The "best" FA centers out there are (probably in this order):
1a DeAndre Jordan (restricted)
1b Marc Gasol (restricted)
Tyson Chandler
Nene (player option---I think he may have even opted out already)
Sammy Dalembert
Greg Oden (restricted)
Oden, under normal circumstances, would be at the top of this list but he's coming back off the serious knee trouble. Who knows what he can really do now. If he proves he's healthy, he'd shoot up to the top of this list w/o a doubt; if not, Portland probably won't even offer him a contract...D Jordan & Gasol are difference-makers for sure but I highly doubt their teams let them go---both the Clippers and Memphis are quietly building a couple of nice young teams....Suddenly, that list starts to shrink ---- now you're talking Chandler, Nene or Dalembert...Now you gotta figure any of these leftover three will command at least full MLE-type money..Here's my big thing with these guys: does adding one of these guys at say $5-7M a pop over how many years (depends on the new CBA agreement -- I believe a full MLE deal may only wind up lasting 3 yrs total now based on the lastest labor discussions...DeAndre Jordan & Gasol probably get more than this btw and I agree with SSj4Wingzero: Chandler, esp. coming off a championship, will get offers for more than 1 year) put us over the top and into the top echelon? And at the expense of possibly adding that 3rd star player?? Remember, the goal is to break through and win it all within the next few years, now that we have Amar'e AND Melo on board..We've knocked at the door and fallen short before, God knows...Been there, done that...I want that chip now!!
I don't know if I'm ready to go all-in yet with one of these guys and sacrifice the whole notion of adding a 3rd star (which still looks like a possibility btw -- it looks like the league doesn't plan on dropping the salary cap ceiling from last year and I haven't heard anything about franchise player tags in awhile so hopefully that idea was shelved)...I might go the more cost effective route, provided they don't really see Jerome Jordan or Jorts Harrellson as a viable full-time answer. The following guys would come much cheaper -- these guys could probably add just as much production for far less money:
Marcus Cousin (provided Houston cuts him loose, which most Houston fans I've blogged with on various Rocket message boards around the net feel they will...VERY SKILLED. I love this guy's game and would love to add him at a good price. He'd be tremendous value all the way).
Dwayne Jones (MONSTER REBOUNDER wherever he's played since his college days at St. Joseph's -- he'd be an excellent dirty-work guy to put next to Amar'e...I mean why pay $6M a year over 3 years or more for Ty Chandler when this guy could offer the same type of intangibles for far less money?).
Kyrylo Fesenko (huge and fairly nimble 5 with some post skill, a little touch and a no-nonsense attitude. He may cost a little more than Cousin or Jones having actually played in the NBA the last couple of years, but not by much. He'd definitely cost less than the guys on the 1st list).
So what do we do? Do we throw the full MLE at Ty Chandler and forget all about adding CP3 this summer or by the deadline?? Would Chandler along with a couple of other minor signings put us on the level with the Heat, the Celtics, the Lakers or the Mavericks?? Who knows, maybe -- look at that Maverick team -- they weren't chock full of stars -- they also don't play in the East where they have to get past the Heat & Celtics to get to the show..Yet they beat the Heat in the show, so I guess they were good enough.. Dallas certainly does make you re-think the whole "match the Heat's 3-star attack" thing..I don't know how to feel about it...All I know is we're real close now and I'd hate to revert back to old ways by throwing all available money at the wrong player(s). Adding a Marcus Cousin or a Dwayne Jones almost ensures we'd add talent in the middle to cover our weaknesses at a great price while keeping cap room open for that big fish eventually. I think this might be the way to go. For now..
