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Archive for July, 2013 Newer Entries > Warriors Make Risky Play For Howard July 1, 2013 7:28PM

. a HANG TIME WEST Dwight Howard adding the Warriors to the rolling credits of his little drama just became the best thing going in free agency. The sides are scheduled for a Monday pitch session scheduled in Los Angeles to either discuss their future together as a perfect match or figure out why anyone took the meeting in the first place. The player who reportedly wants to get away from the Mike DAntoni offense is fielding an offer from a perimeter-oriented team headed by perimeter weapon Stephen Curry. Dwights hypothetical arrival in Golden State would make dumping the ball inside one of the focal points, if not the focal point, of the offense. The group known for great locker room chemistry wants the superstar that isnt known to help in that department. This is great stuff even by Dwightmare standards. But this aggression isnt wholly bad for the Warriors. Get in the Howard sweepstakes, make a great pitch that can win points with agents down the line the way that the Clippers failed to land LeBron James but laid the groundwork for the eventual union with Chris Paul and gain credibility as a franchise just by making the list of finalists. Maybe they can shock the world, which is right in line with owner Joe Lacobs approach of thinking big and bold. Except that these are the Warriors of 2013, not 2011. They have something very good going, with a victory in the first round of the playoffs and a credible showing in defeat in the semifinals. They will need to give up at least two starters, and possibly two young starters with bright futures, to get Howard in a sign-and-trade with the Lakers. Golden State obviously knows there is a commitment involved beyond the contract. That would almost certainly mean giving up, at very least, 40 percent of the starting lineup that just made a serious play for the Western Conference Finals. Maybe Andrew Bogut, no longer needed as the starting center, and Harrison Barnes? But what if the Lakers insist on Barnes and Klay Thompson with an eye toward the future, with Andris Biedrins or Richard Jefferson as salary-cap ballast? The uncertainty is whether they like the idea of Howard as part of the bridge to the proposed new home in San Francisco or love the idea and will stop at nothing to move forward with Howard and Curry as the new foundation. The Rockets and Mavericks, viewed as the most serious threats if Howard changes teams, can sign him outright. The Warriors need the Lakers involvement to get him, leaving L.A. with the leverage over Golden State. And leaving Warriors with a barrier to the Howard sweepstakes. Then there is the chemistry consideration. If the Warriors get turned down, as heavy odds indicate they will, they can say whatever they want about Bogut being able to handle this with professionalism. But emotions come into play at some point, compounded now by a Yahoo! report that they have looked into trading David Lee. The notion that the front office would pick around the edges to improve the team but mostly just let the group in place get better with a healthy Bogut and experience for several young players in prominent roles is long gone. There are more ways for this to go wrong for both sides than for a great connection, and sometimes just window shopping can become costly for a team.
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Free Agent Tracker

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Tags: Dwight Howard, Lakers, Scott Howard Cooper, Warriors Posted in Free Agency 2013 / Comments (62) / Who Should Stay And Who Should Go July 1, 2013 5:08PM

