early free agent movement

[cranrab]

more euro quackery...

the hornets lost that corn fed white boy to drugs last season, so it seems to me that they'd focus on improving size and rebounding.

how does acquiring an aging euro with suspect health help that squad?

Stojakovic agrees to terms with Hornets
/ Associated Press
Posted: 1 hour ago

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The New Orleans Hornets made the first splash of the NBA's free-agent signing period, agreeing to terms Saturday with three-time All-Star Peja Stojakovic.

Stojakovic, who last week opted to become a free agent instead of continue playing for Indiana, will sign a five-year deal worth about $64 million with the Hornets, said his agent, David Bauman.
Bauman said Stojakovic will sign as soon as the NBA's moratorium ends next week. NBA teams were allowed to begin negotiating with free agents on Saturday but cannot officially sign players until July 12.

"The Hornets are setting their cap room aside for Peja, and Peja is taking himself off the market," Bauman said.


Peja will be donning a new uniform next season. (Ron Hoskins / Getty Images)

Stojakovic is one of the league's most prolific outside shooters, having hit 40 percent from 3-point range over his eight-year career. He and Seattle's Ray Allen are the only two NBA players to make at least 100 3-pointers in each of the past seven seasons.

Hornets general manager Jeff Bower was the first executive to call about Stojakovic after the negotiating period opened, Bauman said.

"The nature of NBA free agency is such that the faster you move, the faster you get what you want," Bauman said.

Bower, in a statement, confirmed that the Hornets intend to sign Stojakovic once the NBA-mandated moratorium ends. He declined further comment, citing league rules.

After playing his first seven seasons with Sacramento, the Kings dealt Stojakovic to Indiana in a midseason trade for Ron Artest. He averaged 19.5 points and shot 46 percent from the field in 40 games with the Pacers but then missed four of Indiana's six playoff games against the New Jersey Nets with a right knee injury. The Pacers lost each game he didn't play.

Prior to his trade, Stojakovic missed nine games with a variety of injuries including a protruding disc in his lower back, a sprained right pinkie finger and a strained groin.

Bauman said the Pacers had set Stojakovic up with a physical therapist to help him in Greece over the summer. The deal is contingent on Stojakovic passing a physical.

Stojakovic hasn't had swelling or pain in his right knee for the past month, and has been running, biking and doing "typical stuff on a beach," Bauman said. "He's not playing basketball. He's resting his body. His health is 100 percent."

Stojakovic, 29, opted out of the final year of his six-year contract in hopes of getting a long-term deal and a bump in salary. He had been due to earn $8.125 million next season.

He joins a Hornets team that had a 20-win turnaround and stayed in the Western Conference playoff race until the final week of the season before finishing 38-44.

"This was not just a money deal. He chose this deal because he thinks the team has a chance to win," Bauman said.

Stojakovic has averaged 18.4 points and 5.1 rebounds for his career. He fills an immediate need for the Hornets, who struggled last season to get consistent scoring output from players other than leading scorers David West (17.1) and Paul (16.1) and finished 25th in the league in scoring and 26th in shooting percentage.

Coach Byron Scott had said the Hornets' top priority in the free-agent market was finding one or two players "that can make shots to open up the game for those two."

Last season, Stojakovic finished 13th in 3-pointers made (162), and was also second in free-throw shooting (91.5 percent).

 

[cranrab]

carmelo stayed put

i think the young man made the best decision. he could've ended up in a lot WORSE situation than he's already in.

'Melo agrees to maximum extension
/ Associated Press
Posted: 5 hours ago

DENVER (AP) - Carmelo Anthony wasn't scared off by a front office and locker room filled with turmoil, and agreed to a maximum contract extension with the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.


Carmelo Anthony will be staying in Denver. (Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via / Getty Images)
About 12 hours after NBA free agency began, Anthony's agents and Nuggets director of player personnel Mark Warkentien worked out a five-year deal worth approximately $80 million, the same terms Cleveland star LeBron James and NBA finals MVP Dwyane Wade can sign this summer.

Anthony didn't give up on the Nuggets after a season marked by injuries and infighting that culminated with Kenyon Martin's suspension for insubordination in the playoffs and general manager Kiki Vandeweghe's departure after yet another first-round flop.

The Nuggets are being run by committee this summer, and Martin hasn't punched his ticket out of town as he and coach George Karl have yet to talk about their rift.

None of that mattered to Melo.

"I don't think he's given up on what Denver can do and he wants to be a part of that," said Bill Duffy, president of BDA Sports Management, which represents Anthony.

Last season at 21, Anthony turned into the star everybody predicted he'd be when he was chosen third overall in the 2002 draft after leading Syracuse to the national championship his freshman year. He averaged 26.5 points and made the all-NBA third team after getting snubbed for the All-Star game.

Anthony, who has a year left on his rookie deal, can sign his extension after July 12. The extension will kick in for the 2007-08 season and run through 2012. The exact amount won't be known until later this summer when the NBA's number crunchers determine the salary cap for next season.

Duffy said Anthony never considered playing out his rookie deal and going elsewhere.

"It shows how much he loves Denver, the community, the organization and he wants the Nuggets to succeed," Duffy said. "I don't think he ever looked at anything other than getting the Nuggets going in the right direction."

Duffy said Anthony's extension is basically payback to owner Stan Kroenke and the Nuggets for sticking with him through some troubling times.

In his first couple of seasons, Anthony's name kept showing up in the headlines for the wrong reasons: a bar fight in New York; a bag of marijuana found in his backpack at the airport; showing up on a bootleg DVD in Baltimore in which a man threatened to kill drug snitches.

Last year, he started making all his noise on the court, averaging a career high in points and leading the Nuggets to the top of the Northwest Division despite a rash of injuries that forced Karl to juggle his lineup nearly every game.

"They supported him a lot during his first three years, during his challenges and growing pains both on and off the court," Duffy said. "They really have been there for him."

And now Melo will be there for the Nuggets for six more seasons.

 

[cranrab]

dallas sealed their fate/doom?

i extend sincere congratulations to jason terry for securing a good deal for himself and his family, but dallas fans are probably in for a LONG wait.

while jason terry posts impressive statistics in some categories, pussific 10 point guards don't have great records when it comes to winning in the playoffs. especially the shitbirds that come out of arizona and ucla.

Terry staying with Mavs
/ Associated Press
Posted: 8 hours ago

DALLAS (AP) - Jason Terry really did want to stay with the Dallas Mavericks, even if it meant taking less money.

Terry lasted only about 12 hours on the free-agent market, agreeing Saturday to a six-year deal with Dallas. Agent Dan Fegan declined to give specifics, other than saying "there is a hometown discount."
"I'm excited," Terry said, his enthusiasm evident in his voice. "It's definitely something I wanted to do. It's just about being part of an organization that cares and a city that cares about the team. I've grown to love the fans and they love me."

