Free Agent Signings

[Dirkgreatness]

NETS SIGN MAGLOIRE; MOORE LOST TO KINGS
By FRED KERBER

July 14, 2007 -- The Nets said goodbye to two big men while preparing to welcome another.
Free agent forward/center Jamaal Magloire last night agreed to a one-year deal with the Nets shortly after Mikki Moore, who responded with a career year when he stepped in for the injured Nenad Krstic, decided to sign with the Sacramento Kings.

Moore's move came just hours after the Nets, as expected, waived 40-year-old forward Cliff Robinson, whose time dwindled sharply last season. Robinson, a Net for 2 ½ seasons, received a $500,000 buyout.

The loss of Moore, who chose a three-year, $18 million offer from the Kings, left the Nets looking for another big man. They wasted little time in landing Magloire, a 9.0 ppg career scorer. It is believed Magloire will get $4 million for the one-year pact.

"Mikki is going to sign with Sacramento, it's a great situation. And Mikki is very grateful to the Nets for the opportunity they gave him and he responded with a great year," agent Mark Bartelstein said last night. "The Nets were somewhat limited because of luxury tax considerations. Mikki is going on 32 and this was a great financial package."

The Nets had offered Moore a three-year deal worth $11 million, but placed a deadline on the proposal. When the deadline passed as Moore scouted the market, the Nets withdrew the offer.


*
First round pick Sean Williams scored 17 points as the Nets ended the Pepsi Pro Summer League in Orlando with an 88-77 victory over Chicago.


http://www.nypost.com/seven/07142007...red_kerber.htm

[Dirkgreatness]

Saturday, July 14, 2007
Williams' six-year deal reportedly worth $52 million

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services



Williams


Mo Williams will be returning to the Milwaukee Bucks after agreeing in principle to a six-year, $52 million contract, ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan has learned.

The breakthrough in negotiations came when the Bucks increased their original offer as Williams was being heavily courted by the Miami Heat. Williams will have a player opt-out clause after the fourth and fifth year of the deal, which has an average annual salary of $8.67 million.

Williams was seeking a deal that would earn him similar money to what other starting point guards were making, but with money tight on this summer's free agent market, his leverage was limited. Miami and other teams could only offer Williams, who averaged career-bests of 17.3 points and 6.1 assists with the Bucks this past season, the mid-level exception of $5.3 million.


Signing Williams had been a priority for the Heat largely because the Heat have concerns about the health of incumbent starter Jason Williams -- who has battled several injuries during his two seasons in Miami and is rehabbing this summer at his home in Central Florida.

Agent Mark Bartelstein said the contract should be finalized early next week.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/s...e=NBAHeadlines

[Dirkgreatness]

Smith OKs 2-year deal with Bulls
By K.C. Johnson
Tribune staff reporter

July 13, 2007, 11:07 PM CDT

The Bulls got their man.

League sources confirmed the Bulls reached agreement on a two-year contract with Joe Smith late Friday, the veteran forward who had been their No. 1 target in free agency.

Financial terms weren't available, but the Bulls had the midlevel salary-cap exception of $5.36 million at their disposal.

As recently as Thursday, general manager John Paxson had expressed pessimism the Bulls would land any of the veteran big men they had been targeting. Those included the Nets' Mikki Moore and the Lakers' Chris Mihm.

Smith is slotted to take the place of P.J. Brown to start alongside Ben Wallace and Luol Deng in a frontcourt that suddenly is loaded with reserves Andres Nocioni, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah.

Smith averaged 8.5 points and 6.2 rebounds in 65 games with the Nuggets and 76ers last season. 76ers general manager Billy King had called re-signing Smith an off-season priority.

But the Bulls wooed Smith with a possible starting role and a serious approach that stressed the opportunity to play a prominent role in a winnable Eastern Conference next season. A face-to-face meeting at the Berto Center with Paxson and coach Scott Skiles that took place earlier this month was said to have made a strong impression.

Smith, a former No. 1 overall pick of the Warriors, has averaged 12.1 points and seven rebounds in 12 NBA seasons with six teams.

He is a 45.4 percent career shooter and still is considered a strong midrange shooter and classy veteran who should fit seamlessly into the Bulls' system.

kcjohnson@tribune.com
Copyright © 2007, The Chicago Tribune

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune....ulls-headlines

[Dirkgreatness]

The Utah Jazz signed point guard Jason Hart on Friday.

