Keep or Let Go?

[shrink]

Let's say we have $11 mil under the lux next season, and 4 open roster spots after we add our draft picks. If you had to make the decision today, which free agents would you retain? I'll try to generate some sample salaries - you vote yes or no. Keep in mind we'll probably have three 1sts (MIN, MIA, BOS) with guaranteed contracts to add to the roster the following summer.

KEEP OR LET GO?

Ryan Gomes at 3 years, $4 mil ave.

Craig Smith at 3 years, $3 mil ave.

Sebastian Telfair at 1 year qualifying offer, $3.5 mil

Chris Richard at 2 years for $1.2 mil ave

[Worm Guts]

I'd keep Telfair, keep Richard and let Craig Smith go. I like Craig but he can't be on the court at the same time as Jefferson. My decision on whether to keep Gomes would be entirely based on the '09 salary cap situation. I'm hoping the Wolves will be a full max contract below the cap.

[Krapinsky]

I hate to say it, but we may have to let all of them go. Telfair may be the only one worth keeping, depending on how Foye turns out at the 1.

I'd consider resigning Smith for that price becuase he may have potential trade value.

If we aren't going to sign these guys we should move them now. Would NJ give up there first next year for a half season of Craigers + our second rounder? I'd say playing Smith at the 5 and Williams at the four would be an improvement for them.

Maybe NO would do a similar offer for Gomes or Smith?

[Gunny]

I think it really depends on who the Wolves draft and/or acquire in the offseason.

If the Wolves end up with a guiard in this year's draft, they shouldn't resign anybody. If they happen to sign or trade for a big, I think they should resign Smith. He's an effective guy coming off the bench at the 4, but doesn't need to be on the court at the same time as Jefferson.

If the Wolves draft Jordan, they should resign Telfair and Smith. Telfair is playing pretty well this year and would be a solid backup to Foye. I'm guessing we can assume that most of Foye's minutes will be dedicated to the PG position.

Resign Richard regardless. He's a nice piece to have for limited minutes every night.

Gomes is the guy that shouldn't be on the team. He's very talented, but he's the kind of role player who could help a contender, not a rebuilding team. The Wolves don't need him till about 2011-2012, when they might start to contend.

[revprodeji]

I think we should try and keep them all. Just do not over pay. I think alot of teams in rebuilding situations make the mistake of focusing on that big hit superstar, but never get the nuts and bolts role players to play with them. I think Bassy would make a very good 15-18 back up pg. I think Gomes would make a good rotation guy at the 3 (I kind of like the gomes/brewer/shad 3 man rotation) I really think we should keep Gomes. He has shown the potential to be more than just a role player. Also he has a high BBIQ and tries hard. His mid range jumper provides value as well. In the Sam Mitchell spread the floor kind of way. Which is very important to us.

Cookie is the x-factor. If someone gives him a high offer this summer to start then we should let him go. but if he is willing to stay as a back up then I would keep him. Having a consistant offensive big with good hands off the bench is a nice situation.

Richard is a very good back up big. Plays hard and moves his body around. Every team needs that.

I would bring these guys back.

[Calinks]

If Craig isn't asking for big money I don't see why we have to let him go. He doesn't have to play with Al. If we get a big defensive C that could benefit them both then they will be fine. Craig Smith is a work horse off the bench and after a few years of conditioning and strength building he could become an even better player.

[Worm Guts]

If Craig isn't asking for big money I don't see why we have to let him go. He doesn't have to play with Al. If we get a big defensive C that could benefit them both then they will be fine. Craig Smith is a work horse off the bench and after a few years of conditioning and strength building he could become an even better player.

AL should be playing 35-40 minutes a night. If Craig can't play with Al, he's barely on the court.

[MN Die Hard]

I know these are tough calls to make now, and I know it will depend on who is drafted this summer, but I also feel the powers that be should try and make decisions now to a certain extent. Why? Well if Smith and Gomes have value this year to contenders, I would rather trade them for value now (future picks, dumping contracts, other young players signed to longer rookie contracts) rather than let them walk for nothing next year.

These might even be subtle moves. For example, getting a first rounder from SA or Dallas for Gomes might not seem like much now, and it might even seem like we're giving him away. But if it is determinded that we will not resign him, then getting a late first rounder is still better than nothing.

[4ho5ive]

If we can keep all of em for cheap, Im all for it. Richard is a definite yes. I really like Gomes and Smith, but I feel like we wont be able to keep both. I think Gomes is more versatile but Cookie puts in work off the bench, im not sure who i would keep. If Telfair gets big headed this offseason let him go, but if remains humbled and doesnt mind coming back as a back up, We should make him an offer as well.