a HANG TIME, Texas The start of free agency always has plenty of decisions. The most basic are which players should look for greener pastures and who should be smart enough to realize what theyve already got. Heres a quick look at a handful of players that need to find a new address and five more who should stay at home: FIVE WHO SHOULD GO Dwight Howard, C, Lakers Lets face it. There hasnt been an NBA marriage this shaky that didnt involve a Kardashian. Howard went to a team where Kobe Bryant was already firmly entrenched as the alpha dog and then found himself on a leash that included geezers Steve Nash and Metta World Peace. Toss in a coach like Mike DAntoni who has never favored playing a low post game and it was a recipe for disaster. Another several years of playing in the harsh glare of the Lakers spotlight might be too much for Howard to bear. The overly sensitive must flee to someplace that will give him a big hug before he turns into a pillar of salt. Josh Smith, F, Hawks If you were building a 21st century basketball player in a lab speed, strength, leaping ability, size chances are you would come up with someone resembling J-Smoove. After nine NBA seasons, hes got career numbers that rank him among the greats. After nine years in his hometown of Atlanta, hes about worn out his welcome with all of those wild, late, long shots. In the right situation, with the right coach, he might take a team to the next level or send it over the edge. A man has got to know when its time to change the scenery. Tony Allen, G, Grizzlies Hes the guy who introduced the grind into the Grindhouse and one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He can cut to the basket and score, but thats about all he can do offensively and that hole in his game was badly exposed by the Spurs in the Western Conference finals. The new analytics-driven Grizzlies have Tayshaun Prince to fill the defensive role and theyre not likely to fork over the kind of money Allen wants for a one-dimensional figure. Its time to take those defensive claws to another contender or wannabe and show the Grizzlies what theyll be missing. Tyreke Evans, G, Kings Was it just three years ago when Evans was a 20-5-5 guy and winning Rookie of the Year honors with the Kings? His fall from grace was like an anvil being tossed off the edge of a cliff. Now that new management was able to reel in shooter Ben McLemore in the draft, it would seem that theres little room left for Evans. Will the Kings even think about matching four-year, $44 million offer from the Pelicans? This is a separation thats been thats been coming for a while. Monta Ellis, G, Bucks It just wasnt a good idea to put together two small guards that need the ball in their hands together in Milwaukee. Its definitely isnt a good idea to re-sign both of them as free agents. Brandon Jennings is hardly the model of efficiency, but Ellis makes him look like a Swiss knife in comparison. He needs to find a new home where he can be a designated scorer and not asked to do anything else, because he wont. FIVE WHO SHOULD STAY David West, F, Pacers He may yearn for one more big pay in another location, but at the end of the day West and the Pacers know that theyre made for each other. Hes a very efficient scorer, a hard-nosed defender and played a big role in Indiana taking the Heat to a seventh game in the Eastern Conference finals. He also has great leadership skills and has always managed to fly below the radar while delivering in a big way almost every time out. Andre Iguodala, F, Nuggets He exercised his right to opt out early from his contract and maybe it was only about maximizing his earnings. Or maybe he needed time to digest what the change from George Karl to Brian Shaw as coach could do to the Nuggets style of play and how he fits into the attack. At the end of the day, the Nuggets still have plenty of players who can get up and down the floor in transition and it Shaw wants to place even more emphasis on defense, hes most capable of delivering and thriving. Chris Andersen, F, Heat This is a perfect fit in so many ways. The Heat gave Andersen a place where he could continue this career and make a significant contribution. Andersen gives the Heat the kind of rugged, tough guy, free spirit personality that is a nice balance inside a locker room filled with three megastars. When youve got LeBron, Wade, Bosh and all of the hullaballoo that constantly swirls around them, almost no one even notices the Birdman. Almost. Its a long grind from October to June and it helps to have an iconoclast like Andersen on the court and in their midst to keep the
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Heat fresh. Nikola Pekovic, C, Timberwolves New Wolves president of basketball operation Flip Saunders is likely to let free agent Andrei Kirilenko walk out the door in order to find someone cheaper and with better shooting range. But the big man Pekovic is a must-keep asset not just for his size, strength, rebounding and scoring efficiently, but also to show Kevin Love that the team is serious about building a team that barring injury can jump into the rugged Western Conference playoff race and thrive. Pekovics numbers in points, rebounds and blocks have gone up in each of his first three seasons and at 27 he can grow more into a dominant inside force. Tiago Splitter, F, Spurs The difference in Splitter from his first to second playoff seasons was a quantum leap. Of course, it also helped that he had a full training camp and was healthy. Hes a quietly efficient scorer who can be trusted to hold down the middle while the Spurs continue to monitor and limit the minutes played by Tim Duncan. He is a perfect complementary part for now and his role can increase in another couple of years. There are lots of teams that would like to have the 28-year-old, but hes at home with the franchise that patiently waited for him to arrive and there is no reason to think the Spurs would want him to walk out the door. Free Agent Tracker
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Tags: Andre Iguodala, Andrei Kirilenko, Ben McLemore, Brandon Jennings, Brian Shaw, Bucks, Chris Andersen, Chris Bosh, David West, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Flip Saunders, Fran Blinebury, George Karl, Grizzlies, Hawks, Heat, Josh Smith, Kings, Kobe Bryant, Lakers, LeBron James, Metta World Peace, Mike D'Antoni, Monta Ellis, Nikola Pekovic, Nuggets, Pacers, Spurs, Steve Nash, Tayshaun Prince, Tiago Splitter, Tim Duncan, Timberwolves, Tony Allen, Tyreke Evans Posted in Free Agency 2013, HT News / Comments (53) / Paul Confirms Hes All In With Clippers July 1, 2013 11:57AM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS Chris Pauls free-agent summer is over. Hes sticking with the Los Angeles Clippers, as expected, and Tweeted out the news for anyone who didnt know: Chris Paul
@CP3
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I'M IN!!! #CLIPPERNATION