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archiv...gn_jason_hart/

[chumdawg]

6 and 52 for Mo Williams? Wow, that is--in Mark Cuban terms--max type money!

[bobatundi]

Wonder what all of this SILLY money going around does to the value of our guys who will be FAs next season. If Mikki Moore is worth $6MM a year and Mo Williams nearly $9MM a year, what are Devin & Diop going to get? Maybe we'll get lucky and this year's spectacle of absurd signings will put a bunch of teams close to luxury tax land--thus reducing the number of suitors next year. I wouldn't count on it though--it looks like full MLE+ is going to be the asking price for any & all NBA free agents with a pulse for the near future.

[dirno2000]

Originally Posted by bobatundi

Wonder what all of this SILLY money going around does to the value of our guys who will be FAs next season. If Mikki Moore is worth $6MM a year and Mo Williams nearly $9MM a year, what are Devin & Diop going to get? Maybe we'll get lucky and this year's spectacle of absurd signings will put a bunch of teams close to luxury tax land--thus reducing the number of suitors next year. I wouldn't count on it though--it looks like full MLE+ is going to be the asking price for any & all NBA free agents with a pulse for the near future.

Diop will be interesting because I still think that teams pay for offense. Reggie Evans may be the best rebounder in the league. He's been on the market, I believe, two of the last three years and he hasn't been able to get the MLE.

Now Diop gives you a dimension that Evans doesn't with his shot blocking but something tells me that he won't break the bank.

[V2M]

Originally Posted by dirno2000

... because I still think that teams pay for offense...

I agree with that premise... although Ben Wallace is a big exception!

[alby]

Bowen

[dirno2000]

Originally Posted by alby

Bowen

Bowen makes Greg Buckner money and he's on the final year of his deal. He was never a coveted FA.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by Dirkgreatness

Saturday, July 14, 2007
Williams' six-year deal reportedly worth $52 million

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services



Williams


Mo Williams will be returning to the Milwaukee Bucks after agreeing in principle to a six-year, $52 million contract, ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan has learned.

The breakthrough in negotiations came when the Bucks increased their original offer as Williams was being heavily courted by the Miami Heat. Williams will have a player opt-out clause after the fourth and fifth year of the deal, which has an average annual salary of $8.67 million.

Williams was seeking a deal that would earn him similar money to what other starting point guards were making, but with money tight on this summer's free agent market, his leverage was limited. Miami and other teams could only offer Williams, who averaged career-bests of 17.3 points and 6.1 assists with the Bucks this past season, the mid-level exception of $5.3 million.


Signing Williams had been a priority for the Heat largely because the Heat have concerns about the health of incumbent starter Jason Williams -- who has battled several injuries during his two seasons in Miami and is rehabbing this summer at his home in Central Florida.

Agent Mark Bartelstein said the contract should be finalized early next week.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/s...e=NBAHeadlines

How was miami in that race? I'm sure they are over the cap aren't they? Just the MLE?

[alby]

Mutombo has made 112 million in his career

[alby]

I was looking at the top career earners in NBA history. Michael Jordan ranks 31st--look at these numbers.

1984-85 $550,000
1985-86 $630,000
1986-87 $737,500
1987-88 $845,000
1988-89 $2,000,000
1989-90 $2,250,000
1990-91 $2,500,000
1991-92 $3,250,000
1992-93 $4,000,000
1993-94 $4,000,000
1994-95 $3,850,000
1995-96 $3,850,000
1996-97 $30,140,000
1997-98 $33,140,000
2001-02 $1,000,000
2002-03 $1,030,000
Career: 93,772,500

Players that have made more than MJ:

