NBA: 2009 Off-Season and Free Agency Thread
07-02-2009, 11:56 PM
#41
Three Wheelin'
.
Ron Artest to the Lakers?
After Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest got into that "war of words" in March back in Houston, I asked Kobe what he really thought of Artest.
"We're friends," Kobe said, "I like him a lot--like his game--always have."
Then he told me a story that makes today's news--Artest is supposedly on his way to LA for three years, $18 million--very likely to happen.
Kobe said that after the Lakers lost game six of the '08 NBA Finals in Boston by 39 points, he was alone in the shower, just fuming. He heard somebody walk in and assumed it was one of his teammates, or maybe a staff member. Instead, he looked up, and it was Ron Artest (to this day, Kobe has no idea how Artest got into the locker room).
"I want to come help you," Artest said. "If I can, I'm going to find a way to come to LA and give you the help you need to win a title."
Kobe didn't think much of it, especially since Artest still had a year left on his deal with the Rockets, and that the Lakers were returning an entire team that had just won the Western Conference. Plus, players talk like that a lot, and it's just talk. But it struck Kobe as a nice gesture, especially since he had just been hammered by the Celtics and nobody was saying much of anything. Kobe told me that the perception a lot of people have of Artest is wrong.
"He competes....every night, every play," Kobe said. "I've known him since high school and he's always been like that."
Kobe found it strange that some people in the media were portraying he and Artest as enemies.
"He wants to win as much as I do...and I respect him--a lot."
When you consider that Artest and Lamar Odom grew up playing together in New York, this move makes a ton of sense. Artest gets to play with two good friends, for a coach that has always spoken highly of him.
Over the years, I've often asked Phil Jackson specifically about Artest's "colorful" nature. Phil never takes the bait, always shifting the conversation to something about how competitive Artest always is. He speaks of Artest the same way he speaks of Dennis Rodman. You'll rarely hear Phil comment on how weird Rodman was, just that he adjusted to the team culture once he came to town. I imagine that if the Artest deal goes through, he'll treat Ron much the same way.
After Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest got into that "war of words" in March back in Houston, I asked Kobe what he really thought of Artest.
"We're friends," Kobe said, "I like him a lot--like his game--always have."
Then he told me a story that makes today's news--Artest is supposedly on his way to LA for three years, $18 million--very likely to happen.
Kobe said that after the Lakers lost game six of the '08 NBA Finals in Boston by 39 points, he was alone in the shower, just fuming. He heard somebody walk in and assumed it was one of his teammates, or maybe a staff member. Instead, he looked up, and it was Ron Artest (to this day, Kobe has no idea how Artest got into the locker room).
"I want to come help you," Artest said. "If I can, I'm going to find a way to come to LA and give you the help you need to win a title."
Kobe didn't think much of it, especially since Artest still had a year left on his deal with the Rockets, and that the Lakers were returning an entire team that had just won the Western Conference. Plus, players talk like that a lot, and it's just talk. But it struck Kobe as a nice gesture, especially since he had just been hammered by the Celtics and nobody was saying much of anything. Kobe told me that the perception a lot of people have of Artest is wrong.
"He competes....every night, every play," Kobe said. "I've known him since high school and he's always been like that."
Kobe found it strange that some people in the media were portraying he and Artest as enemies.
"He wants to win as much as I do...and I respect him--a lot."
When you consider that Artest and Lamar Odom grew up playing together in New York, this move makes a ton of sense. Artest gets to play with two good friends, for a coach that has always spoken highly of him.
Over the years, I've often asked Phil Jackson specifically about Artest's "colorful" nature. Phil never takes the bait, always shifting the conversation to something about how competitive Artest always is. He speaks of Artest the same way he speaks of Dennis Rodman. You'll rarely hear Phil comment on how weird Rodman was, just that he adjusted to the team culture once he came to town. I imagine that if the Artest deal goes through, he'll treat Ron much the same way.
07-03-2009, 12:24 AM
#43
Jedi, I pretty much agree with all your points. Ron will make a difference on the defensive end, and on offense, he's much better than Ariza on a consistent basis. He can go body to body with Melo or being optimistic, Lebron and Paul Pierce. And finesse players really have a hard time with him.
-This free agent class seems not to be the franchise player class, but the "missing piece" class. Most of the big signings are teams that liked their core, and wanted that next player. Jefferson first, Hedo, Ron, Sheed, etc.