1:27 AM - 2 Jul 2013 14,330 RETWEETS 7,610 FAVORITES

That ends the major free agent business of the summer for the Clippers, who added Doc Rivers as their coach and senior vice president of basketball operations last week. Paul has agreed to put his signature on a five-year, $107 million deal that will include the standard opt-out after the fourth year. Paul will not be able to sign the deal until July 10th, when the league moratorium on signing new deals is lifted. Any suggestions of the Clippers doing business the way they did during their leanest years seem to have evaporated with the Rivers ranking as the highest-paid coach in the league along with stars like Paul and Blake Griffin piling up the big bucks. Time will tell if this sort of spending leads to the championship caliber team that everyone involved desires. Arash Markazi
@ArashMarkazi
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The Clippers are a luxury tax team, employs the highest paid coach and has committed over $200 million to its two stars.
1:39 AM - 2 Jul 2013 75 RETWEETS 18 FAVORITES

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Tags: Arash Markazi, Blake Griffin, Chris Pau, Clippers, Doc Rivers, ESPNLosAngeles.com, Sekou Smith Posted in Free Agency 2013 / Comments (83) / Frantic Free-Agent Pursuit Of Howard Proves Talent Rules Over All July 1, 2013 11:23AM

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. HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS Let the current Dwight Howard derby playing out in Los Angeles serve as Exhibit A for the defense. Its talent over everything else where NBA free agency is concerned. The same things that Howard has been bashed for the past year and half his inability to make up his mind, a less than Dwight-like performance after back surgery, an emotional vulnerability while serving as a musclebound pinata for the pundits, etc. are the same things that inspired the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers to ignore the rest of the free-agent field or what it will cost them in luxury-tax penalties (in the Lakers case) for an all-out pursuit of Howards services this summer. Howard, 27, is far from washed up and is in the midst of his physical prime. And despite opinions to the contrary (sorry, Shaquille ONeal, but you and plenty of others are wrong on this one), Howard is still the best big man in basketball. And Howard with a chip on his shoulder, with his talent, is a player all of these teams would love to build around. The man Shaq suggested was ready to dethrone Howard as the top big man in basketball, Andrew Bynum, didnt play a single second in Philadelphia this season and is low on the priority list for most teams. Al Jefferson, the only other potential All-Star-caliber center in this free-agent class, is being pursued by the Charlotte Bobcats. But not with the fervor of these teams that are chasing Howard. Can you envision Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Yao Ming (via Skype), Jerry West or any of the other stars who have volunteered to help their respective teams chase Howard in free agency doing the same for Bynum or Jefferson? Thats not to say Howard hasnt had his issues. And hell have to work to rebuild his brand with fans wherever he goes. But his stock is sky-high with the folks whose professional livelihood depends on them getting this right. Howard changes the dynamic in places like Houston, Dallas, Golden State and Atlanta. Those teams instantly move into a championship-level tax bracket with Howard as the centerpiece of their franchises. (The Lakers tried it already and barely made the playoffs.) Dont let all of that chatter from the season fool you, an Eastern Conference executive said. Dwight was going to be the game-changer in this free-agent class no matter what. He could have sat and rested that back through All-Star weekend and hed still command this kind of attention in free agency. There is no one else in his class as a big man when hes right. Steve Nash
@SteveNash
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Flying from NYC to LA. @DwightHoward we're coming for you. You're going to love the statue we build for you outside Staples in 20yrs!
12:46 AM - 2 Jul 2013 6,758 RETWEETS 2,652 FAVORITES

