Archive for the NBA Category
Knick rebuilding process cont.
9. September 2008 by gchacko.
Update on Zebo to the Grizz:
Grizzlies are demanding a first round pick along with Zach Randolph in exchange for Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric. It is assumed that the pick will be conditional.
Walsh in return is asking for a young player, assuming either Javaris Crittenton, Kyle Lowery or Hakim Warrick or the best expiring contract (Antoine Walker) if he is to surrender a first round pick.
It can easily be assumed that Walsh is eager dump Randolph’s contract so he can immediately sign David Lee to an extension.
Patrick Ewing to the Knicks!
2. September 2008 by rich.
Patrick Ewing Jr. that is. The Knicks acquired the son of the former Knick legend on Friday from the Houston Rockets for…drum roll please…the rights to notorious 1999 first-round pick Frederic Weis. Yes, the same Frederic Weis the Knicks took in ‘99 over Ron Artest.
Ewing Jr. finished his studies at Georgetown this past Spring. He was selected by the Kings in the 2nd round of the ‘08 draft. He was then moved in the Ron Artest deal to the Rockets. Now he is headed in his fathers footsteps…Again.
Notes: Ewing Sr’s #33 is retired in the Knick rafters. But he said if his son ever became a Knick, he would let him wear it.
Mo Williams to the Bucks
14. August 2008 by gchacko.
Finally the Cleveland Cavaliers are getting some help for LeBron James.
The Bucks, Cavs and Oklahoma city have completed a 3 way deal that sends:
Mo Williams to the Cavs
Damon Jones, Luke Ridnour to the Bucks
and Desmond Mason, Joe Smith and Adrian Griffin to Oklahoma city.
Earlier on the year the Bucks sent Yi Jianlian to New Jersey in exchange for forward Richard Jefferson and added forward Joe Alexander with the eighth pick in the draft.
US mens make a statement against the Chinese
10. August 2008 by gchacko.
After a tight first quarter of Chinese three-pointers raining from the sky and fans cheering at full blast, the United States outclassed and out-dunked their hosts to a 101-70 victory in day
one of the Olympic Men’s Basketball tournament.No one could deny the excitement when center Yao Ming put the first points on the board with a beautiful downtown three-pointer, giving a preview of China’s game strategy of playing deep. Twelve of China’s first 14 points came from behind the arc, and were sunk by different players around the key.
The United States’ first basket was also emblematic of their style, a defiant Dwight Howard dunk off a Kobe Bryant assist. While the first quarter saw several lead changes, it came to a definitive end with two made free throws by Miami Heat shooting guard Dwayne Wade and another dunk from center Howard to come out of a tied score to a 20-16 United States lead at the end of the period.
Guard Dwyane Wade, who has played the role of sixth man for the Americans, led the team in scoring with 19 points.LeBron James added 18 points and pulled down six rebounds, while swingman Kobe Bryant poured in 13 points.Yao Ming — the Houston Rockets centre and one of China’s few NBA players — was somewhat quiet in his first game, leading his team with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Click here to read more news from the Olympics
Josh Smith to the Grizz??
8. August 2008 by rich.
Josh Smith has signed a 5 year $58 offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies. Smith is a restricted free agent meaning the Hawks can match ANY offer to him. They have 7 days to do so.
The Hawks have publicly stated they will match any and every offer to the young Smith.
Smith is 22 years old, 6′9″ and 235 lbs. He led the Hawks to a playoff berth last year in which they took the NBA Champion Celtics to 7 games in the first round, only to lose.
This offer comes as a surprise to many. Although reports surfaced a few weeks back that a mystery team may be hot on his heels…Mystery team revealed.
Stay tuned.
Source: LeBron Might Go To Europe For $50M Per Year
6. August 2008 by Glendo.
A European Vacation? Several NBA players have left for Europe and more lucractive contracts, but no big stars……yet. It is a possiblity ESPN reports.
A person close to James said Tuesday that the Cavaliers’ superstar would strongly consider playing overseas if he was offered a salary of “around $50 million a year.”
James’ current contract expires after the 2010-2011 season, but he can opt out after the 2009-2010 season, and while several NBA teams are working to create salary cap space for his impending free agency, none could offer a contract beginning at even $20 million a year. The Russian team CSKA Moscow and the Greek team Olympiacos, which recently gave Josh Childress a contract approaching $30 million over three years, have already contacted James, according to the person close to him. The person added, however, that no monetary or contractual discussions have taken place.
