What Teams Might Make Glen Davis an Offer?
Who can offer Davis a decent contract?
Technically, any team can. But Iโm ruling out any team at or over the luxury tax threshold. I doubt any team will want to pay double for most players, including Glen Davis.
That leaves an amazing 16 teams (I threw one more in). These teams are below the estimated luxury tax threshold (projected around $70 mil) going into this next season.
That is as important as being under the cap in this case, because Davis canโt be offered more than the average player salary, which is the same as the MLE, and all will have the MLE available.
The question remains whether he will get an offer for the full mid level amount. It would not be a complete surprise if he does, but he most certainly will get offers of value leading up to that amount, even in a bad economy.
Iโm surprised at how many teams have started to get their financial house in order for bigger game in 2010. The current economy has tanked the investments and wreaked havoc on the net worth of many current NBA franchise owners. Offers will be far more prudent in general, I believe.
Just who might make Glen Davis an offer? How much might that offer be? What would be a better situation for Davis, if any?
Here are the teams with a few comments. I donโt pretend to know any more about this than you do. The Celtics are non-committal at this point whether they will match any offer.
Have any thoughts yourself? feel free to chime in after seeing the probable teams.
They are at $40 million without re-signing Mike Bibby and Marvin Williams.
Assuming they resign Williams at close to his qualifying offer of $7.3 mil. They will have to determine what it will take to get Bibby back.
Even if they re-sign both, it appears that Zaza Pachulia may seek another destination.
The knock on the Hawks is that they donโt really have a team identity. Glen Davis would be an excellent role player on that team, and back up both the 4 and 5 positions. The Hawks would still need height with Horford/Davis manning the middle.
$58.4 million right now.
They are below the luxury tax threshold. A question here is if owner Robert Johnson will spend the money. They are losing substantial money each season and he trying to sell the franchise.
It would make sense that they will make the qualifying offer to Raymond Felton ($5.5mil.), but not to Sean May ($3.7 mil)
Davis could be the power forward/back up center that Sean May never could.
$39 mil using options.
They have plenty of money. But how much will they use before 2010? Iโm not sure how Dumars plays this season.
Will they try to re-sign Wallace and/or McDyess? Signs point to no, unless they will re-sign at big discounts.
If they let both of those players walk, they will need some big bodies. An offer to Davis would help both parties. Davis would get solid playing time with some good players, and it wouldnโt cost Detroit that much.
$61 mil.
Theoretically they could make an offer and stay under the penalty. Itโs hard to figure out what goes on in the mind of Don Nelson these days. It is said that they are looking for a star to lead them. I donโt think that Davis is quite what they have in mind.
With many transition opportunities, Glen could thrive there, as could many offensive minded players.
$55.2 mil
If Rasho Nesterovic leaves, it means that Roy Hibbert, and Jeff Foster will man the pivot. Thatโs not much offense from there, though OโBrien might not be looking for that from their center.
Still, Glen could possibly start at center for some match ups, and back up Troy Murphy and Foster at other times.
L.A. Clippers
$60.7 mil.
They expect to sign Blake Griffin with their number one draft choice. That would count Glen out, as they are stacked at the big positions.
$35.9 mil.
Plenty of money. Depends on what they think of Darell Arthur (who largely disappointed, but is young) and what they think of Davis. With Mayo and Gay, not enough basketballs to go around either. One if the leagueโs youngest nuclei. It would be entertaining, that is for sure.
If Charlie V. gets a better offer and they him walk, they would have a slot and enough to offer Davis something less than it would take to resign Charlie.
$50 mil.
While they have a core of talent, they are another undersized team. Glen would not change that. Glen could be a contributing force as a back up to Al Jefferson and Kevin Love.
Would compete with Ryan Gomes and Craig Smith for minutes. Seems too redundant for Wolves to be interested.
$59 mil.
Their needs are defense and rebounding. They have Ryan Anderson and Yi Jianlian.
$42.5 mil.
