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Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story
2013 Offseason Review
By Aaron Vickers |ESPN.com
August 2, 2013
The flurry and hurry of the offseason is coming to a close as teams begin to solidify their lineups and look to the season ahead. GMs are tidying up their books for the coming season, coaches are drawing up their plays, and players are enjoying the last of their vacation before training camps open up.
There were some major moves in the post-draft offseason. Teams have changed and organizations have charted their course. Here’s the analysis:
76ers
Re-sign Andrew Bynum to a $16.92M/5 yr deal
Sign Metta World-Peace to a $1.07M/1 yr deal
Sign Marques Daniels to a minimum deal
Philly surprised a lot of people last year with a playoff run that upset the Indiana Pacers. Unfortunately, they met the reinvigorated Bulls and Derrick Rose, got beat in five games, and went home. But this team has made progress. They had a late surge to get into the playoffs last year and brought back most of the same personnel, starting with Andrew Bynum.
Despite Bynum’s injury history he played very well in the last 22 games of the season, averaging 18.5 PPG and 11.3 RPG over 33.3 MPG.
That was enough for the Sixers to sign Bynum long term and they now have their building blocks in Holiday and Bynum. They went out and signed Bynum’s former teammate, Metta World Peace, as a veteran bench player. Peace isn’t what he once was but he liked playing with Bynum … not surprising considering the two have similar dispositions some days. Peace can be a useful contributor to a young team.
Daniels is there in case of emergency and even then someone has to be really desperate to play him.
Bobcats
Amnesty Tyrus Thomas
Sign Tyreke Evans to a $12.70M/4 yr deal
Sign Kyle Korver to a minimum deal
Sign Tyler Hansbrough to a $2.48M/2 yr deal with player option
The Bobcats are a legitimate threat to win games for the first time in three years and that’s a marked changed from where the team has been in the Jordan Era. Jordan’s ownership of the Bobcats has been seen by many as a mixed blessing: on one hand having the greatest player to ever play as your owner is pretty sweet. On the other, having the one of the worst GMs in the history of the league be your owner is pretty bad.
But Jordan has been dictating those duties to his staff more so than in years past and the results are intriguing to say the least. They amnestied Tyrus Thomas after a disappointing season. They then went after Tyreke Evans whom the Kings released, an expected move as both parties wanted nothing of one another and the market for Evans wasn’t strong. Seeing Evans land in Charlotte is a bit of a surprise but when Michael Jordan personally pitches you to join his team, you do it.
The Bobcats also signed favorite son of the TarHeels Tyler Hansbrough to a modest deal, bringing Psycho T back to North Carolina. Not a bad offseason for a team that has completely remade itself … but the question is what are they? They’ll have to figure it out this season.
Bucks
Amnesty Drew Gooden
Re-sign Brandon Jennings to a $13.83M/5 yr deal: Trade Jennings,
Pierre Jackson to PHX for Goran Dragic, Kendal Marshal, 2014 1st round pick (Top 3 protected)
Trade Monta Ellis to MINN for Andrei Kirilenko, Luke Ridnour, 2014 1st round pick (Top 3 protected)
Trade Luc Mbah A Moute to SA for Boris Diaw, 2014 2nd round pick
Sign JJ Redick to a $3.14M/1 yr deal with player option
The Bucks have blown up the team that barely made the playoffs last year with a 41-41 record. The Jennings-Ellis backcourt proved what so many people believed in the NBA: you cannot play with two scoring guards sharing the same backcourt. Though this took the Bucks some time to figure out, the value of Jennings and Ellis still remained high.
For Jennings, it was understandable that he wanted out of Milwaukee. He hadn’t had a very consistent staff around him in the years he was there and he had expressed displeasure with the way the Bucks were running things. It was time to part ways with him and the Bucks got themselves a haul with a first round pick, Dragic, and Marshal from the Suns, who needed a face of the franchise and got one in Jennings.
