early free agent movement

[cranrab]

wizards are some dumb m.f.s

needing help in the front court, especially at the 5, they spend $4M per for euro TRASH:



Monday, July 17, 2006
Agent: Songaila signs 5-year, $23M deal with Wizards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Washington Wizards signed free agent forward Darius Songaila to a five-year, $23 million dollar deal, Songaila's agent, Mark Bartlestein, told ESPN.com.
Songaila's deal includes a player option for the fifth year of the contract.

Songaila is a skilled four man with a sweet outside shot and the ability to go inside and bang. The move means that it's now very likely that the Wizards' first-round pick, Olexsiy Pecherov, will return to Europe for another season, a source close to the Wizards confirmed to ESPN.com.

The moves use the up the majority of the Wizards' mid-level exception, with Songaila's deal taking up around $4 million of Washington's $5.135 million mid-level exception

 

[showtime]

Re: wizards are some dumb m.f.s

Songaila is not horrible, he was a nice ass player at wake, but that was college. Not sure why the Whiz are so high on him, but oh well.

I like the Harrington signing by my Bobcats. we still need help at the 2 guard! Also looks like Melvin Ely is gone. If I were the whiz I'd try to work out a deal for Ely, he can be a solid post scoring threat, but he lacks on defense.

As for the Lakers, they screwed up...Smush is NOT the answer!! He had like 1 good game, and Laker fans were going crazy, then Nash handed him his ass in the following games. Mike James would have been the best PG for them. Speedy would have been nice there to. Not sure what the hell their front office is sitting on their asses for. Vlad is ok, but he's only good for 3's...funny they have another "big" that is primarily a shooter in Brian Cook.

Plus they still dont have a legit post up guy, unless that high school kid they drafted last year is coming along, they are in trouble again.

 

[cranrab]

the wizards are some confused m.f.s

ST,

i gotta disagree... at the 5, the wizards have calvin booth, brendan haywood and etan thomas returning this season... they needed a clear improvement in the pivot, because the center-by-committee strategy wasn't getting it done...

the wizards also are planning to take another look at peter ramos this coming season, after trying to season him a little in the developmental league last season... big gamble...

shit, the wizards even squandered their draft picks this year.... they used the 18th pick to select oleksiy pecherov, a ukrainian bum who is STAYING IN EUROPE another year to develop... shit, they could've used the 18th pick to get some youth in the backcourt with rajon rondo or marcus williams...

then the second round gamble at 48 with MORE euro garbage? vladimir veremeenko? whose productivity has grown WORSE over the past 3 years? and whose best stats were posted when he played in the euro B league?

even IF the wizards were looking to save some $ by not signing any big rookie contracts, they could've bundled their draft picks and taken a lesser name like hilton armstrong who went at 12...

i bet scottm is throwing a fit somewhere now...

 

[showtime]

Re: the wizards are some confused m.f.s

Cran what you talkin bout fool, im in agreement on you about the Wiz lol! Songaila is nothing but a backup at Best. I think any team in need of post scoring should take a look at Melvin Ely, he can score, will come at a bargain price, his Defense is suspect though.

The Wiz have been trying to get a legit big man for how many years now??? It's beyond me why they drafted those garbage players that might not even sniff an nba starting lineup. I'm surprised they didnt take a look at Paul Davis C out of MSU over the no-names that they took. but oh well.

Another thing, when you gonna join our ESPN fantasy football league!! hit me up with your email in PM and i'll send you an invite.

 

[cranrab]

another 76er goes to sacramento

Kings sign free agent Salmons

July 24, 2006

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Guard John Salmons signed a multiyear contract with the Sacramento Kings on Monday after four seasons with Philadelphia.

Salmons averaged 7.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the 76ers last season, playing all 82 games. The 6-foot-7 swingman has been a steady contributor in Philadelphia, and the Kings could use him at three positions next season.

"We feel he's still an emerging player in the NBA," said Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations. "He'll add to the youth and overall skill level of our backcourt."

The Kings also signed two rookie free agents who excelled on their summer league team: Guard Pooh Jeter and center Justin Williams.

 

[cranrab]

nets acquire human toothpick in trade with seattle

Seattle sends C Moore to New Jersey for draft pick

July 27, 2006

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle SuperSonics traded center Mikki Moore to the New Jersey Nets on Thursday for a second-round pick in the 2009 draft.

Moore played in 47 games last season, his first with the Sonics, but became expendable after Seattle drafted 7-footer Mouhamed Sene with the No. 10 pick in this year's draft. The inexperienced, 20-year-old Sene was thought to be headed for the NBA Development League at the start of next season, but general manager Rick Sund said Sene played "surprisingly well" for the Sonics' summer league team.

