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RETRIEVING CONTENT...PLEASE WAIT
Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily LInks 7/19
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Greg Norman Edition
Friday, July 18, 2008
by FLCeltsFan 10:48 PM
Utah Jazz free agent, CJ Miles signed a four-year, $15 million offer sheet with Oklahoma City on Friday. Utah will have seven days to decide whether they want to match the offer sheet and keep him. In Oklahoma, Miles would be able to compete for a starting position, something he would not be able to do in Utah.
Philadelphia 76ers General Manager Ed Stefanski announced on Friday that the Sixers have signed rookie Marreese Speights who was the 16th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Speights played in five games for the Sixers Summer League team in Las Vegas, averaging 18.2 points along with team-highs of 10.2 rebounds and 2.20 blocks. He is one of only three player averaging a double double in Vegas. Sounds like the Sixers have a player.
Yahoo Sports (via Hoopshype) reports that Carlos Delfino is leaving the NBA to sign with Khimki Moscow. Delfino may not be the only NBA player to bolt for Europe as Basket Central (again via Hoopshype) reports that Greek team Olympiakos is courting former Celtic Ricky Davis. The Suns second round pick, Goran Dragic, will stay in Spain next season. The Suns sure are having problems with point guards ditching them. Think they would like to take back the deal that sent Rajon Rondo to Boston?
The Sacbee reports that Brad Miller is determined to rebound after his third suspension for testing positive for marijuana. He will be suspended for the first 5 games of next season and will lose approximately $700,000 in salary. He is determined to get past this and get his life back in order. He told the SacBee that the lost wages don't matter nearly as much as the importance of changing his ways. We all wish Brad the best and hope that he can get past this and get his career back on track without the drugs.
League sources report that the Nets and Magic are close to a sign-and-trade for combo guard Keyon Dooling. Reports are that Dooling would sign a three-year deal approximately $10 million and then be sent to the Nets for their $3.3 million trade exception that they acquired in the Jason Kidd trade. This gives the Nets 16 players under contract and the odd man out appears to be Marcus Williams. They will probably try to deal him for a draft pick or package him with another player to try to free up a roster spot.
The Rocky Mountain News is reporting that restricted free agent JR Smith has not heard from any teams having interest in signing him this off season. His only offer has been the option to return to the Nuggets next season for the $3.04 million qualifying offer. This may be his best bet as he will have a chance to increase his value over the season and become an unrestricted free agent next season.
Matt Barnes is a player who definitely would be a good fit for the Celtics to help replace what they lost with James Posey. The Washington Post reports that the word is that teams are going to wait him out and get him at a good price. The Wizards, who have only around $1.5 million left under the luxury tax threshold, are interested but since Barnes made $3 million last season, he isn't going to jump at an offer that his half as much. The Celtics could split their MLE between Barnes and another player and would be an attractive destination because they can offer him a chance at a ring. Teams may be trying to wait him out and get him cheaper, but like Posey, some team out there will give him what he wants.
Darius Miles continues his hopes to return to the NBA. He might be a possibility for the Celtics. The Mavs are seriously considering signing him as well. He has several benefits. One, he appears to have matured considerably since his troubled early days in the league. Second, he has worked very hard to come back from what was considered to be a career ending injury so he is motivated and has a good work ethic. Third, and best of all for a team like the Celtics who are over the Lux Tax, he will come cheap. He is only looking for a 1 year minimum contract and will play very hard to make good on that contract to prove he deserves more next season. He looks like another of those low risk, high reward signings.
This is a great story. Greg Norman is doing very well in the British Open. He is on his honeymoon after his marriage to tennis great Chris Evert 3 weeks ago. He is 53 years old and he is right at the top of the pack in the British Open. His last victory was 10 years ago in Australia at the Greg Norman Holden International. He hasn't been this close to the lead at the halfway point of a major since he was leading the '96 Masters. I know by now you are thinking why is this on a Celtic blog's updates? Well, Greg Norman used to live not far from me when I lived in the Palm Beach area and is a big Celtics fan. You would often see him out and about wearing a Celtics hat. I always wear a Celtics tee shirt and one day, he stopped me in a store and we talked about the Celtics for awhile. He is a very nice person and I am pulling for him. Us Celtics fans have to stick together. Maybe it was the Celtics 17th championship after all these years that has energized him in the Open. Who knows?
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Is There More Scandal Ahead for the NBA?
by FLCeltsFan 8:32 PM
For the most part, if you watch a lot of NBA games, you can't help but notice that at times the officiating is one sided and at other times it is simply bad. Some players get star treatment, others seem to get fouls called for walking onto the court. Some games are called very one sided where one team can't get a foul call even though players are getting mugged by two players at a time while the other team just has to look crooked and it is a foul. Refs are human and we know that they won't get it right every time, but some calls are so ridiculously bad that you just scratch your head and wonder. One of those calls was when Paul Pierce drew a foul while shooting a 3 during the Detroit series. Bennett Salvatore called it an offensive foul. He could have made a case for a possible travel, although that was a stretch, but an offensive foul was ridiculous. David Stern has defended his officials ad nauseam, fining anyone who dares to question them.
Last summer, the inevitable happened and a referee was accused of betting on games and influencing the outcomes of certain games. David Stern said that he completely investigated the officials and that Donaghy was a lone rogue official. There were no other refs involved. Supposedly it was all over and when Donaghy was convicted and punished, there would be no further repercussions from the rogue referee who acted in a vacuum to influence games for betting purposes.
Then, during the NBA Finals this year, there were more allegations. In the wake of game 2 of the Finals, when Phil Jackson pretty much blamed the loss on the referees, and in the wake of the league acknowledgment that the Lakers/Spurs game 4 was decided by a bad call by the refs, Time Donaghy made some shocking statements.
The Boston Globe recounts the details. In a letter to the court, Donaghy's attorney relayed key information Donaghy provided, including various examples of improper interactions and relationships between referees and other league employees, such as players, coaches or management that led to attempts to influence game results. Donaghy alleged that certain referees were "company men" who acted in the best business interests of the NBA - specifically, extending popular and profitable series. He claimed manipulation of games could be very subtle.
According to the letter, "Tim explained that league officials would tell referees they should withhold calling technical fouls on certain star players because doing so hurt ticket sales and television ratings . . . If the NBA wanted a team to succeed, league officials would inform referees that opposing players were getting away with violations. Referees then would call fouls on certain players, frequently resulting in victory for the opposing team."