-As giddy as I am about the Lakers not just standing pat, there is no doubt that Sheed will make the Celtics tough in the East. IMO, the Magic got a little worse, Celts got better, and the Cavs remain to be seen dependent upon Shaq's conditioning. Love the west, but I'll honestly be watching the east when it isn't the Lakers on TV.
-And to be optimistic for the Rockets, I don't think they're contenders as built, but I think they are pretty good for what they are. They can be giant killers. We're still talking about a team that made it to 7 hard fought games with the Lakers, and they subtracted the guy that mucks up their offense. Ron wasn't right for those guys now on the team. Ariza will fit in nicely, because, like Battier, he can defend, he's a quiet, hard worker, but he can probably benefit from Aaron Brooks sucking the defense in. He'll definitely be better on the break. He's a better fit on that team, for Aaron and just for the way that team plays.
-This free agent class seems not to be the franchise player class, but the "missing piece" class. Most of the big signings are teams that liked their core, and wanted that next player. Jefferson first, Hedo, Ron, Sheed, etc.
-As giddy as I am about the Lakers not just standing pat, there is no doubt that Sheed will make the Celtics tough in the East. IMO, the Magic got a little worse, Celts got better, and the Cavs remain to be seen dependent upon Shaq's conditioning. Love the west, but I'll honestly be watching the east when it isn't the Lakers on TV.
-And to be optimistic for the Rockets, I don't think they're contenders as built, but I think they are pretty good for what they are. They can be giant killers. We're still talking about a team that made it to 7 hard fought games with the Lakers, and they subtracted the guy that mucks up their offense. Ron wasn't right for those guys now on the team. Ariza will fit in nicely, because, like Battier, he can defend, he's a quiet, hard worker, but he can probably benefit from Aaron Brooks sucking the defense in. He'll definitely be better on the break. He's a better fit on that team, for Aaron and just for the way that team plays.
Last edited by CarbonGray Earl; 07-03-2009 at 12:26 AM.
07-03-2009, 01:59 PM
#44
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4304805
Hedo Turkoglu has reached an agreement in principle to join the Portland Trail Blazers, according to sources.
Although a verbal commitment may be announced sooner, the terms of the contract cannot be finalized until Wednesday, after the NBA informs teams what next year's salary cap will be.
The Orlando Magic's recent trade for Vince Carter, who has a large salary and plays small forward -- which is Turkoglu's position -- made it highly unlikely Turkoglu would be back in Orlando.
The Toronto Raptors expressed interest, but that was constrained by their other efforts to keep Shawn Marion and Carlos Delfino.
Turkoglu, a 6-10 forward from Turkey who played a prominent role in the Magic's recent trip to the NBA Finals, had been looking for a five-year deal in the neighborhood of $50 million.
Experts believe the cap likely will be somewhere between $57 million and $59 million. If the cap number comes in at the high end, the Blazers can offer close to what Turkoglu is hoping for.
After having dinner with Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan in Florida on Wednesday, Turkoglu flew to Portland Thursday to visit the the team and see the city.
ESPN's Ric Bucher reported that the Turkish star remained in Portland on Friday, where he and the team were working on a deal.
The Blazers, one of the youngest teams in the NBA, had been intent on adding experienced players this offseason. They targeted the 30-year-old Turkoglu as a player who could take pressure off team leader Brandon Roy, who has carried the burden of creating most of the team's scoring opportunities.
Although a verbal commitment may be announced sooner, the terms of the contract cannot be finalized until Wednesday, after the NBA informs teams what next year's salary cap will be.
The Orlando Magic's recent trade for Vince Carter, who has a large salary and plays small forward -- which is Turkoglu's position -- made it highly unlikely Turkoglu would be back in Orlando.
The Toronto Raptors expressed interest, but that was constrained by their other efforts to keep Shawn Marion and Carlos Delfino.
Turkoglu, a 6-10 forward from Turkey who played a prominent role in the Magic's recent trip to the NBA Finals, had been looking for a five-year deal in the neighborhood of $50 million.
Experts believe the cap likely will be somewhere between $57 million and $59 million. If the cap number comes in at the high end, the Blazers can offer close to what Turkoglu is hoping for.
After having dinner with Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan in Florida on Wednesday, Turkoglu flew to Portland Thursday to visit the the team and see the city.
