Retaining Thomas
- Thread starter twslam07
- Start date
For some reason neither HoopsHype nor Storytellers has the RFA year. Don't know why not. ShamSports (link) does, and while they don't update very frequently, they're the best in the biz.
For a concise report on IT, I'd suggest checking the grade threads for each of the games you missed.
Heuge
Starter
So he is indeed a RFA?
Glenn
Hall of Famer
I'm pretty sure he is a RFA. Not sure why not.
Yes. I'm 99.99% certain. I mean, I'm not betting my house on it (well, not for $5...if I stood to win somebody else's house I probably would) but yeah, he'll be an RFA.
He is not an RFA, until qualifying offer is tendered, so technically HoopsHype and Storytellers are correct, but as Captain mentioned there's 99.999999%, it will be.
I get the joke (really! I do! See how careful I was in my language above!
) but the issue is that HoopsHype and Storytellers don't list the Qualifying Offer for IT, even though they do list the QO for other players. I really have no idea why they don't list it.Actually, maybe I've figured something out here.
If you read closely about restricted free agency at the CBA FAQ (link) you will find that:
Obviously IT qualifies for that, this being his third year in the league. But the trick is that the new CBA has mucked with the dollar amounts of qualifying offers a bit:
Over the past week, Isaiah has fulfilled the "starter criteria" for this year (and it was some time ago that he hit the average for the past two seasons), so IT's qualifying offer will be larger than listed at Sham (not that it matters as he'll exceed it either way). He'll get a qualifying offer as if he were drafted at #21...but it's not clear if that's at the standard "100%" rate (which would be $2.725M) or at the maximum "120%" rate (which would be $3.27M). This lack of clarity may be why the QO is not listed on HoopsHype/Storytellers, though it would be better to have an uncertain number than none at all.
This digging brings up an even more interesting question. Sure, IT is going to have a larger QO than expected. But we also find that players can have their QO busted down if they don't meet starter criteria. And guess who is possibly on the verge of not meeting starter criteria? Derrick Williams, he of the (apparent) $8.26M QO over a year from now. He'd never get that offer. The way things are going, though, D-Will will basically have to reach the 41 starts/2000 minutes level next year (and that's 24+ minutes in each of 82 games) to reach starter criteria and get his big QO. Otherwise he gets his QO busted down to either $3.37M or $4.05M (again, unclear). That's a level that might be worth a match.
LPKingsFan
All-Star
Hadlowe
Starter
Let me start by saying that overall I like IT. Depending on team construction, I think he can be a valuable starter. I do think most of what he does on offense can be replicated by about 20 guys in the league, some of them cheaper thant what IT costs.
On the Kings, I really do not like him. I would build this team around Cousins, meaning the offense goes through his hands eight of ten trips down the court. Knowing Cousins weaknesses on defense (slow-footed, poor rotations, bad PnR coverage), you have to have a defensive partner at point guard who can make the right play on defense 9 out of 10 times. IT isn't that guy.
The question is, who do you get to replace him? Keep in mind, that I don't think any of these guys are better than Thomas at offense, but I also don't think the Kings really need much more offense.
I've been advocating for Hinrich for most of the season. Even though he is old, there is still some defense and three point shooting left in the tank. He has also been on winning teams for most of his career. I don't know if you could lure him away from Chicago for more cash, as he might be willing to take a vet minimum to finish his career in a town that likes him.
Mario Chalmers is an interesting option. I kind of hate the guy on a personal level, but he is a solid man defender, understands team defense, and can hit a three pointer and defer to his betters. I don't know whether he will be cheaper than IT, but I also don't think the Heat are going to get in a bidding war to retain him.
Darren Collison - He is a streaky shooter, a mediocre playmaker, but a solid man defender who applies excellent ball pressure. I'm not sure the space between his ears is exactly what the Kings need, but he should be cheap this year.
On the Kings, I really do not like him. I would build this team around Cousins, meaning the offense goes through his hands eight of ten trips down the court. Knowing Cousins weaknesses on defense (slow-footed, poor rotations, bad PnR coverage), you have to have a defensive partner at point guard who can make the right play on defense 9 out of 10 times. IT isn't that guy.
The question is, who do you get to replace him? Keep in mind, that I don't think any of these guys are better than Thomas at offense, but I also don't think the Kings really need much more offense.
I've been advocating for Hinrich for most of the season. Even though he is old, there is still some defense and three point shooting left in the tank. He has also been on winning teams for most of his career. I don't know if you could lure him away from Chicago for more cash, as he might be willing to take a vet minimum to finish his career in a town that likes him.
Mario Chalmers is an interesting option. I kind of hate the guy on a personal level, but he is a solid man defender, understands team defense, and can hit a three pointer and defer to his betters. I don't know whether he will be cheaper than IT, but I also don't think the Heat are going to get in a bidding war to retain him.
Darren Collison - He is a streaky shooter, a mediocre playmaker, but a solid man defender who applies excellent ball pressure. I'm not sure the space between his ears is exactly what the Kings need, but he should be cheap this year.
upinsmoke
All-Star
About Hinrich… No thanks he's to slow footed and not in a point in his career where he can grow with the team through the years imo. I'm more on board with Chalmers but still not 100% sold on him either. It would not surprise me if one day Ray takes the starting spot away from IT and he can go back to doing what he does best pushing the tempo and getting easy buckets in transition and at 6'3 and developing all around nicely he's a threat to do it (start).
LPKingsFan
All-Star
I like Collison and think he'd fit as a steady, run the offense, decent enough at defense PG. I don't think he'd cost all that much, either, and would be fine platooning both him and Thomas if the money is right. Those quotes I posted above re: possible offers for Thomas are promising--then again, no GM is going to say "I'm gonna give him $8 million" publicly at this point.
I'm also wary of burying Ray if he continues to show progress the rest of this year.
I'm also wary of burying Ray if he continues to show progress the rest of this year.
Hadlowe
Starter
I like McCallum a lot for defense, but I don't ever see him as a starter unless we get a great playmaker at the 2 or 3 (read: not Rudy Gay). I may be wrong, but I see his ceiling as Patrick Beverly, and Beverly only works as a starter because Harden is the de facto point guard on that team.
Kyle Lowry or Eric Bledsoe are my ideal point guards to start with Cousins and Gay, but the team doesn't have the space to make a serious run at either of those two.
Kyle Lowry or Eric Bledsoe are my ideal point guards to start with Cousins and Gay, but the team doesn't have the space to make a serious run at either of those two.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Not sure why you have that opinion of McCallum. He was a very good playmaker at Detroit. He's hardly had a chance to get his feet wet with the Kings so far, and I can already see some progress. He's starting to become more aggressive with the ball and reminds me of when he was in college. Ray was never flashy in college. He just made the right pass, and seldom turned the ball over. By no means am I saying he's our starting PG of the future. But he could be. It far too early to know just what his ceiling is.
However, I love Lowry, who is probably more obtainable than Bledsoe. You work out the details and I'm on board.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
A player I really liked in college, that I don't think has ever been used properly since he was drafted, is Tony Wroten. Terrific athlete, and very good defender. I used to call him Tryeke Evans with more athleticism. He's always been a very creative passer with just a little too much of a wild streak. I've always thought, that with a good coach that could reign him in a little, he could be a good PG. He has great size at 6'6". Like Evans, he's a terrible three point shooter. If he could be had for a reasonable price, he might be worth a look.
ParniValjak
All-Star
I would be comfortable with that! Reasonable price for a great 6th man scorer who can spot start to cover injuries