Donaghy's letter described events in a 2005 playoff series - apparently between the Mavericks and Rockets - when referees were told to enforce screening rules more strictly against a Houston player. The Mavericks came back to win the series, and the court filing asserted that the NBA profited from a longer series.
Donaghy also told investigators that referees were instructed to extend a 2002 playoff series between the Lakers and Kings to seven games and did so by making calls in favor of Los Angeles, which came back to win. The series is remembered for controversial calls in Game 6, in which Sacramento's Scot Pollard and Vlade Divac fouled out.
The Kings/Lakers game was particularly interesting because at the time, Jeff Van Gundy was fined a ridiculous $100,000 for saying that an official not working the game told him that Yao was being targeted with fouls in particular. The game was called very one sided and there were several other complaints about it.
Stern dismissed the allegations and as always backed his referees. But what else can he do? The allegations fall right at his feet. If league officials did tell the officials to extend a series or favor or target particular players, Stern would have to have know about them or even been the one to send down the orders. If the FBI does investigate Donaghy's allegations further, David Stern could be in some trouble himself.
Now, once again, more information is coming out that further implicates another referee. Donaghy placed 134 calls to referee Scott Foster between October 2006 and April 2007, the period during which he has confessed to betting on games or passing on game information to gamblers. Most of the calls lasted no more than 2 minutes. Now, keep in mind that David Stern supposedly completely investigated every other referee and found nothing out of order. But Stern was intent on saving his own skin and proving that Donaghy was a rogue ref and couldn't be bothered with details like 134 phone calls from the rogue ref to a colleague before games he officiated.
Pregame.com has some interesting commentary on the the games that Foster offiated during this period. During the 2006-07 period under investigation, seven games refereed by Scott Foster had lopsided enough betting on one team to move the point spread by at least 2 points; those seven teams were undefeated against Vegas meaning that the big-money gamblers won a 7 of 7 times on Fosters games; the odds of that happening randomly are less than 1%.Statistics alone cannot convict, but its certainly noteworthy that seven times in Fosters games one team was bet extremely heavily, and all seven times that team won, said RJ Bell of Pregame.com.
Two of those seven games stand out: On January 19, 2007 the Kings opened as a 1.5 favorites at Boston; betting on Sacramento moved the line to -4.5. Kings won by 5, shooting 25 free throws, versus only 14 free throws for the home team Celtics. On March 20, 2007 the Nuggets opened as 2.5 point underdogs at New Jersey. Denver was bet so heavily, they closed as 1 point favorites. Denver won by 4, shooting 32 free throws versus only 22 for the home team Nets.
In prior reporting widely carried by the national media, RJ Bell of Pregame.com uncovered that big-money bettors won 15 straight lopsidedly bet games refereed by Tim Donaghy during the 2006-2007 season.
First, Tim Donaghy was arrested for betting on games and influencing their outcome. Then, there were the allegations of the league handing down directives to officials to stretch out series or makes calls with an agenda. Now, there is evidence that another referee was involved in influencing games along with Donaghy. Facts seem to back the allegations that other refs were involved and that refs have influenced games. All of this with assurances from David Stern that all is well and his referees are above approach. When all of this is taken all together, it certainly doesn't look good for the commissioner.
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Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Slow Friday Edition
by FLCeltsFan 10:48 AM
The Mavericks reportedly were willing to offer forward Brandon Bass and guard Jerry Stackhouse for Artest. The Kings wanted Josh Howard included in the deal and this seemed to halt all discussion between the 2 teams. Unless the Mavs are willing to give up Howard or the Kings get desperate (not likely) to settle for less, a deal is not likely to get done.
Today is the deadline for the Lakers to let Turiaf and the Warriors know of their decision about the restricted free agent. Signs point to the Lakers letting Turiaf go. The Warriors have front loaded his contract and the Lakers currently have 10 players signed to guaranteed contracts for a total of $75.135 million and aren't likely to pay another 4.5 million to bring back a role player off the bench.
The Clippers and Warriors are still playing a game of swapping players. The Clippers made the latest move by signing the Warriors' restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike to an offer sheet Thursday. Azubuike, 24, agreed to a three-year deal, with his option for the third season. The deal is for $9.3 million, with his salary being $2.9 million, $3.1 million and $3.3 million. The Warriors have 7 days to match the offer if they want to keep Azubuike. This adds to the already swapped players of Barron Davis and Corey Maggette.
According to the Globe, Tyronn Lue was hoping to join the Celtics before he signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Bucks. Lue said he was asking the Celtics for $1.8 million a year, but the Celtics were holding firm on their offer of a one-year, $1.2 million (the veteran minimum) offer. Lue said he was disappointed in the Celtics because they wouldn't go the extra $600,000. But from the Celtics point of view, it was a lot more than $600,000. The league picks up a portion of league minimum contracts and since the Celtics are over the luxury tax, that $600,000 would have cost them 1,200,000.
Along with Tyronn Lue, the Bucks also signed 30 year old veteran, Malik Allen to a contract on Thursday. Allen endeared himself to coach Scott Skiles during two seasons with the Chicago Bulls and now will be reunited with Skiles in Milwaukee. Allen will fit in a power forward rotation with fourth-year pro Charlie Villanueva and 6-8 rookie Joe Alexander, the eighth overall pick in the June draft.
The Jazz have come to terms with their point guard, Deron Williams. Williams signed a 3 year deal with a year option that should be worth around $70 million dollars. Williams had wanted to reach an agreement on a contract extension before he left for USA Basketball training camp in Las Vegas. He is scheduled to leave Sunday for the Vegas and was happy to have the contract negotiations out of the way.
Samuel Dalembert became a Canadian citizen and planned to play for the Canadian team in the Olympics, but there has been some controversy along the way. Supposedly, he had alienated his teammates by moving his group into a penthouse in the team's hotel headquarters, and that he had demanded more shots. Dalembert was dismissed from the team by coach Leo Rautins after a disagreement outside the team bus before they left for a game with Korea. Dalembert had this to say: "Now I see why it has been so difficult to get [NBA] guys to play for Canada," he said. "I'm very disappointed. I know how to differentiate business and pleasure. This is children's stuff. I don't throw people under the bus. I don't trash the coach.