ESPN's Ric Bucher reported that the Turkish star remained in Portland on Friday, where he and the team were working on a deal.
The Blazers, one of the youngest teams in the NBA, had been intent on adding experienced players this offseason. They targeted the 30-year-old Turkoglu as a player who could take pressure off team leader Brandon Roy, who has carried the burden of creating most of the team's scoring opportunities.
07-03-2009, 02:40 PM
#46
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Everyone up here is about 50/50 on the Hedo signing, Rudy is pissed about it so its looking more like were going to package Outlaw and Rudy possibly Bayless to trade for a point guard. Got my fingers crossed that its going to be Harris from the nets, but we will see.
07-03-2009, 02:52 PM
#47
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these past couple days have surely bolstered the portland/lakers rivalry for the next few years. new versus old. proven versus something to prove.
how i can't wait until may and june of 2010. hopefully a couple other west teams step it up because right now it is all east that has the stacked teams. plus agent 0 coming back with butler and jamison they'll be crazy. and vin-sanity in orlando is a huge upgrade over hedo. sheed in boston will just remind us of the spurs part 2.
the only concern i have is he was on a contract year and he was playing off kobe, gasol, fish, odom, etc. in houston, he'll be one of the main men and he can not create off the dribble. if tmac can come back strong and the big men really take a quantam leap, ariza will be an amazing complement. but that's all he can be, a complement.
how i can't wait until may and june of 2010. hopefully a couple other west teams step it up because right now it is all east that has the stacked teams. plus agent 0 coming back with butler and jamison they'll be crazy. and vin-sanity in orlando is a huge upgrade over hedo. sheed in boston will just remind us of the spurs part 2.
Ariza will fit in nicely, because, like Battier, he can defend, he's a quiet, hard worker, but he can probably benefit from Aaron Brooks sucking the defense in. He'll definitely be better on the break. He's a better fit on that team, for Aaron and just for the way that team plays.
07-03-2009, 04:46 PM
#48
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^^ I have said it before and I will say it again, it is a great time to be an NBA fan right now, so much going on, and the talent in the league has never been this abundant. Great teams vying for championships; Orlando, Cleveland, Denver, Portland, LA, everyone is getting in the mix and they are really no clear cut favorites to win.
07-03-2009, 05:16 PM
#49
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there are going to be some really really bad teams next year haha. it's definitely going to be interesting. i want to see how the wiz do now that they've put together their team of guys coming off of injuries that's never really played together. my guess is that the celtcs, cavs, magic etc. will still be better. rondo has really impressed me. nobody can deny that he's one of the better pg's in the league.
sheed and vince are kind of x-factors. everyone is hyped up but they're not exactly guys that bring it every night.
sheed and vince are kind of x-factors. everyone is hyped up but they're not exactly guys that bring it every night.
07-03-2009, 10:16 PM
#51
Interesting. Toronto was the only team that could offer big money for Lamar. Dunno if Portland is interested in Lamar (don't think so) but if Toronto is off the table for LO, then the Lakers offer is probably the best he can get.
07-04-2009, 03:50 PM
#52
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Well to me its seems that Lamar really wants to stay, hes been saying he would take a pay cut to stay, now that could change but I think he also understands that he has a better shot in winnig another ring with the lakers than any other team.I dont know but I want to know what kind of offer the lakers have for Lamar(what Lamar wants also).
07-04-2009, 06:37 PM
#55
Well to me its seems that Lamar really wants to stay, hes been saying he would take a pay cut to stay, now that could change but I think he also understands that he has a better shot in winnig another ring with the lakers than any other team.I dont know but I want to know what kind of offer the lakers have for Lamar(what Lamar wants also).
I'm hoping they're just negotiating the money at this point.
07-04-2009, 06:40 PM
#56
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07-04-2009, 06:47 PM
#57
Senior Moderator
Money.
And ESPN is reporting that he likes the fact that Toronto has a large Turkish community. He'll feel more at home. Colangelo is one hell of a salesman.
07-06-2009, 08:56 AM
#58
What Would Don Draper Do?
too many obstacles for this deal to go down:
1. phoenix wants curry in the package
2. g.s. wants assurance that amare's knee and eye are ok
3. if amare doesn't sign a deal with g.s., he'll walk next summer
yea. money, "metro and cosmopolitan" city, lots of internationals on the team, large turkish population, and i don't think his wife wanted to live in portland.
