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

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by WILLINC

"Clippers r possible, GS is where i wanna b."

As soon as he sent that text, he probably called his agent and said cool Ill take 65 mill

Screw the Warriors,

Maggette on the Spurs or Celtics

The Celtics really believe they can split the MLE between Posey and Maggette.

Lowballin' like a *substitute*

They don't believe they can get both for half of their MLE, but they don't want to miss out on both of them. The least they could do is offer themboth each, if they want it. Their offering their FULL-MLE to each, I guess whoever takes it first, gets the contract (assuming they both would, which is highlyunlikely).

 

[freddypee]

Corey don't do it!!!

 

[eb4president]

Originally Posted by SunDOOBIE

Why is everyone so shock about 127 mil offered to Arenas? Didn't this guy score 60points once? 50 points 3 times? This guy is worth the $$ in my opinion.

You do NOT give a guy like Gilbert Arenas, MAX money. Like said MAX money goes to the Kobe and LEbron, maybe a Chris Paul ( now that he'sproven and young). But I mean 127 mil is redic, thats more than $20m a year. For a guy who just came off of 2 injured seasons, and at times can seem immature.I do not see what the Wizards were thinking. Now they wont have money to operate with.

The wiz should have let him decide between GS and DC for the money and see where his heart really was. Damn Ernie, you were doing a good job( besides the factyou failed to find a low post dominant scorer) but i have my doubts now.

 

[NotoriousLEEdope]

Man I was really hoping to get Maggette because the Hornets need help at the SG spot badly. If Maggette signed here, he could take that spot easily. Wedesperately need a SG who is an actual threat and not someone whose greatest asset is his three ball. We need a nice, versatile SG but it seems as thoughMaggette's interests are elsewhere.

 

[messiahchild]

[h2]No bias aside, If I was SG, I would sign wit the Hornets. You have the best PG in the league, plus you don't need to be the first or even the secondoption. But I'm not surprised by the Spurs or even the Celtics move on Corey's part.[/h2]

 

[soulize dp]

Arenas is worth max money IMO, but the offer/strategy in play here may be this:

Basically, the feeling is that by offering the max and telling Arenas that he can help the team move closer to championship contention by taking less, they not only avoided lowballing him and potentially ticking him off but they also soothed his ego and made him feel loved while also allowing him to feel that he's helping the franchise. From what I know of dealing with Arenas, it's a pretty good strategy. Then again, he's fully capable of just taking the maximum anyway. Then, owner Abe Pollin has to decide whether going over the luxury tax is an option this season and in seasons ahead if doing so is the only way to add pieces that will lead to a run at a championship

 

[thezephyr777]

Originally Posted by MessiahChild

[h2]No bias aside, If I was SG, I would sign wit the Hornets. You have the best PG in the league, plus you don't need to be the first or even the second option. But I'm not surprised by the Spurs or even the Celtics move on Corey's part.[/h2]

Well some guys are starting to understand.

Championships>Stats.

 

[div1lbc]

Maggette is going where he will get paid most. He's been underpaid all of his career, the Clips got a deal when they signed him to his last contract. He islooking to make more then the $7 mil he was set to make before he opted out.

He is still young, I don't see him taking a pay cut just to sign with a contender.

 

[dade b0y]

Originally Posted by Div1LBC

Maggette is going where he will get paid most. He's been underpaid all of his career, the Clips got a deal when they signed him to his last contract. He is looking to make more then the $7 mil he was set to make before he opted out.

He is still young, I don't see him taking a pay cut just to sign with a contender

False. He's going to take the Full Mid Level Exception from some team(a contender by all means). Because....that's all that's out there. His signand trade possibilites are gone now that his bird rights have been renounced by the Clippers due to signing B.Diddy.


Only teams under the cap are Memphis(Mayo/Gay), and Philly(Iggy, Thad Young). And the last thing they need is wing players. So yeah, he's going to be hadfor the MLE. And that's going to be a steal for someone.

 

[raw120]

actually the sixers do need a wing player. Iggy has trouble creating on his own. Thad is only 19 years old and can play a little 4 at times. Carney and williegreen are straight trash. We really need a 4 but signing one will be next to impossible. I would try to sign Maggette and go with:

Andre Miller
Andre Iguodala
Corey Maggette
Thaddeus Young/ Marreese Speights
Samuel Dalembert

Obviously we have nothing at power forward but it would be an upgrade from last year.

 

[lnmymind]

They can't keep Thad Young at the 4 for too long...which is why I think they wanted Josh Smith and Antawn Jamison so much.