"But I read stuff that came from 'a source.' I like people to come forward. I heard that I'm a prima donna. Anyone who knows me knows I don't do that. I said I'd do anything to help raise money for Canada. I had one bad game, and I'm not committed? Please."
SI speculates that Vince Carter could be the next Net to be changing teams. The Nets already have sent out two of their three stars packing, sending Jason Kidd to the Mavs and Richard Jefferson to the Bucks. Carter could be next to go as New Jersey continues to try to clear up cap space for a possible run at LeBron James in 2010. Carter, 31, has a huge contract (three more years, $49 million), but he is also a seven-time All-Star who averaged 21.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season.
The Mavericks are the latest team to work out Darius Miles. The Celtics were impressed with his workout for them and now he has also impressed the Mavericks. A member of the Mavericks' camp said that Miles was much better than they had thought and that on a scale of 1-10 he was a solid 8. In recent weeks, Miles has had workouts with the Nets, Celtics, Suns and Mavericks, some of which went as long as 2 hours. Miles is trying to become the first player to return from an injury that was considered to be career-ending by the NBA. If he were to sign a new contract and play in 10 or more games this season, his $9 million salary would go back on Portland's books so, Portland is more than likely hoping his comeback bid fails. For his part, Miles insists that he is 100% and is hoping to catch on with a contender. He is looking for a 1 year minimum contract and with the Celtics missing out on the Posey sweepstakes, the Celtics may consider him a bit more as well. One factor that has to be considered in signing Miles is that he will be suspended for the first 10 games of the season for testing positive for what has been speculated to be a performance enhancing drug.
The Pistons haven't been big players in the free agent market as GM Joe Dumars has said that he is looking for a trade rather than to sign a free agent. Speculation is that he will trade one of his veteran starters who have been together almost forever, it seems. They have been very impressed with their young point guard, Rodney Stuckey and either Chauncey Billups or Richard Hamilton will have to be moved if Stuckey is to move into the starting lineup. The word going around is that while the Pistons would probably prefer to part with Billups, the most teams would prefer the younger and cheaper Hamilton. Don't be surprised to see the Pistons shake it up this summer.
I am very optimistic about Bill Walker's future as a Celtic. The kid already has the Celtics type attitude and work ethic. Scott Souza is reporting that Walker has been a familiar sight at the Celtics' workout facility. Just over two weeks after he had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee for a torn meniscus, the third knee surgery of his basketball career, Walker was back on the court yesterday firing up a succession of 3-pointers and free throws. Souza reports:
Walker looked much bigger in a T-shirt and long shorts (which covered any brace on his knee, though it was apparent he was not wearing any Tony Allen-type contraption) than he did wearing a sport shirt and jeans at his introductory press conference two weeks ago. At first glance, you wouldn’t even think it was the same player (the LeBron James comparison suddenly make slightly more sense). A Celtics spokesman confirmed he has been a frequent sight at HealthPoint since his surgery.
Walker seems determined to come back from this surgery just as he did from the previous two, although the first 2 were much more serious. He also seems very determined to make a difference for the Celtics this season. Unlike JR Giddens, the Celtics first round pick who left Boston when he couldn't come to terms on a contract, Walker has stayed in town and has been working out with the Celtics trainers and coaches. I like this kid and hope Danny keeps him around this season. He may just be the steal of the draft.
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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/18
by FLCeltsFan 8:40 AM
Herald Celtics willing to take big risk
FL's Take: This signing has potentially high reward and it is very low risk. As I said in the article below, the system he was in could have been holding him back from developing.
Slow, steady progress suits Warriors’ Wright just right
76ers see the upside to rookie Speights
O’Bryant introduced, works out with Celtics
Globe O'Bryant excited to get his shot
MetroWest Daily O'Bryant eager for fresh start
CelticsBlog Mixed on Livingston to Phoenix idea
Who's getting James's money?
LOY's Place The system makes a difference
Celtics 17 Posey is a New Orleans Hornet
Red's Army Now we can start making moves
Perkisabeast Posey deal is good for nobody
Connecticut Post Posey embraces New Orleans
2Fresh4Yall 2008 ESPY awards - who was hot and who not?
FL's Take: Rondo does look very sharp.
NY Post Straight shooter
Cavalier Attitude With Posey gone, who's left for the Cavs?
FL's Take: Seems like a question a lot of teams are asking now. What's left after Posey?
Concord Monitor The final hug
FL's Take: The leadership and the hugs will be the one thing that the Celtics will find hard to replace.
Hoopsvibe Replacing James Posey
Hoopsworld What's left for the Celtics?
Sports Odds Gang signs in the NFL, Boston Celtics Paul Pierce to blame
You've Been Blinded A visit to the ESPN The Mag ESPY style studio
ProJo O'Bryant works out for the first time as a Celtic
The Cavman Network The big James Posey question
Fox Sports Will Posey help bring a ring to New Orleans?
FL's Take: Posey didn't bring the ring to Boston by himself. It was the chemistry, the starting 5, the other subs. Yes, he did bring a lot to the team, but everything else had to fall in place for his contributions to happen. The Celtics will still be able to repeat without Posey as long as all that other stuff falls into place again.
The Sporting Blog Posey leaves Boston just for the sake of playing for a new team
Comcast SportsNet O'Bryant Presser and Danny Ainge interview
AZ Sports Hub When the free agency dust settles will the Suns be left holding the bag?
Canadian Press NY Jets sign fifth round pick, Erik Ainge
Bleacher Report James Posey solidifies inconsistent New Orleans bench
Courtside View Walker back on the court; O’Bryant No. 26
FL's Take: I think Walker is going to be a special player. I love his attitude and he has a great work ethic. He wants to be a Celtic and wants to play, contract or no contract. As long as his knees hold up, he is going to be a special player. I hope Danny keeps him with the team this season.
Shamrock Headband Exposed?
Can Danny? James and the giant hole in the rotation
Lex Nihil Novi Sampson held to 2 points in game 1
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The System Makes a Difference
Thursday, July 17, 2008
by FLCeltsFan 9:07 PM
We have seen many instances of this over the years. Robert Parish was considered a troublemaker in Golden State they felt that he would never be a good center and couldn't wait to trade him so that they could draft Joe Barry Carroll, and yet became a Hall of Fame player in Boston. Dennis Johnson was considered a malcontent who couldn't run a team and became the glue that held the team together in Boston. Jermaine O'Neal was seen as a bust in Portland and became a dominant player in Indiana. Darko Milicic was a non-entity in Detroit only to become a player in Orlando. Steve Nash languished in Phoenix before breaking out in Dallas. And on and on.
