is the single biggest virtue Mullin has shown in the past two years that he’s been under Don’s wing – he didn’t overpay last fall to extend these two (Ellis & AB) precisely because he knew we could match and few teams would be able throw big $ around this summer.

RFA did not move much at all last summer because teams waited to see the offers while working on beefing up their roster, knowing they could match without worrying about the cap.

Yes, Griz can throw big coin – but they have more needs than just a Monta Ellis to swoop in and save the day. Even they have to be careful not to overpay for a high-scoring guard who is undersized at SG and hasn’t shown the PG skills necessary to play there fulltime.

we wait, just like last summer with MP, Barnes, in order not to repeat Mullin’s mistakes of the past of paying way over market for Foyle, Dunleavy, Murphy, etc.

worst case would be to re-sign them too early for too much, eat up our cap space preventing us from pursuing other options – we can re-sign them without regard to the cap so we should add to the roster before signing them, then re-sign AB & Ellis. We also need to re-sign/re-fill about half the roster so we can’t sign either AB or Ellis “at all costs”

norcalsoldier is right, we could also do a sign & trade, though I’d hope we wouldn’t have to as that almost never works out well for the team trading away their FA in the process

this will get done, but probably not for another month & half

don’t panic

I’d worry more if the Lakers or Sacto were willing to pay him the big bucks! The Grizzlee’s are not know as top notch talent evaluators and if Monta did get 15 mil from the Grills it wouldn’t bother us much cause that’s a whole nother division.

But they still want Monta badly. He will most likely be a Warrior next your, but we may lose some other players in the process, especially if we have to pay AB a somewhat simliar contract. And skeptic con urqueil, you caannot pay a RFA more then 15 mil.

We traded Speedy Claxton and an expiring contract for Baron Davis!!! =P

Seriously though, my brain might be a little slow today but if the Grizz are going to be 12 mil under the Cap, how exactly are they going to offer Monta $15 mil? And even if they did somehow scrape together 15 mil in cap space, why exactly to we elect to pay more than just matching the offer sheet. I really can’t think of any situation where we end up paying Monta 16 mil next season. In fact despite the great season, I can’t see his salary starting at 12 mil next season either (unless it is in fact front-loaded).

I hope that Mullin’s “we are going to match any offers” posturing will make teams think twice before locking up a big chunk of their cap space in an offer sheet on one of our RFA’s while other free agents are being signed elsewhere.

If I’m Memphis and I do indeed intend on spending big money (I’m not entirely convinced, after their ownership and front office said they intend to build through the draft) I would target someone I was sure I had a shot at. Now if their intention is to appease their fans by making a run at a big name and “just missing” so they can save money for anther year, they might drive up the price on Monta or Beans.

Whos this Monta character?