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Tags: Andrew Bynum, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Daryl Morey, Dwight Howard, Hakeem Olajuwon, Hawks, Jerry West, Lakers, Mavericks, Rockets, Sekou Smith, Shaquille O'Neal, Warriors, yao ming Posted in Free Agency 2013 / Comments (59) / With Rockets, Howards Future Is Now July 1, 2013 11:00AM

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a HANG TIME, Texas The potential of youth and talk of a bright future were definitely served in the dinnertime pitch to Dwight Howard upon the opening of free agency. But the Rockets are also delivering the message that they can be immediate championship contenders if the seven-time NBA All-Star and threetime Defensive Player of the Year makes the move to Texas. While the Houston contingent included Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler and a long-distance Skype call from Yao Ming as links to the franchises past, the emphasis was placed on how quickly Howard could return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2009 (when he led the Magic in a five-game series loss to the Lakers). Thats where all of the horse-trading and maneuvering done by general manager Daryl Morey over the past several years could pay off with the biggest dividend. Even after the Rockets dealt second-year forward Thomas Robinson to Portland to clear the necessary salary cap space to make Howard a four-year, $87 million maximum contract offer, Morey has positioned the Rockets to add more than just Howard to next seasons roster. Through salary cap exceptions and future Draft picks they hold, the Rockets can build around the core of a young lineup of Howard, James Harden, Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik with the kind of experienced, veteran talent that could solidify the team in the playoffs. Chances are, none of the other contenders in the Fight for Dwight could look Howard in the eye and tell him that hed have a real shot at squaring off against LeBron James and the two-time defending champion Heat next June. The Hawks do not possess the second elite-level player the Rockets have in Harden. The Warriors would have to work a sign-and-trade agreement with the Lakers to offer Howard a max contract and, in doing so, would probably have to shed the kind of teammates that would attract Howard. Even in Dallas, owner Mark Cuban is admitting that his plan to get back into championship contention would likely take two years. With the aging Lakers, well, the clock just keeps ticking and they have virtually no cap room to boost the roster significantly immediately. The Rockets are coming off a 45-win season and a first-round playoff series when they pushed No. 1 seed Oklahoma City to six games. Theyre building something great in Houston, Thunder star Kevin Durant said after that series. The key is the bricks are in place to do it right now with Howard.
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Tags: Chandler Parson, Clyde Drexler, Daryl Morey, Dwight Howard, Fran Blinebury, Hakeem Olajuwon, Hawks, James Harden, Jeremy Lin, Kevin Durant, Lakers, LeBron James, Mark Cuban, Mavericks, Omer Asik, Rockets, Thomas Robinson, Warriors Posted in Free Agency 2013, HT News / Comments (22) / Rockets Make Their Pitch To Howard July 1, 2013 6:10AM