1. phoenix wants curry in the package
2. g.s. wants assurance that amare's knee and eye are ok
3. if amare doesn't sign a deal with g.s., he'll walk next summer
yea. money, "metro and cosmopolitan" city, lots of internationals on the team, large turkish population, and i don't think his wife wanted to live in portland.
07-06-2009, 03:21 PM
#60
Engineer
07-06-2009, 03:28 PM
#61
What Would Don Draper Do?
i was just gonna post that.
grant hill is old, but he's still got some miles left in his legs after all those years he sat out.
however, like shaq, he's gonna miss phoenix's medical staff too.
grant hill is old, but he's still got some miles left in his legs after all those years he sat out.
however, like shaq, he's gonna miss phoenix's medical staff too.
07-09-2009, 08:47 AM
#62
Q('.')=O
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Marion to Dallas?
The Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors, living up to the wild tenor of the past few weeks in the NBA, have hatched a complicated sign-and-trade arrangement that went through numerous constructions Wednesday before resulting in an agreement in principle that will send Shawn Marion to Dallas and also absorb the Raptors' much-anticipated signing of Hedo Turkoglu.
NBA Rumor Central
ESPN Insider has the updated buzz from the National Basketball Association rumor mill.
Story
Sources close to the negotiations told ESPN.com on Wednesday night a trade call has been scheduled with the league office for Thursday, indicating all sides have agreed to the terms of a transaction that, in its final form, will also involve the Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic.
Sources said the Mavericks, after securing Memphis' participation as a third-team facilitator, contacted numerous teams to expand the deal and believed they were close to securing a fourth trade partner from the Eastern Conference. That team, according to ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher, was the Chicago Bulls and would have landed Tim Thomas with the Mavericks.
But one source close to the process later told ESPN.com that the deal was scaled back to a three-team arrangement without Chicago before it was expanded yet again to fold in the Raptors' signing of Turkoglu.
The deal, according to sources, calls for the Mavericks to acquire Marion and Kris Humphries from Toronto and Greg Buckner from Memphis, with Marion to receive a five-year contract worth an estimated $39 million. Buckner has had two previous stints with the Mavericks but is likely to be released, sources said.
The Grizzlies will land Jerry Stackhouse from Dallas, Quincy Douby from Toronto and a substantial cash payment to buy out Stackhouse's contract. Only $2 million of Stackhouse's $7.25 million salary next season is guaranteed, as long as he is waived by Aug. 10.
The Raptors will receive Devean George and Antoine Wright from the Mavericks, while also preserving their $5.9 million mid-level exception for the coming season by turning their acquisition of Turkoglu -- who is getting a five-year deal worth an estimated $53 million -- into a sign-and-trade as opposed to an outright signing. Assembling the trade this way could also enable Toronto to re-sign Carlos Delfino, after it appeared that the Raptors would have to renounce Delfino to help make room for the Turkoglu signing.
The Magic, meanwhile, were motivated to join in the trade because their participation, as opposed to merely letting Turkoglu walk, will create a valuable trade exception they can use in future deals worth around $7 million.
The inclusion of Humphries, Wright and George gave the Raptors more financial incentive to help Marion find a new home via sign-and-trade, as both George and Wright are heading into the final year of their contracts, while Humphries has two years left on his deal. Toronto, furthermore, is in need of a shooting guard after Anthony Parker signed Wednesday with the Cleveland Cavaliers, so adding Wright gives them a credible starter until newly drafted DeMar DeRozan is ready to contribute.
The main thrust of Wednesday's involved maneuvering, though, is Marion's move to Dallas, since Turkoglu's commitment to join the Raptors has been known since last weekend.
The Mavericks are hoping that the combination of Marion and Orlando restricted free agent Marcin Gortat -- along with the re-signing of Jason Kidd -- will greatly improve the depth and flexibility possessed by a team that won 50 games last season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs before losing to Denver. The Magic can match the five-year, $34 million offer sheet Gortat has signed with Dallas but are expected to let him go.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban has said for months he was prepared to be as aggressive as possible this summer as opposed to waiting for the free-agent bonanza of 2010, when Dallas was initially expected to have substantial cap space. With these moves, Dallas can start Marion at small forward next to Dirk Nowitzki and shift Josh Howard to shooting guard, with Sixth Man Award winner Jason Terry staying in a bench role. The Mavericks also believe that they will have a strong small-ball unit when they elect not to play Gortat or Erick Dampier, featuring Howard at small forward, Marion at power forward and Nowitzki at center.