Ellis was the next to be traded and he ends up in an ideal role for him: a starter to provide instant offense for a Timberwolves team that struggles on offense without Kevin Love on the court. Though they had to give up a draft pick in a strong draft class to get him along with AK47, the Timberwolves have shown Love that they’ll do what it takes to surround him with talent to win.
The Bucks then swung LRMAM to the Spurs for Boris Diaw and a second round pick. The Bucks have the most internationally flavored team in the NBA with Dragic, AK47, and Ilyasova in the starter roles. They then went into free agency and got JJ Redick to provide the offense they lost with Ellis. The Bucks are still a competitive team for this year and have secured three first round draft picks in what many scouts are calling the most loaded draft the NBA has seen in years. Not a bad day for Milwaukee fans.
Bulls
Amnesty Carlos Boozer
Sign Pablo Prigioni to a minimum deal
Sign Daequan Cook to a $1.38M/2 yr deal
Sign Samuel Dalembert to a $1.29M/1 yr deal with player option
The end for Carlos Boozer was spelled out in the playoffs when the Bulls benched him in the Heat series for Taj Gibson and Gibson rose to the occasion, helping the Bulls beat the defending champs and then held his own in a series against the Thunder. Boozer was displeased with being benched and the Bulls cut him, finally getting out of his nasty contract.
With Boozer gone the Bulls are now looking for a legitimate running mate for Derrick Rose and hope to find that mate in this upcoming draft or in free agency. For this year, the Bulls are looking at a full year of Derrick Rose and improved play from the two spot with Kirk Hinrich now inhabiting the starting role. The bench mob of the Bulls has again been rebuilt, now starring veteran big man Samuel Dalembert and returning shooter Daequan Cook. Are the Bulls better now without Boozer? They seemed to be that way in the playoffs. Whatever the case the Bulls are priming for a deep run into the playoffs and are willing to offer a lucrative contract to a free agent.
Who will that be?
Cavs
Sign Patrick Mills to $2.73M/2 yr deal
The Cavs grab a decent backup to Kyrie Irving but preserve the bulk of their cap space for this upcoming summer. Irving continues to grow as a star and waits patiently for Cleveland to pounce … that time is next summer. If not, Irving could bounce in 2015.
Celtics
Sign Ronnie Price to a $770K/1 yr deal
The biggest move of their offseason? Keeping the core together. This is the last ride for these Celtics and Danny Ainge has made that clear. Most, if not all of the core big three, will be gone next year if the Celtics can’t pull themselves back into the playoffs. This will be an interesting test for a veteran team.
Clippers
Re-sign Chris Paul to a $17.24M/4 yr deal with player option
Re-sign Chauncey Billups to a $3.56M/1 yr deal
Sign Mike Bibby to a minimum contract
Sign Chris Kaman to a $3.11M/1 yr deal with player option
The Clippers re-signed Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, and brought back veteran big Chris Kaman. Kaman will provide a big lift off the bench and provide foul-prone Deandre Jordan with a bit of cover. The Clippers best moves of the offseason came during the draft, stocking up youth and talent, and should be competitive in the West. Chris Paul has made the Clippers legitimate threats … it just may take a little more.
Grizzlies
Re-sign Tony Allen to a $1.43M/2 yr deal
Sign Nazr Mohammed to a minimum deal
Tony Allen is back and the Grizzlies maintain their veteran core of players for another shot at the playoffs. No big moves for the financially conscious Grizzlies and that was completely expected.
Hawks
Re-sign Jeff Teague to a $5.86M/4 Yr deal
Sign Wayne Ellington to a $2.20M/2 yr deal
Sign Michael Pietrus to $1.42M/1 yr deal
The post-Josh Smith era gets fully underway and now the team is Al Horford’s and Jeff Teague's. Getting Teague back was a big coup for the Hawks, who invested in the development of the young point guard and had him come back without any trouble. The Hawks pick up veteran Air France to backup Chandler Parsons and sign Wayne Ellington to backup Louis Williams. The Hawks preserved a large amount of cap space for the next summer while remaining competitive in a slightly stronger East.
