NBA Free Agency

[GolfFreak]

Let the bidding for Kobe begin ...


Wash Times (http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20040630-112332-3759r.htm) says the Wiz won't be big spenders since they have no room. Can anyone direct me to a overview of their cap situation - with all the young (& lousy) players I'm wondering who is eating away at the cap.

[IndianBaller27]

Kobe is staying in Los Angeles! Don't you watch sportcenter?!?!?! lol. Shaq is leaving, Malone retired, and Gary Payton is prolly gonna stay in LA. They have handed* the franchise over to Kobe! It is HIS team!

[LATrueRedskin]

From what I've read the Wiz have the money that the league gives to every team (5 million I think), and a little over a million to spend. Not much room.

[GolfFreak]

From what I've read the Wiz have the money that the league gives to every team (5 million I think), and a little over a million to spend. Not much room.

So where is it all - which players make that much ... they dumped Stack & Christian so who's making big money that's still on the team?

[LATrueRedskin]

My guess is Arenas, Kwame, Jamison, and maybe Larry Hughes. But Gilbert Arenas has a HUGE contract.

[GolfFreak]

My guess is Arenas, Kwame, Jamison, and maybe Larry Hughes. But Gilbert Arenas has a HUGE contract.

Yeah, I figured Gibert was making big money, but wasn't sure who else. Thanks.

[GolfFreak]

Wizards show interest in free agent Dampier: Source (http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20040707-123355-3191r.htm)

Stats from ESPN:

YEAR 2003-2004
G 74
GS 74
MIN 32.5
FG 4.7-8.8
FG% 0.535
3P 0.0-0.0
3P% 0
FT 2.9-4.5
FT% 0.654
STL 0.45
BLK 1.9
TO 1.8
PF 3.1
OFF 4.6
DEF 7.3
TOT 12
AST 0.8
PTS 12.3

[Skins57]

Kobe is staying in Los Angeles! Don't you watch sportcenter?!?!?! lol. Shaq is leaving, Malone retired, and Gary Payton is prolly gonna stay in LA. They have naded the franchise over to Kobe! It is HIS team!


Poor Kobe :cry: not sure I would want that team after everyone leaves

[akhhorus]

My guess is Arenas, Kwame, Jamison, and maybe Larry Hughes. But Gilbert Arenas has a HUGE contract.

Arenas is making 6 years, 64 million
Kwame makes next to nothing(rookie contract)
Jamison makes the max
Hughes' contract is up after this year, and he gets about 6 million

[LATrueRedskin]

Arenas is making 6 years, 64 million
Kwame makes next to nothing(rookie contract)
Jamison makes the max
Hughes' contract is up after this year, and he gets about 6 million

There it is. Thanks for clearing that up.

[GolfFreak]

From ESPN ... anyone think the Wizards could get Vince Carter?


Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers
Heat?
Mavericks
Pacers?
Grizzlies?
Blazers?
Kings
Magic
Hornets
Jul. 8 - The Riverside Press-Enterprise reports that Lakers' owner Jerry Buss has decided to trade Shaq and the Lakers are working on a deal with the Miami Heat that would bring Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and a first-round draft pick to L.A.
"Just like the coach deal with Phil (Jackson) being let go, Dr. Buss thinks it's time to deal Shaq," a team source told the paper.

The paper cites sources who say Buss is upset because O'Neal rarely works out during the offseason and comes to camp out of shape. However, the reports also indicates O'Neal's representatives "shoot down" deals. The Lakers reportedly are considering five or six offers, including the one from the Heat. L.A. reportedly wants Dwayne Wade included in the deal, but the Heat won't trade him. "It's not going to be a fair deal all the way around," a Lakers source told the paper.

Earlier this week, Miami GM Randy Pfund told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, "I wouldn't make too much of it," when Shaq added the Heat to the list of team's to which he'd accept a trade.



Kenyon Martin, Nets
Nets
Nuggets
Jazz
Hawks
Jul. 8 - Martin began his free-agent tour in Denver, where he could join Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby and Nene to form an active, athletic front line. Martin will arrive in Utah today and is also scheduled to visit Atlanta, but his heart is apparently still in New Jersey.
"That's been my first choice from day one, that's where I've been, where my family is comfortable," Martin said in the Newark Star Ledger. "But if it's not going to happen, it's not going to happen. I'm not going to lose sleep about it."