Sources say the Mavericks are determined to keep Howard even with Marion on the way, believing that Howard will have a strong season with free agency looming in the summer of 2010. If there's a concern for Dallas, it's that Marion will be yet another key member of their core over the age of 30, joining Nowitzki (31), Kidd (36), Jason Terry (31) and Howard (who turns 30 next April).
Marion earned $17.8 million last season and was traded for the second straight February when Miami sent him to Toronto in a swap for Jermaine O'Neal. He went from Phoenix to Miami one year earlier in the Shaquille O'Neal trade.
Yet sources say Toronto was intent on re-signing Marion until the Raptors realized that they had an 11th-hour shot at convincing Turkoglu to back out of a verbal commitment he had given the Portland Trail Blazers, having seen late-season signs of promise in Marion's collaboration alongside Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani.
A deal with Dallas appeared to Marion's best and last hope for securing a new contract starting above the $5.9 million mid-level exception, given that the Cavaliers -- despite their recent pursuits of Trevor Ariza and Ron Artest and a well-chronicled need for a combo forward -- were not making a hard push for him.
The Mavericks on Wednesday also signed free-agent swingman Quinton Ross to improve their perimeter defense and replace the outgoing Wright. Dallas' moves also would appear to make it unlikely that it will try to bring back free-agent forward Brandon Bass.
"It's been a long day of looking at spreadsheets, reading NBA cap rules and rubbing my eyes," Cuban said via his Twitter account.
:meh:
NBA Rumor Central
ESPN Insider has the updated buzz from the National Basketball Association rumor mill.
Story
Sources close to the negotiations told ESPN.com on Wednesday night a trade call has been scheduled with the league office for Thursday, indicating all sides have agreed to the terms of a transaction that, in its final form, will also involve the Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic.
Sources said the Mavericks, after securing Memphis' participation as a third-team facilitator, contacted numerous teams to expand the deal and believed they were close to securing a fourth trade partner from the Eastern Conference. That team, according to ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher, was the Chicago Bulls and would have landed Tim Thomas with the Mavericks.
But one source close to the process later told ESPN.com that the deal was scaled back to a three-team arrangement without Chicago before it was expanded yet again to fold in the Raptors' signing of Turkoglu.
The deal, according to sources, calls for the Mavericks to acquire Marion and Kris Humphries from Toronto and Greg Buckner from Memphis, with Marion to receive a five-year contract worth an estimated $39 million. Buckner has had two previous stints with the Mavericks but is likely to be released, sources said.
The Grizzlies will land Jerry Stackhouse from Dallas, Quincy Douby from Toronto and a substantial cash payment to buy out Stackhouse's contract. Only $2 million of Stackhouse's $7.25 million salary next season is guaranteed, as long as he is waived by Aug. 10.
The Raptors will receive Devean George and Antoine Wright from the Mavericks, while also preserving their $5.9 million mid-level exception for the coming season by turning their acquisition of Turkoglu -- who is getting a five-year deal worth an estimated $53 million -- into a sign-and-trade as opposed to an outright signing. Assembling the trade this way could also enable Toronto to re-sign Carlos Delfino, after it appeared that the Raptors would have to renounce Delfino to help make room for the Turkoglu signing.
The Magic, meanwhile, were motivated to join in the trade because their participation, as opposed to merely letting Turkoglu walk, will create a valuable trade exception they can use in future deals worth around $7 million.
The inclusion of Humphries, Wright and George gave the Raptors more financial incentive to help Marion find a new home via sign-and-trade, as both George and Wright are heading into the final year of their contracts, while Humphries has two years left on his deal. Toronto, furthermore, is in need of a shooting guard after Anthony Parker signed Wednesday with the Cleveland Cavaliers, so adding Wright gives them a credible starter until newly drafted DeMar DeRozan is ready to contribute.
The main thrust of Wednesday's involved maneuvering, though, is Marion's move to Dallas, since Turkoglu's commitment to join the Raptors has been known since last weekend.