The 28-year-old Terry soared to near the top of the free-agent list with his play for Dallas the last two seasons. He averaged 17.1 points in the regular season, then 18.9 points in this year's playoffs, helping the Mavericks reach the NBA finals. They lost to the Miami Heat in six games, but Terry had 32 points in a Game 1 victory and 35 in a tough overtime loss in Game 5.

With Terry locked up, the Mavericks can move on to their next offseason priorities - contract extensions for Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki.

"Jet wanted to come back and we wanted him back," team owner Mark Cuban said via e-mail. "Jason was critical to our first ever finals and he wants to help lead us to more. I'm confident we can get Dirk's extension done and have started the ball rolling with Josh."

Dallas officials also are working to acquire more parts of their supporting cast. Nothing can be official until July 12.

"Keeping the nucleus intact is important," said Terry, who is the oldest of the trio but will be only 34 when his deal expires after the 2011-12 season. "Adding a couple of pieces here and there, that's all we need. Hopefully it'll happen sooner than later."

The Terry signing was important first step.

Although both sides said they wanted to strike a deal, the same was said two years ago when Steve Nash hit the market and was quickly wooed away by the Phoenix Suns.

Cuban said earlier this week that circumstances were much different this time, but he also took a different tact. Instead of letting Terry take other offers - as he did with Nash - Cuban moved in quickly.

"Based on his JT's play in the playoffs, I'd gotten as many calls on him as any free agent I've represented in the last 10 years," Fegan said.

But when the clock struck midnight and free agency began, "the first person to call was Mark," Fegan said.

That doesn't meant the numbers clicked right away, especially with the Mavs not offering top dollar. Fegan said other teams kept calling, trying to arrange for sign-and-trade deals, but he said he "basically spent time telling everyone no."

After beginning his career far removed from the playoffs in Atlanta, Terry has thoroughly enjoyed his two seasons in Dallas. His career especially got a boost when Avery Johnson, a former point guard, replaced Don Nelson as coach in March 2005. He brought out the best in Terry, in part by giving him the freedom to shoot first and be a distributor second.

"I strongly believe in Avery Johnson," Terry said. "He's done wonders for my career. I owe a lot of credit to him and his coaching staff."

This year's playoff run cemented Terry's devotion to Dallas.

"Those two months were it for me," he said. "It's just something you've never experienced before. To see the fans react the way they did, my team accomplish what we did - it was truly great."

 

[cranrab]

clippers get tim thomas

ok, so somebody in the clippers DOES have a brain.

dumped a euro on the fakers and picked up tim thomas from the suns. good move, even if you're not a tim thomas fan.

but then, what's with extending a 2 year deal to a 37 year old PG? damn, is the talent pool THAT depleted?

Lakers, Clippers Make Moves
Radmanovic signs with Lakers; Cassell on the way out as Clippers sign Suns' Thomas
By Mike Bresnahan and Jason Reid
Times Staff Writer

9:04 PM PDT, July 1, 2006

In a day filled with innumerable twists, the local basketball landscape shifted, sighed and eventually settled as Vladimir Radmanovic left the Clippers for the Lakers, Tim Thomas left Phoenix for the Clippers, and Sam Cassell stayed where he was last season — as a Clipper.

The Lakers moved quickly on the first day of free agency by snatching away a piece from their cross-town rival and agreeing to terms Saturday with Radmanovic, a three-point shooting forward who has made a career of stretching defenses.

The Clippers reacted swiftly after Radmanovic and Cassell apparently reneged on agreements to stay with them, then reaching terms with the sharp-shooting Thomas and making a push for free-agent guard Bobby Jackson as a back-up plan in case Cassell left.

But Cassell, the 36-year-old point guard and undisputed on-court general of the Clippers last season, late Saturday agreed to a two-year, $13-million contract, keeping intact a Clippers nucleus that lasted longer than the Lakers in this year's playoffs.

Free agents cannot officially sign contracts until July 12.

Throughout the day, Cassell was weighing three options: a two-year, $13-million offer from Atlanta, a two-year, $11-million offer from the Clippers and a three-year, $12-million offer from Denver. After learning Atlanta was the highest bidder, Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy told Cassell to give him a number to get the deal done, sources said.

Dunleavy received approval from Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling to increase the offer, and Cassell agreed to remain with the team he helped lead to new heights last season.

 

[tp2001]

Re: clippers get tim thomas

LOL at the pussific 10 conference remark.....

I haven't seen this much activity in the NBA offseason this early in years....But maybe it was foreseen due to the fact that a few top players were due for new contracts (James, Wade, Anthony) and trade rumors are buzzing with AI and KG.

I still don't get the trade between Toronto and Milwaukee...Villanueva stepped up last year for the Raptors and TJ came back nicely from his injury last year. Not only that, both teams are logjammed at those respective positions. Seems like those two squads will be making more moves during this offseason...

And those Nuggets may have gotten lucky keeping Melo, they're not going anywhere past the first round until they get another elite player...regardless if Martin stays there or not

 

[cranrab]

bobby jackson gets his $

Hornets agree to terms with guard Jackson
/ Associated Press
Posted: 6 hours ago

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The New Orleans Hornets agreed to terms Sunday with free-agent guard Bobby Jackson, adding another veteran presence to an improving team.

Jackson's agent, Andy Miller, said Jackson had agreed to a multi-yeal deal with the Hornets but wouldn't disclose the terms.
NBA teams were allowed to begin negotiating with free agents on Saturday but cannot officially sign players until July 12. Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said the team planned to sign Jackson after the moratorium ends, but declined further comment, citing league rules.

Jackson averaged 11.4 points and 2.1 assists coming mainly off the bench for Memphis last year. Word of his plans to sign with New Orleans came a day after the Hornets confirmed they had reached agreement with three-time All-Star Peja Stojakovic. Stojakovic's agent, David Bauman, said that five-year deal would be worth $64 million.

Jackson and Stojakovic, who were teammates with the Sacramento Kings for five seasons, will join a Hornets team that had a 20-win improvement this past season and stayed in the Western Conference playoff race until the season's final week, finishing 38-44.

The 6-foot-1 Jackson, who won the NBA's Sixth Man Award in 2003, became a free agent after one season with the Memphis Grizzlies. He made $3.375 million last season, the last in a six-year deal he signed with the Kings in 2000. Sacramento traded Jackson to Memphis last August.

Jackson played 71 games for the Grizzlies last year, but missed big portions of his final three seasons with Sacramento because of injuries. He sat out 51 games in 2004-5 because of a torn ligament in his wrist.

