicks in the same possession. Brown is making that a priority -- an effort to reduce all the standing around when LeBron James is just dribbling -- with plans to employ a different kind of stat to entice his players to continue moving. It's sometimes called a "hockey assist," when a drive or a pass leads indirectly to a basket. His assistant coaches will keep it and, just like with charges, there figures to be a monthly bonus to the player who piles up the most.
There certainly is no question that Cleveland needs to change the structure of their offensive sets. Last season, especially in the playoffs, often times everyone would just stand around and watch LeBron James work. Very little movement or post up game was utilized.
With players such as Daniel Gibson, Larry Hughes, Sasha Pavlovic, and James able to effectively get to the basket and Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall able to shoot the ball effectively from the perimter, this offensive concept seems to make sense. The one player who this concept does not apply to is Zydrunas Ilgauskas. With more than $30,000 remaining on a three year contract, it will certainly be interesting to see how Brown works Ilgauskas into the offense.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Cleveland's Restricted Free Agent Quandry
"Cavs at forefront of NBA restraint"
Brian Windhorst
Published on Tuesday, Oct 09, 2007
There are a lot of eyes on the Cavaliers' front office these days, and it's not fans wondering when Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic are going to get signed.
Right now, the Cavs are serving as a giant test case a precedent setter for the way business is going to be handled in the NBA, and other organizations are watching carefully. The stakes are high.
Let's see if we can make this simple without launching into a deep economic diatribe. The summers of 2004, 2005 and 2006 featured record spending in the NBA. Part of it was due to a new collective bargaining agreement in 2005 that bolstered the salary cap.
Lots of max contracts were given out, numerous teams had, and used, giant amounts of cap space; lots of teams used their entire mid-level exceptions to sign mid-level players to contracts worth more than $35 million; and lots of restricted free agents got huge deals without having to get legitimate offers elsewhere.
That was the flow, now is the ebb.
With the luxury tax now known before the season and after three years of big spending, there is a recession in the NBA.
Only one team this summer, the Toronto Raptors, used its full mid-level exception on one player. Only two free agents, Rashard Lewis and Darko Milicic, changed teams for more than the mid-level exception. There were no sign-and-trade deals of significance. The market is different, and the Cavs and everybody else know it.
So here come Varejao and Pavlovic, guys coming off career seasons and looking around at their peers who got paid the past three summers. That includes their teammates. Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall all got big contracts from the Cavs in 2005, when more than a half-dozen teams had a load of cap space.
Varejao and Pavlovic want their piece of the pie, and who could blame them? Except, the pie has changed.
Varejao and Pavlovic and their agents seem to be in denial about it. Which is why they are getting so radical by attempting unprecedented holdouts to apply pressure to the Cavs. It's their attempt to buck the market.
The Cavs, looking around the league and at their highest payroll ever this season, are standing firm and refusing to pay more than the market dictates. In 2005, it dictated that a guard with Jones' track record was worth four years and $16 million. He got it. It was a market-value deal at the time.
In 2007, not a single team can offer Varejao a deal starting at more than $5.3 million this season. So why would the Cavs pay him the $9 million he wants? Varejao's side is betting the Cavs will fold under the pressure of his absence. Most of the league is watching, but shares the Cavs' viewpoint.
Here's the other factor: As things stand today, next summer appears to be just as tight. There will be a couple more teams with salary-cap space than this summer, but the free-agent class is much deeper. Being a free agent again, as Varejao and Pavlovic could've been if they took one-year qualifying offers, might not be a smart move.
However, in 2009 and probably again in 2010, many of those contracts signed between 2004-06 will expire. It appears as if the league again will be awash in available cash. That's when you want to be a free agent. Not now.
This is what Varejao and Pavlovic should focus on: getting paid for a few years and taking another bite when the money is flowing again. The offers the Cavs put on the table would've given both players huge raises for the next few years. In Varejao's case, he easily can make five times more in the next two years than he did in his first three seasons combined.
Instead, they appear to be waiting to hit that home run. Here's the rub: Nobody in the league right now is pitching.
Brian Windhorst
Published on Tuesday, Oct 09, 2007
There are a lot of eyes on the Cavaliers' front office these days, and it's not fans wondering when Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic are going to get signed.
Right now, the Cavs are serving as a giant test case a precedent setter for the way business is going to be handled in the NBA, and other organizations are watching carefully. The stakes are high.