The Mavericks are hoping that the combination of Marion and Orlando restricted free agent Marcin Gortat -- along with the re-signing of Jason Kidd -- will greatly improve the depth and flexibility possessed by a team that won 50 games last season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs before losing to Denver. The Magic can match the five-year, $34 million offer sheet Gortat has signed with Dallas but are expected to let him go.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban has said for months he was prepared to be as aggressive as possible this summer as opposed to waiting for the free-agent bonanza of 2010, when Dallas was initially expected to have substantial cap space. With these moves, Dallas can start Marion at small forward next to Dirk Nowitzki and shift Josh Howard to shooting guard, with Sixth Man Award winner Jason Terry staying in a bench role. The Mavericks also believe that they will have a strong small-ball unit when they elect not to play Gortat or Erick Dampier, featuring Howard at small forward, Marion at power forward and Nowitzki at center.
Sources say the Mavericks are determined to keep Howard even with Marion on the way, believing that Howard will have a strong season with free agency looming in the summer of 2010. If there's a concern for Dallas, it's that Marion will be yet another key member of their core over the age of 30, joining Nowitzki (31), Kidd (36), Jason Terry (31) and Howard (who turns 30 next April).
Marion earned $17.8 million last season and was traded for the second straight February when Miami sent him to Toronto in a swap for Jermaine O'Neal. He went from Phoenix to Miami one year earlier in the Shaquille O'Neal trade.
Yet sources say Toronto was intent on re-signing Marion until the Raptors realized that they had an 11th-hour shot at convincing Turkoglu to back out of a verbal commitment he had given the Portland Trail Blazers, having seen late-season signs of promise in Marion's collaboration alongside Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani.
A deal with Dallas appeared to Marion's best and last hope for securing a new contract starting above the $5.9 million mid-level exception, given that the Cavaliers -- despite their recent pursuits of Trevor Ariza and Ron Artest and a well-chronicled need for a combo forward -- were not making a hard push for him.
The Mavericks on Wednesday also signed free-agent swingman Quinton Ross to improve their perimeter defense and replace the outgoing Wright. Dallas' moves also would appear to make it unlikely that it will try to bring back free-agent forward Brandon Bass.
"It's been a long day of looking at spreadsheets, reading NBA cap rules and rubbing my eyes," Cuban said via his Twitter account.
:meh:
for jerry colangelo trying to take care of marion and make him whole.
07-09-2009, 09:00 AM
#65
Three Wheelin'
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07-09-2009, 09:12 AM
#66
What Would Don Draper Do?
07-09-2009, 11:51 AM
#67
What Would Don Draper Do?
mcdyess to the spurs.
another good signing for san antonio.
if only this guy stayed healthy. dude was like amare with defense and a jumpshot.
i swear the spurs have some smart and lucky front office people.
another good signing for san antonio.
if only this guy stayed healthy. dude was like amare with defense and a jumpshot.
i swear the spurs have some smart and lucky front office people.
07-09-2009, 04:42 PM
#68
What Would Don Draper Do?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4317515
Sources: Boozer could go to ChicagoComment Email Print Share By Marc Stein and Chad Ford
ESPN.com
Another major multi-team trade might be looming in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls having discussed a deal that would be headlined by Carlos Boozer and Kirk Hinrich, according to NBA front-office sources.
Sources stressed to ESPN.com that no deal was imminent Thursday and that both Portland and Utah are still evaluating multiple trade scenarios. But two sources with knowledge of the three-team proposal confirmed that there have been substantive talks regarding a trade that would land Boozer in Chicago, Hinrich in Portland and Tyrus Thomas in Utah.
A deal featuring those main components would deliver the elite low-post scorer that the Bulls have been chasing for years in Boozer and furnish Portland with a lead guard in Hinrich that the Blazers are known to rate highly as a potential backcourt mate for Brandon Roy. It's possible that other players would be added to balance out the transaction from a salary-cap perspective if the three teams elect to take these talks further.
Yet even if this deal collapses, sources say it is clear that the Jazz are becoming increasingly open to the possibility of moving Boozer now to increase their financial flexibility to re-sign restricted free agent Paul Millsap.
Despite fresh reports Thursday about the Blazers weighing whether to sign Millsap to an offer sheet, Hinrich is the player Portland prefers, according to one source close to the process, after the Blazers came so close last week to landing the versatile Hedo Turkoglu.
Boozer has only one season left at $12.7 million after declining the option in his contract to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. It's believed that the Jazz are determined to keep Millsap but are concerned about the luxury-tax consequences of signing him to a long-term deal.