Jackson has a 10.2-point career scoring average. Hornets coach Byron Scott said last month that the team's top offseason priorities were to add a shot-blocker and rebounder and a shooter or two to open the game up for leading scorers David West (17.1) and Rookie of the Year Chris Paul (16.1).

The Hornets used their two first-round draft picks on big men, Hilton Armstrong of Connecticut and Cedric Simmons of North Carolina State.

 

[cranrab]

nuggets got their brazilian

i'm not a big fan of nene hilario, but i think signing him presents some interesting lineup changes regarding marcus camby.

Nene agrees to $60 million deal
/ Associated Press
Posted: 4 hours ago

DENVER (AP) - Power forward Nene agreed to a six-year, $60 million (?47 million) deal to stay with the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, a day after getting married in Rio de Janeiro.

His agent, Dan Fegan, interrupted Nene's honeymoon in his Brazilian homeland with the good news.
"Ecstatic couldn't be too strong a word," Fegan said from Los Angeles.

Combined with the five-year, $80 million (?63 million) extension that Carmelo Anthony agreed to on Saturday, Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke spent the first weekend of free agency committing about $140 million (?110 million) toward building what he hopes will be a NBA championship contender in the very near future.

"If ever there was any doubt about Mr. Kroenke's desire to bring a championship to Denver, this weekend's events put that to rest forever," Fegan said.

The contracts, which can be signed on July 12, also will nudge the Nuggets into luxury tax territory.

Nene, who has career averages of 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds, played just three minutes last season before blowing out his right knee on opening night. He is still recovering from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and isn't expected to return to full-court activity for another two months.

He also missed 27 games in 2004-05 due to injuries, but the restricted free agent was one of the most prized players on the market because of his youth - he's only 23 - and rare mix of brawn and athleticism for a man who packs 260 pounds (117 kilograms) on a 6-foot-11 (2.11-meter) frame.

"He has great size, great courage, great fundamentals and an upside that any NBA team would want on their roster," coach George Karl said.

Keeping Nene also means forward Kenyon Martin likely is one step closer to leaving Denver.

Martin and Karl feuded last season and the two haven't spoken since Martin, who is still due more than $70 million (?55 million) over five years, was suspended after his halftime blowout in Game 2 of the Nuggets' playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers.

It was a bitter ending to a tumultuous season that started with Nene going down on opening night.

Nene's injury robbed the Nuggets of a presence in the low post last season and forced Karl to completely change his strategy. Denver won the Northwest Division but was dispatched from the playoffs in the first round for the third straight season.

 

[cranrab]

coach karl says the right things, but...

does anyone really expect that combination to work?

Karl ready to mend fences with Martin
/ Associated Press
Posted: 6 hours ago

DENVER (AP) - Enough time has passed since a confrontation with Kenyon Martin, and George Karl is ready to mend the relationship.

The Denver Nuggets head coach suspended Martin for the final three playoff games against the Los Angeles Clippers last spring for insubordination and hasn't spoken to him since. Karl said he wanted things to cool off before they spoke.
However, Karl is hoping their paths soon cross.

"Hopefully we'll be able to work it out," said Karl, who was watching the Nuggets' summer-league team practice Sunday at the Pepsi Center. "There's a high likelihood that he could be part of the team come October. He's got to be ready for that, and I've got to be ready for that."

Carmelo Anthony has even agreed to play the role of mediator, should his services be needed.

When told of that, Karl just smiled. "That's fine," the coach said.

Martin and Karl had a heated confrontation during halftime of Game 2 in Los Angeles. Martin, who played a career-low 56 games last season thanks to microfracture surgery on his left knee, was irritated over playing limited minutes in the playoffs.

Soon after the outburst, Karl suspended him.

One of the glaring questions this offseason was whether Karl and Martin could repair the rift between them. Martin still has five years left on the seven-year, $93 million deal he signed before Karl joined the Nuggets. The high price tag makes trading him difficult.

So Karl and Martin have to find a way to work together. Karl thinks some type of understanding can be reached.

"I'm just trying to coach my team and Kenyon's a part of the team," Karl said.

One player that Karl will be able to coach for years to come is Anthony after the Nuggets signed him to a contract extension Saturday. The Nuggets worked out the parameters of a five-year deal worth approximately $80 million. Anthony can't officially sign the contract until July 12.

Karl was glad to see a deal take place.

"He's a special player," Karl said. "Everybody wants to keep him in Denver forever. He's earned that by what he's done."

Anthony, 22, was named to the third team all-NBA last season when he averaged 26.5 points a game. Anthony, taken with the third pick in the 2003 draft, is averaging 22.8 points in his career.

Yet Anthony has never helped the Nuggets win a playoff series. The team has been eliminated in the first round the past three years.

"He's very disappointed ... and challenged by that," Karl said.

During a news conference last week, Anthony was asked about his relationship with Karl and more specifically, if he was getting acclimated to Karl's coaching methods.

"I've learned to deal with George and his style," Anthony said. "He has his own way of going about (coaching). He wants to win. He wants to make players better."

Karl said all he asks for is an honest day's effort.

"The only guys I've ever really had trouble with are guys who don't play hard and don't like to practice," Karl said. "I think Melo likes to play and likes to practice and so I don't think we'll ever have a problem.

"Sometimes as a coach you push your players to be better and sometimes you cross the line, and sometimes they cross the line on not giving enough competitive spirit."


Notes
Julius Hodge is on the summer-league roster, but didn't practice Sunday. Hodge, who was shot four times April 8 while driving on a Denver freeway after he left a nightclub, said he's almost back to full health. "I'm feeling good on the court, and looking good as usual," Hodge said with a smile. Karl said after watching him practice last week that Hodge looked rusty.

 

[cranrab]

atlanta gets speedy

Monday, July 3, 2006
Hawks lure Speedy Claxton away from Hornets

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

The Atlanta Hawks, roundly criticized for bypassing Chris Paul in the 2005 NBA draft, addressed their void at point guard Monday by reaching a verbal agreement with Paul's backcourt mate: Speedy Claxton.

Claxton's agent, Bill Duffy, told ESPN.com that Claxton has verbally agreed to sign with the Hawks on July 12, the first day free agent signings and trades can be made official.

It is believed that Claxton will receive a four-year deal worth $25 million.

The Hawks targeted Claxton after a two-year, $13 million bid to wrest Sam Cassell away from the Los Angeles Clippers fell short. Cassell opted late Saturday to stay in L.A. when the Clippers matched Atlanta's offer.

Claxton, who logged key playoff minutes at the point for San Antonio's 2003 championship team, emerged as a top Sixth Man Award candidate with the Hornets last season as Paul's backup. Hornets coach Byron Scott frequently played Claxton and the eventual Rookie of the Year together in a small, but quick backcourt tandem.