1 Shaquille O'Neal $231,614,005
2 Kevin Garnett $186,413,420
3 Chris Webber $141,028,524
4 Alonzo Mourning $132,918,400
5 Juwan Howard $130,531,200
6 Grant Hill $124,248,750
7 Patrick Ewing $123,843,120
8 Anfernee Hardaway $120,149,000
9 David Robinson $118,135,623
10 Allan Houston $117,556,500
11 Rasheed Wallace $116,828,246
12 Jason Kidd $116,753,968
13 Allen Iverson $113,450,140
14 Dikembe Mutombo $112,948,924
15 Stephon Marbury $111,262,820
16 Scottie Pippen $109,862,430
17 Kobe Bryant $107,594,865
18 Karl Malone $106,468,378
19 Brian Grant $106,336,597
20 Michael Finley $106,316,089
21 Reggie Miller $105,051,748
22 Ray Allen $104,872,070
23 Gary Payton $104,811,095
24 Tim Duncan $103,048,424
25 Jalen Rose $100,898,000
26 Hakeem Olajuwon $99,364,188
27 Tracy McGrady $97,649,480
28 Eddie Jones $96,878,778
29 Latrell Sprewell $96,622,500
30 Damon Stoudamire $94,440,760

[dirno2000]

Wallace and Mutombo are obvious exceptions to the "teams don't pay for defense" rule. then again they're both 4 time DPOY winners. Diops never even been all defense.

I may prove to be wrong but I don't think Diop's getting big money. By big money I mean more than the MLE.

[alby]

I think because he is an athletic 7-footer, he will get some pretty good money. If he performs well in the playoffs this year, he may become too expensive to resign.

ie- Jerome James

[ty]

Plus, he is Hakeem Olajawan's padawan. Did that just rhyme

[nashtymavsfan13]

Lakers re-sign center Chris Mihm

July 19, 2007

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Los Angeles Lakers center Chris Mihm has re-signed with the team after missing all of last season following reconstructive ankle surgery.

"I gave a big sigh of relief," Mihm said in a conference call Thursday. "I'm excited to be back here and put on a Laker uniform, which I wanted to do from the beginning."

Mihm, an unrestricted free agent who turned 28 on Monday, had averaged career highs of 10.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.24 blocked shots in 59 games during the 2005-06 season.

Paid $4.2 million by the Lakers for last season, the 7-foot, 265-pound Mihm underwent surgery in November to repair a ligament and tendon in his right ankle and to realign his heel bone.

His absence was particularly critical for the Lakers because they have had a lack of depth in the middle.

The new deal is for three years. No other terms were announced.

Mihm injured his ankle in the final minute of a game against Seattle on March 12, 2006, and played just once the rest of that season.

He said he has been going through long, grueling workouts, has felt no pain in the ankle and doesn't even think about it when he's on the court.

"I have the utmost confidence in myself and this ankle, that I'm going to come out and show everyone that not only am I back, but that I can be better than I ever was," he said.

He was acquired by the Lakers from the Boston Celtics along with Chucky Atkins and Jumaine Jones for Gary Payton, Rick Fox and a first-round draft pick on Aug. 13, 2004.

Mihm has averaged 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 395 career NBA games.

[alby]

Mason back to the Bucks

[alby]

Peterson to Hornets

[MavsWiLLHaVeRinGs]

I'm finally conceeding (after just about every other FA is gone) that we should go after Chris Webber. I guess........just to say we did something.

[MavsX]

agreed ^

[WraithXx]

Originally Posted by alby

I was looking at the top career earners in NBA history. Michael Jordan ranks 31st--look at these numbers.

1984-85 $550,000
1985-86 $630,000
1986-87 $737,500
1987-88 $845,000
1988-89 $2,000,000
1989-90 $2,250,000
1990-91 $2,500,000
1991-92 $3,250,000
1992-93 $4,000,000
1993-94 $4,000,000
1994-95 $3,850,000
1995-96 $3,850,000
1996-97 $30,140,000
1997-98 $33,140,000
2001-02 $1,000,000
2002-03 $1,030,000
Career: 93,772,500

are you freakin kidding me? I've never seen Jordan's actual salary numbers before but I definitely expected him to be making more than 3 or 4 million in his prime!!!! what the HELL is that all about?

[Flacolaco]

He was paid what the market would support back then, just like players are paid now. Capitalism is a beautiful thing. I wouldn't worry about MJ....Something tells me he'll be ok.

[V2M]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

I wouldn't worry about MJ....Something tells me he'll be ok.

Never know... after having to pay off all those refs!!

[alby]

Originally Posted by WraithXx

are you freakin kidding me? I've never seen Jordan's actual salary numbers before but I definitely expected him to be making more than 3 or 4 million in his prime!!!! what the HELL is that all about?

And, he was nowhere near the highest paid player in the NBA during his prime years.

[alby]

Mcdyess re-signs with Detroit for 2 years.