ESPN.com
Another major multi-team trade might be looming in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls having discussed a deal that would be headlined by Carlos Boozer and Kirk Hinrich, according to NBA front-office sources.
Sources stressed to ESPN.com that no deal was imminent Thursday and that both Portland and Utah are still evaluating multiple trade scenarios. But two sources with knowledge of the three-team proposal confirmed that there have been substantive talks regarding a trade that would land Boozer in Chicago, Hinrich in Portland and Tyrus Thomas in Utah.
A deal featuring those main components would deliver the elite low-post scorer that the Bulls have been chasing for years in Boozer and furnish Portland with a lead guard in Hinrich that the Blazers are known to rate highly as a potential backcourt mate for Brandon Roy. It's possible that other players would be added to balance out the transaction from a salary-cap perspective if the three teams elect to take these talks further.
Yet even if this deal collapses, sources say it is clear that the Jazz are becoming increasingly open to the possibility of moving Boozer now to increase their financial flexibility to re-sign restricted free agent Paul Millsap.
Despite fresh reports Thursday about the Blazers weighing whether to sign Millsap to an offer sheet, Hinrich is the player Portland prefers, according to one source close to the process, after the Blazers came so close last week to landing the versatile Hedo Turkoglu.
Boozer has only one season left at $12.7 million after declining the option in his contract to become an unrestricted free agent July 1. It's believed that the Jazz are determined to keep Millsap but are concerned about the luxury-tax consequences of signing him to a long-term deal.
07-09-2009, 04:54 PM
#69
What Would Don Draper Do?
rockets GM says they will shop battier.
makes sense as it signals that we're in rebuilding mode now.
sad to see him go, but i'm glad he won't have to endure long, losing seasons. the guy's a winner and deserves to be on a team that can contend.
makes sense as it signals that we're in rebuilding mode now.
sad to see him go, but i'm glad he won't have to endure long, losing seasons. the guy's a winner and deserves to be on a team that can contend.
07-10-2009, 03:12 AM
#70
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i don't get why you even care about signing ariza right now if you're going to be shopping battier. it makes sense that they're in rebuilding mode but they just locked in ariza for 5 years. he shoulda signed with the lakers heheh.
07-10-2009, 08:49 AM
#71
What Would Don Draper Do?
now that we're rebuilding, he's expected to be our #1 or #2 scorer?
dude can't create his own shot.however, if we can get some main scorers via trades or free agency, locking him up for 5 years is fine with me. he only cost the MLE anyways, and i think we got him for his true market value.
and from what i've read, he wanted to stay in LA, but he felt "disrespected" that they only offered the MLE to him. i guess he felt he deserved more and was willing to take the MLE from another team to spite the lakers. besides, LA ended up with the better deal anyways.
07-10-2009, 12:02 PM
#75
personally, i didn't want or care for ariza. he'd be a fine addition if yao and tmac were healthy.
now that we're rebuilding, he's expected to be our #1 or #2 scorer? dude can't create his own shot.
however, if we can get some main scorers via trades or free agency, locking him up for 5 years is fine with me. he only cost the MLE anyways, and i think we got him for his true market value.
and from what i've read, he wanted to stay in LA, but he felt "disrespected" that they only offered the MLE to him. i guess he felt he deserved more and was willing to take the MLE from another team to spite the lakers. besides, LA ended up with the better deal anyways.
now that we're rebuilding, he's expected to be our #1 or #2 scorer?
dude can't create his own shot.however, if we can get some main scorers via trades or free agency, locking him up for 5 years is fine with me. he only cost the MLE anyways, and i think we got him for his true market value.
and from what i've read, he wanted to stay in LA, but he felt "disrespected" that they only offered the MLE to him. i guess he felt he deserved more and was willing to take the MLE from another team to spite the lakers. besides, LA ended up with the better deal anyways.
I hope he can maintain his level of 3 point efficiency. It got better as the year went by, so I'm not sure its a part of his game as much as it is a solid streak in the WCFs and Finals.
My problems with him? He's a lean 3, he gambles way to much on defense (having 2 7 footers behind him allowed that), his 3 point shot motion takes minutes to complete, and he's not a creator. He plays off of mistakes on D and spacing created by the dominant scorers on the team, but little else. He's can play big 2 guards well on D, but the big dominant swingmen like Lebron, Melo, and Pierce are definitely tough for him. I wouldn't give up Battier so quickly unless a much better deal can be made.