Let's see if we can make this simple without launching into a deep economic diatribe. The summers of 2004, 2005 and 2006 featured record spending in the NBA. Part of it was due to a new collective bargaining agreement in 2005 that bolstered the salary cap.
Lots of max contracts were given out, numerous teams had, and used, giant amounts of cap space; lots of teams used their entire mid-level exceptions to sign mid-level players to contracts worth more than $35 million; and lots of restricted free agents got huge deals without having to get legitimate offers elsewhere.
That was the flow, now is the ebb.
With the luxury tax now known before the season and after three years of big spending, there is a recession in the NBA.
Only one team this summer, the Toronto Raptors, used its full mid-level exception on one player. Only two free agents, Rashard Lewis and Darko Milicic, changed teams for more than the mid-level exception. There were no sign-and-trade deals of significance. The market is different, and the Cavs and everybody else know it.
So here come Varejao and Pavlovic, guys coming off career seasons and looking around at their peers who got paid the past three summers. That includes their teammates. Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall all got big contracts from the Cavs in 2005, when more than a half-dozen teams had a load of cap space.
Varejao and Pavlovic want their piece of the pie, and who could blame them? Except, the pie has changed.
Varejao and Pavlovic and their agents seem to be in denial about it. Which is why they are getting so radical by attempting unprecedented holdouts to apply pressure to the Cavs. It's their attempt to buck the market.
The Cavs, looking around the league and at their highest payroll ever this season, are standing firm and refusing to pay more than the market dictates. In 2005, it dictated that a guard with Jones' track record was worth four years and $16 million. He got it. It was a market-value deal at the time.
In 2007, not a single team can offer Varejao a deal starting at more than $5.3 million this season. So why would the Cavs pay him the $9 million he wants? Varejao's side is betting the Cavs will fold under the pressure of his absence. Most of the league is watching, but shares the Cavs' viewpoint.
Here's the other factor: As things stand today, next summer appears to be just as tight. There will be a couple more teams with salary-cap space than this summer, but the free-agent class is much deeper. Being a free agent again, as Varejao and Pavlovic could've been if they took one-year qualifying offers, might not be a smart move.
However, in 2009 and probably again in 2010, many of those contracts signed between 2004-06 will expire. It appears as if the league again will be awash in available cash. That's when you want to be a free agent. Not now.
This is what Varejao and Pavlovic should focus on: getting paid for a few years and taking another bite when the money is flowing again. The offers the Cavs put on the table would've given both players huge raises for the next few years. In Varejao's case, he easily can make five times more in the next two years than he did in his first three seasons combined.
Instead, they appear to be waiting to hit that home run. Here's the rub: Nobody in the league right now is pitching.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The "Threat" of Europe
With free agent season coming to an end, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News yesterday wrote an excellent piece called "Europe emerging as NBA free-agent option".
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=275696
Europe emerging as NBA free-agent option
September 21, 2007
by Sean Deveney
First guard Charlie Bell threatens to sign with a Greek team in order to escape the Bucks, who own his rights as a restricted free agent. Then Andrei Kirilenko is quoted in a foreign newspaper as saying he would consider giving up the remaining $63 million on his contract with the Jazz to remain in Europe and leave the NBA.
And now, the agent for small forward Sasha Pavlovic says his client also would consider heading to Europe if a deal can't be reached with his current team, the Cavaliers. "We certainly are exploring that option," agent Marc Cornstein says. "We have to, absolutely. I am not saying we're in negotiations with European teams right now by any means. But it's an option. I wouldn't be doing my job if it wasn't."
Bell signed an offer sheet this week with Miami, which was matched by Milwaukee. But just nine days before the opening of training camp, three prominent restricted free agents -- Pavlovic, Anderson Varejao and Mickael Pietrus -- remain unsigned. Their difficult situations have raised the issue of NBA players -- especially restricted free agents -- leaving the league for European teams.
Pavlovic and the Cavaliers remain, according to Cornstein, "very far apart," on a new contract. The Cavaliers are also struggling through negotiations with Varejao, a power forward. The two sets of negotiations remain at a stalemate. Because of the restricted tag, the Cavaliers own the NBA rights for both players. If no long-term deal is worked out, the players would be forced to sign one-year qualifying offers. After fulfilling the year, they would be unrestricted free agents next summer, free to re-sign with the Cavaliers, or any of the league's other 29 teams.
Varejao's agent, Dan Fegan, has already indicated that if his client is forced to accept the qualifying offer, he is unlikely to return to Cleveland. As for Pavlovic, Cornstein says, "That would be something Sasha would have to say directly. But I think it is a safe bet he would not want to come back."