 

[winstondon]

celtics better resign posey and keep it moving.....i watched almost all their games last season and posey is pretty valuable to them

 

[and1play5]

I wouldn't mid josh smith, defensively he will improve us with his weakside help and if he can learn to use his athleticism in accordance with his postmoves he can become very good. Wow dre, thad, smith, carney and lou will...thats a nice sg/sf/pf core right there...plus, dunkamania

 

[kal ripped ken]

i bet corey's gonna go to the spurs...they could start him instead of finley and he'd have a great shot at a championship.

what other playoff teams could use a SG?
-suns
-hornets
-rockets
-cavs! (i hope he goes there to give lebron some help)
-magic

 

[trillipinotrapstar]

[h1]Sixers set to meet today with Hawks free agent Josh Smith[/h1]
By PHIL JASNER
Philadelphia Daily News

JOSH SMITH, the argument goes, is not a pure NBA low-post player.
But the 6-9 Atlanta Hawks restricted free agent is:

* The league's No. 2 shot-blocker the last two seasons, each time finishing behind the Denver Nuggets' Marcus Camby.

* The first player to block at least 225 shots and hit at least 25 three-pointers in the same season; he has had at least 200 blocks and 25 triples in three straight seasons.

* The third player in history to average at least 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.5 steals in a season. The others are Hall of Famers David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Smith's remarkable fourth season included averages of 17.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.5 steals. Coming out of Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. in 2004, he originally committed to Indiana University before becoming the No. 17 pick in the 2004 draft.

And he won't turn 23 until December.

All that is why the 76ers, who have about $11.5 million in salary-cap space available, have invited Smith and his representatives to visit today. He and agents Brian **** and Wallace Prowther visited yesterday with the Hawks and newly minted general manager Rick Sund, who has said repeatedly that ownership plans to match any offers made to Smith and his restricted free-agent teammate, Josh Childress, the No. 6 overall pick in '04.

Childress, 25, a 6-8 forward who came off the bench in 76 games last season, is scheduled to meet with the Sixers later this week. Childress is being considered for the Sixers' need at small forward. His fourth season was the first in which he was used exclusively as a reserve.

If the Sixers were to use the entire $11.5 million toward a contract for Smith, using the maximum permissible annual raises of 8 percent from the base year, they could offer a 5-year deal worth $66.7 million. Smith turned down an in-season offer of an extension worth about $45 million, also for 5 years.

(An aside: A distant rumor yesterday suggested that the Sixers were trying to clear additional space to increase an offer to whoever the final target turns out to be.)

President/general manager Eddie Stefanski has said it probably would take all of the cap space to add an impact player, whether in free agency or in trade. He is expected to continue exploring the availability of forward Elton Brand, who opted out of his $16.44 million final season with the Los Angeles Clippers; indications have been that Brand prefers to remain with the Clippers, but is looking for a 6-year package worth more than $100 million.

Brand, 29, is coming off Achilles' tendon surgery and played in just the final eight games of last season.

David Falk, Brand's agent, did not respond to a telephone message from the Daily News.

"With Josh Smith, there wouldn't be one team as athletic, top to bottom," said an agent familiar with the Sixers, and not affiliated with Smith. "All they'd be lacking is a Kyle Korver-type shooter."

Ironically, the Sixers helped create some of their cap space with the December trade that sent Korver to the Utah Jazz for the expiring contract of Gordan Giricek and a future first-round draft choice.

But the prize in the Sixers' planning is Smith, if they are able to concoct an offer that might force the Hawks not to match. The Hawks hold a right of first refusal with both Smith and Childress.

The Sixers made their interest in Smith clear with a telephone call shortly after midnight yesterday, the first day of free agency. The Sixers, at that point, also contacted representatives for Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams, their own restricted free agents.

"I believe in the people there," said Merle Scott, one of Williams' representatives. "They told me that Lou has come this far and that they don't want to lose him."

Scott said he also received calls from "several" other teams about Williams, but that Williams prefers to remain with the Sixers.

Rob Pelinka, Iguodala's agent, did not return a call from the Daily News. Iguodala rejected an in-season offer of a 5-year extension worth a little more than $57 million.

 

[lazyj10]

I'm starting to wonder if we're just like a bickering child....

[h1]Warriors make big offer to Brand, sources say[/h1]

Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

(07-02) 10:19 PDT -- The Clippers lured away the Warriors' best player.

Now Golden State is hoping to return the favor.

Flush with cap space after Davis' sudden exit, the Warriors have offered free agent Elton Brand a five-year deal worth between $85 and $90 million, according to league sources.

