Official 2008 Summer Free Agency Thread

[alby]

to keep the number of threads down...

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http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3473845

Duhon picks Knicks over Magic; agrees to two-year deal

NEW YORK -- Chris Duhon has reached a verbal agreement with the New York Knicks on a two-year contract, Duhon's agent said.

"The chance for Chris to be a starter was too much to pass up," Duhon's agent, Kevin Bradbury, told 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand.

Duhon had also been talking with the Orlando Magic. Bradbury said the Magic never offered Duhon a contract.

Bradbury said the Knicks have made it clear that Duhon could start, which could mean that Stephon Marbury's days with the Knicks are numbered. Marbury is in the final year of his contract.

The agreement was initially reported by The Sporting News.

"I am just excited, I am ready to get to work for the Knicks," said Duhon, according to the Sporting News. "It's a big stage, playing in New York. It's something every player in the NBA wants."

Duhon played the last four seasons with the Chicago Bulls. He averaged 5.8 points and 4 assists per game last season. He has averaged 6.9 points and 4.5 assists per game in his career.

The Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday that the Magic expected to offer Duhon a three-year deal worth up to $10 million.

"Chris could have shopped himself around more, but in the end, he wanted a fit where he felt comfortable and he knew what kind of opportunity he would be getting," Bradbury said. "He wasn't worried about trying to find more money on the market or anything like that. He wanted the right situation, and this just felt like the right situation."

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Looks like Steph can be had for the cheap, what do you guys think? I'm not talking about for the Dallas Mavericks (because we already have the greatness that is Jason Kidd), but he may be a great pick up for a team looking to add a PG (Warriors, Heat, etc).

[alby]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3477358

Sixers trying to get in position to lure Brand from West Coast

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
It's starting to look as though the biggest threat to the Los Angeles Clippers re-signing franchise forward Elton Brand can be found much further east than Oakland.

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Monday night that the Philadelphia 76ers are again "actively involved" in the Brand hunt after initially fearing that they couldn't compete financially with the Clippers and Golden State Warriors.

Although the leaguewide consensus remains that Brand will return to Hollywood to form a new partnership with Clipper-to-be Baron Davis, sources said the Sixers are growing increasingly confident in their ability to create additional salary-cap space by finding a new home via trade for swingman Rodney Carney and then make a sufficiently rich offer to Brand. Dealing away Carney -- with Memphis and Minnesota quickly emerging as possible destinations -- would shed nearly $1.7 million from the Sixers' payroll next season as long as the trade doesn't require new GM Ed Stefanski to take any salary back.

The Sixers are already expecting to have at least $11 million in salary-cap space to spend when the league announces next season's cap figure to all 30 teams Tuesday night. If the cap ceiling for the 2008-09 season comes in higher than the widely projected estimate of $58-to-59 million -- and if the Sixers can indeed move Carney and/or center Calvin Booth -- Philadelphia could have the flexibility to start a five-year offer to Brand at a first-year salary in the $14 million range.

Sources said that the Sixers remain highly interested in Atlanta Hawks restricted free agent Josh Smith, but it appears that Philly will give itself every chance to emerge as the unlikely winner of the Brand sweepstakes before deciding whether to sign Smith to an offer sheet that the Hawks would have seven days to match.

If Philadelphia can indeed manufacture a first-year salary of at least $14 million, that would be in the same ballpark as the Clippers, who must preserve enough cap space in retaining Brand to formally sign Davis to the five-year, $65 million deal which the former Golden State point guard verbally agreed to last week. The Warriors can still outbid L.A. and Philadelphia for Brand thanks to Davis' defection. If next season's salary cap is announced at $59 million or thereabouts, as expected, Golden State should have the wherewithal to offer Brand a five-year deal worth just over $95 million.

Sources close to the process told ESPN.com on Monday that the Warriors continue to have dialogue with the Brand camp and have not abandoned hope of luring the 29-year-old to Northern California.

Yet separate sources suggested Monday that Brand -- if he's ultimately drawn away from his Face of the Franchise status with the Clippers -- would be more inclined to jump to Philadelphia than Golden State, given the Sixers' residence in a conference with far fewer contenders than the West and the opportunity to join a young Philly nucleus (Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala and the considerable wingspan of center Samuel Dalembert) that won many admirers as last season progressed.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here.