This is an interesting one because the player who played a lot of power forward for them, 6โ 9" Jeff Green, had stats much like Glen might have as a starter. 16 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2 assists in almost 37 minutes of play.
Glen is a better offensive rebounder and can guard most centers. Jeff is a solid three point shooter.
For all the talk about what a poor rebounder Davis is, there is no such criticism about Green playing the same slot. Hmmโฆ..
To be sure, they are very different players. My question is, โDoes your power forward always have to be one of the teamโs best rebounders?โ The normal answer is yes. . Same thing for Rashard Lewis. He is a 4 who is not a big time rebounder.
I believe that Davis can and will rebound better. But if you can do other things well and the team has other board men, it can be less of an issue.
Anyway, I donโt see the Thunder offering Davis a contract with solid, perhaps under rated Nick Collison there.
$71.2 mil
I only put the Magic here for a couple of very fanciful reasons. If they lose Marcin Gortat, and Hedo Turkoglu opts out ($7.3 mil) and signs elsewhere, then Davis could be an option.
They could move Rashard Lewis to small forward when Davis is in the game, and Glen could back up Dwight Howard.
That Davis is not a three point shooter makes this scenario even less likely, but hey, not completely impossible.
$ 58.5 mil.
With Elton Brand, Thaddeus Young, Sam Dalembert, Marreese Speights, and Reggie Evans there is little chance of an offer.
Portland Trailblazers
$48.9 mil.
No chance to start here. But itโs rumored that they will not make the qualifying offer of $4.2 to Channing Frye. That would leave money and room for a back up power forward on a team that has two shot blockers (Oden, Pryzbilla) at center to mitigate Glenโs lack of length.
Nate McMillan is an excellent coach. It would be a good situation for Glen, and there is no love lost between Portland and Danny Ainge over Darius Miles. The minutes probably wouldnโt be there for Glen, though.
$45 mil.
Davis would have to play back up to two young studs in Spencer Hawes (C), and Jason Thompson (PF), the team is not very good, and there is no head coach at the moment. Rumor is that the Kings would like to lure Hedo Turkoglu back.
If they donโt make the qualifying offer to Ike Diogu ($3.9 mil) that money could be used for a young player establishing himself, like Davis.
$69.6 mil
Before you laugh this one off, the Spurs need to get younger. If they sign Drew Gooden, then forget it.
What Popovich feels is a player that fits, is sometimes surprising (see Matt Bonner). Glen could take Kurt Thomasโ minutes. Fabricio Obertoโs contract is not fully guaranteed.
Maybe Gregg remembers the defensive job Glen did on Tim Duncan. Naw, youโre right. Never would happen.
$47.9 mil
With Chris Bosh, Andre Bargnani, and possibly Shawn Marion, an offer is not likely. There are rumors now that Bosh could be moved. Too many unknowns, if true. Right now, they need a defensive stopper in the middle for back up to Bargnani. Yes, even with Patrick OโBryant on the roster.
There you have it.
Iโd like to see the Celtics re-sign Davis. If they let a well established Jamesย Posey go, they might let Davis go as well. But I think it would not be wise to do so.
That is a ton of teams with some money available. Your guess is as good as mine as to how many will wait until the following season to really spend for big game Free Agents.
It will beย enlightening to see justย what teams areย interested in Glen.
His agent, John Hamilton, of Performance Sports Management, has some fertile fields to spread the Glen Davis love around to. Maybe it is a good thing that Glen is his only basketball client (according to information at Hoopshype.com and AthletePromotions.com). Heย might be fairlyย busy this summer determining where Glen Davis might play basketball next season.
Stay tuned.
(Team salary numbers are approximate andย sifted from ShamSports, Hoopshype.com, and HoopsWorld combined.)
This article first appeared on CelticsStuffLiveย blogs at WickedGoodSports onย Comcast Sports Net New England.
Tom Halzackย is the creator ofย CelticsCentral at the Connecticut Post and is available for otherย freelance writing. (Shameful self promotion)
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