There are instances throughout the NBA. A player seems washed up, a troublemaker, a mistake, etc. only to become an All Star on the team they are traded to. Chauncey Billips was a player seen by Rick Pitino as not developing quickly enough. But yet he went to Detroit and developed very quickly. The same can be said of Jermaine O'Neal after he went to Indiana.
In most cases, the difference is in the system or the coaching. Some come from a system that doesn't fit their playing style. Or the coach and the player don't get along and so the player is not given playing time or is given a reputation as a malcontent or lazy. Or, sometimes it is just the player maturing and breaking out that coincides with the trade. Sometimes it is the teammates that make a difference in that the chemistry is just right among a group of player or the chemistry doesn't work with others.
Sometimes, it is the player and not the system that is the problem. I had hoped that Telfair was one of those players who would blossom when given a fresh chance with a new team, but it didn't work out that way. Telfair may still break out and find a system where he can shine, but it didn't happen in Boston. Rondo came out of a system that didn't play to his strengths at Kentucky. Because of that, he had some adjustments to make when he came to the NBA. In spite of seeming to struggle in the Kentucky system., he came into the NBA and has become a very impressive point guard already with just 2 seasons in the NBA and led the Celtics to their first championship in 22 years.
There are also many cases where a coach is fired and the team does a turn around because the coach was not getting through to the players or the coach's system didn't fit his players. This is why we see so many coaching changes in the league. As there are trades and personnel changes on teams many times the coach's system no longer fits the the new players and a change has to be made. After spending a fortune to bring in highly paid players, it is usually the coach who goes and not the players. The Celtics made wholesale changes last season and the system and players fit together surprisingly quickly. The Celtics will have the same starting 5 next season to bring some continuity but the bench will be dramatically different. Their key reserve, James Posey is gone along with PJ Brown, Sam Cassell, Scot Pollard, and possibly Tony Allen and Eddie House. Patrick O'Bryant will be a new face and as the off season wears on, Danny will be adding other new faces to fill the gaps on the bench. Danny needs to carefully select the players who he feels will fit into the system and chemistry of the team. Any player not willing to buy into ubuntu should not be considered.
Patrick O'Bryant is another player who may have been the victim of being in the wrong system and with the wrong coach. Don Nelson is notorious for playing his veterans and not liking to play rookies or young players. His system is a run and gun type system and not one very well suited to a back to the basket type defensive player. In his 2 seasons with the Warriors, he played in 40 games and averages 1.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and .4 blocks per game. But, he also spent some time in the D-League and there he started to show some flashes of the promise that the Warriors saw when they made him the 9th pick in the draft. In '06-07 he played in 25 games for the Bakersfield Jam and averaged 12.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks in 29.5 minutes per game. In the '07-08 season, he played in 8 games for the Jam and averaged 16.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in 36 minutes per game. Those are encouraging statistics. It is possible, with the proper coaching (Clifford Ray) and the right system (the Celtics) and the right teammates to help him develop his work ethic (KG, Perk, Leon Powe), he might just surprise a lot of people this season.
There have also been reports of Stephon Marbury possibly coming to the Celtics. He has been called a cancer and a malcontent and has been blamed for a lot of the troubles the Knicks have been through in recent times. But, then again, he was playing in Isiah Thomas' system. It is possible that a change of system, a change of coaches, and a change of teammates may make all the difference in the world to make him a team player.
A lot of teams are making big changes this season with both players and coaches, but just because they make coaching changes or bring in a star or several new players, it doesn't mean that they will be greatly improved. It all depends on how the new players fit into the system and how they mesh as a team. The Celtics had perfect chemistry last season and it will remain to be seen how well the new players will mesh with the old and how much they will miss the players who are gone.
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O'Bryant Introduced and Works Out With the Celtics
by FLCeltsFan 8:54 PM
Patrick O'Bryant was officially introduced today and worked out with the Celtics for the first time. O'Bryant will wear #26 for the Celtics. #26 has been worn by just 4 other players in Celtics' history: Toby Kimball 1966-67, Rick Weitzman 1967-68,
Rich Johnson 1968-71, and Kermit Washington 1977-78.
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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/17
Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Celtics Spurned Edition
by FLCeltsFan 7:29 AM
The big story is that James Posey, who was one of the most coveted free agents is now off the market. The Hornets were willing to give Posey what he asked for, and that is a 4 year, $25 million contract. The Celtics weren't willing to go that 4th year. Now that Posey is off the market, there may be more signings as the teams who were holding out and hoping to land Posey will now go to plan B and look to make a deal. This does seem to make both Chris Anderson and Janero Pargo a bit more available with their MLE wrapped up in Posey, the most they can offer is the league minimum. At least Posey didn't go to the Lakers. I don't think I could have stomached seeing him hugging Kobe before every game.
With Posey off the table, the Celtics may attempt to re-sign one of their own free agents, Tony Allen. Allen's agent, Mike Higgins, said yesterday he expects the Celtics to make his client an offer. The Celtics also have swingmen J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker, both of whom are unsigned and although there were rumors that the Celtics might try to stash Walker overseas for a year, the loss of Posey may give him an opportunity to contribute right away. Ainge said that one player wouldn't replace Posey but rather that he would be replaced by committee and that he didn't have a free agent in mind. "We go to the next options," said Ainge, who might consider adding another big man. "We're not going to sign one player that is going to replace James Posey. We're going to do it in a different way and different fashion. We are going to reallocate our dollars in different ways." That big man may be Chris Andersen, who the Celtics showed interest in earlier. Andersen has been mentioned in rumors that Denver may be interested as well. I would love to have the Birdman in Boston.
Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld reported that the Boston Celtics offered James Posey in a sign-and-trade deal to try to land land Billy Ron Artest. I don't know how much I believe that because this same Bill Ingram reported on Monday that Posey would be announcing his signing in 24 hours and was expected to re-sign with the Celtics. On the other hand, Danny made a run at Posey when the Pacers were trying to trade him and may try to get in on the bidding for him now that the Kings seem ready to move him again. The Mavs and Lakers are both making a pitch for him but to get him, it would seem that any team would have to take Kenny Thomas and his contract as well and I don't think the Celtics would want to do that.