Claxton is expected to be the unquestioned starter in Atlanta, enabling Joe Johnson -- the Hawks' marquee free agent acquisition last summer -- to play at his natural shooting guard position.

 

[cranrab]

pistons broken up

i think this is a good signing for chicago.

Wallace to leave Detroit, sign with Bulls
/ Associated Press
Posted: 49 minutes ago

Free-agent center Ben Wallace is leaving the Detroit Pistons to sign with the Chicago Bulls, a person within the NBA said Monday.

The person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because NBA free agents can't officially sign contracts until July 12, said the Pistons offered Wallace a four-year contract worth about $50 million. That would have made him the highest-paid player on the team next season with a salary of $11.5 million.

Messages were left Monday night for Wallace's agent, Arn Tellem, and a call to Wallace's home in suburban Detroit went unanswered. But Wallace told The Detroit News that he will sign a four-year deal with the Bulls.

"I appreciate everything Detroit did for me and my family," he told the newspaper Monday night. "They gave me an opportunity to make a name for myself and we had an opportunity to win a championship together."

Wallace helped Detroit advance to four straight conference finals - the first team to do so since the Bulls of the early 1990s.

Detroit had wanted to keep its starting lineup together, and Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations, said late last week that his top priority was to re-sign Wallace.

But Wallace said he was disappointed with the Pistons' offer.

"We tried to work out a couple of deals," he told the newspaper. "But there was nothing that Joe felt would work."

Wallace, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, could be a good fit for an up-and-coming Chicago team that needs help with rebounding and defense.

He was just what the Pistons needed when they acquired him and Chucky Atkins from Orlando before the 2000-01 season in a sign-and-trade deal for Grant Hill.

Wallace helped Detroit advance in the playoffs in 2002 - for the first time since 1991 - get to the conference finals in 2003, win a title in 2004 and reach the finals last year. The Pistons won an NBA-high and franchise-record 64 games last season, then lost to the eventual champion Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.

During the regular season this past year, he ranked fourth in the NBA in rebounding (11.3), ninth in blocks (2.2) and 10th in steals (1.78) - the only player among the top 10 in all three categories. The undrafted free agent from Virginia Union became the fifth player in league history to have 100 blocks and 100 steals in six straight seasons, a list that includes Hakeem Olajuwon, Julius Erving, Sam Lacey and David Robinson.

Wallace, who turns 32 on Sept. 10, scored 7.3 points a game this past season and has not averaged double digits in any of his 10 years in the league. Since beginning in his career with the Washington Wizards, he has averaged 6.6 points and made 42 percent of his free throws.

The Pistons center, affectionately known as "Big Ben" by his fans, became the first player to win the Defensive Player of the Year award four times in a five-year span.

 

[cranrab]

the heat handled their business

Monday, July 3, 2006
Updated: July 4, 9:50 AM ET
Wade extension worth around $80 million

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat have reportedly agreed on a five-year contract extension, with the hope that a deal will be finalized before the MVP of the NBA Finals leaves for USA Basketball's summer training camp later this month.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported on Tuesday that Wade's agent, Henry Thomas, said that he expects Wade to sign the extension, for five years and between $75 million and $85 million, on July 12.

"We're on the same page," Thomas said in the Sun-Sentinel.

Wade is eligible for a deal worth about $80 million; the exact value of the extension, much like the one agreed to by Carmelo Anthony with Denver and the one offered to LeBron James in Cleveland, will not be known until the salary cap for the 2007-08 season is set.

New contracts cannot be signed before July 12. Wade is expected to report to practice with the U.S. world championships team in Las Vegas on July 19.

There is no real urgency on either side; he is under contract for next season with the Heat, who will defend their first NBA championship. Without the extension, Wade would become a free agent after the 2007-08 season.

But the Heat -- who quickly made their extension offer -- almost certainly are not going to let that happen. Thomas said earlier that he and the Heat are engaged in "very positive" talks.

"Both sides will work towards a signed extension prior to Dwyane leaving for practice," Thomas said.

Wade has repeatedly said he wants to stay in Miami, reiterating that again Monday during a visit to Walt Disney World in Orlando, where he and teammate Udonis Haslem donned Mickey Mouse hats and were grand marshals of a Heat victory parade.

Wade also arranged for 100 underprivileged South Florida children to board Orlando-bound buses and spend the day with him and Haslem at the theme park.

Other than coach Pat Riley saying that getting Wade to agree to an extension is Miami's top offseason priority, the team has not commented on the negotiation process.

Wade was the fifth pick in the 2003 draft, and his rise to stardom was quick. He averaged a career-best 27.2 points during the regular season, making 49.5 percent of his shots, plus averaging 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds.

In the playoffs, he was even better, averaging 28.4 points -- and 34.7 in the NBA Finals, when he led the Heat past the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

"I have confidence that it's going to get done," Wade said.

 

[cranrab]

utah locks up their free agent

bonzi wells is the only big name scorer free agent left on the board.

Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Harpring agrees to four-year deal to stay with Jazz

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services

SALT LAKE CITY -- Matt Harpring is staying with the Utah Jazz, agreeing to a multiyear deal with the team Tuesday.

"Matt is a bottom-line person. He listened [to other teams] and he was flattered, but he didn't want it to drag on," Atlanta-based agent Richard Howell said.


Terms of the deal, which can't be formally completed until July 12, were not announced, but sources told ESPN.com that Harpring will sign a four-year contract worth $25 million.

Kevin O'Connor, Jazz vice president of basketball operations, said he couldn't comment on the deal because of league rules.


O'Connor has been focused on getting Harpring, a restricted free agent when he signed with Utah in August 2002, to stay in Utah. Harpring has averaged 14.9 points with the Jazz and his grit and versatility have made him a favorite of coach Jerry Sloan.


At 30, Harping is the oldest player on the Jazz, who wanted to keep him on a roster that also includes forwards Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur and point guard Deron Williams. The Jazz haven't reached the postseason since 2003, the last season of the John Stockton and Karl Malone era and Harpring's first year in Utah.


Harpring felt the Jazz, who went 41-41 last season, were serious about improving and that was a factor in his choice to stay, Howell said.


"He and his wife felt good about the decision," Howell said.


After starting last season slowly following offseason knee surgery, Harpring averaged 12.5 points and 5.2 rebounds while playing 71 games.


Harpring was the 15th pick overall in the 1998 draft and played his first two seasons in Orlando, then played a year each in Cleveland and Philadelphia before ending up with the Jazz four years ago.

 

[cranrab]

phoenix signs piatkowski

Monday, July 3, 2006
Reports: Piatkowski, Suns agree to two-year deal

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns reportedly have agreed to a two-year contract with free-agent forward Eric Piatkowski.

The Arizona Republic and the East Valley Tribune both reported Monday that Piatkowski agreed to terms, but the deal won't be official until July 12.