. From NBA.com staff reports No matter what team Dwight Howard chooses on July 10th (as reports indicate that is when hell reveal his pick), the Houston Rockets have to know they did all they could on July 1 to put their best foot forward. The Rockets began their presentation to Howard last night/this morning (depending on your time zone), which started with a meeting at 9:01 p.m. PT. According to reports, the Rockets contingent traveled to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in a Mercedes luxury van where they met with Howard to
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begin making a formal pitch to him. Houston also brought in several key decision-makers to the process (we understand now why the needed a van!), including owner Leslie Alexander, coach Kevin McHale, president Tad Brown, GM Daryl Morey, vice president and athletic trainer Keith Jones and executive vice president Gersson Rosas. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle has details on the meeting, which included video messages from ex-Rockets Dikembe Mutombo and Yao Ming and Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler being face-to-face with Howard in the meeting as well: They prepared information about the marketing potential that comes with playing for the Rockets, still wildly popular in China with its enormous and avid fan base. They were ready to present information about living and playing in Houston, about their new basketball facilities and the camaraderie and chemistry they believe they have with their players, past and present. There were books and an Ipad with much of the information presented to be left with Howard and his representatives, along with video testimonials from, among others, Yao Ming and Dikembe Mutombo. But the Rockets hoped their greatest advantage would be their potential to become contenders by adding Howard in the middle. Howard has repeatedly insisted his primary objective in free agency is to find the team with the best championship potential. Considering themselves to be in the strongest position in that measure, the Rockets sought to make their case they also would be positioned to make improvements even after signing a second player to a max contract. The youngest team in the NBA last season, the Rockets were prepared to argue they would keep their young core untouched and would have the salary-cap exceptions and first-round picks in coming seasons. The youth was expected to be a point of emphasis. James Harden will be 24 next season, Chandler Parsons 25. Harden and Parsons, their best player and team captain, respectively, have become friends with Howard and were part of the presentation. Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon traveled from around the world for the meeting. Drexler flew in from Taiwan, arriving after a 13-hour flight Sunday afternoon. Olajuwon traveled from Jordan for the meeting. (His appearance at the NBA draft in Brooklyn on Thursday was added to his itinerary after the Rockets let the NBA know they were flying him in.) Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo!Sports says the Rockets are in the lead now for Howards services after last nights meeting focused on the championship-level team Howard would be a part of should he come to Houston: The Houston Rockets dinner presentation to free-agent center Dwight Howard at the Hotel Bel-Air centered on the franchises championship history and an infrastructure designed to give Howard a chance at multiple titles, sources with knowledge of the meeting told Yahoo! Sports. Houston has emerged as the frontrunner to sign the Los Angeles Lakers center, league sources said, and those close to Howard confirmed late Sunday that the Rockets did nothing to dampen Howards enthusiasm for the possibilities of playing for Houston. Hakeem didnt say much, but what did he say was very impactful, one source in the room told Yahoo! Sports. Olajuwon talked about the Rockets as a destination for championships and drew upon his own personal relationship with Howard, sources said. Rockets stars James Harden and Chandler Parsons pitched Howard about how they wanted him as a teammate, how the chemistry of the locker room would welcome him. Without bringing up the Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets could sell two things that the Lakers likely cant: a chance for a close connection with the franchises star players; and an immediate chance to be a championship contender. His main focus was winning and we will give him the best opportunity to do that, Parsons told Yahoo! Sports Marc Spears. Howard was flanked with his agent, Dan Fegan, and Happy Walters, the CEO of Relativity Media and an agent in the company. What those close to Howard had been saying privately for months was clearly apparent through the probing that Howard did himself with Rockets officials: Winning was his most important priority in the process, and most of the evening was spent discussing how the Rockets had a history of constructing themselves around iconic centers in pursuit of championships. McHale made it clear to Howard that he planned to build his system around him, and that, ultimately, he would hold Howard accountable every day in the franchises pursuit of a title. The Rockets had long believed that McHale, a Hall of Fame power forward, would be an immense asset in the recruitment of Howard. Howard had never had a head coach that could identify with him so well, who could literally look him in the eyes. Agents talking to the Rockets about potential additions to the roster say theyre searching for shooters and complementary players to surround Howard. Theyre progressing on everything with Dwight in mind, one prominent agent said Sunday night. They seem very confident. After the meeting, things were pretty positive on the Rockets side as Morey tweeted out the following: Daryl Morey
@dmorey
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Was gr8 meeting with @DwightHoward. Hakeem & Clyde there made it obvious how @DwightHoward & @JHarden13 could be the next gr8 big/wing combo
6:36 PM - 1 Jul 2013 686 RETWEETS 207 FAVORITES

All that said, the Lakers werent about to be trumped by a Western Conference rival at the stroke of midnight, either. According to ESPNLosAngeles.com, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak met with Howard before the Rockets wooing of him began just after 12:01 a.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers were assured they would get the last word when it came to Dwight Howards free agency pitch process. Turns out they got the first word as well. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak met briefly with Howard face-to-face shortly after 12:01 a.m. ET Monday night when NBA free agency officially opened up, a league source told ESPNLosAngeles.com. The details of the meeting between Howard ans Kupchak are unknown, but according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com, it was a brief chat:

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Alex Kennedy
@AlexKennedyNBA

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Source: Mitch Kupchak didn't actually meet with Dwight Howard tonight, just shook his hand and wished him luck in free agency.
6:25 PM - 1 Jul 2013 69 RETWEETS 16 FAVORITES

And theres this as well from Kennedy: Alex Kennedy

@AlexKennedyNBA
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Mitch Kupchak wanted to be the first person and last person that Dwight Howard spoke to during free agency process: tinyurl.com/m5jbon8
7:08 PM - 1 Jul 2013 from Bayshore Gardens, FL, United States 22 RETWEETS 5 FAVORITES

The Hawks and Warriors are up next to make their pitches to Howard today, and the Mavs and Lakers close things out on Tuesday. Who knows where Howard will end up, of course, but heres one important nugget (courtesy of Feigen) to keep in mind as this Howard-a-palooza rolls along: With the lack of a state income tax in Texas, Howard would net more over four years with the Rockets or Mavericks than in the first four years of a contract with the Lakers.
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Tags: Chandler Parsons, Clyde Drexler, Dikemebe Mutombo, Dwight Howard, Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets, James Harden, Kevin McHale, L.A. Lakers, Mitch Kupchak, yao ming Posted in Free Agency 2013, HT News / Comments (129) / Free-Agent Roundup: July 1 July 1, 2013 6:05AM From NBA.com staff reports In case you missed it overnight, the Rockets met with Dwight Howard as free agency began overnight with a contingent that was equal parts Hall of Fame and front office in an attempt to woo the big man to Clutch City. As we all await what happens next with Howard, there are other names in the free-agent stew that well update you on as well: Blazers interested in Allen Widely regarded as the best defensive shooting guard in the NBA, Tony Allen is due for a big payday this summer and the suitors are lining up to make their pitch to him. According to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, the two-time All-Defensive First Teamer has been contacted by the Blazers: Late Sunday night the Portland Trail Blazers contacted the representatives of unrestricted free agent guard Tony Allen, a league source conveyed to CSNNW.com. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the free agency period, says at that at this point, the reason for the conversation was merely exploratory with interest on both sides. They are expected to resume discussions shortly during the free agency period. As of now, no meeting has been scheduled. Bulls targeting Williams, Bynum? Without Derrick Rose last season, the Bulls managed to win 45 games, take a Game 7 in the first round on the road and give the eventualchampion Miami Heat fits in a physical semifinal series. They did all of this with Nate Robinson and Kirk Hinrich putting in most of the work at point guard while Rose recovered. It stands to reason, then, that since Rose is expected back next season (and Robinson has all-but-assuredly played himself into a bigger contract) that the Bulls need to rethink their point guard depth. According to RealGM.com, Chicago is potentially targeting Jazz starter Mo Williams and Pistons backup Will Bynum to fill that reserve point guard role: With uncertainty in the backcourt, the Chicago Bulls are showing significant interest in Mo Williams and Will Bynum and have started exploratory discussions with the representatives of the free agent guards, league sources told RealGM. Williams averaged 12.9 points in 46 games a season ago with the Utah Jazz, and he has a stated desire to receive heavy, contributing minutes. The Jazz acquired Trey Burke at No. 9 in the NBA draft and could start him early in his NBA career. At 30, Williams has established himself as a combo guard, and Tom Thibodeau would undoubtedly place the 10-year veteran in shooting and playmaking situations. Bynum has been a pace-changing guard, averaging nearly 10 points on 46.9 percent shooting in 2012-13. He has played five of his six seasons with the Detroit Pistons. Given Chicagos salary structure, Williams and Bynum both could be inclined to make less money in a potential deal with the Bulls. The Bulls appear unlikely to retain Nate Robinson or Marco Belinelli, and they are expected to waive Rip Hamilton before his entire contract becomes guaranteed. Still, theyll have Derrick Rose back next season, leading to fewer minutes for Kirk Hinrich. Wolves