Heat
Amnesty Mike Miller
Sign Mike Dunleavy to a $1.11M/1 yr deal
The Heat let go of fan favorite but overpaid bench player in Mike Miller and used the free space to sign sharpshooter Mike Dunleavy off the free agent scrap heap. With Rashard Lewis leaving the Heat to find greener pastures (read: more money) the Heat have reloaded with another vet. Whether this one works out better than Miller or Lewis is another question all together.
Hornets
Sign Sebastian Telfair to a $1.99M/1 year deal with player option
Sign Maurice Evans to a 880K/1 yr deal
The Hornets spent the offseason developing their young talent and also taking stock of the massive amount of expiring contracts and cap space they have: they’re in a very enviable position. Core pieces Anthony Davis, Austin Rivers, Ryan Gordon, Eric Gordon, and new center Cody Zeller are signed for at least another three years … the rest of the team is one, big, expiring contract.
With the summer of 2014 approaching, the Hornets find themselves flush with money and could be major players in that market, and the trade market. Until then, they wait.
Jazz
Sign Darren Collison to a $8.11M/3 yr deal with player option
Sign Ronnie Brewer to a $2.06M/3 yr deal
Re-sign Marvin William to a $1.58M/2 yr deal
Sign Jajuan Johnson to a $2.18M/2 yr deal with player option
The Jazz brought in a young point guard in Darren Collison to run with their front line of Derrick Favors and Al Jefferson. They brought back Ronnie Brewer to give them a lock down defender and a hard working player. They signed back Marvin Williams to an appropriate deal and brought in a decent backup forward.
The Jazz have strengthened their short term and long term prospects. They’re playoff contenders … are they championship contenders? Not yet but they’re getting there.
Kings
Amnesty John Salmons
Sign Kwame Brown to a minimum deal
The Kings did something right this offseason and that’s surprising considering their recent history. With the new ownership group in charge the team is finally heading in a right direction. They did sign Kwame Brown however … so they’re still getting rid of their knucklehead tendencies.
Knicks
Sign Steve Blake to a minimum deal
Sign James Posey to a minimum deal
Sign Louis Amundson to a minimum deal
Sign Joel Pryzbilla to a minimum deal
The Knicks pulled some veterans off the scrap pile to help replace the ones they lost to retirement this offseason. There’s not a signing here that really stands out, minus Louis Amundson who played well in his time with the Suns and Amare. The Knicks continue to epitomize the “win-now” mentality … whether they will or not is another question.
Lakers
Amnesty Steve Blake
Re-sign Earl Clark to a $2.11M/3 yr deal
Trade Chris Duohon, Earl Clark, 2015 1st round pick for DEN Wilson Chandler, Drew Crawford
Sign John Salmons to a minimum deal
Sign Tyrus Thomas to a minimum deal
Sign Drew Gooden to a minimum deal
The Los Angeles Lakers suffered a huge loss in free agency when Dwight Howard did what few have ever done before: he willingly left LA and left them in a huge lurch. The post-Kobe era is now a huge question mark but that’s okay … the Lakers are still the Lakers and they made some shrewd moves. They finally cut Steve Blake, then re-signed Earl Clark to a decent deal, then swung Earl and a pick for Wilson Chandler, someone who is going to be a big help at the weak three spot.
They picked up two veterans in Salmons and Gooden, then signed the young Tyrus Thomas. Thomas has been a player who has never achieved the potential that he has and the Bobcats parted ways with him to free up cap space. Thomas is now with a winning organization and one that has the ultimate competitor in Kobe leading the way. Thomas will likely be a starter for the new look Lakers, moving Gasol back to the five spot and that’s a good thing.
Magic
Sign James Anderson to a $2.15M/2 yr deal
Sign Timofey Mozgov to a $1.55M/3 yr deal
The Magic continue to stockpile youth and cheap contracts. They’re not looking to make a big splash like their division rival Bobcats, but are rather taking the patient approach. Though it’s not the most fan-friendly approach, the Magic did draft Shabazz Muhammad and that player will make their team very exciting going forward.
