Ska its been going on long enough...time to lock....

[siccwittit33]

Monta can fit on any team with a big pg IMO..playing along with bd, bilups,d williams, kidd, heck even marbury

 

[bigmike23]

Bigmike, Monta can fit in a lot of teams, he's basically a smaller version of Kevin Martin, and K-Mart excels in Sacramento. The teams that CAN sign him is another issue, I think it's only Memphis or something like that. Monta is a very good player, and he's young, I don't see the Warriors overpaying unless they go into 14/15 million, I say he'd get anywhere from 9-11 million a year, and I'd say that's fair for his abilities, he can start @ SG for most teams.
and Kevin Martin also has a jump shot.

 

[japanair21]

Monta doesn't have a jumper? He's not great from three, but dude's mid-range jumper is money.

 

[santarosawarriorfan]

concurred, monta does need to be with a big guard...
hopefully bellineli pans out because once baron is gone they'll need a bigger guard

 

[TheGodFresco]

Originally Posted by Bigmike23

Bigmike, Monta can fit in a lot of teams, he's basically a smaller version of Kevin Martin, and K-Mart excels in Sacramento. The teams that CAN sign him is another issue, I think it's only Memphis or something like that. Monta is a very good player, and he's young, I don't see the Warriors overpaying unless they go into 14/15 million, I say he'd get anywhere from 9-11 million a year, and I'd say that's fair for his abilities, he can start @ SG for most teams.

and Kevin Martin also has a jump shot.

and monta doesn't? He's not that good from 3, but his mid range is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[dlo13]

http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/stories/2008/06/30/joshes_0701.html

Both Smith and Childress can sign offer sheets with other teams, but the Hawks have the right to match any offer. The Hawks will get first crack at Smith, who is expected to meet Tuesday with his representatives and Hawks management, the first day they are allowed to do so by league rules. Such a meeting with Childress could also occur.

"We want to sit down and talk to [the Hawks] first and gauge their interest and see exactly where we are," said Wallace Prather, one of Smith's agents. "I think everybody realizes that Josh loves it here and loves his teammates and loves playing in his hometown. If everything goes well, hopefully, we wont have to talk long. But if they send us off to find another offer, then we'll have to do that as well."

Smith is expected to be in Philadelphia for a visit later in the week. And the 76ers, with more than $11 million in projected salary cap space, can offer Smith a lucrative, frontloaded deal greater than the $45 million offer the Hawks made - and Smith turned down - last summer, when Smith was eligible for a contract extension.

Just offer him 6 years/$70 mil. and make sure he never gets near Philadelphia.

 

[tupac003]

[h1]Artest "Not Opting Out"[/h1]

Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest will honor the final year of his contract and play for the Kings in the 2008-2009 season.

In an email sent to News10's Bryan May, Artest confirmed he is not exercising the free agency option in the final year of his contract, meaning he will earn $7,450,000 the coming season.

Artest is entering his third year with the Sacramento franchise, having come over in a January 2006 trade for Peja Stojakovic to the Indiana Pacers.

Bryan May will have more on News10 at 6.

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=44020&catid=2

Laker fans....

Ron isn't coming. Let's get over it.

 

[fiveseconds]

Congrats to the Wiz for keeping Antwan, I actually thought he was on his way out. Now let's resign Gil and bring him back after the all-star game andlet's win the east.

 

[dlo13]

This hasn't been posted?

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/clippers/la-sp-clippers1-2008jul01,0,1092404.story

[h1]Elton Brand, Corey Maggette opt out of their Clippers contracts[/h1]

Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times

Clippers swingman Corey Maggette, who is fouled by Sacramento's John Salmons last season, has opted out of his contract to be a free agent this summer.

The team could still re-sign both players, who will be among the most sought-after free agents this summer.

By Jonathan Abrams, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
6:05 PM PDT, June 30, 2008
Clippers forward Elton Brand joined teammate Corey Maggette today in opting out of the final season of his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent.

Brand, who sat out all but eight games last season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles' tendon, immediately becomes one of the most attractive big men in the market.

He was owed $16.4 million had he stayed in the final year of his Clippers contract.

Maggette, the longest-tenured Clipper, also is one of the most attractive free agents in this off-season's market.

The only problem is, there may not be too many buyers.

Only the Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers have abundant cap space this summer, with the Clippers now joining that list. Other teams would be able to offer Maggette, who was owed $7 million had he remained with the Clippers, the lesser mid-level exception.

The Clippers have maintained they hope to re-sign Maggette; however, a sign-and-trade deal with him could also be in the team's plans.

Maggette, 28, averaged 22.1 points a game last season.


There's your man, Philly. Leave Josh Smith alone, plz.

 

[kiddin like jason]

Maggette... Hornets?

 

[paul is on tilt]

Originally Posted by Bigmike23


and why would anyone want Monta Ellis? let the warriors over pay for him because he only fits there system. have him in other with him running point and he gets exposed. he fits no team in the NBA other then Golden state.