After weeks of saying that he was deciding between Boston and Phoenix and then skipping out on a physical in Miami on Monday, and going back to saying that it was between Boston and Phoenix, Tyronn Lue signed a one year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks worth between 2 and 2.5 million. The Celtics and Suns were both offering one year minimum contracts and the Bucks obviously were willing to offer more. So, the Celtics lost 2 free agents at the top of their list on the same day. This could get depressing.
With their top free agent target off the market, the Suns are looking elsewhere for point guard help. Reports are that they are interested in Sam Cassell, Shaun Livingston and Jason Williams. Williams is good friends with Suns center Shaquille O'Neal and Cassell is a former Sun. The Suns can only offer the league minimum and so are hoping that they will find a player willing to sign for the minimum.
Not only have the Celtics not been able to land their free agent targets, they haven't been able to reach an agreement with their first round draft pick, JR Giddens. As a few more of the remaining first-round picks signed their three-year guaranteed deals yesterday, which for the most part are based on their draft position, J.R. Giddens remained unsigned with no resolution of the situation in sight. Danny Ainge said that they haven't had any conversations and that the Celtics are concentrating on other things right now like letting James Posey get away. Giddens has the same agent as Posey and House. He was also Mark Blount's agent. I really am getting to dislike this guy.
On the day that they lost James Posey to New Orleans, the Celtics made the signing of Patrick O'Bryant official. O'Bryant, a 7'0", 249lbs center, has appeared in 40 career games for the Golden State Warriors posting averages of 1.7 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. O'Bryant is scheduled to meet the Boston media in Waltham on Thursday morning at The Sports Authority Training Center at HealthPoint at 11:30 a.m.
One team that was hoping to land Posey made a move on Wednesday as the Cavs signed Daniel Gibson to a 5 year deal. With Gibson safely in the fold, the Cavs will turn their attention to trying to re-sign Delonte West and they hope to come to an agreement with him soon as well. Delonte is a restricted free agent so the Cavs could match any offer he might get from another team.
The Raptors made another move as they announced Wednesday they have signed guard Roko Ukic to a three-year contract. Ukic was a second-round selection (41st overall) by the Raptors in the 2005 NBA Draft. Ukic, 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, played in Italy last season with Lottomatica Virtus Roma. He averaged career highs of 11.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 19 Euroleague contests.
The Star Tribune reports that the Timberwolves have agreed to terms with restricted free agent Craig Smith. The Wolves have not yet signed restricted free agents Ryan Gomes and several teams have been pursuing Gomes. Teams such as Cleveland could intensify their pursuit now that Boston free agent James Posey has signed with New Orleans. Gomes' agent likely is eyeing the full mid-level exception of $5.6 million for next season. If Gomes signs with another team, the Wolves have seven days to match the offer or let Gomes go. Many Celtics fans have hopes of seeing Gomes in Celtics green again but it is doubtful that Danny will offer the full MLE to get him.
The Rocky Mountain News is reporting that Marcus Camby was blindsided, distraught, disrespected and insulted by the trade that sent him from the Nuggets to the Clippers for a second round draft pick. The Nuggets are considering Chris Anderson as a replacement for Camby.
Bull's restricted free agent Luol Deng's options are limited after the Clippers' trade for Marcus Camby. The Clippers with their cap space were considered a possibility for Deng, but Camby's salary will use up a large portion of that space. Only the Grizzlies have conserable cap space but are in cost cutting mode and are unlikely to look to sign a free agent for big bucks. This leaves three options for Deng: hit on a long-term extension with the Bulls, sign a one-year tender offer and become an unrestricted free agent in 2009, or convince the Bulls to execute a sign-and-trade. It was reported at the time that the hold up on a Kobe or a KG trade was the fact that the Bulls did not want to include Deng. If they can't come to an agreement, they may have passed up two big opportunities for nothing.
According to a source close to Dallas, the Mavericks offered 14th year swingman Jerry Stackhouse and fourth-year forward Brandon Bass for Kings small forward Ron Artest. The Kings are not expected to entertain the offer if it doesn't include Dallas small forward Josh Howard, but the inquiry certainly reveals the level of the Mavs' interest. According to the source, Howard does not appear to be available.
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Moving Past Posey, Who's Left?
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
by FLCeltsFan 9:40 PM
Now that James Posey has made his decision and moved on to the Hornets, the Celtics need to make a move to fill their bench once again. At this point last season, everyone was talking about the Celtics weak bench and the need to fill the back up positions and we are back in the very same position this year. We have the starting 5 in place and if anything, they should be better than last season with both Perk and Rondo having another season of experience under their belts. Ray Allen came into last season after having double ankle surgery in the offseason and he should start out much stronger than he did last season. They have 2 promising rookies who are both known for their athleticism and defense. They also have Big Baby Davis, Leon Powe, and Gabe Pruitt who will all be another year better. They just signed Patrick O'Bryant to back up Perk in the center and he has a lot of potential but is also a question mark at this point. So, who is left out there to fill the blanks at the wing positions off the bench?
Tony Allen 6'4" 26 years old
6.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.5 apg, 18.4 mpg
The most obvious would be to resign Tony Allen on a 2 year league minimum contract. He didn't make a great impression on the league last season so I don't imagine he will be offered much more than that by another team. He's a potent slasher who can get to the rim thanks to a quick first step, and he's a thunderous finisher in transition.
Like Posey, Tony excels on the defensive end of the court. Tony's athleticism makes him a very strong defender. The Celtics can re-sign him without using the MLE by using his Bird rights or a minimum contract.
Matt Barnes 6'7" 28 years old
Matt Barnes might be the free agent with the closest skill set to what the Celtics lost in James Posey. He is a hustle defender who can guard the 2, 3 or 4 and he can also hit big shots. His shooting draws big men away from the basket in the half court, and he handles the ball well enough to be a point forward at times. His toughness is valuable and his activity in the passing lanes makes him a threat to steal the ball. I think Danny can get him for a portion of the MLE just as he did Posey last season. Barnes would be my first choice along with a combination of Tony Allen and another player or two.