Brand, like Davis, opted out of the final year of his contract just before Monday's deadline, giving up a guaranteed $16.4 million for next season. At the time, Brand's agent, David Falk, told reporters that the move was designed to create some cap flexibility for the Clippers to add another top-line player.

The Clippers did just that by agreeing to terms with Davis on a five-year contract worth about $65 million Tuesday, though the deal cannot be finalized until July 9.

However, that means the most the Clippers can offer Brand is a five-year deal worth about $70 million due to salary-cap restrictions - about $20 million less than the Warriors.

Brand, who had been close to re-signing with the Clippers, is expected to make a decision today.

Golden State had previously gone after Wizards guards Gilbert Arenas, offering him a maximum contract of five years at roughly $100 million on Monday night after learning that Davis would be opting out.

The Warriors are also meeting with representatives for Monta Ellis in Oakland today to begin negotiations on a new contract for the restricted free agent.

 

[eb4president]

That would suck if Brand went to the Warriors. Im not a clippers fan, but I think it would have been fun to see B diddy and Brand play together.

Im a Lakers and Wiz fan

Brand and Bdiddy= nice hallway series wit the Lakeshow

Warriors= sucks bc i dumb GM offered Gil $127m because GS offered 101

 

[dlo13]

This is too much fun.

 

[mjshoefanatic]

^ What a joke!

BTW props to the Clipper braintrust and Elton Brand for making everyone think he's leaving the Clips when inking Baron was the very reason why he willre-sign with the Clips

 

[lamarownsem]

Even though I'm not a fan of either teams, I'd like to see Maggette go to Orlando or New Orleans.

 

[tupac003]

Ron Artest: "I thought I made the best decision by not opting out, but it didn't really work in my favor," he said in the phone interview. "I'm just looking at all of the (players) who...at 12 o'clock midnight (on Monday night) where their teams and their organizations pretty much took care of them. I always put myself in that same class as the Chris Pauls, Kobes (Bryant), and whoever else is out there as the top players. Obviously my career has been a little bit different from everybody else's." Sacramento Bee

Artest: "I made a mistake because right now, this day today, I could've been somewhere and had a long-term commitment from somebody," he said. "That was the only thing I was bummed out about. And the market was kind of low, kind of suspect." Sacramento Bee

Artest: "But when you see (the Clippers') Elton (Brand) and these guys opting out at 12 o'clock midnight and (Golden State's) Baron Davis (who is reportedly signing with the Clippers), I'm like 'I'm a total jerk' because I could've opted out and the market was actually better today than it was (yesterday)." Sacramento Bee

Gerald Green has agreed to a one-year contract with the Mavs, according to published reports out of Houston. The 6-foot-8 free agent averaged better than 10 points per game during 2006-07, has solid 3-point range (career 37 percent shooter) and adds quality depth behind starting small forward Josh Howard. MavsCourtsideView

According to an NBA source, the Mavericks struck a deal with Gerald Green, a slender, 6-8 guard who has been in the league three seasons. It is believed to be a one-year contract. Green, 22, is a career 36.6-percent 3-point shooter but played in only 30 games last season, 29 of them for Minnesota and one for Houston. In 2006-07, he averaged 10.4 points in 81 games for Boston. Dallas Morning News

Eddie Jones will not opt out of his contract with the Mavericks, meaning he's on board for the 2008-09 season at slightly under $2 million. That means eight players are under contract: Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jason Kidd, Erick Dampier, Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse, Brandon Bass and Jones. If Green signs officially on July 9, that would bring the total to nine. Dallas Morning News

The Lakers continue to wait for Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf, but they have fall-back plans in case their restricted free agents don't re-sign with them. The Lakers have talked with representatives of Boston small forward James Posey and veteran San Antonio sharpshooter Brent Barry to gauge the free agents' interest. Posey, a key reserve for the Celtics, is expected to draw the full mid-level exception of five years and about $30 million, though the Celtics have said they consider signing him an off-season priority. LA Times

Vujacic and Turiaf remain priorities for the Lakers, though they are testing their worth around the league. The Lakers have the right to match any offer sheet they sign with another team. LA Times

The Pistons are interested in 6-8 forward James Posey, FoxSports.com and the Boston Globe reports. The FoxSports Web site writes: Although the newly crowned champion Celtics don't want versatile sixth man James Posey to leave as a free agent, he made only $3.2 million last season and both the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers have shown considerable interest in landing the deluxe defender who seemingly always knocks down the open 3-pointer. Detroit Free Press