Monta's not a PG. He's an SG. Of course he will get exposed if he runs the point... because he isn't one. Where are you getting your info from?

Originally Posted by Bigmike23

Bigmike, Monta can fit in a lot of teams, he's basically a smaller version of Kevin Martin, and K-Mart excels in Sacramento. The teams that CAN sign him is another issue, I think it's only Memphis or something like that. Monta is a very good player, and he's young, I don't see the Warriors overpaying unless they go into 14/15 million, I say he'd get anywhere from 9-11 million a year, and I'd say that's fair for his abilities, he can start @ SG for most teams.

and Kevin Martin also has a jump shot.

Monta has a jumpshot. Again, where are you getting your info from?

 

[bigmike23]

He Compared Ellis to Martin by saying he is a smaller version of him which is not the case seen him Martin can shoot all over the court and could fit into manyteams in the NBA. IF ellis played for any other team in the NBA he would have been force to play PG, dude is 6'3 skinny +@+ SG my point is still the sameif he only fits GS system.

 

[GreenNGold89]

Well, Baron opted out also.

 

[jdb1523]

No wonder the Cavs were 'trying' to get these guys. It had to be through a trade since we have absolutely no cap space.

THIS %!!%!@$ SUCKS!!!!

 

[gullydagreat]

Originally Posted by bbllplaya23

Well, Baron opted out also.

I wonder why there is no speculation of where Josh Smithmight go if he does not re-sign with Atlanta .. a great pick-up for any team IMO

 

[tupac003]

[h1]Restricted free agents Vujacic, Turiaf given qualifying offers by Lakers[/h1]
Associated Press

Updated: June 30, 2008, 6:24 PM ET

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Lakers have given qualifying offers to restricted free agents Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf.

Turiaf

Vujacic

General manager Mitch Kupchak announced the moves Monday.

The Lakers, beaten by Boston in six games in the NBA finals, are expected to remain essentially intact for next season. Kupchak has said he hopes to keep Vujacic and Turiaf.

As restricted free agents, Vujacic and Turiaf may sign an offer sheet with any team, but the Lakers would have the right to match.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press



[h1]Brand to opt out, hopes to work out deal with Clippers[/h1]
By J.A. Adande
ESPN.com
(Archive)


Updated: June 30, 2008, 10:06 PM ET

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Elton Brand said on Monday that he is opting out of the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, but that he hopes to re-sign with the team.

"We're opting out," Brand said. "It definitely doesn't mean I'm leaving the Clippers. We're trying to work it out. My intention is to stay."

Brand

Brand is forgoing the $16.4 million on the last year of his deal, a final decision he made at Monday's deadline to notify the team and the league. Earlier in the day, teammate Corey Maggette filed the paperwork to opt out of his contract, the Los Angeles Times reported, creating potentially $10 million of salary cap space if the Clippers do not re-sign him.

Brand's agent, David Falk, said the forward wants to see the Clippers sign a quality free agent and try to assemble a winning team in Los Angeles.

"It preserves options to make the team better," Falk said. "Clearly, if Elton decided he wanted to simply max out the dollars, he would have stayed in the deal, had a monster year and a lot more teams will have cap room next year."

Brand now has the right to leave the Clippers without compensation. Yet it's more likely that he would push for a sign-and-trade to a new team if he can't negotiate a new long-term deal to his liking with L.A, which Falk insists is Brand's preferred scenario.

Memphis and Philadelphia are the only teams with the requisite salary-cap space this summer to make sufficiently lucrative offers to sign Brand away from the Clippers outright. Even the Sixers -- despite their publicly stated interest in acquiring a power play -- might not have enough with an estimated $11 million to offer for a first-year salary.

It's believed that the Miami Heat will make another hard pitch to land Brand via trade. The contract Brand is vacating was originally signed with Miami when the 29-year-old power forward was a restricted free agent in the summer of 2003, with the Clippers matching that six-year, $82 million deal.

Falk said a visit to Boston for Game 2 of the NBA Finals influenced Brand's decision to opt out.

"He watched what happened when a few stars get together and agree to have a communal effort," Falk said. "He said 'That's what I'd like to accomplish in my career.'"

Of course it helps to trade for a couple of All-Stars, as the Celtics did when they acquired Ray Allen and then Kevin Garnett. The Clippers have a solid young frontcourt in Brand, center Chris Kaman and Al Thornton, who is coming off a promising rookie season. Guard Cuttino Mobley has two seasons remaining on his contract, and the Clippers selected Indiana guard Eric Gordon with No. 7 pick in the draft last week.

Since Shaun Livingston's devastating knee injury last season, point guard has been the Clippers' most unsettled position. Beno Udrih of the Sacramento Kings is an unrestricted free agent and a potential target.

Brand injured his knee last summer and appeared in only eight games near the end of the 2007-08 season, averaging 17.6 points and 8.0 rebounds. The best season in his nine-year career came in 2005-06, when he averaged 24.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, shot 53 percent and led the franchise into the second round of the playoffs for the first time since it played in Buffalo in 1976.