Eddie House 6'1" 30 years old
7.5 ppg, 1.9 apg, .8 spg
House wants to come back to Boston, but he wants more than the 1.5 million he got last year along with a longer contract than one year. House knows the system, played well last season and bought into ubuntu, never complaining when his minutes were cut and coming up with big shots in the playoffs. He is instant offense off the bench and can handle the point guard duties effectively. Danny shouldn't overpay for House, but if he can get him back for a reasonable contract, he should go for it.
Maurice Evans 6'5" 29 years old
8.9 ppg, 1.1 apg, 3.1 rpg
He can hit 3-pointers from the corner and will pull up from 17 off the dribble going to his left, plus he's a good rebounder for his size.Evans is a stay-at-home defender who rarely gambles for steals, but his size can be a negative when he's used at small forward. He's a poor dribbler but is strong and quite athletic. He'll throw down jams on the break but isn't as good in the halfcourt.
Jannero Pargo 6'1" 28 years old
8.1 ppg, 2.4 apg, .6 spg
With the signing of Posey, Pargo may have become more expendable. He hit some big shots in the playoffs for them and may have improved his stock. He has been mentioned as a target by several teams. He's quick and a decent shooter, so he can be very tough to guard when he gets rolling, but he isn't a great ball handler and tends to get called for carrying the ball at least once or twice a game. Defensively, Pargo struggles, which may eliminate him as a target for the Celtics as they built their team around defense last season. His lack of both size and strength makes him easy prey for opposing guards to post up, plus he gambles a too much. His quickness is an asset against fast guards, but on most nights he's a liability.
Chris Andersen 6'10" 30 years old
1.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg, .8 bpg
Andersen is another player who may have become much more available with the signing of Posey. The Celtics have shown interest in him and he was in Boston for 2 days working out and talking with the Celtics. He should be available for the minimum or slightly above. He can back up the 4 and 5 and can defend the 3, 4 and 5 because of his sizes and athleticism.
Stephon Marbury 6'1" 31 years old
13.9 ppg, 4.7 apg, .9 spg
Marbury seems to be the odd man out in New York and there are reports that the Knicks will buy out the remainder of his contract. He has mentioned that he would like to play in Boston and KG has mentioned that they had a good relationship in Minny when they played there together. Pierce has mentioned that the Knicks should cut Marbury because he would fit better with a veteran team. Marbury isn't as explosive as he was in his prime, but he still is one of the strongest drivers in the league when going to his right. Marbury has improved his catch-and-shoot game the past couple seasons and his high-arcing 3-point shot has to be respected. Defensively, Marbury has the strength to handle matching up against shooting guards in a small backcourt. He does a reasonable job staying in front of point guards too. Marbury wouldn't do anything to replace Posey, but he could replace Cassell and House. The question with him would be attitude, but with KG on his case, that shouldn't be a problem in Boston. He also may sign for the minimum if NY gives him enough in his buyout.
Ricky Davis 6'7", 31 years old
13.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.4 apg
Ricky was one of my favorite players when he was in Boston. There were reports of his being a problem, but only after he was gone. Davis is one of the best midrange shooters in the league. He's absolutely deadly from 15 feet off the curl, especially on the left side of the court. He's also a very good passer.Davis locks in when guarding the ball, especially if it's a big-time scorer, but away from the play he tends to lose focus, not to mention his man. I doubt Danny would go for RickyD part 2, but he is an option and wouldn't be a bad one either.
Quentin Ross 6'6" 27 years old
4.1 ppg, 1.2 apg, 43% 3P%
Ross was all but useless offensively in his first two pro seasons, relying solely on his defensive skills to earn his playing time. But he has become more of an offensive threat, shooting 43% from beyond the arc last season. Ross' outstanding agility makes him one of the league's best defensive stoppers. He's not quite in the elite category because of physical limitations -- he's 6-6 so some bigger players can shoot over him, and at 193 pounds he's not as good in post defense as he is on the perimeter. However, he's great at staying in front of people and manages to be a pest at the same time -- he ranked in the top 20 at his position in both blocks and steals per minute. He would very likely sign for the minimum.
Trenton Hassell 6'5" 29 years old
2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, .7 apg
Hassell is a tough defender who does his best work against taller players. He's a good leaper who gets up to challenge shots even against 6-9 or 6-10 opponents, plus he has good quickness and a stopper's mentality. He never gambles -- he had the worst rate of steals per minute at his position -- but instead relies on his ability to challenge shots. Offensively, he is a liability. He can make the midrange shot when open, but shouldn't be counted on to make the big shots that Posey did. But, he would fill the hole left on defense that Posey's departure leaves.
Bonzi Wells 6'5" 31 years old
9.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.3 apg
One of the strongest guards in the league, Wells is nominally a shooting guard but prefers to play around the basket. He's tough to guard on the blocks, where he likes to shoot a high-arcing turn around jumpers. He is a very good rebounder and his rebound rate ranked first among all guards two seasons ago. He's not a good long-range shooter, however, shooting only 33% from beyond the arc for his career. Defensively, Wells has great anticipation that helps him to a very high steals rate. But he's also 31 and has had multiple knee surgeries, so beating him off the dribble isn't much of a challenge for quicker guards. As a result, Wells rarely guards top scorers and instead looks to intercede off the ball.
There are more, but this gives hope that the Celtics can land a few good players who can give them the same qualities on the court that James Posey did. There are restricted free agents such as Josh Smith and Josh Childress, and Ryan Gomes who would be a great fit, but they are likely to demand much more than the Celtics are looking to spend and their teams would probably match any offer the Celtics could make. I think there are enough talented players out there that will give the Celtics a bench just as good if not better than last season. Now it is up to Danny to put Plan B into effect and find the right players at the right price.
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Celtics Lose Posey to Hornets
by FLCeltsFan 3:49 PM
According to the Globe:
Celtics free agent James Posey signed a four-year deal with New Orleans today, according to his agent Mark Bartelstien.
It looks like the Hornets blinked first and offered Posey the 4th year that he wanted. This is a huge loss for the Celtics and he will be very hard to replace, especially with the tip free agents already signed. I think it was a huge mistake to allow Posey to get away. This may be the move that costs them a second championship. When you have chemistry like this team had, it is a huge mistake to nickel and dime the players who got you there. With Posey gone, the Celtics have their full MLE to split between players or use to sign one player. Hopefully they now redouble their effort to resign House or he will be gone too. I can't help but feel that Danny just made a huge mistake and he gave the Hornets the player they needed to get them over the top.