The Jazz are one of four teams identified as having expressed interest in Corey Maggette, the longtime Los Angeles Clippers swingman who put himself on the NBA's summer free-agency shopping market Monday. Citing "a source close to him who requested anonymity because negotiations are still in the early stages," the Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site Tuesday that "Maggette has been contacted by several NBA teams regarding his availability," including Orlando, Miami, Boston and Utah. The Jazz actually signed Maggette to a six-year, $42 million offer sheet in 2003, when he was a restricted free agent. But the Clippers matched that offer, retaining his rights. Deseret Morning News

The Magic "are expected" to offer Maggette a long-term deal starting at mid-level exception pay, the Orlando Sentinel reported earlier this week. Deseret Morning News

Elton Brand also reportedly plans to re-sign with the Clippers. Free agents can't actually sign new deals until July 9, when the NBA's annual moratorium on such transactions expires.Elt Deseret Morning News

Golden State was left in such a state Tuesday after point guard Baron Davis - the heart and soul of a squad that in May 2007 became the first No. 8 playoff seed to knock off a No. 1 in a seven-game series - agreed in principle to a five-year contract worth a reported $65 million with the Los Angeles Clippers. Davis will leave the Warriors after 3?1/2 seasons in which he helped return the Warriors to relevance and led them to that stunning playoff victory over the Dallas Mavericks but ultimately was unable to push Golden State into the Western Conference's upper echelon. Contra COsta Times

When Davis inks his Clippers contract, it will leave the Warriors with probably $17 million to $18 million under the salary cap to play with, plus an additional $12 million or so worth of room under the luxury-tax threshold. The exact figures for those limits will be determined next week. Contra COsta Times

But Davis left no doubt about the emotional reasons for his becoming a Clipper after opting out of the final year of his Warriors contract, forsaking $17.8 million for a five-year deal that should average out to about $13 million annually. The words "me going home" escaped his lips once Tuesday night, and they said everything. Well, almost everything. They didn't explain whether Davis and Elton Brand, the face of the Clippers' franchise, had put their heads and agents together to arrange a dual surprise opt-out on Monday, the deadline for declaring free agency. Brand's agent, David Falk, all but winked in Davis' direction when he said that Brand wanted his contract reworked in a way that allowed the Clippers to mimic the stockpiling of talent that returned the NBA title to Boston this year. San Francisco Chronicle

Brand exercised the escape clause in his contract Monday, leaving $16,440,000 on the table. Although Brand expressed that he would listen to overtures from other teams, his preference is to remain with the Clippers, who could offer him more money and one additional year, than any other team. If at all possible, the Clippers also would love to keep swingman Corey Maggette, who exercised the opt-out clause in his contract. Maggette, who was due to earn $7 million in 2008-2009, probably is seeking a contract of at least five years and $50 million. Orange County Register

For a second straight summer, the Nuggets are looking at point guards to start free agency. Mark Bartelstein, agent for Jannero Pargo, said the Nuggets called Tuesday's first negotiating day to express interest. Also, a source said the Nuggets have had discussions about Carlos Arroyo. "We've had some conversations about (Pargo)," Bartelstein said. "He'd fit in well with (Denver's) needs." Rocky Mountain News
I am trying to find a link but I was told the heat may be working a deal with the clippers. The deal is supposed to be a sign and trade with eltonbrand going to the heat and beasly and another player going to the clipps. As soon as I find a link I will post.

 

[mjshoefanatic]

^Brand to HEAT? Pure rubbish now that Davis has arrived.

 

[siccwittit33]

EB4President wrote:
You do NOT give a guy like Gilbert Arenas, MAX money. Like said MAX money goes to the Kobe and LEbron, maybe a Chris Paul ( now that he's proven and young). But I mean 127 mil is redic, thats more than $20m a year. For a guy who just came off of 2 injured seasons, and at times can seem immature. I do not see what the Wizards were thinking. Now they wont have money to operate with.

The wiz should have let him decide between GS and DC for the money and see where his heart really was. Damn Ernie, you were doing a good job( besides the fact you failed to find a low post dominant scorer) but i have my doubts now.

rashard lewis isnt a kobe, lebron, or chris paul and he got a max contract. Marbury and jermaine oneal got max contracts and they are not lebron james typeplayers..

lets not forget Hibachi was a top 3 scorer before his injury and hes only 26 or so.

 

[flipsydedragon]

I doubt brand will go to the heat thas straight garbage

 

[mjshoefanatic]

On the other hand, Beasley/Thornton/Gordon make for a very bright future