The Tribune said Piatkowski, an 11-year NBA veteran who turns 36 in September, would make the $1.1 million minimum next season and a guaranteed $1.2 million in 2007-08.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Suns on the deal.

The 6-foot-7 Piatkowski played from 1994-2003 with the Los Angeles Clippers and had career lows for games played (20), minutes per game (7.9) and three-point shooting percentage (.273) last season in Chicago. He missed 20 games with a foot injury.

 

[SpiritualPorn]

Ben Wallace is gone

Detroit willl now be a 4 or 5 seed

Chicago Bulls will have a hell of a team with Wallace

especially if they get PJ (former Miami dude)

Clippers....why did they resign Cassell......continuity. The Clippers will be in the WCF next year vs Pho....(we'll see)

Elton Brand is the fuckin truth

Now it's just to see where KG and AI end up

 

[cranrab]

ben wallace gone and replaced already

OMG! what will the spurs do now?

Pistons replace Wallace with Mohammed

By LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer
July 4, 2006

DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Pistons are already moving on without Ben Wallace.

A day after losing Wallace to the Chicago Bulls, the Pistons reached an agreement with free-agent center Nazr Mohammed on Tuesday, a person within the NBA told The Associated Press.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because NBA free agents can't officially sign contracts until July 12, said the team and Mohammed made an oral pact on a five-year contract -- with the final year being an option -- that will pay him about $5 million next season.

Mohammed started in 30 of 80 games last season for the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 6.2 points and 5.2 rebounds. The 6-foot-10, 250-pound center will likely replace Wallace in the starting lineup, allowing Rasheed Wallace to remain as a power forward.

Mohammed, who turns 29 on Sept. 5, probably will not be able to rebound, block shots and provide energy like Ben Wallace did -- but he will cost about $9 million less next season.

The Bulls wooed Wallace away Monday night, according to the person within the league, for a four-year deal reportedly worth $60 million -- about $10 million more than the Pistons were willing to pay the four-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations, said late last week that his top priority was to re-sign Wallace. But Wallace said he was disappointed with the Pistons' offer.

"We tried to work out a couple of deals," he told The Detroit News. "But there was nothing that Joe felt would work."

Mohammed has bounced around the league during his career, which started when he was dealt by the Utah Jazz after they drafted him with the 29th overall pick in 1998 out of Kentucky.

He spent his first two-plus seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, who traded him in 2001 to Atlanta. The Hawks dealt him three years later to the New York Knicks, who traded him to San Antonio at the 2005 trading deadline.

Mohammed's career averages are 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.6 blocks.

The Pistons will likely start Mohammed but might play frontcourt reserves Antonio McDyess, Dale Davis and Jason Maxiell more than they did when Ben Wallace was on the team and playing a lot of minutes.

Detroit expects to add one more free agent this offseason -- paying a player about $1 million next season with its biannual exception -- and might look to bring in a wing player to come off the bench to give shooting guard Richard Hamilton and small forward Tayshaun Prince more of a break than they've had in recent years.

Short term, losing Ben Wallace will likely hurt the Pistons, who advanced to four straight conference finals with him leading the way with his passion and blue-collar game. But the Pistons might benefit in a few years when they're not paying him as much as the Bulls will have to with the lucrative deal he agreed to Monday night.

Wallace helped the Pistons become an elite team with his frantic style of play, but during the 2006 playoffs, his offensive limitations -- and perhaps a banged-up body that took away from his defense -- seemed to hurt their chances of advancing to the NBA Finals for the third straight year.

 

[Diamels]

I wonder how much Ben's relationship with Flip played in his decision?

 

[cranrab]

portland disappoints

more euro quackery...

portland's upside includes a good coach (nate mcmillan) and lots of youth, so what do they gain by re-signing this euro to a 5 year deal?

NOTHING.

it's a damn good thing they picked up lamarcus aldridge (yeah, i said it, i'll take a prep player over a euro), because now portland has 2 euro Cs (they also signed nikolas tskishvili) ... all i can say is that the blazers are lucky they play in the C depleted worstern conference...

4 prep players and 4 non-americans... the blazers have 16 players on their roster and should've unloaded some of the garbage instead of taking on more of it...

Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Przybilla accepts five-year deal to stay with Blazers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

One more top free-agent center is off the market: Joel Przybilla has decided to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Przybilla's agent, Bill Duffy, told ESPN.com that the 26-year-old has verbally agreed to sign a five-year deal with the Blazers believed to be worth more than $30 million.

Przybilla also had strong interest in Chicago, but the Bulls landed the No. 1 center available when they agreed to a four-year deal Monday with Detroit's Ben Wallace worth an estimated $60 million.

The Pistons, in turn, reached a verbal agreement Tuesday with San Antonio free-agent center Nazr Mohammed after also courting Przybilla. When the Chicago option evaporated, Przybilla -- who drew offers from the Spurs and Cleveland, among others -- chose to stay where he is instead of jumping to a playoff contender.

"Joel said all along that loyalty is important to him," Duffy said. "It means a lot to him that Portland gave him a chance two years ago when no one else did. His relationship with the Blazers and [general manager] Kevin Pritchard were very important factors."

 

[SpiritualPorn]

I wonder how much Ben's relationship with Flip played in his decision?

Everything

Chicago was really a Ben Gordon away from seriously contending

Detroit glory years....OVER

 

[TimRock]

[FRAME]http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_4014237[/FRAME]

 

[cranrab]

they did it

i like p.j. brown going to chicago, but i don't see a big upside for the hornets in acquiring tyson chandler... but i'm biased against prep players, right?

Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Bulls to deal Chandler to Hornets for Brown, Smith

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

The Chicago Bulls and New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets on Wednesday reached a verbal agreement on the widely expected trade that will send Bulls center Tyson Chandler to the Hornets for veteran forward P.J. Brown and swingman J.R. Smith.

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that the players involved have been notified that the deal will officially go through July 12, which is the first day NBA teams can officially complete signings and trades after the league announces the salary cap for the 2006-07 season.

The ability to deal away Chandler, who has five years and $54 million left on his contract, was crucial for the Bulls in their pursuit of Ben Wallace. They likely couldn't have offered Wallace as much as they did -- nearly $60 million over four years -- without receiving Brown's much friendlier contract in return.

The willingness to take on Chandler's contract, meanwhile, represents the third bold move from the traditionally quiet Hornets in the space of a week, after years of criticism endured by Hornets owner George Shinn for his reluctance to spend.

"It's my understanding that the trade is going to happen," said Mark Bartelstein, Brown's agent. "P.J. is very excited. He feels like the Bulls have an opportunity to compete for a championship. He really enjoyed his time with the Hornets, but he has so many fond memories of his days in Miami and contending every year that Chicago is a really good situation for him to get back to."