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sign and trade one or two of our scrubs for Carney?

or even for Calvin Booth, instead of using our full MLE on another back up center?

[sike]

Stein is so money these days...

[alby]

Rodney Carney

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by alby

Rodney Carney

Look out that window...

[jthig32]

They have to trade Carney to someone under the cap if they want to create immediate cap room, which is the whole point.

[dirno2000]

Elton Brand to the Sixers would benefit us twofold. There would be one less team to fight for a western conference playoff slot and it would set Magette up for big payday, effectively eliminating any chance of him landing with the Spurs.

[jthig32]

I will be shocked if Brand doesn't resign with the Clips. I think this is basically one big smoke screen just to make double sure that no one can accuse the Clips of the udner the table deal they obviously pulled off.

[alby]

maybe. maybe not.

Apparently, the Clippers are able to offer more than the 70 million anyways. If they offer 80+, there's no way Elton can turn that down.

[dirno2000]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I will be shocked if Brand doesn't resign with the Clips. I think this is basically one big smoke screen just to make double sure that no one can accuse the Clips of the udner the table deal they obviously pulled off.

Stien mentioned that in his story and I don't get it. What's wrong with the Clippers going to Brand and Davis after July 1 and asking them to split their cap room?

[alby]

Originally Posted by dirno2000

Stien mentioned that in his story and I don't get it. What's wrong with the Clippers going to Brand and Davis after July 1 and asking them to split their cap room?

Because the speculation is that the Clippers spoke to Baron before July 1 (planning all of this out), since he wasn't expected to opt out of his last year in Golden State.

[dirno2000]

Originally Posted by alby

Because the speculation is that the Clippers spoke to Baron before July 1 (planning all of this out), since he wasn't expected to opt out of his last year in Golden State.

I dobut that they spoke with him directly. Now Brand may have recruited him before July 1 but the league can't regulate that. That's just two friends talking about playing together.

In any case, a tampering charge would be nearly impossible to prove.

[alby]

It is impossible =]

[Kidd Karma]

Read this morning that Carney and Booth would be sent to Minny along with a first rounder for the mark blount trade exception. You don't unload a young cheap player along with a first rounder without knowledge of Brand coming. Brand to Philly......

[Dtownsfinest]

Originally Posted by Kidd Karma

Read this morning that Carney and Booth would be sent to Minny along with a first rounder for the mark blount trade exception. You don't unload a young cheap player along with a first rounder without knowledge of Brand coming. Brand to Philly......

I don't buy it. Brand isn't the only free agent out there. Josh Smith is in talks with the 6ers as well. I just don't see Brand taking a cut so Baron Davis can come without Brand and Davis not talking about it before free agency began. It makes no sense for Baron to leave a playoff contender to go to a Clipps team without Brand.

[Kidd Karma]

Brand won't be taking a cut, Philly getting him 5 years starting at 14 million should work out to 85-90 million, similar to the Warriors offer. Clippers can offer him only about 70 million based on their cap after agreeing to Davis' 5 year 65 million dollar deal. Clippers under estimated the market, didn't think the Warriors would be crazy enough to make the offer.....not that Brand has not committed back to LA, Philly has entered the sweepstakes, with the same Warrior cash + the intangibles of being close to Brand's home.

[Kidd Karma]

Pietrus signing with Orlando tomorrow.

[Kidd Karma]

Just found this bit from the LA Times explaining why Clippers can't offer Brand the most money.

Brand Reoounced to clear space for Davis

Jul 08, 2008 5:56 PM EST
In order for the Clippers to sign Baron Davis to the agreed contract, the team had to renounce their bird rights to Elton Brand, ruling out the possibility of a sign and trade and also restricting the Clippers to the maximum five contract years that the Sixers and Warriors are also binded to.

With bird rights the Clippers could have offered Brand a six year deal.

The Clippers still desperately want to keep their former All-Star power forward, but can offer at most a 5 year, $70 million contract, according to the article.

The Sixers are believed to be preparing an offer which will push the value up to around $80 million, while it is believed that the Warriors have offered a contract close to $90 million for the same number of years.

