So, that leaves us to decide what to do this offseason to really build our championship squad (it also means that we must extend Chauncey to his $14.2M expiring because otherwise we wouldn't get our salary cap exceptions (assuming they extend the current CBA rules) and assume that Turiaf picks up his player option since he has been playing like crap.

This all means that we are no longer counting cap space, we are only making the best use of our exceptions without regard to preserving space in 2012. In short, you have your Rookie Scale Contract exception (assume pick #17), the Mid Level Exception ($6M), a LLE ($2M) and unlimited Vet Minimum exceptions.

No trades (for now).

Last, assume the D'antoni remains in charge and is adamant about sticking to an 8 man rotation.

So, your core team is as follows:

PG Chauncey Billups
SG Landry Fields
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Amare Stoudemire
C
PG/SG Toney Douglas
PF/C Ronnie Turiaf
SF/PF

Bench:
Lautins
Walker
Jordan
Balkman

An imperfect list of 2011 Free Agents is http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-11-12

Here's mine:

Pick 17 Freddette (D'antoni pick -- can't waste another pick on a PF/C development project. Hopefully Jerome Jordan has learned enough to come back stateside).
MLE (Deandre Jordan cannot be had for the MLE, but if he can I'd try. After that, I think Dalembert takes it and gives us the defensive presence in the paint we've been looking for. Its a little less than he might be worth, but I think he takes it. I don't really like the signing, but we really need some size)
LLE -- Hopefully Marcus Thornton signs for $2M and isn't matched by SacTown.
Vets Min (any number): Grant Hill.

PG Chauncey Billups/Toney Douglas/Jimmer Freddette
SG Grant Hill/Marcus Thornton
SF Carmelo Anthony/Landry Fields/Bill Walker
PF Amare Stoudemire/Ronnie Turiaf
C Samuel Dalembert/Jerome Jordan

We still need some depth in the paint, but still a work in progress. I think if this team can start together from training camp, it could challenge in the East though. It is also missing a perimeter defender. I really think dropping Corey Brewer was a mistake cause he could have been that guy. I would have cut Balkman (and ate his $1.675 for three years). But, what can you do.

EwingsGlass wrote:

fishmike wrote:if the Clippers offered you Jordan signed and traded for 5 years $40mm ($8 per) for Turiaf, Douglas, Fields and whoever we draft would you do it? You would still have the MLE to work with.

Yes.

I like it but the price is a little stiff. I would take out the first round pick. TD and Fields should be enough to get Jordan.

NYKBocker wrote:

EwingsGlass wrote:

fishmike wrote:if the Clippers offered you Jordan signed and traded for 5 years $40mm ($8 per) for Turiaf, Douglas, Fields and whoever we draft would you do it? You would still have the MLE to work with.

Yes.

I like it but the price is a little stiff. I would take out the first round pick. TD and Fields should be enough to get Jordan.

I think the price is probably right. Less than including the 1st rounder and it is a steal. Unfortunately, I think Fields is a product of the system and a good role player, but not a Scottie Pippen (as one article suggested). Douglas is a bit to inconsistent for me to build around. He's not my PG of the future and I think at SG he gives up too much size. Love the kid, but his best value to us is through trade. That leaves the 1st rounder as the only real incentive to LAC to make a sign and trade. I mean, maybe you get a 2nd rounder back, but I think we are still winning this trade.

nyk4ever wrote:i think the best news regarding jordan is that he's been sick lately and had to sit out a few games and chris kaman has absolutely lit it up in his place. i think jordan is a del negro project and kaman's play might make the clips think twice about giving jordan a big contract, we might be able to sneak in on him...

Or, you might say that makes Kaman more tradeable to other teams. I don't think anyone is "sneaking" in on Deandre Jordan, he's a pretty well known commodity at this point.