New Orleans/Oklahoma City commenced its aggressive summer makeover by offering Peja Stojakovic a five-year deal worth more than $60 million to entice the sharpshooting former All-Star to leave the Indiana Pacers. That was Saturday.

On Sunday, Shinn followed the Stojakovic coup by sanctioning a three-year commitment worth more than $15 million to Memphis Grizzlies guard Bobby Jackson.

The venerable Brown, who turns 37 in October, has only one season left on his contract at $8 million. Swapping Brown and the out-of-favor Smith for Chandler means New Orleans/Oklahoma City has committed to well over $120 million in new contracts since free agency began Saturday at 12:01 a.m.

It adds up to the most unexpected outlay ever seen from Shinn, even more unexpected than the big contracts he awarded Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn in the club's Charlotte days. Those moves were contract extensions. The Hornets have never been known for making offseason splashes such as these.

Yet this deal holds obvious appeal on both sides.

Hornets coach Byron Scott, himself the recipient of a three-year contract extension just before the draft, wants to play an up-tempo game and will inevitably see the more athletic Chandler, at 7-foot-1 and turning 24 in October, as a better fit than Brown alongside Rookie of the Year point guard Chris Paul, Stojakovic and power forward David West.

The trade makes even more sense for the Bulls. They don't want to play two non-scorers together (Chandler and Wallace) and moving out Chandler's expensive contract for Brown's expiring deal makes it much easier to absorb Wallace's deal.

Brown, furthermore, is regarded as one of the best locker-room influences in the league and, along with Wallace, would provide legitimate size ... as well as the veteran know-how lacking in Chicago since the breakup of Michael Jordan's Bulls after their sixth and final championship in 1998.

Smith has at least three players ahead of him in Chicago's swing rotation -- Andres Nocioni, Ben Gordon and Luol Deng -- but the 20-year-old has attracted significant trade interest since falling out of Scott's rotation halfway through the season. Smith, then, figures to be a valuable trade chip for the Bulls if he can't crack coach Scott Skiles' rotation, although league rules would preclude Chicago from dealing him until 90 days after this trade is officially consummated.

 

[RunawaySlave]

I'm still disgusted by Peja signing with the Hornets
Just when they where starting to make some progress
they have to sign THAT mofo??

If Peja were black, he would be labeled a malcontent
just like a Stephon Marbury. He is NOT gonna make that
team better.....

unless he's coming off the bench....as a NINTH man

 

[SpiritualPorn]

Marquis Daniels to the Pacers for Croshere ?

Cran.....What is up with this ?

Daniels was probably the only Mav playing with some fire in Game 6 of the Finals.....the only player continuing to drive when the rest of the team is shooting jumpshots.




SportsTicker
Updated: 2:23 a.m. ET July 6, 2006

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Pacers reportedly have acquired guard Marquis Daniels from the Dallas Mavericks for forward Austin Croshere, the only holdover from their 2000 NBA Finals team.

The Indianapolis Star, citing unidentified sources with knowledge of the situation, reported on its website Wednesday that the Pacers have severed ties with Croshere, who had spent his first nine seasons with the club.

A starter when Indiana reached the Finals six years ago, the 6-9 Croshere has had a reduced role in recent years. He averaged 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds in 50 games last season, giving away minutes to Peja Stojakovic and rookie Danny Granger.
Story continues below ↓ advertisement

The Pacers also selected athletic forward Shawne Williams in last month’s draft, which also may have affected Croshere’s role.

Croshere is entering the last year of his contract, which makes him attractive to the Mavericks. He can fill the role played by free agent forward Keith Van Horn and gives the team salary flexibility next summer.


Slide show: The Week in Sports Pictures
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• Week in Sports Pictures
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In Daniels, the Pacers are acquiring an athletic slasher who can back up both guard spots. He has three years and $19 million left on his contract but is just 25 years old.

The 6-6 Daniels averaged career highs of 10.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists last season, his third in the NBA. He has missed at least 20 games every season due to injury.
© 2006 SportsTicker

 

[cranrab]

Marquis Daniels to the Pacers for Croshere ?

Cran.....What is up with this ?

i don't know the reason behind this particular trade, but 2 days after the finals ended, i heard that marquis daniels was being shopped.

 

[cranrab]

is he serious?

read the bold, red sentence. can coach scott really be serious?

Hornets trade Snyder to Rockets, finalize deal for Bulls' Chandler

By JEFF LATZKE, AP Sports Writer
July 14, 2006

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- After acquiring Peja Stojakovic to start at shooting guard, the New Orleans Hornets traded guard Kirk Snyder to the Houston Rockets on Friday for cash and a conditional second-round draft pick in 2008.

Snyder started 40 straight games in the Hornets' backcourt last season and averaged 8.0 points and 2.4 rebounds. Coach Byron Scott has said the 6-foot-10 Stojakovic, who agreed to a five-year, $64 million contract with the Hornets on Wednesday, will likely start at shooting guard.

"Kirk is a talented player, and I think the abilities and athleticism he possesses will make him a good fit for the Rockets," Scott said.

The Hornets also finalized a trade Friday sending veteran forward P.J. Brown and guard J.R. Smith to Chicago for center Tyson Chandler.

The two moves leave New Orleans temporarily without any reserves in the backcourt. Free agent Bobby Jackson has agreed to terms with the Hornets, although the deal hasn't been finalized, and Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said the Hornets had also agreed to terms with 6-foot-7 swingman Rasual Butler, their top 3-point shooter from last season.

"We have reached an agreement with Rasual that will get him signed sometime next week, and that was a factor in making this trade as well," Bower said.

In the past 10 days, the Hornets have also waived guards Arvydas Macijauskas and Moochie Norris.

Bower said the Hornets expect Jackson to be the backup at both guard positions while Butler will be able to come off the bench at shooting guard and small forward. He said New Orleans will also look into signing another backup at point guard.

"Between any of those combinations, actually we think we've got a nice tight rotation where roles can be clearly defined and players really have an understanding of what they need to do to live up to the expectations levels," Bower said. "I think we've got a real nice rotation with all those players."

The addition of Chandler gives New Orleans a stable of young players in the frontcourt. They had already added forward Cedric Simmons and center Hilton Armstrong in the first round of the draft, and Chandler gives them another player in that defense-first mold.

The 7-foot-1 center, the second overall pick in the 2001 draft, averaged 5.3 points and 9.0 rebounds last season.

"We think that's a big move for us, to bring in a player who's still very young, entering the prime of his career, that has the exact qualities that we were looking to add to our team," Bower said. "He has length, ability to run the floor, shot-blocking presence and also a player that we think has untapped offensive potential. We think we'll be able to take advantage of that as well at the offensive end."