It looks, though, as if the Nets waiting game could pay off. They are allowed to offer the power forward $103 million over six years. Other teams, however, can offer him only $85 million over six years. By allowing these other teams to set the market price, the Nets need to only match those terms to retain his services. Nets owner Bruce Ratner has made re-signing Martin the team's top priority but stopped short of saying the team would sign him at maximum dollars, the Bergen County Record reports.



Manu Ginobili, Spurs
Spurs
Nuggets
Jazz
Hawks
Suns?
Jul. 8 - Ginobili has stated several times that he would like this free-agent process to be wrapped up as soon as possible, but he is reluctant to sign an offer sheet from one of the several interested teams. The Nuggets were expected to make a significant offer to Ginobili, but the team's discussions with Kobe Bryant reportedly stretched into a second day, putting the Spurs' free agent on hold. The Argentinian swingman also has visited the Jazz, and his agent was expected to speak with the Hawks.
San Antonio still wants to retain Ginobili, and he reportedly has told them he wants to stay in San Antonio. However, the Spurs are also involved in talks with Kobe Bryant, Brent Barry and Stephen Jackson as well as dealing with their own free agents.

"We're not close yet," Ginobili's agent, Herb Rudoy, said in the San Antonio Express News. "But we're going to continue to slug through this . . . I'm very confident I can get an offer from at least one team and maybe two, if needed. Right now it's just a matter of talking to San Antonio and seeing how things proceed there. I don't want to drag another team through the process until Manu says he wants to sign with them."



Stromile Swift, Grizzlies
Grizzlies
Hawks
Pistons
Jul. 8 - Swift wants a raise but he must convince another team that he deserves one. As a restricted free agent, the Grizzlies can match any offer and it looks as if other teams are only going as high as $5 million per season. The Grizzlies have said they would match at that price but gave no indication they would go any higher after offering the forward a $20 million deal over three years before the season started.
"We talked to his (agents). We'll see how it goes," Hawks general manager Billy Knight said in the Commercial Appeal. "I like his abilities. He's got a chance to turn into a heck of a player. He hasn't realized his full potential, and that relates to his value."



Carlos Boozer, Cavaliers
Cavaliers
Jazz
Hawks
Nuggets
Jul. 8 - Cleveland's plan was to allow Boozer to become a restricted free agent so it could sign him to a long-term deal. But several other teams want in on the bidding. "He's in an interesting situation," Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said in the Plain Dealer. "Not dissimilar to what Gilbert Arenas was in. You definitely have to take a look at him. He's one of the league leaders in rebounds. He plays hard every night."
Boozer made only $700,000 last season, but negotiations for next season are starting at the $5 million exception. "Carlos Boozer is a valuable, core part of the foundation of this team moving forward and our desire is for him to be a Cavalier for the long term," said GM Jim Paxson. ". . . The Cavaliers elected not to exercise our team option for Carlos Boozer's third season. As a result, we now are able, and fully intend, to enter into a long-term contract with Carlos."



Hidayet Turkoglu, Spurs
Spurs
Suns
Magic
Jul. 7 - The Spurs hope to re-sign restricted free agent Turkoglu, but they might face competition from the Suns and Magic. ESPN's Marc Stein reports Phoenix is readying an offer for Turkoglu with what little cap space they have left after agreeing to terms with Steve Nash. And Insider's Chad Ford is hearing Orlando also might be in the hunt.


Kobe Bryant, Lakers
Lakers
Clippers
Nuggets
Spurs
Suns?
Jul. 7 - Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke and GM Kiki Vandeweghe met with Kobe at his Newport Beach, Calif., home Tuesday and were expected to continue those discussions Wednesday. But the prospect of Bryant leaving southern California are remote.
The Clippers are expected to visit with Bryant this week, and it's possible he could summon representatives of the Spurs to make a pitch, as well. The Suns still could make a run at Kobe, but they'd have to either trade Shawn Marion first or talk the Lakers into a sign-and-trade deal.