Seattle coach Bob Hill said his preference is to have Sene start next season with the Sonics, instead of in the D-League.

"We are pleased with the current depth of our roster in the post position and look forward to seeing what our three young centers bring to the court this season," Sund said in a statement.

Moore averaged 3.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 12 minutes per game last season. He briefly played for New Jersey during the 2003-04 season, and has also played for Detroit, Atlanta, Boston, Utah and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Moore has averaged 4.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 303 career games.

 

[cranrab]

knicks and jared jeffries

Reports: Knicks sign Wizards' Jeffries
/ Associated Press
Posted: 12 hours ago

NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Knicks signed Washington forward Jared Jeffries to an offer sheet believed to be for about $30 million over five years, according to published reports Saturday.

The Knicks gave Jeffries, a restricted free agent, the maximum midlevel salary-cap exception Friday night. The Wizards will have seven days to match the offer and keep the former Indiana star, who averaged 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 77 games last season.
"We recognize they have a right to match," Jeffries' agent Andy Miller told the New York Times. "But hopefully, they take into consideration some of the human factors of it. In Jared's mind, he'd be better suited to playing in New York and for the Knicks."

Washington's window doesn't begin until the Knicks submit the offer sheet to the league - expected to be on Monday, according to the Times and New York Post.

"We have not received an offer, and if or when we do, we will have a week to explore all our options to determine our course of action," Wizards president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld told the Post.

The 6-foot-11, 240-pound Jeffries, selected by Washington with the 11th overall pick in the 2002 draft, has averaged 6.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in four seasons with the Wizards.

 

[cranrab]

i like this trade...

but i still think portland got the better end of the deal... addition by subtraction...

now portland has jamaal magloire and joel pryzbilla at C
zach randolph and lamarcus aldridge at PF
raef lafrentz can sub at either the 4 or the 5...

but WHY OH WHY did the blazers sign joel pryzbilla? they would've been SO much better off without that euro turkey...

the bucks front court didn't really improve...

andrew bogut and dan gadzuric at C
charlie villanueva and joe smith at PF
brian skinner can sub at either the 4 or the 5...

but the bucks DID improve their back court...

having lost tj ford, they now gained steve blake...

Magloire headed to Blazers in four-player deal
/ Associated Press
Posted: 14 minutes ago

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Bucks traded center Jamaal Magloire to the Portland Trail Blazers for guard Steve Blake, forward Brian Skinner and center Ha Seung-Jin on Monday.

"This trade allowed us to add depth to both our frontcourt and backcourt," Bucks general manager Larry Harris said.
Blake, 26, played in 68 games for Portland last season and averaged 8.2 points per game, a career high. He ranked third in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio and 16th in three-point field goal percentage (.413). The 6-foot-3 guard has career averages of 6.4 points, 3.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds in four NBA seasons.

Skinner, 30, has averaged 5.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in 405 career games with six teams.

Skinner, who has played in the NBA for eight years, averaged a career-best 10.5 points along with 7.3 rebounds and 1.09 blocks in helping the Bucks reach the playoffs in the 2003-04 season. He split time last season with Sacramento and Portland and averaged 2.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 65 games.

Ha Seung-Jin, a 7-3 center, appeared in 21 games for Portland last season — his third in the NBA — and registered 1.6 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

Ha, who will turn 21 on Friday, is the first South Korean to play in the NBA. The Trail Blazers chose him in the second round of the 2004 draft.

Magloire, 28, averaged 9.2 points and a team-high 9.5 rebounds for Milwaukee last season. He was the only Bucks player to start all 82 games. He was seventh in the NBA in total rebounds (778) and 10th in rebounds per game.

The 2004 All-Star spent five seasons with the Hornets before going to Milwaukee last offseason. He averaged 9.5 points and 7.8 rebounds in 425 career games.

"In Steve Blake, we added a talented point guard who had one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the league last season," Harris said. "Brian was a solid contributor to our team two years ago and, along with Ha Seung-Jin, will give us added size up front."

 

[cranrab]

nets got themselves ANOTHER backcourt player...

Nets sign guard Eddie House

August 17, 2006

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Guard Eddie House signed with the New Jersey Nets on Thursday after averaging a career-high 9.8 points last season with Phoenix.

House, joining his seventh NBA team, shot 42 percent from the field and nearly 39 percent from 3-point range.

