 Shaun Livingston: Worth A Flier?
One big questions around these parts has been who will fill the PG position beyond next season. Andre Miller has said time and time again that he's a West Coast guy, which I'm taking to mean he won't be signing an extension with the Sixers. Even if he is ready, willing and able to re-up with the Sixers, should the Sixers be eager to give a 33 year-old point guard a three of four year extension for north of $10M per year?
I don't think so. Which means this Summer would be an ideal time to shore up the future of the position, either through the draft or in free agency. It just so happens that the a potentially game-changing point guard may be available in unrestricted free agency, and I'm not sure how many teams are going to be interested in him. Shaun Livingston is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract, and according to this article, the Clippers are unlikely to make their qualifying offer to him ($5.8M). I don't know what type of a contract he'll be looking for, but it's definitely worth looking into. Livingston is a 6'7" point who the Clippers took right out of high school. He missed the entire 07-08 season recovering from a gruesome injury (see video below). It's still unknown how much he'll be able to play this season, and if he'll ever really be a contributor, but he's got the upside and the Sixers could spend this season easing him back into the game in the hopes that he could take over the PG position next season. I think he's worth a shot, if the price is right. 
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I definitely agree. He'd be worth taking since it's low-risk, high-reward, but I'm still hoping Lou Williams is our point guard of the future.
Doesn't it make you wonder WHY he hasn't been offered a qualifying offer? He was drafted high (4th overall) and expected to be their long-term PG. At his size and ability I don't think the Clippers are THAT dumb to let a player like that walk without having a really good reason. Maybe they think he can't play at a high level anymore.
His qualifying offer is $5.8M, that's too much for the circumstance and they can't possibly get him any cheaper unless they make him an unrestricted free agent. I think you're reading too much into it.
"I think you're reading too much into it." Isn't that what you are suppose to do when talking about a potential personnel move?
I agree with you I have always liked his game and potential, but I can't just say oh this guy "had" loads of potential but hasn't played in a year and a half or shown the ability to play basketball again yet, might be available lets throw $3-4M at him and hope he can still play. Doesn't make sense to me.
Everything I've read said he "might" be able to start playing pick-up basketball again in the middle of June and that doesn't even mean he can play in an NBA game yet. If we can sign him for a one year deal for next to nothing to evaluate, sure but I wouldn't invest the Sixers money there when they can sign other free agents or get creative by absorbing bigger contracts in trades for better players. Wrapping up cap space in an unproven, injured player doesn't seem to make much sense for this team right now.
There's a difference between thinking a guy isn't worth $5.8M and thinking there's no way he's going to recover from this injury. My point is that just because the Clippers don't want to make the qualifying offer doesn't mean they have medical reports that say the guy is never going to recover from the injury, just that he's not worth $5.8M to them, this year. I don't think he's worth that much either.
If you can get him for say $3M for this year and maybe a couple of team option years on the end of the deal it's worth it. You get lottery talent at a position of need with very little risk. If he doesn't come back from the injury, you've wasted $3M for this year only, I can think of worse ways to spend it. You could even make this the last move you make, when you're already over the cap, and use part of the mid-level for him.
Livingston? No thanks. I didn't like him pre-injury and I don't like him post-injury at all.
I would rather fill the need via draft(Chalmers) or by getting a guy like Ronnie Price or Earl Watson, who have shown good PG abilities.
I kinda like his game. I'd like to see him develop his deep jumper (30% from three his last season), but otherwise I'd love to have an athletic 6'7" pg. Of course, if he can come back and be that remains to be seen.
Maybe I just think that this isn't the time to start taking fliers on guys. We aren't sure what our roster has to offer right now. We have cap space for a year or 2 or more. I would rather just evaluate talent for a year assuming Brand isn't available.
Great idea.