In exchange, the Bulls get Brown, a 14-year NBA veteran who had been the last Hornets player left over from the franchise's days in Charlotte, and Smith, a first-round draft pick in 2004 who fell out of favor with Scott last season.

Snyder, selected 16th overall by Utah in the 2004 NBA draft, had been traded to New Orleans as part of a five-team deal last August. He began the season as a reserve, but eventually supplanted Smith in the starting lineup in January and began his run of consecutive starts.

"It's a great opportunity for this guy. He doesn't have a whole lot of competition. We'll probably sign some more people. But he has a tremendous upside and it's a great opportunity for him," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said.

"He was coming along really well this year. He shot 45 percent from the field, 36 percent from 3 -- that's very attractive to us with the type of team we have."

AP Sports Writer Chris Duncan in Houston contributed to this report.

 

[cranrab]

keith bogans to orlando... part 2

Magic sign G Bogans

July 13, 2006
ORLANDO, Florida (Ticker) - Guard Keith Bogans is headed back to the place where his NBA career began.

The Orlando Magic on Thursday signed Bogans. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Bogans, 26, played in 39 games last season with the Charlotte Bobcats and averaged 8.7 points before being traded to the Houston Rockets on February 9 for forward Lonny Baxter. Bogans started 22 of 33 games for the Rockets and averaged 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He scored in double figures 29 times, including a season-high 22 at Orlando on January 7.

"Keith will fill a role for us as both a physical defender and someone who can open the floor with his perimeter shooting ability," Magic coach Brian Hill said.

After being selected in the second round in 2003 by Milwaukee, the 6-5 Bogans was promptly acquired by Orlando. During his lone season with the Magic, Bogans started 36 of 73 games and averaged 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds. He was traded to Charlotte in November 2004 for Brandon Hunter.

"Keith is a young veteran that we are familiar with, and the type of player that fits into our plan," Magic general manager Otis Smith said. "We are very happy to have Keith back in Orlando."

Bogans has career averages of 8.4 points and 3.6 rebounds in 219 games.

 

[RunawaySlave]

Re: is he serious?

Coach Byron Scott has said the 6-foot-10 Stojakovic, who agreed to a five-year, $64 million contract with the Hornets on Wednesday, will likely start at shooting guard.

I'm still trying to figure out what J.R. Smith did that was so
terrible as to warrant all this drama behind it. I mean, if JR
missed a defensive assignment or something, how is getting
this mofo gonna improve on that??


Just more preferential treatment if you ask me

 

[cranrab]

don't show zo the money

maybe he understands that he has a chance to make history in miami by defending the title in 2007-08

Saturday, July 15, 2006
Ready to defend: Mourning to re-sign with Heat

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press

MIAMI -- Alonzo Mourning waited 13 years to win his first NBA championship. Now, the Miami Heat center wants to see what defending a title is like.

Mourning said late Saturday that he intends to return to the Heat next season, which would be his 14th -- not including a year he missed because of kidney disease that necessitated a transplant in December 2003.

Teammates often lobbied him to return in recent weeks, with Shaquille O'Neal chanting "one more" in Spanish -- "Uno mas! Uno mas!" -- at the team's championship parade three days after the title was clinched. Finals MVP Dwyane Wade also openly said he wanted Mourning back.

"Big Zo's in good shape," Heat forward Dorell Wright said earlier this week. "I think Zo could play like five more years, to tell you the truth. Zo's in great shape at his age. I hope he does come back, because he's a good guy, a good teammate and a good voice to have in the locker room."

The 36-year-old center had long insisted that his primary reason for playing last season was the lure of a championship, something the Heat won by beating the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the NBA finals. Mourning has said repeatedly since that the decision to either return or retire would be made in consultation with his family.

Mourning made the announcement at his annual Zo's Summer Groove charity gala, part of a weeklong series of events he organizes to benefit underprivileged children.

There are still some contract details to be worked out. He played last season for a veterans' minimum contract of about $1.1 million, and it's expected that the Heat will not offer him significantly more for this coming season.

Mourning has had interest -- and, presumably, higher-paying offers -- in recent days from several other teams, including the San Antonio Spurs, but he rebuked that offer and said if he was going to play anywhere, it would be in Miami.

He averaged 7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.66 blocks in an average of 20 minutes last season, making 20 starts as O'Neal's backup. He ranked third in the NBA in blocks per game, even though he spent the majority of each game watching from the sideline.

But he played a significant role for the Heat, even in limited minutes. In the Game 6, title-clinching victory over Dallas, he had eight points, six rebounds and five blocked shots -- in only 14 minutes.

"It becomes contagious. When you see a person out there doing what they have to do in order for the whole group to be successful, it filters out to all the guys," Mourning said after that game. "I knew every second I was out there, I said, you know what, I'm going to leave every ounce of energy that I have out there."

Mourning's decision means the Heat will likely have all eight of the primary members of their playoff rotation back next season.

All five starters -- O'Neal, Wade, Antoine Walker, Jason Williams and Udonis Haslem -- are set to return, along with sixth man James Posey (who exercised a $6.4 million option to stay in Miami at least one more season) and guard Gary Payton, who intends to play a 17th season and second with Miami.

 

[cranrab]

meanwhile, don't leave money on the table...

good for ronald murray, moving on to another contender (from cleveland), but i wonder exactly how much money he left on the table when the pistons called his bluff?

Friday, July 14, 2006
Source: Murray, Pistons agree to 2-year, $3.6M deal

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

It appears that the Detroit Pistons have cornered the market on Flips in the NBA.

The team came to terms with free agent Ronald "Flip" Murray on Friday on a two-year, $3.6 million deal, a league source told ESPN.com.

The team had been looking for a combo guard who could penetrate to the basket and produce instant offense off the bench and Murray appears to be a perfect fit.

Murray made a name for himself two years ago in Seattle when he was inserted into the starting lineup on opening night after Ray Allen suffered an injury and scored 20 or more points in 10 of his first 11 games.

Even more perfect for the Pistons was the price at which they got him. The Pistons originally offered the majority of their mid-level exception to Murray, but Murray hesitated to take it, hoping to get a more lucrative deal elsewhere.

In the meantime, the Pistons found out that they were losing Ben Wallace and made Nazr Mohamed an offer. When Mohammed accepted, Murray was left without a big suitor.

In the end, the Pistons were able to fill both their needs -- adding a center to replace Wallace and adding some scoring punch to their backcourt.

While no one is pretending that the Pistons are going to be better without Wallace, they are adding some depth to what once was a paper thin rotation.

Expect Murray, Carlos Delfino and Antonio McDyess to give the Pistons a legit eight-man rotation next year.

 

[showtime]

Re: is he serious?