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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/16
Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Midweek Edition
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
by FLCeltsFan 7:47 PM
James Posey and Eddie House were both signing autographs at Borders in downtown Boston and promoting the Championship DVD. According to the AP, fans made their way through the line and told the players they hoped to have them back for a repeat, with Posey telling one fan: "Me, too. Me, too." You know, I am getting rather tired of Mark Bartelstein. He represents both James Posey and Eddie House along with several other key free agents. Bartelstein reports no decisive movement in negotiations for his free agent client as of early tonight. But the Celtics could be in danger in losing another player represented by Bartelstein — Eddie House. The Celts would love to get House back on a one-year deal for the veteran minimum, but he’s looking for more money and more years. According to Bartelstein, 2 or 3 other clubs have made offers better than the one the Celtics are making. Even though he would prefer to stay with the Celtics, if the offers are there, he will probably walk.
The Globe reports that Posey is looking for a 4 year contract and so far no one is offering to go 4 years. They also say that Cleveland is Posey's best bet for a move. He has received a lot of fan support as he was out and about promoting the Celtics' DVD and the interaction with fans has reinforced Posey's intention to stay in Boston, but he said it will not influence his decision as it will be a business decision, not a personal one. While Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett have all said that they have reached out to Posey encouraging him to stay, Leon Powe said he is staying out of the Posey recruiting process. "I stay out of grown folks' business," said Powe. I love Leon!!!!
ESPN is reporting that the Clippers made a big move on Tuesday when they agreed with the Nuggets on a deal that will send defensive stalwart Marcus Camby to LA for a future second round draft pick. Not a bad trade. Since the Clippers are under the cap, they don't need to give equal salary in return for Camby. Dumping the remaining two years of Camby's contract (worth nearly $15 million) will allow the Nuggets more flexibility to fill other needs on the team. Talk about a deal! The Clippers were close to making an offer for Josh Smith, but when this opportunity came up, they jumped at it, not wanting to take a chance on waiting to see if the Hawks matched their offer for Smith. Josh Smith seems to be the big loser in all this. He missed out on a big contract offer with the Sixers when they signed Brand and now he has missed out on a big contract offer from the Clippers. The competition for his services seems to be drying up and he will be left with whatever the Hawks want to give him.
The Warriors signed their first round pick, Anthony Randolph on his 19th birthday. The contract is for two years with team options for the third and fourth seasons. Randolph, the 14th overall pick, will make about $3.5 million in his first two seasons. The Warriors are still looking for point guard help. According to SFGate, Delonte West was high on the Warriors' list, but is believed to be signing a nice deal elsewhere. Golden State might end up going the trade route. Memphis has three point guards, O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley, and Javaris Crittendon, and Crittendon would fit well on the Warriors. It doesn't appear that the Warriors would be interested in Stephon Marbury if he's bought out by the Knicks.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that the Magic have found their back up point guard, signing Anthony Johnson to a 2 year contract. This is the second time around for Johnson in Orlando as he was traded to the team from Atlanta in 2000, but they renounced his rights 6 months later to make room to sign Tracy McGrady. The Magic are still in the market for a third point guard and have been in talks with the Grizzlies concerning one of their young point guards. particularly Javaris Crittenton.
The MetroWest Daily reports that Perk estimated he was at between 60 and 80 percent health during the five games of the NBA Finals in which he played. They are reporting that he experienced nagging pain throughout the second half of this season before the injury in the Finals kept him out of game 5. Though he reluctantly sat out Game 5 in Los Angeles, he forced his way back into the starting lineup for the clinching Game 6 in Boston two days later. Perkins said he intends to resume some basketball-related activities by the end of the month and will be ready to go at full speed well before training camp begins on Sept. 30.
The Indy Star is reporting that the Pacers are looking to trade point guard Jamaal Tinsley and also to sign a power forward. The Pacers have 16 players under contract with several of those expiring contracts that would be attractive to teams trying to clear space for the 2010 free agent rush. They also have a 2.7 million dollar trade exception so they are in good shape going into a trade market. The Pacers tried to solve both issues in one deal by offering Tinsley to Miami for power forward Udonis Haslem, but the Heat are reluctant to give up Haslem. With quite a few teams looking for a point guard, they shouldn't have a problem finding a taker for Tinsley.
The NY Post is reporting that the Knicks have agreed to sign free-agent guard Anthony Roberson to a two year deal. This deal is likely to quicken the departure of Stephon Marbury from the team. The Knicks appeared to be waiting to add another backcourt player before making a move with Marbury and with the signing of Roberson, who is playing well for their Summer League team, Marbury appears to be on the outs. The Knicks have 16 players under contract now and along with Marbury, Jerome James is on the bubble to be cut from the team.
The Suns are still hoping that Tyronn Lue will sign with the club. They are offering only the veteran's minimum to back up Steve Nash. The Celtics are also still in the running for Lue's services, also offering the vet's minimum to back up Rajon Rondo. The East Vally Tribune reports that at least one other unnamed team is talking to him as well. Lue also took a look at Miami, which has its biennial exception to offer, but he didn't show up for a scheduled physical on Monday. Unlike Boston and Phoenix, the Heat were offering a starting spot. The Suns are also interested in Shaun Livingston. Livingston remains one of the more intriguing prospects out there. He hasn't played since seriously injuring his knee 17 months ago. Still only 22, he was cleared to resume basketball activities just last month. But he wasn't able to show his progress in the Vegas Summer League and hasn't worked out for teams.
After denying the rumors for weeks, the Detroit Free Press is reporting that Tracy McGrady has stated that he wouldn't mind a trade to Detroit. The Pistons are saying that there isn't anything close, but there certainly seems to be a lot of smoke surrounding this rumor and where there is this much smoke, there may soon be some fire.
The Pacers signed their two draft picks, Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert. Hibbert, a center from Georgetown, came in the trade that sent Jermaine O'Neal to the Toronto Raptors. Rush, a guard from Kansas, came to Indiana in a trade with with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Clippers officially signed second-round draft picks DeAndre Jordan and Mike Taylor. "I'm excited," said Jordan, who had been projected as lottery pick out of high school, but slipped to the second round of the draft after a tepid freshman season at Texas A&M. "I'm going to take this (slight) and use it as motivation to prove people wrong."