Similarly, Pietrus is looking like he won't be around for the long haul with the Warriors -- but there will be no threats of a European escape for Pietrus. His agent, Bill McCandless, says that Pietrus did, in fact, get a one-year offer from a Euroleague team worth more than 2 million Euros, or nearly $3 million. "But the problem is, the restricted tag does not come off when he comes back to the NBA," McCandless says. "We seriously thought about it. He probably would have gone, but in a year, he would come back to the NBA and still be a restricted free agent for the Warriors. We would have been right back where we started."
Instead, McCandless says, Pietrus would choose to simply hold out. Both sides, it seems, have exhausted sign-and-trade possibilities, especially after the Warriors nixed a two-for-one deal (plus a draft pick) the Heat put on the table last week. "There are basically two categories," McCandless says. "Some teams have come to us and worked something out, then presented it to the Warriors. There were two cases like that, where we had an agreement on money, but the Warriors turned it down. Then there are teams that contact the Warriors directly and negotiate that way. But the Warriors don't tell us what is going on with those talks."
Pietrus' best remaining option is to find a multiyear offer sheet, knowing he can give teams some assurance that the Warriors won't match any contract that goes beyond this year. If you're the Warriors, the downside of bringing Pietrus back is the negativity the situation has created. "We had a meeting with the team a couple of weeks ago, and Mickael came out thinking they love him and they're going to make him an offer," McCandless says. "But now, he's not happy. He feels stuck and he feels coerced."
That's the same feeling that is going around in Cleveland. Varejao and Pavlovic were key players in the bunch that LeBron James carried into the NBA Finals. Pavlovic blossomed after he was awarded the starting small forward spot in the second half of the season, averaging 12.7 points in 28 games as a starter. He tired late in the season, though, and slipped to 9.2 points in the playoffs.
Varejao is the team's top reserve, an excellent defender who averaged 6.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in 23.9 minutes last year.
The problem for the Cavaliers is that, with a payroll of nearly $65 million, paying sizable contracts to Varejao and Pavlovic will send them way over the luxury tax threshold, set at $65.4 million. That means the Cavs will pay a dollar tax for every dollar they agree to pay the two.
But just as significant a problem, just like in Pietrus' case, is bad blood these negotiations have created. The Cavaliers have made no significant additions this summer. The East has improved. It will be much more difficult for this team to return to the Finals next season. Even the Eastern Conference finals will be tough to reach. If the franchise is seen as moving backward, that will upset fans -- as well as James, who can be a free agent in 2010. If a backward move is coupled with losing Varejao and Pavlovic, you'll probably see a very angry James.
Cornstein says he doesn't even have plans to meet with Cavs GM Danny Ferry. "Right now, there's no reason," Cornstein says. "We're so far apart, it wouldn't make sense. If something changes, though, it's only an hour flight to Cleveland from New York. I am not stubborn."
Coincidentally, if Pavlovic did leave Cleveland for Europe, it's something Ferry should know quite a bit about. He once ducked out on the NBA for Europe -- remember, he went to Italy rather than play for the Clippers when he came out of college.
Considering the favorability of the exchange rate -- the U.S. dollar is very low against the Euro at the moment -- and considering all the perks that European teams include in their contracts (a house, a car) it very well could be that a player like Pavlovic would do better in Europe than in the NBA.
"It could happen eventually," McCandless says of restricted free agents signing in Europe. "Maybe not this year. But eventually, someone is going to give up on restricted free agency and play over in Europe."
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=275696
Europe emerging as NBA free-agent option
September 21, 2007
by Sean Deveney
First guard Charlie Bell threatens to sign with a Greek team in order to escape the Bucks, who own his rights as a restricted free agent. Then Andrei Kirilenko is quoted in a foreign newspaper as saying he would consider giving up the remaining $63 million on his contract with the Jazz to remain in Europe and leave the NBA.
And now, the agent for small forward Sasha Pavlovic says his client also would consider heading to Europe if a deal can't be reached with his current team, the Cavaliers. "We certainly are exploring that option," agent Marc Cornstein says. "We have to, absolutely. I am not saying we're in negotiations with European teams right now by any means. But it's an option. I wouldn't be doing my job if it wasn't."
Bell signed an offer sheet this week with Miami, which was matched by Milwaukee. But just nine days before the opening of training camp, three prominent restricted free agents -- Pavlovic, Anderson Varejao and Mickael Pietrus -- remain unsigned. Their difficult situations have raised the issue of NBA players -- especially restricted free agents -- leaving the league for European teams.