Jamal Crawford, Bulls
Bulls
Knicks
Jul. 7 - For the second time in four days, the Knicks and Bulls have swapped proposals that would send Crawford to New York. The Knicks would send Kurt Thomas to the Bulls in one proposed sign-and-trade package. Also mentioned in the swap have been Othella Harrington and Frank Williams of the Knicks and Eddie Robinson and Jerome Williams of the Bulls.
"Well, if the players are players I like and think can play and help us, it wouldn't be that big of a problem," Isiah Thomas told the New York Daily News. "If we take contracts, then we have to give contracts. We're not under the cap, so it would be a dollar-for-dollar trade."



Vince Carter, Raptors
?
Jul. 7 - Carter apparently still has not directly requested a trade from the Raptors, but it also is apparent he still is not happy with the team's decision to hire Rob Babcock as GM or to draft BYU center Rafael Arajuo in the first round. New coach Sam Mitchell told the Toronto Star, "If he's upset, he should give me a call and voice it."
Babcock told the Star, "My job is to build a team the best way I can. I'd never make a trade just because a player wants to be traded. I'd only make a trade that makes our team better."



Mark Blount, Celtics
Celtics
Sixers
Heat
Pistons?
Jul. 7 - Blount's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told the Boston Herald his client is close to reaching a decision, and the paper indicates it's down to the Celtics and 76ers. "We're hoping to get something done this week," Bartelstein told the paper. "Danny (Ainge) and I have had a lot of conversations on a conceptual level, but there's been nothing specific yet."
The Sixers reportedly have offered their full mid-level exception, but the length of their proposed contract is unclear. Boston, meanwhile, has "reportedly hit a roadblock" with Blount over the length of the deal.

The Heat are said to be interested in Blount, as well, and the Detroit News suggests the Pistons could make a run at Blount as a replacement for Mehmet Okur, who has agreed to sign with the Jazz.



Rasheed Wallace, Pistons
Pistons
Knicks?
Sixers?
Jul. 7 - Pistons GM Joe Dumars met with Wallace and his agent, Bill Strickland, while in Philadelphia to speak at Wallace's basketball camp over the weekend, but he hasn't made a formal offer to re-sign Wallace yet. "Bill Strickland and I talked, and we will talk again in a couple of days, and hopefully we will be able to hammer out a deal," Dumars told the Detroit News.


Erick Dampier, Warriors
Wizards
Grizzlies
Mavericks
Pacers?
Jazz?
Jul. 7 - Add the Wizards to the list of teams pursuing Dampier. The Washington Times reports there at least eight teams after the restricted free agent, with the Grizzlies thought to be leading the charge. However, Memphis has only its mid-level exception to offer, and Dampier reportedly is looking for a multi-year deal starting at $10 million per season.
In Washington, though, Dampier would be reunited with former Warriors teammates Gilbert Arenas, Atawn Jamison and Larry Hughes. The Wizards would need to work out some sort of sign and trade package since they are only $5 million under the salary cap. The Mavericks are also in pursuit of Dampier either as their center of the future or as another piece to lure Shaq away from the Lakers.

[LATrueRedskin]

I doubt we could get Carter, and Im not sure if i want him. He kinda screams Jerry Stackhouse to me. Id like to get Dampier, but without giving up too much.

[GolfFreak]

Id like to get Dampier, but without giving up too much.

I think Dampier is a FA, we wouldn't have to give up anything (well, besides a big contract - maybe that's what you meant).

[LATrueRedskin]

Erick Dampier, Warriors
Wizards
Grizzlies
Mavericks
Pacers?
Jazz?
Jul. 7 - Add the Wizards to the list of teams pursuing Dampier. The Washington Times reports there at least eight teams after the restricted free agent, with the Grizzlies thought to be leading the charge. However, Memphis has only its mid-level exception to offer, and Dampier reportedly is looking for a multi-year deal starting at $10 million per season.
In Washington, though, Dampier would be reunited with former Warriors teammates Gilbert Arenas, Atawn Jamison and Larry Hughes. The Wizards would need to work out some sort of sign and trade package since they are only $5 million under the salary cap. The Mavericks are also in pursuit of Dampier either as their center of the future or as another piece to lure Shaq away from the Lakers.

Thats what I meant. Since we have so little cap money, we'd have to work out a sign-and-trade type of deal. I'm just hoping we don't give up that much.