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Fiddlin' and Diddlin' - Daily Links 7/15
Rumors and Free Agent Updates - Posey and Point Guard Edition
Monday, July 14, 2008
by FLCeltsFan 10:56 PM
Over the weekend James Posey's agent, Marc Bartelstein, said that there should be something contract-wise by Monday. Posey was present at the preview of the Celtics Championship DVD but was very non-committal concerning his situation. He watched the DVD while sitting at the same table as Danny Ainge but there didn't seem to be anything new in the negotiations. Marc Spears reports that the Celtics seem willing to give Posey the full mid-level exception but only for 2 years rather than the four years that Posey is looking for. This contradicts early reports that Danny initially offered 3 years. Posey didn't mention any specific teams who were interested but said that playing for a contender was important to him, and that other members of the current Celtics team have talked to him trying to convince him to stay. We had hoped to get a decision today but instead just got more talk. Posey still says that Boston is his number 1 choice so hopefully Danny will give enough to get it done.
Eddie House was also at the premiere and said that returning to the Celtics was his first choice. I hope he returns as he would be a good back up for both Ray and Rondo. He had a great team spirit. He never complained when benched during the playoffs and he came up big when he did get the call. House would like a multi-year contract but the Celtics are exploring trying to sign a veteran to a 1 year veteran's minimum contract as the reimburses teams a portion of contracts signed by veterans and that would help with the luxury tax the team will be paying. But, to win another title, the Celtics can't nickel and dime the players who helped them win the first one. Chemistry is one of the things that will help them to repeat. Bringing in too many new players, especially if they aren't an upgrade, will hinder rather than help them to repeat.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic are talking with Jason Williams concerning their need for a back up point guard. They have reportedly also offered Keyon Dooling a 2 year deal at about 1.9 million a year but Dooling has called the offer ridiculous and suggested that it was an attempt at trying to devalue him and said that he was insulted by the offer. Florida Today reports that the Magic have had serious talks with the Grizzlies' point guard Javaris Crittenton showing that perhaps they have abandoned any hope of keeping Dooling on the team.
The Miami Herald reports that after saying that he would take a physical for the Heat on Monday, Tyronn Lue decided against it and didn't show up for the physical. The Heat were prepared to make him an offer and Lue would have stepped into the starting point guard position there, but they will now look elsewhere. Lue is still said to be deciding between the Celtics and the Suns. The Heat have Marcus Banks on their roster, but apparently don't expect him to be able to handle the starting PG role as they are looking elsewhere to fill the position.
The Arizona Republic reports that the Suns major competition for Lue is the Celtics who have reportedly offered Lue a one-year veteran minimum deal worth $1.26 million. Shaquille O'Neal has called Lue, who is his friend and former teammate, to make a recruiting pitch for the Suns, but Lue also is a longtime friend of Celtics' star Kevin Garnett. Lue stays at Garnett's Malibu home each summer for workouts. The Heat were attractive because he would be given the starting role, and with both Boston and the Suns he will be a back up to either Rajon Rondo or Steve Nash. Both teams are offering a veteran's minimum one year deal. With the Heat out of the picture, Lue is back to deciding between the Celtics and the Suns (or between Shaq and KG as the case may be).
Billy Ron Artest is still making waves according to the Rocky Mountain News.
With trade rumors swirling around Artest, he was asked if he would have interest in being dealt to the Nuggets. His answer was a definitive no.
"I cannot play in Denver because they question my drive to finish my career off strong and not embarrass my family,'' Artest wrote Sunday night. "Any player wants to win a championship is low risk. That's not even an option to be a Nugget, they let me know how they felt about me already." Kings owner, Joe Maloof, has stated that Artest needs to settle down a bit and stop making statements that don't make any sense and praising him for what he has done in Sacramento. I can see that as damage control so as not to hurt his trade value. If teams know what kind of a nut case he still is, they might not trade for him. I still say I hope he goes to the Lakers as they deserve each other.
The Miami Heat are reported also to have interest in Artest and would be willing to part with Shawn Marion, whose $17.1 million deal also is expiring. As will be the case with the Lakers and most other suitors, the question will be whether the Kings can include forward Kenny Thomas and his deal that includes two more seasons and approximately $18 million.
According to ESPN, the NBA may be in for more trouble this summer. Citing court documents and phone records, it was reported that disgraced ref Tim Donaghy placed 134 calls to fellow referee Scott Foster between October 2006 and April 2007, which was the period during which he has confessed to betting on games or passing on game information to gamblers.
According to a story published Monday on Fox News' Web site, the majority of the phone calls lasted no more than two minutes and occurred before and after games Donaghy officiated and on which he admits wagering. First there were the reports that came out during the Finals about playoff games that were fixed and now this. I have a feeling that there is more that will come out on this and David Stern isn't out of the woods yet.
The Rockets made a couple of minor moves on Monday. They signed this season's first-round pick Donté Greene five minutes before their first game in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League. Greene responded to the new contract with 40 points, making 12 of 20 shots and 11 of 12 free throws, to lead the Rockets to a 100-97 win over the Phoenix Suns. The Rockets also released center Loren Woods from his contract as Woods is looking to sign in Europe. The Rockets GM also said to expect a trade sometime this month. The Rockets are looking to extend a one year veteran's minimum contract to 42 year old Dikembe Mutombo , who hasn't decided whether to take the offer or retire.
Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard has a tough decision to make in the coming months: Sign up-and-coming point guard Petteri Koponen, or keep an open roster spot entering the regular season. On Monday, after Koponen scored 19 points and made 4-of-6 three pointers in the Summer League opener, his decision became even tougher. If the Blazers fail to sign him, he is likely to sign a long term contract in Europe, making his return to the Blazers unlikely for years to come. Pritchard said he values the opportunity to have roster flexibility entering the season, which he would have if he elects to keep Koponen overseas. However, there is also the danger of losing Koponen for several years if the Finn signs a long-term deal with a European team.
The Nets don't want to lose free agent Bostjan Nachbar altogether and are trying to explore sign-and-trade possibilities for him. They also are looking into that route for Nenad Krstic, but there remains a chance the restricted free-agent big man will return. Their rookie center Brook Lopez impressed in Orlando and that may be hastening a move toward a trade. I wonder if they would like Brian Scalabrine back?
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