Pavlovic and the Cavaliers remain, according to Cornstein, "very far apart," on a new contract. The Cavaliers are also struggling through negotiations with Varejao, a power forward. The two sets of negotiations remain at a stalemate. Because of the restricted tag, the Cavaliers own the NBA rights for both players. If no long-term deal is worked out, the players would be forced to sign one-year qualifying offers. After fulfilling the year, they would be unrestricted free agents next summer, free to re-sign with the Cavaliers, or any of the league's other 29 teams.
Varejao's agent, Dan Fegan, has already indicated that if his client is forced to accept the qualifying offer, he is unlikely to return to Cleveland. As for Pavlovic, Cornstein says, "That would be something Sasha would have to say directly. But I think it is a safe bet he would not want to come back."
Similarly, Pietrus is looking like he won't be around for the long haul with the Warriors -- but there will be no threats of a European escape for Pietrus. His agent, Bill McCandless, says that Pietrus did, in fact, get a one-year offer from a Euroleague team worth more than 2 million Euros, or nearly $3 million. "But the problem is, the restricted tag does not come off when he comes back to the NBA," McCandless says. "We seriously thought about it. He probably would have gone, but in a year, he would come back to the NBA and still be a restricted free agent for the Warriors. We would have been right back where we started."
Instead, McCandless says, Pietrus would choose to simply hold out. Both sides, it seems, have exhausted sign-and-trade possibilities, especially after the Warriors nixed a two-for-one deal (plus a draft pick) the Heat put on the table last week. "There are basically two categories," McCandless says. "Some teams have come to us and worked something out, then presented it to the Warriors. There were two cases like that, where we had an agreement on money, but the Warriors turned it down. Then there are teams that contact the Warriors directly and negotiate that way. But the Warriors don't tell us what is going on with those talks."
Pietrus' best remaining option is to find a multiyear offer sheet, knowing he can give teams some assurance that the Warriors won't match any contract that goes beyond this year. If you're the Warriors, the downside of bringing Pietrus back is the negativity the situation has created. "We had a meeting with the team a couple of weeks ago, and Mickael came out thinking they love him and they're going to make him an offer," McCandless says. "But now, he's not happy. He feels stuck and he feels coerced."
That's the same feeling that is going around in Cleveland. Varejao and Pavlovic were key players in the bunch that LeBron James carried into the NBA Finals. Pavlovic blossomed after he was awarded the starting small forward spot in the second half of the season, averaging 12.7 points in 28 games as a starter. He tired late in the season, though, and slipped to 9.2 points in the playoffs.
Varejao is the team's top reserve, an excellent defender who averaged 6.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in 23.9 minutes last year.
The problem for the Cavaliers is that, with a payroll of nearly $65 million, paying sizable contracts to Varejao and Pavlovic will send them way over the luxury tax threshold, set at $65.4 million. That means the Cavs will pay a dollar tax for every dollar they agree to pay the two.
But just as significant a problem, just like in Pietrus' case, is bad blood these negotiations have created. The Cavaliers have made no significant additions this summer. The East has improved. It will be much more difficult for this team to return to the Finals next season. Even the Eastern Conference finals will be tough to reach. If the franchise is seen as moving backward, that will upset fans -- as well as James, who can be a free agent in 2010. If a backward move is coupled with losing Varejao and Pavlovic, you'll probably see a very angry James.
Cornstein says he doesn't even have plans to meet with Cavs GM Danny Ferry. "Right now, there's no reason," Cornstein says. "We're so far apart, it wouldn't make sense. If something changes, though, it's only an hour flight to Cleveland from New York. I am not stubborn."
Coincidentally, if Pavlovic did leave Cleveland for Europe, it's something Ferry should know quite a bit about. He once ducked out on the NBA for Europe -- remember, he went to Italy rather than play for the Clippers when he came out of college.
Considering the favorability of the exchange rate -- the U.S. dollar is very low against the Euro at the moment -- and considering all the perks that European teams include in their contracts (a house, a car) it very well could be that a player like Pavlovic would do better in Europe than in the NBA.
"It could happen eventually," McCandless says of restricted free agents signing in Europe. "Maybe not this year. But eventually, someone is going to give up on restricted free agency and play over in Europe."