interested in Martin, Budinger As Oklahoma Citys sixth man last season, Kevin Martin was the third-leading scorer for the Thunder and their top option off the bench. Once the playoffs came around, Martins scoring average stayed the same (14.0 ppg), but his 3-point shooting drooped from 42 percent in season to 37 percent in the postseason. Still, Martin remains one of the more efficient scorers in the league and is drawing interest from a team in need of 3point shooting and scoring: the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves also never got to see much of what Chase Budinger could do in their lineup last season. He tore the meniscus in his left knee six games into the season and played just 23 games with the Wolves. Now a free agent, Minnesota is interested in keeping Budinger around, writes Sam Amick of USA Today: The Minnesota Timberwolves honed in on perimeter scorers at the outset of free agency, visiting with small forward Chase Budinger in San Diego while also calling shooting guard Kevin Martin. Budinger tore the meniscus in his left knee six games into the season and had surgery that kept him out three months, but has averaged 9.4 points per game as a valuable reserve in his three seasons in Houston and one in Minnesota. He is also known to be receiving interest from the New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks.
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The interest in Martin is no surprise, as Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman brought him up as a young player in for the Sacramento Kings and later coached him with the Rockets. Martin also received a call from the Bucks on Sunday night, and is receiving interest from the Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies. What about Monta? Monta Ellis is a tried and true scorer in the NBA, something that has got the interest of the Bulls, Spurs, Nuggets and Suns. But as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports, the Knicks might be the frontrunner for the former Most Improved Player of the Year Award winner due to the combination of factors they provide: As the free-agent negotiating period opened Monday morning, the Knicks expressed an interest in pursuing a deal with Bucks shooting guard Monta Ellis, league sources told CBSSports.com. A union of Ellis and the Knicks is viewed as a long shot, as the Knicks have only the $3.2 million taxpayer mid-level exception available. Ellis just opted out of a deal that would have paid him $11 million next season in Milwaukee. But Ellis, 27, and his Washington, D.C.-based agent, Jeff Fried, are known to be willing to compromise in order to sign with a contending team. And the Knicks, who face the free-agent loss of sixth man of the year J.R. Smith, would provide ample opportunity for Ellis to showcase his scoring prowess deep into the playoffs. The Bulls, Spurs, Nuggets and Suns also are among the teams who expressed interest in Ellis as the free-agent negotiating period began Monday at 12:01 a.m. ET, league sources said. The Mavericks and Hawks are also keen on adding a player like Ellis, who Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today Sports points out, is prepared to do what it takes to finally play for an outfit that wins big: The Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks both teams with significant salary cap space are two teams who have shown strong interest in Ellis and two teams Ellis has an interest in, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of Ellis situation. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about free agents. Ellis is also at the point in his career where he wants to play deep into the playoffs. Other teams have shown interest such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks but those teams are handcuffed by salary cap restrictions and would need to make other moves in order to accommodate Ellis, who is willing to find common ground between salary and playing for a contender. (more)
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Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Chase Budinger, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, David Lee, Golden State Warriors, Kevin Martin, Kyle Korver, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Mo Williams, Monta Ellis, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Tony Allen, Tyreke Evans, Will Bynum Posted in Free Agency 2013, HT News / Comments (71) / After Midnight Free-Agent Madness July 1, 2013 2:19AM