On Monday, Brand sounded interested in staying in Los Angeles. He has branched out into film production (his first movie, "Rescue Dawn," was released last year) and his wife is expecting a son in October.

"Right now it's just trying to solidify my future and work things out with the Clippers," Brand said. "I've got a lot of going on."
J.A. Adande is an ESPN.com senior writer and the author of "here[/color] to e-mail J.A. ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein contributed to this report.



[h1]Restricted free agents Gomes, Smith and Richard get offers from Wolves[/h1]
Associated Press

Updated: June 30, 2008, 8:03 PM ET

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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Ryan Gomes, Craig Smith and Chris Richard on Monday and chose to let Sebastian Telfair and Kirk Snyder become unrestricted free agents.

The moves were a formality the team had to go through with the start of the free agent bidding period beginning on Tuesday.

By qualifying Gomes, Smith and Richard, the Wolves retained their right of first refusal for all three players. That means they will have the option of matching any offer the players get from another team.

Gomes was acquired from Boston in last year's deal for Kevin Garnett. The versatile forward averaged career highs in points (12.6), rebounds (5.

and assists (1.

in his first season in Minnesota. He spent time at both small- and power-forward and is well-liked in the locker room.

Gomes said last weekend that he would like to return to Minnesota, and all signs point to that happening.

"You always want to go somewhere you're wanted," Gomes said.

Smith was a second-round pick two years ago who has become a reliable offensive forward off the bench. The undersized power averaged 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds last season.

Richard, a second-round pick out of Florida a year ago, spent some time in the NBDL and played sparingly in his rookie season.

The Timberwolves did not extend a qualifying offer to Telfair because they would have had to pay the point guard $3.5 million next season. The team still wants to get a deal done with Telfair, who is entering his fifth season and played well when Randy Foye missed most of the first half of the season with a knee injury.

Telfair averaged 9.3 points, a career-high 5.9 assists and 1.8 turnovers last season and was the only other point guard on the roster behind Foye after the Wolves traded the draft rights to O.J. Mayo and Marko Jaric to Memphis on Thursday as part of a deal that landed them Kevin Love and Mike Miller.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

 

[acidicality]

Ellis' midrange is money....people who don't watch laugh that Warrior fans would "trust their life" on it, but it's that good. What makeshim so dangerous offensively is if you give him space to shoot, he'll knock a midrange down, but if you guard him too close he has all the speed in theworld to go by you...

and i'm surprised with baron. he left a whole bunch of money on the table. screw gilbert...this is the 2nd time he's screwed us over

if he gets a max deal (or something like that), then i'll let that team rot in cap hell. baron deserves a nice contract, but not that nice. i'm hopingit's that the Warriors have a deal in place for him (a reasonable one) or that they're sign and trading him to a team other than the Cavaliers.

 

[23mcpizzle23]

do something mitch!!!!

 

[thekillerj23]

TO KEEP LEBRON IN THE CITY
WE GOTTA SIGN B DIDDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

make it happen ferry

 

[mateen cleaves]

who will sign Telfair?

 

[bhzmafia14]

Interesting that Brand opts out. Maybe Miami isn't going after him anymore. More than likely he knows that Memphis and Philly are the only two teams thatcan offer him a great deal of money, so I would think Memphis has a good chance at getting him since Philly is going after Josh Smith.

 

[dlo13]

SAS on ESPN trying to get Knicks fans excited...

 

[mateen cleaves]

how will philly sign both Iggy and Smith?

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by Bigmike23

He Compared Ellis to Martin by saying he is a smaller version of him which is not the case seen him Martin can shoot all over the court and could fit into many teams in the NBA. IF ellis played for any other team in the NBA he would have been force to play PG, dude is 6'3 skinny +@+ SG my point is still the same if he only fits GS system.

Ellis and Martin are only separated by Martin's great range, and 4 inches. Monta is a career 49.5% FG%, better than Martin's. You can say it'sbecause Martin takes more 3 pointers, that's fine, but Monta takes a ton of mid-range jumpers. Martin and Ellis are both QUICK SG's who can drive, andhave very good jumpers (like I said earlier, Martin's is just further out). There aren't as many good SG's as there are PG's, and a lot ofteams need good SG's. I wouldn't necessarily take Martin over Ellis, but you're saying that Ellis' height/weight prohibits him from being agood SG? Or are you trying to prove that he's skinny? Or is it that he's just too short? Martin only has ~7 pounds on Ellis, and the only difference inMonta/Ellis' game is Martin's deeper range. Allen Iverson is too short to be a SG too right?

 

[blackmagnus514]

Maggette... Hornets?

perfect fit....we need an aggressive 2 guard. i ABHOR Mo...i was hoping they'd get an athletic guard like CDR or Walker but it didnt pan out...Arthurwoulda been the perfect understudy to West