Mavericks
Re-sign Rodrigue Beaubois to a $3.27M/1 yr deal
Sign AJ Price to a minimum deal
Re-sign Dahntay Jones to a $1.35M/1 yr deal
Sign Mike Miller to a minimum deal
Sign Charlie Villanueva to a $1.98M/1 year deal with player option
Sign Dwight Howard to a $16.68M/3 yr deal with player option
The biggest free agent in this class was Dwight Howard and he ends up playing with Dirk and Kemba in Dallas. This was a huge coup for Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who personally pitched Dwight with Dirk by his side along with his management staff. D12 leaves the lost Lakers for Texas and signs a deal that gives the Mavs their star going forward for the next three years and gives Dwight the flexibility to go into free agency again, should he so choose.
They picked back up Beaubois and Jones in FA, then signed similarly shooting four Charlie Villanueva to a decent deal. The underrated pickup here may be Mike Miller, who is looking for a bit of redemption after getting cut by the Heat.
Dallas has now vaulted themselves back into contention for a title.
Nuggets
Re-sign Andre Iguodala to a $9.74M/3 yr deal with player option
Trade Wilson Chandler, Drew Crawford to LA for Earl Clark, Chris Duhon, and a 2015 1st round pick
The Nuggets brought back AI to a respectable deal and helped clear out the logjam at the three spot by sending Chandler to LA. The Nuggets management continues to impress with their skills in wheeling and dealing … Denver could go far this year.
Pacers
Sign Jose Calderon to a $3.25M/1 yr deal with player option
Sign Carlos Boozer to a minimum deal
Trade Danny Granger, Orlando Johnson to WAS for Jordan Crawford,
Trevor Ariza
The Pacers surprising loss to the Sixers in the playoffs has triggered two big moves. First, the end of Danny Granger in a Pacers uniform. Granger no showed throughout the entire series against the Sixers and his shooting was off. Much of this can be attributed to Granger continuing to recover from an injury he suffered during the regular season but he became the scapegoat, along with David West, for the Pacers failure to advance past the first round.
Granger being traded to the Wizards was the best for both parties as the Pacers get back shooter and sometimes knucklehead Jordan Crawford, a young piece on an expiring deal and former decent player Trevor Ariza, also on an expiring deal. The Pacers let West walk in free agency and then picked up Carlos Boozer, fresh from being amnestied by the Bulls, to replace him. Boozer is looking for revenge after the Bulls let him go and joining the division rival Pacers will help him get that.
With Granger gone Paul George can now assume his natural spot at the three. The Pacers also picked up veteran point guard Jose Calderon, who will help run their second unit. They are now one of the better teams in the East and may be able to finally challenge Lebron and company.
Pistons
Sign Ish Smith to a $3.44M/2 yr deal with player option
Re-sign Jason Maxiell to a $1.34M/2 yr deal
A quiet offseason for the Pistons but one that saw two important things happen: the arrival of Eric Bledsoe and the continued maturation of Brandon Knight. The two should make an interesting backcourt duo as the Pistons are sure to lock Bledsoe up for the long term this offseason with the large amount of cap they have. Greg Monroe is also one who’s going to get locked up to a long term deal and things should get very interesting for Detroit in the next few years.
Re-signing Maxiell and bringing in Ish Smith should help a bench that struggled last year to do anything of consequence.
Raptors
Sign Josh McRoberts to a $1.35M/1 yr deal with player option
At least they didn’t overpay anyone.
Rockets
Sign Will Bynum to a $1.40M/1 yr deal with player option
Sign Leandro Barbosa to a $2.41M/1 yr deal with player option
Sign Jermaine O’Neal to a $1.68M/1 yr deal
Sign David West to a $7.00M/1 yr deal
The Rockets big trade for Josh Smith before the deadline didn’t quite get them to the playoffs but it did get them a core of players that will be together for at least the next two years. With plenty of cap space leftover the Rockets went out and signed key bench contributors and a veteran big in David West who looks to inhabit the starting role and provide valuable tutoring to Royce White, the future at the four.