"He is a proven veteran who will enhance our scoring off the bench," Nets president Rod Thorn said.

House, an Arizona State product, has averaged 7.3 points and 1.7 assists in six seasons. He also played with Miami, the Los Angeles Clippers, Charlotte, Milwaukee and Sacramento.

 

[cranrab]

Cavaliers sign Scot Pollard
/ Associated Press
Posted: 3 hours ago

CLEVELAND (AP) - Free agent forward Scot Pollard, known as much for his ever changing hair and sideburns as for his game, signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who also traded center Martynas Andriuskevicius to the Chicago Bulls for guard Eddie Basden on Friday.

Pollard averaged 3.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 45 games - 32 starts - last season for the Indiana Pacers, his third NBA team. The wild-haired, 6-foot-11, 265-pounder will give the Cavs more inside muscle and can provide needed energy along with Anderson Varejao.
"Adding Scot to our roster gives us more depth, size, toughness and experience," Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said. "We believe Scot can be a valuable contributor to our team as we continue to build a championship level team here in Cleveland."

The 31-year-old Pollard has made 460 career starts and appeared in 57 playoff games since being drafted by Detroit in the first round (19th overall) in 1997. He played 33 games with the Pistons before being dealt to Atlanta for Christian Laettner.

After being waived the Hawks, Pollard signed as a free agent with Sacramento and spent six seasons with the Kings. He was traded to the Pacers in a three-team deal in 2003.

Andriuskevicius was a project for the Cavaliers, who acquired the 7-2 Lithuanian last year from Orlando for a second-round draft pick and cash. He played just nine minutes in six games for Cleveland, spending most of the season in the NBA's Developmental League.

"Marty is a young and talented kid and he made good strides during the past year, but ultimately this trade puts us in a more flexible position with our roster," Ferry said.

Basden played in 19 games for the Bulls last season, averaging 2.1 points, 1.5 rebounds.

 

[cranrab]

harrington returns to pacers

Pacers acquire Harrington from Hawks

By CLIFF BRUNT, Associated Press Writer
August 22, 2006

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indiana Pacers finally completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Atlanta Hawks for forward Al Harrington on Tuesday.

The Pacers acquired Harrington and center John Edwards in exchange for a 2007 first-round pick. Harrington spent the first six years of his career with the Pacers before spending the last two in Atlanta.

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"We've had Al before," Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said. "He was a good player for us when we had him the first time. He comes back with more seasoning. Most importantly, he fits in with what we're trying to do at this point."

Walsh and team president Larry Bird considered Harrington one of the summer's top three free agents, along with Ben Wallace and Peja Stojakovic. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 18.6 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Hawks last season and was the central figure to the Pacers plans to recover from a 41-41 season that ended with a first-round playoff exit.

The deal followed weeks of speculation. Negotiations slowed when Harrington fired agent Andy Miller and replaced him with Arn Tellem earlier this month. Reports then surfaced that Harrington was likely headed elsewhere, but Walsh said Tuesday that negotiations never died.

Harrington is expected to be a key to Indiana's transformation from a defense-oriented team to an up-tempo, athletic squad. The Pacers also have added rookies James White and Shawne Williams, guards Jimmie Hunter, Orien Greene and Darrell Armstrong and forwards Marquis Daniels, Maceo Baston, Rawle Marshall and Josh Powell. In all, the Pacers have added 11 players since the end of last season.

Harrington, by far, was the most important one.

"We're very pleased to have Al back in Indiana," Bird said. "We think he brings an added dimension to our team. We know what he can do and he'll make us a deeper team and a better team."

The sign-and-trade deal that sent Stojakovic to the New Orleans Hornets gave the Pacers a $7.5 million trade exception that Walsh said made the sign-and-trade with Harrington possible.

The trade brings the Hawks additional financial room as well as the draft pick.

"We feel this move brings us valuable assets, including additional salary cap flexibility as we move forward," said Hawks general manager Billy Knight. "When Al came to us, he brought a winning attitude to our franchise and he always put the team first. We are certainly in a better position now having had Al as a member of the Hawks."

Walsh is glad to finally have the deal done. He said it has been a media blitz since the beginning, though no one with the Pacers organization was talking to reporters.

"There was all this talking with the press," he said. "It was a daily litany."

Walsh said the Pacers haven't sought a 3-point shooter to complement the influx of rangy, athletic forwards because guard Sarunas Jasikevicius and forward Danny Granger are capable perimeter threats. He hopes the moves make the Pacers a more exciting team.

"That's what this is about, is making it fun again."