I see him somewhere between Shawn Marion and Tayshaun Prince, if put in the right situation (Shawn had Nash, Prince had Billups and a championship-caliber squad around him). I think TA had a pretty good attitude (until his agent started talking for him), so he should fit in nicely with houston.
Last edited by CarbonGray Earl; 07-10-2009 at 12:06 PM.
07-10-2009, 12:17 PM
#76
What Would Don Draper Do?
see, i'm not convinced that he can be a solid #2 scorer. maybe a third scorer because i don't believe he can create his own shot but can flourish by what you said: spotting up and slashing to the basket.
realistically, it's not like he's the cornerstone of the franchise and we'll build around him. but when we get the other pieces in, i'm optimistic that he'll do what he does best.
however, on the bright side, we'll have him for what should be the prime years of his career.
i don't want to trade battier, and if we're actually going to try and compete instead of tanking like the knicks, then i prefer to keep him. but if we need to trade players for other players or draft picks or whatever, he's probably the only tradeable asset other than maybe brooks, landry (stretch), and mcgrady. but i don't think the FO will trade brooks unless they get something substantial in return. and i dunno if anyone's desperate enough to take mcgrady's contract now.
it's amazing how quickly things turned for us. and it all makes sense why we were talking to memphis about the #2 pick.
realistically, it's not like he's the cornerstone of the franchise and we'll build around him. but when we get the other pieces in, i'm optimistic that he'll do what he does best.
however, on the bright side, we'll have him for what should be the prime years of his career.
i don't want to trade battier, and if we're actually going to try and compete instead of tanking like the knicks, then i prefer to keep him. but if we need to trade players for other players or draft picks or whatever, he's probably the only tradeable asset other than maybe brooks, landry (stretch), and mcgrady. but i don't think the FO will trade brooks unless they get something substantial in return. and i dunno if anyone's desperate enough to take mcgrady's contract now.
it's amazing how quickly things turned for us. and it all makes sense why we were talking to memphis about the #2 pick.
07-10-2009, 01:13 PM
#77
^^My bad, I thought I said second option on the perimeter. Oh well. I agree with you; he's not a second overall option at all. He played off of Gasol, Kobe, Lamar, and was probably on the same level in the pecking order as Fish was.
As for Houston, injuries are the hardest thing to anticipate. The FO put a solid team around Tmac and Yao, and they are probably the best squad as is right now without a major name on the squad.
Who were they shooting for with that 2 pick?
As for Houston, injuries are the hardest thing to anticipate. The FO put a solid team around Tmac and Yao, and they are probably the best squad as is right now without a major name on the squad.
Who were they shooting for with that 2 pick?
07-10-2009, 01:34 PM
#78
What Would Don Draper Do?
i have no idea who they wanted with the second pick because as far as i know, they never publicly said anything about it.
but if they were thinking back to step 1 and let's rebuild, it would make sense to get a young prospect.
but if they were thinking back to step 1 and let's rebuild, it would make sense to get a young prospect.
07-10-2009, 01:39 PM
#79
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doesn't mcgradys contract expire next year? then if yao is seriously injured and will never recuperate, in the worst case scenario, can't the rockets write that off? if this is what is happening, you guys should just tank with the guys that you have because they are all legitimate players, just not stars. then go for a star in free agency and through the draft.
brooks is legit. i can't believe everyone basically forgot about that halftime buzzer beater alley oop from half court, that was one of the most underrated plays of the playoffs.
brooks is legit. i can't believe everyone basically forgot about that halftime buzzer beater alley oop from half court, that was one of the most underrated plays of the playoffs.
07-10-2009, 02:01 PM
#80
doesn't mcgradys contract expire next year? then if yao is seriously injured and will never recuperate, in the worst case scenario, can't the rockets write that off? if this is what is happening, you guys should just tank with the guys that you have because they are all legitimate players, just not stars. then go for a star in free agency and through the draft.
brooks is legit. i can't believe everyone basically forgot about that halftime buzzer beater alley oop from half court, that was one of the most underrated plays of the playoffs.
brooks is legit. i can't believe everyone basically forgot about that halftime buzzer beater alley oop from half court, that was one of the most underrated plays of the playoffs.
on brooks. He was freakin quick at Oregon and still quick in the pros.