RonRon wrote:The Indiana Pacers announced Thursday they have signed free agents Sam Young, Sundiata Gaines, and Blake Ahearn to contacts.

Sam Young
Sundiata Gaines
Blake Ahearn

I like the moves that Walsh has made with his return to the Pacers.
Mahimi and Gaines were 2 solid and young, players I hoped we could have acquired in FA.

Sam Young adds another G/F just to have on the bench that can play DEF, hit wide open shots, and is just tough player.
In addition to their rotation of Paul George/Granger/Gereld Green/Orlando Johnson
Can be used to play limited minutes, like what we acquired James White for, but was very unimpressed with what I saw in Summer League.

I like Sundiata Gaines very much as a 3rd string PG, 26 years old with good athleticism/quickness/penetratation/defense.
While none of these players are superior talents or big names, they are great bang for the buck with good character/team role players with the ability to be 2 way players.
Like Plumlee, some might argue that there that their are much more talented players on board and he was selected too high but he fits in nicely with their core of
Hibbert/Plumlee/Mahimi/Tyler Hansbrough, all long athletic, has good defense, high IQ, team players, and can hit a 17 footer.

Vet Min Scales
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Jason Kapono/Redd is also working out with the Spurs, a player whom I would have chosen for the vet minimum over Novak for financial reason, possibly keeping Lin.

There were a lot of players that are in the veteran minimum scale that would have allowed us to either resign Lin or/and allow us to have the 5m MLE to use on one player or split with 2.

Also, instead of signing Kidd and Pablo, choosing some more cost efficient players with

CJ Watson/Patty Mills/Nate Robinson/

and

Pargo *both are solid*, John Lucas III, Gaines

Sean Willliams/Blatche/ retaining Jeffries

Mini MlE, 5m MLE on one player, or dividing 5m MLE on 2 players
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While keeping some of our draft picks/assets, while trading for only 1 of Camby/Felton *if we do not retain Lin and resign Novak, its possible to still trade for both and still have the full MLE

saving the mini MLE or splitting the full MLE

Delfino/ Tolliver/ Gereld Green/

full MLE for another player like Beasley/Mahimi/Camby *signed for 6m, 3 years* on the Suns, not much more than the 5m MLE.

I like Gaines also. There wasn't a more cost effective signing in the nba than Pablo. 477,000 is. Nothing in the nba.

RonRon wrote:Nets also adding Dominique McGuire and Josh Childress *ex teammate of Joe Johnson* to training camp.
Even though they do not have many roster spots left, if any at all, not sure if Blatche is guaranteed, if so they possibly have 15 already.
They have a nice combination of defensive, young, athletic players, low risk reward, and some VETS.
I am very impressed with what they have done....

McGuire is a nice forward that is athletic/strong/tough and concentrates on DEF, REB, hustel/energy as 9/10+ man.
I totally forgot about him, contributing whenever given minutes during his career in Golden State/Wizards.
He did well last year, with the injuries on GS, and his defense/hustle fit in very well with Mark Jackson's philosophy *DEFENSE/HUSTLE/TEAM WORK*
I have always thought he was under rated much like Jeffries.

I like the way Nets have been targeting/signing their min vet contracts.
I think Josh Childress and even Blatche both fit in better with Nets vs the Knicks, they have been getting GREAT VALUE with their min vet contracts and low salary players.
Nets and Pacers both have been collecting many good defense/tough players they can use vs Miami and would be very useful towards favorites like OKC, Miami, Spurs, Memphis, Spurs, and any play during their play off run.
Most importantly, players that can play off the penetration of Deron Williams/Joe Johnson, with their abilities to spread the floor, penetrate/finish, and break defenses down for the open shot.
Players that are NOT old ,still with upside and room for growth, and not physically on a downhill with their age/injuries.

Free agents Dominic McGuire and Josh Childress will work out for the Nets early next week

again, id rather have his athletic defensive presence than old kurt thomas

This new CBA sux. They should have worked in some type of clause where the traded player can go back to his original team if he gets snubbed by three other teams. And has foreign food allergies.

Jorts on the bench would've opened the door for KT to be the next Herb Williams.