While $50 million a year seems outlandish, it is within the realm of possibility, considering the reported $250 million contract David Beckham received two years ago to join Major League Soccer, the $33 million Michael Jordanwas paid by the Chicago Bullsfor the 1997-98 season, the strength of the euro in comparison to the dollar, and the fact that European clubs are not bound by a salary cap. While several NBA players have left the league this summer for more lucrative contracts in Europe, no stars have done so or even considered it. But losing a player of James’ magnitude would be nothing short of a nightmare for the NBA. The source close to James said LeBron would play in Europe only for a year or two before returning to the NBA. He said James would view it as an opportunity to popularize the game and himself overseas. He added that James would not consider himself to be playing in the “minor leagues.”
The entire scenario falls in line with James’ stated goals of becoming a billionaire and “global icon.” But the representative from the players’ association will have to see James in a European uniform before he believes it.
“First of all, we don’t know that there’s going to be a $50 million offer,” the official said. “And secondly, he wouldn’t be able to accomplish over there the things that he wants to do over here, which are to win NBA championships, MVP awards, etc.”
This could be a major concern with the NBA having to compete with the European leagues for players. Although the Knicks might be able to compete with the rest of the league.
List of players that have already signed with overseas teams:
- Atlanta Hawks’ Josh Childress set things off by taking a $20 million, three-year deal offered by Euroleague basketball team Olympiacos.
- Boykins Signs $3.5 Million Deal In Europe
- Carlos Arroyo has reportedly signed a three-year deal worth $7.5 million with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
- Kobe has said he would play in Europe for 40 mil a year.
- Juan Carlos Navarro rejoined FC Barcelona after a one-season stint with the Memphis Grizzlies.
- Nenad Krstic left the Nets to sign with a Russian team.
- Carlos Delfino and Jorge Garbajosa left the Toronto Raptors to sign with a Russian team as well.
Artest set to join T-Mac and Yao
30. July 2008 by gchacko.
The Houston Rockets have reached an agreement to acquire forward Ron Artest from the Sacramento Kings, the Houston Chronicle is reporting.
The Rockets will give up guard Bobby Jackson, a No. 1 draft pick next season and another player that the individual with knowledge of the trade could not name.
It is believed that rookie Donte Greene is included in the deal, which will prevent the deal from going through until August 14, when Greene is able to be dealt.
There could also be other players involved to make the money match but none that the Rockets would plan to keep. The Rockets will also send the Kings cash in excess of $1 million.
Balkman Sent Packing to the Mile High City
28. July 2008 by rich.
The Knicks traded forward Renaldo Balkman to the Nuggets today for a 2010 second-round draft choice, guard Taurean Green and guard/forward Bobby Jones. It is highly likely the Knicks will waive both players.
This is a solid deal for the Knicks. They get out of Balkmans contract for this year, weren’t going to re-sign him anyways, and got a draft pick. Not too shabby. Especially for a guy who hasn’t shown too much yet in the NBA. But then again, he was playing for the Knicks…Maybe a change of scenery will help. Nonetheless, a good move for the Knicks.
Childress Goes to Greece!
23. July 2008 by rich.
Josh Childress, a promising young talent who has played for the Atlanta Hawks his entire career thus far, is following a slow moving trend, and heading overseas to play ball. He has signed a three-year contract with Olympiakos of Greece.
It started slowly, and it has been both basketball and hockey. The promise of tax-free money (or the team paying the taxes for you), has enticed some players to leave. In the NBA the likes of Primoz Brezec, Juan Carlos Navarro, Carlos Delfino, and Bostjan Nachbar have already departed the NBA for greener pastures…Surely a trend the NBA would like to see fade fastly, like a fad…
Notes: No huge names have left the NBA yet, but of note, in the NHL, former Rangers Jaromir Jagr (now of the Avangard Omsk in the Continental Hockey League) and Martin Straka (now of the Czech team HC Lasselsberger Plzen) and former Islander Josef Vasicek (now of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League). Others have left recently, with these being the locals.
Celtics Re-Sign Two
21. July 2008 by rich.
The Celtics re-signed two key ingredients to their Championship run early Monday morning. Eddie House and Tony Allen were rewarded with two year deals (financial terms of the deal yet to be disclosed) and will be returning to the Celtics in 2008-2009. Happy times!!
P.S. I would have been quite upset if we lost Eddie, because then his son wouldn’t be around on the bench anymore!