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS Whos waiting on Dwight Howard? Not the Detroit Pistons, who have bypassed the Howard free agency sweepstakes for a chance to snag Josh Smith, the versatile forward who ranks as the hottest commodity on the market not named Howard in the first hour since free agency began at 12:01 a.m. ET. Pistons boss Joe Dumars and his brain trust met with Smith and his camp shortly after midnight with the sides discussing a significant four-year deal that would see Smith join an already impressive young frontcourt group that includes Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. The Pistons would be the surprise team mentioned at the bottom of this report from Sunday morning and per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who highlights the Hawks willingness to work a sign-and-trade deal for Smith rather than re-signing him themselves. Anything is possible now that we have crossed the threshold into what some folks like to call the NBAs silly season. Only in the minutes immediately after midnight do we find out that a guy like Chase Budinger, a fine player, could end up being targeted by more teams than a player the likes of Al Jefferson. Crazy season is more like it. (more)
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Tags: Adrian Wojnarowski, Andre Drummond, Chase Budinger, Danny Ferry, Daryl Morey, David Lee, Dwight Howard, Fran Blinebury, Greg Monroe, Hawks, James Harden, Jeff Zillgitt, Jerry West, Joe Dumars, Josh Smith, Kevin McHale, Kobe Bryant, Lakers, Les Alexander, Marc J. Spears, Marc Stein, Mavericks, Monta Ellis, Pelicans, Phil Jackson, pistons, Ramona Shelburne, Rockets, Sam Amick, Sekou Smith, Tyreke Evans, Warriors Posted in Free Agency 2013 / Comments (30) / Knicks Deal For Raptors Bargnani July 1, 2013 12:30AM
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7/6/13

July 2013 Hang Time Blog | NBA.com

Andrea Bargnani played in just 35 games last season for the Raptors. HANG TIME NEW JERSEY The Toronto Raptors have found a taker for Andrea Bargnani, further evidence that no contract is untradeable. For some reason, the New York Knicks are willing to take on the remaining two years and $22 million left on Bargnanis deal. The trade, first reported by Howard Beck of the New York Times, was not approved by the league Sunday night. So the original swap which had Marcus Camby, Steve Novak and the Knicks 2016 first-round pick going to Toronto will have to be tweaked, and nothing can become official until the free-agency moratorium period ends on July 10. Because Bargnanis salary goes up on July 1, while both Cambys and Novaks salaries go down, more salary will need to go in Torontos direction. That can happen if New York works out a sign-and-trade deal with Earl Barron, Kenyon Martin, Quentin Richardson or Pablo Prigioni. Barron and Richardson are the most likely candidates. As long as the deal goes through, its new Raptors GM Masai Ujiri working his magic once again, getting something in return for Bargnanis burdensome contract. In fact, you have to wonder how the Draft pick isnt going in the other direction. Not only do the Raps get a pick and get rid of Bargnani, but Novak is a useful piece for a team that ranked 26th in 3-point percentage last season and has two starting wings DeMar DeRozan and Rudy Gay that dont shoot particularly well. Bargnani has shot well at certain points in his career, but has really struggled over the last two seasons, shooting 42 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range. He has tunnel vision when he gets the ball, unable to make plays for others. And even if he finds his shot at Madison Square Garden, hes a serious defensive liability. Really, you have to wonder why the Knicks want Bargnani. Though they struggled against the Pacers top-ranked defense in the conference semifinals, they ranked third offensively in the regular season, scoring a potent 108.6 points per 100 possessions. More than anything, they need help on defense, where they ranked 16th. You need to be ranked in the top 10 defensively if you have dreams of making The Finals, and Bargnani isnt going to help them get there. One of the Knicks biggest issues over the last few seasons has been their lack of two-way players. Theyve had some great offensive players and a few good defenders, but not enough guys who can get the job done on both ends of the floor. And Bargnani obviously isnt that. Could you imagine how awful New Yorks defense would be with Bargnani and Amare Stoudemire on the floor together? Furthermore, the Knicks will now have four guys Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, Bargnani and Stoudemire making more than $10 million a year. Three of the four play power forward or center full-time, and the fourth (Anthony) is at his best playing the four. Capped out, a trade is the only way the Knicks can really upgrade their roster. And though theyre not really giving up much value, this just doesnt seem like the trade to do it.
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Tags: Amare Stoudemire, Andrea Bargnani, Carmelo Anthony, Earl Barron, John Schuhmann, Kenyon Martin, Marcus Camby, Masai Ujiri, New York Knicks, Pablo Prigioni, Quentin Richardson, Steve Novak, Toronto Raptors, Tyson Chandler Posted in HT News / Comments (70) / Newer Entries >

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