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Ranking the Remaining Free Agents
With Matt Barnes recently resigning with the Golden State Warriors, one of the last available productive free agents was taken off the market. The remaining free agents can be split into three groups: veterans able to produce now (Varejo, Bell, Brown), young guys with potential (Pavlovic, Pietrus, Adams), and of course, aging veterans (Webber, Mutombo, Rose).
Here are my rankings of the top twenty remaining free agents based on desireability to teams:
1.) Anderson Varejo
2.) Charlie Bell
3.) Sasha Pavlovic
4.) Chris Webber
5.) Mickael Pietrus
6.) P.J. Brown
7.) Ruben Patterson
8.) Earl Boykins
9.) Corliss Williamson
10.) Brian Skinner
11.) James Posey
12.) Melvin Ely
13.) Dikembe Mutombo
14.) Troy Hudson
15.) Hassan Adams
16.) James White
17.) Jalen Rose
18.) Dee Brown
19.) Jeff McInnis
20.) Danny Fortson
Others include: Jumaine Jones, Gary Payton, Marc Jackson, Derek Anderson, Alexander Johnson, Yaroslav Korolev, C.J. Miles.
Boston, Detroit, New Jersey, Miami, Washington, Cleveland are the teams most likely to sign some of these players above. Boston is still looking to add one more perimeter player with Reggie Miller being mentioned to come out of retirement. If the Celtics can persuade Posey or Adams to join the team, it would be a better choice than Miller.
Detroit should add one more big body upfront to put next to Rasheed Wallace. Returning Webber would be the most logical decision, but bringing in Brown would also be a good choice. New Jersey still is light in the post. A big body like Williamson or Fortson could help them in the long run. Miami has reportedly pursued Pietrus in the past, and this would be beneficial for their perimeter defense. It is more likely though, that they return Posey or Payton. The Wizards could still use some scoring off the bench. If they can afford Ruben Patterson, he would be a great fit. Cleveland will look to bring back Pavlovic and Varejo.
Here are my rankings of the top twenty remaining free agents based on desireability to teams:
1.) Anderson Varejo
2.) Charlie Bell
3.) Sasha Pavlovic
4.) Chris Webber
5.) Mickael Pietrus
6.) P.J. Brown
7.) Ruben Patterson
8.) Earl Boykins
9.) Corliss Williamson
10.) Brian Skinner
11.) James Posey
12.) Melvin Ely
13.) Dikembe Mutombo
14.) Troy Hudson
15.) Hassan Adams
16.) James White
17.) Jalen Rose
18.) Dee Brown
19.) Jeff McInnis
20.) Danny Fortson
Others include: Jumaine Jones, Gary Payton, Marc Jackson, Derek Anderson, Alexander Johnson, Yaroslav Korolev, C.J. Miles.
Boston, Detroit, New Jersey, Miami, Washington, Cleveland are the teams most likely to sign some of these players above. Boston is still looking to add one more perimeter player with Reggie Miller being mentioned to come out of retirement. If the Celtics can persuade Posey or Adams to join the team, it would be a better choice than Miller.
Detroit should add one more big body upfront to put next to Rasheed Wallace. Returning Webber would be the most logical decision, but bringing in Brown would also be a good choice. New Jersey still is light in the post. A big body like Williamson or Fortson could help them in the long run. Miami has reportedly pursued Pietrus in the past, and this would be beneficial for their perimeter defense. It is more likely though, that they return Posey or Payton. The Wizards could still use some scoring off the bench. If they can afford Ruben Patterson, he would be a great fit. Cleveland will look to bring back Pavlovic and Varejo.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Free Agent Bargains Available
One day of free agency has gone by and already most of the top guys have come off the board. Rashard Lewis (Magic), Chauncey Billups (Pistons), Gerald Wallace (Bobcats), Vince Carter (Nets), Darko Milicic (Grizzlies), and Grant Hill (Suns) have all found homes. So what's left? Mo Williams and Anderson Varejao top the list for most people of remaining free agents, but I like a group of wing players in their mid-20's.
Today, I am going to discuss each one of these remaining free agents and what they can offer to a team.
Mickael Pietrus, Golden State Warriors, SG/SF
25, 6'6"
2006-07 Stats: 11.1 PPG 0.9 APG .67 SPG 4.5 RPG 26.9 MPG
Pietrus is an intriguing player with long arms and great quickness. He can shoot reasonably well from the outside, but is a poor ballhandler for his position which does not allow him to use his quickness well-enough as an offensive weapon. He does not see the floor well and often makes careless turnovers. Pietrus has the tools to be a shut-down defensive player, but has not reached this point yet. In the 2005-06 season, he missed significant time with a sprained MCL. At a young age, Pietrus can still become an impact player if he refines his skills on both sides of the floor. He could be a real steal for a team that does not need immediate scoring, but more of an athlete with potential. Peitrus is a restricted free agent, and should be able to get the full midlevel exception from a team. With the additions of Marco Belinelli and Brandan Wright, the Warriors may let Pietrus go.
