Mavs Prepared To Offer Kidd $8M Per Year
Jul 01, 2009 9:50 AM EST
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban planned to meet with Jason Kidd at midnight on Tuesday in New York City.
The New York Daily News wrote early Wednesday that "the Mavs will offer Kidd a contract starting at $8 million per over two years with an option for athird."
The Knicks are interested in Kidd as well, but can only offer him the $5.8 million mid-level exception unless they negotiate a sign-and-trade with Dallas.
Via New York Daily News
Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks
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Trail Blazers Make Call To Turkoglu
Jul 01, 2009 7:14 AM EST
Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard called agent Lon Babby about Hedo Turkoglu once free agency opened late Tuesday night.
"Kevin Pritchard and [assistant general manager] Tom Penn called me at the earliest possible moment and expressed enthusiasm for engaging in discussionsabout Hedo becoming a Trail Blazer," Babby told the Oregonian. "We have begun that process."
Pritchard said that he talked with Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge about contract extensions prior to inquiring about Turkoglu.
Portland has roughly $8 million in cap room.
Via Oregonian
Portland Trail Blazers
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Detroit Fires Michael Curry
Jun 30, 2009 1:43 PM EST
The Detroit Pistons fired Michael Curry as head coach on Tuesday.
Doug Collins is believed to be a leading candidate for the job, according to a source.
Collins coached Joe Dumars with the Pistons from 1995-97, and has been out of coaching since the Washington Wizards fired him in 2003.
Avery Johnson is also said to be high on the candidate list.
Bill Laimbeer has been mentioned by some as a candidate, but Yahoo! refutes the possibility flatly.
Via Yahoo!
Detroit Pistons
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Gordon, Villanueva Land In Detroit
Jul 01, 2009 10:05 AM EST
Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva flew to Detroit on Wednesday morning for a meeting with Pistons president Joe Dumars.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that the pair are "moving rapidly toward deals" with the club.
Gordon is a restricted free agent, which means the Bulls can match any offer he receives, while Villanueva is unrestricted.
Via Yahoo! Sports
Detroit Pistons
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Source: Knicks Will Offer Lee $32M Over Four Years
Jul 01, 2009 9:54 AM EST
A team source told the New York Daily News that the Knicks will offer David Lee a four-year deal worth $32 million.
Lee, a restricted free agent, is believed to be seeking $10 million per year.
The Knicks want to retain Lee, but are also trying to preserve financial flexibility for the summer of 2010.
"There's no question he'd love to stay in New York," agent Mark Bartelstein said Tuesday. "But you are only a free agent so many timesin our career, especially in the prime of your career."
Via New York Daily News
New York Knicks
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Marbury: Stars Shouldn't Sign With Knicks
Jul 01, 2009 9:26 AM EST
Stephon Marbury is advising stars not to sign with the Knicks.
Marbury cited the way the organization treats people and his belief that teams can't win championships playing a style like the one coach Mike D'Antoniemploys.
"I wouldn't want to play in that system," Marbury told The New York Post. "That system can't win championships. You can't winchampionships if you don't talk about defense. In Boston, the coaches even play defense."
Marbury added that being exiled from the team for four months before he finally received a buyout "mentally damaged" him and effected his Bostonperformance.
Marbury, who still doesn't have an agent, hopes to re-sign with Boston.
"Mentally, what I had to deal with, the process with D'Antoni, the president (Donnie Walsh), it was mindboggling," Marbury added. "Twopeople can't make a decision and they have to go above them to Mr. Dolan.
Mentally I was damaged and didn't even realize it.
"Going back next year, I'll be free. When you're weathering the storm, you're not thinking how bad the storm is. You're just holding on,trying to get through the finish."
Via New York Post
New York Knicks
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Report: Kobe Could Sign $85M Extension
Jul 01, 2009 8:06 AM EST
Kobe Bryant decided not to exercise the early termination option in his contract on Tuesday, and will make $23 million with the Lakers in 2009-10.
Bryant can still sign an extension with Los Angeles, and the Press-Enterprise wrote on Tuesday night that he could get a new three-year, $85 million deal laterthis summer.
Via Press-Enterprise
Los Angeles Lakers
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Spurs, Suns Trying To Make Room For Odom
Jul 01, 2009 8:01 AM EST
The Lakers contacted Lamar Odom on Tuesday night about remaining with the champions, and a number of other clubs are interested in the forward.
The Spurs and Suns are interested in Odom, and have been looking to clear room in order to sign him.
Odom is believed to be seeking a four-year deal worth about $10 million annually.
There are just a handful of clubs - Detroit, Oklahoma City, Memphis, Atlanta, Toronto, Portland and maybe Sacramento - that have enough cap room to sign Odom.
"There are not a lot of teams," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. "There's a couple, but it only takes one team to make anoffer."
Via Los Angeles Times
San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers
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Bobcats To Entertain Idea Of Signing Iverson
Jul 01, 2009 7:52 AM EST
The Bobcats are losing money and have trouble selling tickets, but signing Allen Iverson could rectify both problems.
Agent Leon Rose declined to further comment on Tuesday, but admitted that he expected to talk with Charlotte when free agency began on Wednesday.
Iverson would likely have to accept a lesser role, something he wouldn't do in Detroit, and the Bobcats have to be aware of their financial situation.
Majority owner Bob Johnson, who is looking to sell the club, wants the front office to avoid the luxury tax.
"I don't think it's fair for us to get anywhere close to the luxury tax numbers," general manager Rod Higgins said. "We're justtrying to get to the playoffs. We're not there yet, so it's going to be hard pressed for us to go to ownership and say we want to go to the taxlevel."
Via NBA.com
Charlotte Bobcats
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Pacers Won't Deviate From Rebuilding Plan
Jul 01, 2009 7:44 AM EST
The Pacers have about $8 million to spend in free agency this summer, and are looking to re-sign both Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts.
Indiana president Larry Bird says that the team is in the second year of a three-year rebuilding plan and that he and general manager David Morway have nointention of deviating.
"We're going to get down below that and we're going to build with a young core group," Bird said. "Then we won't have any complaintsto go forward with."
The Pacers made qualifying offers to both Jack and McRoberts on Tuesday, making both restricted free agents.
"Indiana is the first place I want to play," Jack told the Indianapolis Star on Tuesday. "Like I said over and over, the Pacers are the onesthat put me in the position to get a lucrative contract. I would love to come back and play for them for many years to come."
Bird said that the team will look to improve via trades, but none of their core players - Danny Granger, Brandon Rush, Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough - willbe involved.
"It's a three-year plan and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize any of these young guys because they are going to be good," Bird said."If I can add to that core through a trade, I probably will."
Via Indianapolis Star
Indiana Pacers
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Nate All But Done In New York?
Jul 01, 2009 7:37 AM EST
A Knicks executive said on Tuesday that he would be "shocked" if Nate Robinson remained with the team this summer.
The executive told Andrew Marchand of 1050 ESPN New York of his belief.
The Knicks drafted Toney Douglas last week, a score-first point guard like Robinson. The unnamed executive also pointed out that coach Mike D'Antoniprefers a small rotation, which would have to be stretched if both Douglas and Robinson are going to play.
Via ESPN
New York Knicks
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