[revprodeji]

If we draft Mayo or Rose then Bassy is gone. Simple as that.

If we draft Beasley with the hope of putting him at the 3 then Gomes is gone.

Worm makes a good point about COokie not getting minutes with al. Did not think about that.

Thus we should trade cookie for value. Not just let him end. And, depending on draft idea's we should move gomes/bassy. But I would like to keep Gomes./ bassy

Richard is a no brainer to keep

[TheProdigy]

It would be a big mistake to let Gomes, Smith, Telfair, or Richard walk. We're the laughing stock of the NBA right now, and the only way we're going to be able to sign any free agents is if we grossly overpay for them. The best way to build a contender through the draft and trades like Portland has. We've got a lot of young talent already on this team, and the prospects of teaming DeAndre Jordan up with Al Jefferson is salivating. Just imagine this lineup
DeAndre Jordan/Chris Richard
Al Jefferson/Craig Smith
Corey Brewer/Ryan Gomes
Rashad McCants/Marko Jaric
Randy Foye/Sebastian Telfair

Let those guys grow together and I bet they could play with anyone.

[revprodeji]

That is a nice line-up.

[shrink]

All right, I know we'd all like to wait for the whole season, but the NBA trade deadline is February 22, and I want to know who to shop now. The longer we wait, the more teams fall out of contention, not only costing us buyers, but sometimes becoming sellers to compete with themselves. So cast your vote -- Keep or Trade? We're about $11 mil under the lux, and have four roster spots.

KEEP OR TRADE? Craig Smith 3 years, $3 mil ave?
KEEP OR TRADE? Ryan Gomes 3 years $4 mil ave?
KEEP OR TRADE? Sebastian Telfair 1 year, $3.5 mil qualifying offer
KEEP OR TRADE? Chris Richard 2 years, $1.2 mil ave?

[revprodeji]

Do you really see Bassy being offered more?

I think it also matters with the package we would be returning. None of these guys are "unmovable" but any of these guys could be seen as being part of our future as well.

btw, can you convert it to "%" since that is what trade checker uses?

[yojimbo]

At those prices, I would resign Gomes and Richard certainly. Richard is a no-brainer, and Gomes has shown an intelligence all too uncommon on most Wolves rosters. He can a do a little of everything and will get plenty of minutes regardless of who we draft.

Telfair I would maybe try to keep but only on the cheap, and depending on what happens with Marko & the draft.

Smith I would look to move at the deadline to a playoff team - he does one thing very well, which a good team can use to more advantage. This also likely makes him a more expensive signing in the offseason. The way the NBA is right now, guys like him (Corliss W., Millsap, Big Baby) are having a resurgence - which makes for good basketball - so teams with fewer problems can afford to spend a little more on a guy like him.

[C.lupus]

If you are looking to trade now, then here's my vote:
Craig Smith TRADE (love him but doesn't work next to Al)
Sebastian Telfair KEEP (He'd be my 2nd one to go but with Foye's uncertainty I wouldn't trade him this season)
Ryan Gomes KEEP for now, see what the draft brings
Chris Richard KEEP

[mandurugo]

Gomes KEEP - I think he can more effectively back up 3 and 4
Smith TRADE - he is not as versatile as Gomes
Richard KEEP - seems a viable back-up at center
Telfair KEEP - even if we end up drafting a pg that is a good position for depth

[the_bruce]

I'd trade all of them...

Get a center for us K?

[chrbal]

KEEP OR LET GO?

Ryan Gomes at 3 years, $4 mil ave.

Craig Smith at 3 years, $3 mil ave.

Sebastian Telfair at 1 year qualifying offer, $3.5 mil

Chris Richard at 2 years for $1.2 mil ave
=================================

As an outsider.

Gomes and Smith are pretty similar, so I give Smith the edge...because he'll cost less and hes shooting better from the field. Only problem is fouls (just about double Gomes in fewer minutes), but thats not that much of an issue.

Telfair is a heck yeah. He is a 22 year old PG with a ton of potential and its a one year trial (Qualifying offer).

Richard, not at that much. Offer him a bit more then the minimum for a player entering his 2nd season.

[deeney0]

I don't know yet. Hopefully the next 40 games shed some light on this.

Craig is a backup on this team; if he accepts backup money, I'd love to keep him.

Do Gomes and Bassy have spots on this team? Depends on the draft. If the pick is Beasley, Gomes doesn't have a spot. If the pick is a guard, Bassy probably doesn't have a spot. If the pick is a C, they both might have spots.