I'm still trying to figure out what J.R. Smith did that was so
terrible as to warrant all this drama behind it. I mean, if JR
missed a defensive assignment or something, how is getting
this mofo gonna improve on that??


Just more preferential treatment if you ask me

Well from what i've heard JR had poor work ethic, didn't really try the best he could to improve his game, and didn't listen to Scott. If you saw the NBA Rookies show last year on spike, they focused on JR alot and you could tell how immature he was. He mentioned once that he'd rather get a highlight dunk shown on sportscenter and not score any other points that nite, than to go for 20 with no spectacular plays.

I dont think he'll get off the bench muct in Chi town with their mix of gaurds, plus the one they just drafted. Plus Skiles is a stickler for defense, which JR doesnt play much of. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[cranrab]

adrian griffin leaves the mavericks

Monday, July 17, 2006
Report: Bulls, Adrian Griffin agree to three-year deal

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SportsTicker

DALLAS -- Adrian Griffin apparently has decided to leave an NBA power for an up-and-coming franchise.


Griffin
Newspapers in Dallas and Chicago reported Monday that the swingman will be rejoining the Chicago Bulls after one season with the Dallas Mavericks.

Griffin's agent, Tony Dutt, told the newspaper that Griffin had agreed to a three-year contract with the Bulls, for whom he played during the 2004-05 season.

"He had such a respect for Avery [Dallas coach Avery Johnson] and the Mavericks organization," Dutt was quoted as saying in the Dallas Morning News. "With that being said, players at the end of the day have to go with their gut."

The 6-foot-5 Griffin averaged 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 52 games, including 45 starts, this past season with the Mavericks, who lost to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. He also spent the 2001-02 and 2002-03 campaigns with Dallas.

Chicago has lost in the first round of the playoffs each of the last two seasons but upgraded its frontcourt by signing Ben Wallace and trading for P.J. Brown in the past week.

 

[cranrab]

Re: is he serious?

I dont think he'll get off the bench muct in Chi town with their mix of gaurds, plus the one they just drafted. Plus Skiles is a stickler for defense, which JR doesnt play much of. It will be interesting to see what happens.

yahoo has j.r. smith being traded to the denver nuggets for second round picks and howard eisley. howard eisley would then be waived immediately for cap space to accomodate the adrian griffin signing.

i say good for adrian griffin; he wasn't very productive for the mavericks, and he lost playing time in the post season. only question is how many minutes does he think he can steal from the euro and luol deng?

j.r. smith is a 50/50 fit for the nuggets. upside on his athleticism, but a SUB 40% shooter from the floor? isn't perimeter shooting one of the things coach karl was whining about during the clippers series?

if cleveland does do the proposed sign and trade with chicago, THEY ARE HIGH. CRACK high. drew gooden for mike sweetney and chris duhon? what? WHAT?

 

[RunawaySlave]

Re: is he serious?

Well from what i've heard JR had poor work ethic, didn't really try the best he could to improve his game, and didn't listen to Scott.

My point is that none of that will improve with Peja. Although Peja
MIGHT work a little bit harder on OFFENSE, he has the same shitty
attitude on defense. Worse even. Because I've SEEN J.R. play defense
just fine. He is only what?? Twenty or 21??

I am not saying Byron Scott is wrong. I am just saying that whatever
situation he had with J.R. (I still believe it was something more
personal than basketball), that shit ain't gonna improve with a moody
no defense playing punk like Peja

And I hope it's true that Chitown traded him to Denver. Fuck Skiles
and his crackhead ass

 

[showtime]

Re: is he serious?

Yea Peja's d is not really there either, but im sure he will do enough in practice to merit minutes which is something JR didnt do. Plus he'll do better than JR's what 10 points 1 reb, 1 ast per game...JR had the perfect opportunity to make it in NO. Playing aside Paul, with not much competition at SG. Dude was just lazy and had a poor attitude. But Chris paul by himself will get Peja some open looks.

 

[cranrab]

bobcats make a good pickup

i think othella harrington can still be productive... and it doesn't hurt the bobcats, who have been injury prone and have lacked quality depth in the front court...

Updated: July 19, 2006, 9:30 PM ET
Bobcats add 'toughness' with signing of HarringtonSportsTicker


CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats added an experienced veteran to their frontcourt Wednesday, signing forward Othella Harrington. Terms were not disclosed.

A 10-year veteran, Harrington spent the last two seasons with the Chicago Bulls. He was made expendable in Chicago with the signing of Ben Wallace and arrival of rookie Tyrus Thomas, leading to his release earlier this month.

"Othella complements our team well and is a veteran player who can serve as a mentor to our younger players in the frontcourt," Bobcats coach and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff said. "He brings the toughness that we have displayed in our first two seasons and he understands his role in the team concept on both ends of the floor."

The 6-9, 235-pound Harrington joins a frontcourt that includes Sean May, Emeka Okafor, Primoz Brezec and first-round pick Adam Morrison.

"I am looking forward to a great season and jelling with the young guys," Harrington said. "I always admired how hard they played."

Harrington averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in 72 games last season.

Joining his fifth team, Harrington has career averages of 7.7 points and 4.6 points in 661 games.

 

[cranrab]

no more PGs for the fakers?

speedy claxton. gone.

marcus banks. gone.

mike james. gone.

bobby jackson. gone.

funny, but to hear some people tell it, the fakers had ALL KINDS of people slitting their own throats just for the chance to play with tobe. the fakers had ALL KINDS of people willing to accept the veteran's exception paycuts to join that squad. the fakers were DESPERATE for help at the PG position because william parker was plainly unsuitable for that spot.

who'd the fakers get so far? vladimir radmanovic. i guess you just can't trust some people's assessments these days.

so far this off-season the fakers drafted pac 10 shitbird jordan farmar and resuscitated shammond williams' career looking for help at the 1.

Updated: July 19, 2006, 3:00 PM ET
Report: Suns, Banks agree to five-year dealSportsTicker


It appears that Marcus Banks wants to play closer to home.

The speedy guard has agreed to terms with the Phoenix Suns on a five-year contract worth $21 million, The Arizona Republic reported Wednesday.

A Las Vegas native, Banks likely would provide point guard relief for NBA MVP Steve Nash, the driving force of the Suns' relentless up-tempo attack.

Banks, 24, spent his first 2½ seasons with the Boston Celtics before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves last January as part of a seven-player deal. He started 28 of 40 games with the Timberwolves and averaged 12 points on 48 percent shooting and 4.7 assists.

The 13th overall pick in 2003 out of UNLV, Banks averaged just 5.3 points in 180 games with the Celtics.

The 6-2 Banks would be the second free agent addition for the Suns, joining swingman Eric Piatkowski. Phoenix lost forward Tim Thomas, who signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.