Spurs
Sign Paul Millsap to a $9.09M/3 yr deal with player option
Re-sign Dejuan Blair to a $1.52M/1 yr deal
Re-sign Tiago Splitter to a $1.74M/2 yr deal
Trade Boris Diaw, 2014 2nd round pick for MIL Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
The Spurs had an unusual thing happen to them in the playoffs with them being ousted by a lesser team. They went out and brought in Paul Millsap, a hopeful big man bridge that can use to ease into the eventual post-Tim Duncan era. The picked up LRMAM on the cheap who’ll be a big contributor off the bench defensively and resigned Dejuan Blair and Tiago Splitter, two bigs who know the team and the system.
As usual, the Spurs have quietly had a good offseason and lie in wait for the playoffs.
Suns
Trade Goran Dragic, Kendall Marshall, 2014 1st round pick (Top 3 pick) for MIL Brandon Jennings, Pierre Jackson
The Suns made their big move, trading for a franchise piece in Brandon Jennings but giving up a big haul to do so. Jennings is with them for the next five years however and should be a big reason for the Suns to climb back into respectability. Though they had to give up their draft pick to get him, Jennings has never been part of an organization who will green light him to do all the things he does so well before … the gloves are off for him and the Suns hope he makes the leap.
Thunder
Re-sign Eric Maynor to a $2.45M/2 yr deal with player option
Sign Andray Blatche to a $5.03M/2 yr deal with player option
Eric Maynor comes back to lead the deadly second unit for the Thunder which only gets better with the addition of big man scoring threat Andray Blatche. They let Kevin Martin walk in FA and Jeremy Lamb will step into his place. Lamb, who played very well in the Finals, will be the future at that position and the Thunder have made themselves better to defend their title. The West is theirs to have.
Timberwolves
Re-sign Chase Budinger to a $1.38M/1 yr deal
Sign Kenyon Martin to a $1.08M/1 yr deal
Sign Stephen Jackson to a minimum deal
Re-sign Nikola Peklovic to a $5.88M/2 yr deal with player option
Trade Andrea Kirilenko, Luke Ridnour, 2014 1st round pick (Top 3 protected) for MIL Monta Ellis
This was a make or break offseason for the Timberwolves. Kevin Love is tired of rebuilding and tired of being stuck in the lottery, missing year after year on picks. Kahn has changed the dynamics for the Wolves, bringing in Monta Ellis and giving them a boost of offense they so need. Bringing back Peklovic was a big plus, as well as bringing in veterans Martin and Jackson, both still with the skills to compete and be valuable.
The Wolves gave up their first round pick to do so but appeasing Love is what’s most important at this point as he and Rubio are the only things keeping the franchise afloat.
TrailBlazers
Re-sign JJ Hickson to a $6.88M/4 yr deal
JJ Hickson proved himself in the latter half of the season and though he didn’t have the best playoff series, no one did on the Blazers versus the Spurs. Hickson’s return on a friendly contract helps the Blazers both in the long and short term.
Warriors
Re-sign Jarret Jack to a $4.12M/3 yr deal
Jack is instant offense off the bench and allows the team to run some very fun lineups.
Wizards
Sign Beno Uldrih to a $1.25M/1 yr deal
Trade Jordan Crawford, Trevor Ariza to IND for Danny Granger,
Orlando Johnson
The Wizards must make the playoffs this year or face the possibility of John Wall demanding a sign and trade this offseason. Wall has let it be known that he wants to be part of a winning organization and the Wizards haven’t done a lot of that in his time with them. If the Wizards can challenge for a playoff spot and make it, Wall is likely to re-sign and allow the team to surround him with talent.
If not, the Wizards face a situation where they’d have a disgruntled star player on their hands. That’s a situation no team wants and that’s why Danny Granger was brought in. Granger, like Nene before him, is a veteran who’s had success in the playoffs and looks to fit in well with the Wizards as a shooter who can sit and snipe while Nene works it in the low post.
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02-22-2013, 11:14 AM
Also great 'chise, can't wait for more