A decision on Brand's future is expected to come soon.

[jthig32]

Um, I do not believe that is correct.

The Clippers can't offer the most money because they have to sign Brand FIRST, before signing Davis, because his cap hold is so huge as a free agent. Thus they are bound by their own cap situation.

Although after thinking about it I guess that's basically the same thing. Renouncing him just means they can sign Davis first.

[alby]

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia-live...gic_060502.asx

[Kidd Karma]

Alby is that reporting Brand to Philly? can't open it, but just got a bit from ESPN affiliate that Brand going to Philly.

The Clipps can sign Brand first, but Davis won't get the money agreed upon earlier, unless Brand somehow takes less money initially. But if all else fails, they can sign and trade....haha, with the bad blodd between the 2 franchises when the hammer dropped on Davis....forget it.

[Kidd Karma]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/3...gn-elton-brand

[jthig32]

Looks like it's close to official. Stein is reporting it as verbally agreed upon on ESjPN.com.

That's pretty stunning.

Philly's a legit contender in the East now.

[BGMaverick9]

Is it Boozer all over again? Did he say he was going to come back to the Clippers?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

Is it Boozer all over again? Did he say he was going to come back to the Clippers?

Sort of, but Boozer's was much worse, because the Cavs let him out of a contract that he otherwise had no way out of. And they had him under control for super cheap.

All Brand did was excercise his own player option.

[BGMaverick9]

Don't get excited for Maggette...at least for the Spurs, definitely not Dallas.

LA times is reporting he's going to the Warriors.

[alby]

Maggette TO THE WARRIORS!

YESSS!!

no spurs
no celtics
no pistons
no lakers

[BGMaverick9]

In another deal today, former Clipper Corey Maggette reached agreement to join the Golden State Warriors in a five-year deal worth about $50 million, according to NBA sources who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak about player movements. Maggette also opted out of the last year of his Clippers contract last week.

[alby]

Now, the Clippers are going after Josh Smith

WHAT A CRAZY LAST HOUR!

[jthig32]

Wow, the Clippers actually get worse in all this. This worked out VERY well for the Mavs.

[Dtownsfinest]

Wow. I didn't think Brand would do the Clippers like that. Not after begging they bring in talent and they do just that than he leaves? Wow. Never in a million years. It makes since for him to go to the 6ers though. Clippers will have enough money to go after any remaining free agent. Josh Smith might be the best available.

[BGMaverick9]

If they know what's good for them, the Clippers better make a hard run at Smith.

I wondered what would be next for him since Philly was the top option that could take him away from ATL.

[chumdawg]

And just like that, the Dubs spring back to life!

[BGMaverick9]

That move for Maggette doesn't make my concern about the Warriors substantially increase, not like it would if it was Boston or the Spurs. It's a nice move, but it's not a super huge move.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Wow, the Clippers actually get worse in all this. This worked out VERY well for the Mavs.

They sure did. But, the Warriors may have gotten better. And the Warriors still have some bullets left to fire, no?

It was us three (Mavs and Warriors and Clips) fighting for the last spots last year. You figure Portland joins the fray this year. It's going to be another wild and crazy season in the West. Maybe the Nuggets drop back some.

[jthig32]

I wonder if Golden State can sign Maggette to that contract without renouncing Davis. If so, I wonder if Davis would reconsider.

[alby]

Warriors:
Monta/Maggette/Jackson/Wright/Biedrins
Harrington

Clippers
Baron/Mobley/Thornton/PF/Kaman
Ross/Livingston

Sixers:
Miller/Green/Iguodala/Brand/Salembert
Williams/Young

the winners?
Sixers.

[BGMaverick9]

easily the Sixers win out with those 3 teams. The east is much easier to go farther in. You can't legitimately say who the 2nd best team in the conference is, it'll be one big race.

I have 2nd thoughts on Smith to the Clippers...will this put the owner back in his shell and keep a tighter grip on the wallet?

[dirno2000]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

And just like that, the Dubs spring back to life!

They don't have a point guard.

[jthig32]

I think Atlanta matches anything the Clippers can offer for Smith.