Sasha Pavlovic, Cleveland Cavaliers, SG/SF
23, 6’7”
2006-07 Stats: 9.0 PPG, 1.6 APG, .82 SPG, 2.4 RPG, 22.9 MPG
Pavlovic has decent quickness and good size for his position, but has been inconsistent harnessing those abilities into an effective package. He can sometimes be a timid shooter and has a limited in-between game. This season, Pavlovic became a much better slasher to the basket, and had success in the second half of the season for Cleveland when playing next to Lebron James. In order to continue to improve, Pavlovic needs to limit his turnovers and continue to improve on defense. Like Pietrus, Pavlovic is also a restricted free agent. Pavlovic's contract status will likely depend on what happens with the Cavaliers other free agent, Anderson Varejo. If the Cavaliers bring back Varejo and decide they cannot fit Pavlovic onto the roster, many teams will be interested in the services of a young, scoring wing player like Pavlovic.
Matt Barnes, Golden State Warriors, SF
27, 6’7”
2006-07 Stats: 9.8 PPG, 2.1 APG, .96 SPG, 4.6 RPG, 23.9 MPG
Barnes made great strides this past season in his ability to score. He has gotten better at limiting the amount of turnovers he makes and also improved at the free throw line. He works hard and has a great willingness to defend and hustle. His jump shot was his greatest improvement from the 2005-06 season to the 2006-07 season. He needs to get better at finishing at the basket and could stand to gain strength. Barnes will never be great at creating his own shot, but he is a good player to bring off-the-bench to put points on the scoreboard. Some have questioned whether the success Barnes had last season was because of the new system ran by Warriors head coach, Don Nelson. I do not think that Barnes will be offered the midlevel exception by any team, but he will definitely improve on his minimal salary from last season. Barnes would be a good fit for a team looking to add a do-it-all type player who can put in a handful of baskets a game. If he can continue to improve from year-to-year as he did last season, Barnes could be a steal for the team that brings him in.
Deshawn Stevenson, Washington Wizards, SG
26, 6’5”
2006-07 Stats: 11.2 PPG, 2.7 APG, .79 SPG, 2.6 RPG, 29.5 MPG
Stevenson is an outstanding defensive player, who takes charges and has excelled in one-on-one defense against some of the league's top scorers. On the offensive side of the court, Stevenson still has a ways to go. He needs to be more assertive around the rim and take less mid-range jump shots off the dribble. Stevenson's three point shot could be developed further and he could work to become a better free throw shooter. He is a good fit next to a natural scorer, like the Wizards' Gilbert Arenas. However, the presence of Antonio Daniels and the selection of Nick Young in this year's draft may push Stevenson out-the-door in Washington. It's been reported that the Wizards have offered Stevenson a four-year deal worth approximately $12,000,000. It appears that Stevenson has rejected this offer, and will speak with other teams about his services. Stevenson is still young and could develop an offensive game and his defense is in demand in the league. New York, Cleveland, Orlando, Utah, Seattle, and Dallas may all be interested in Stevenson's services.
Jarvis Hayes, Washington Wizards, SF
25, 6’8”
2006-07 Stats: 7.2 PPG, 1.0 APG, .59 SPG, 2.6 RPG 20.1 MPG
Hayes fell out-of-favor early last season with Wizards coach, Eddie Jordan, and was stuck playing behind Deshawn Stevenson and Caron Butler. Hayes is a terrific shooter, who can score from anywhere on the court. He does not have a great first step, but has good size and strength for his position. He defends small forwards well, but because of only decent lateral movement, Hayes should be avoided from having to guard shooting guards. In order to improve, Hayes needs to diversify his offensive game away from the long jumpers and make more of an effort to get to the basket. He missed significant time in teh 2005-06 season because of a fractured patella, but was injury-free last season. The Washington Times reported today, that the Wizards are not expected to offer a contract to Hayes. With the additions of Nick Young and last year's first round pick, Oleksiy Pecherov, the Wizards appear to have no room to bring Hayes back. Cleveland, Toronto, Miami, San Antonio, New Orleans, and Minnesota all may have interest in having Hayes join their squad.
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