NBA Thread

[J-Reb]

Piece isn't much of an upgrade over Barnes at this stage of his career.  If they are going to get over that hump, they are going to have to add some muscle inside.

[GM Franchise]

If Phoenix trades Dragic they are insane.

Phoenix Suns: Pacers Want Goran Dragic?

http://hoopshabit.com/2014/07/03/phoenix-suns-pacers-want-goran-dragic/

I know that Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough damn near committed highway robbery when he turned Luis Scola into Gerald Green, Miles Plumlee and a first round draft pick last summer, but let's pump the brakes for a second there, Larry Bird.

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Indiana Pacers have tried to engage the Suns in trade talks involving their starting point guard Goran Dragic:


Dragic, who is on one of the sexiest contracts in the NBA given his breakout year with the Suns last season, was named the league's Most Improved Player and made Third Team All-NBA. He was the Western Conference's biggest All-Star snub and was one of just three players in the league to average at least 20 points and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor. The other two? LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

Basically, here's the thing about Goran Dragic: What in God's green earth do the Pacers think they can offer the Phoenix Suns for at this point in time?

The two most likely options are Roy Hibbert or Lance Stephenson in a sign-and-trade. When he's locked in, Hibbert is one of the league's most unstoppable defensive forces. But after watching him mentally collapse down the final stretch of the season in Indiana, I'd hardly call his trade value "high," especially when you're talking about an All-NBA point guard who's only getting paid $7 million per year.

As for Lance Stephenson, I've covered the good, the bad and the ugly of his game already, but it goes without saying for the Suns that you don't trade your best player for a potential headache like Stephenson, who turned down a five-year, $44 million contract with the Pacers yesterday. And even if Stephenson wasn't a potential disruptor to the team's superb chemistry, Phoenix certainly shouldn't be rolling the dice on Eric Bledsoe's knees just yet either.

You can't really fault Bird and the Pacers for trying here. Dragic would represent a significant upgrade on George Hill, who is actually getting paid more than the Dragon this season. Nabbing Dragic in a trade would also make up for being embarrassed by McDonough last offseason in the Luis Scola deal. But unless the Pacers are somehow willing to part ways with Paul George, I don't see how on earth a deal could possibly go down here.


Word to the wise for the Suns: If at all possible, Goran Dragic is off limits. If you need to break up the Dragic-Bledsoe backcourt, I think it's safe to say most Suns fans would live with Bledsoe being the one that's sent away given how many teams might want to make him a max offer and the fact that he's had two meniscus tears in his right knee in three years.

After the way Phoenix foolishly and coldly traded away Dragic for freaking Aaron Brooks in 2011, he's earned his coming-home party. At some point in time, there's something to be said for loyalty to a guy who's been the Suns' best player the last two seasons and just as importantly, loves playing for this organization. That, mixed with his considerable talent, heart and ability to orchestrate Phoenix's offense, means turning down a potential deal with the Pacers is a no-brainer.

[Justin]

Did Corey Maggette really get a mention in this thread.......

[GM Franchise]

Did Corey Maggette really get a mention in this thread.......

Yes, unfortunately he did...

[¿PapaPancho?]

Piece isn't much of an upgrade over Barnes at this stage of his career.  If they are going to get over that hump, they are going to have to add some muscle inside.

I disagree as Pierce is a major upgrade offensively.  Sure Pierce isn't going to be the new member of lob city but he brings championship experience and helps spread the floor while not decreasing our ability to play defense.

Did Corey Maggette really get a mention in this thread.......

Only proving my point at how horrid we've been at the 3 spot for years ...  Maggette ... Bobby Simmons ... Aminu ...

[GM Franchise]

Sources: Thabo Sefolosha to Hawks

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11173701/atlanta-hawks-reach-agreement-free-agent-thabo-sefolosha

The Atlanta Hawks have reached an agreement with free agent Thabo Sefolosha on a three-year, $12 million deal, sources told ESPN.com on Thursday.

Hawks were searching to add a wing player who could be a defensive specialist after trading away Lou Williams to the Toronto Raptors last week.

Sefolosha, 30, averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 61 starts for the Oklahoma City Thunder last season.

[Justin]

I disagree as Pierce is a major upgrade offensively.  Sure Pierce isn't going to be the new member of lob city but he brings championship experience and helps spread the floor while not decreasing our ability to play defense.

You do realize Pierce doesn't play defense.  And even if he wanted to, he is too damn slow to keep up with anybody.

[GM Franchise]

Dirk Nowitzki agrees to 3-year deal

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/_/id/11173897/dirk-nowitzki-agrees-new-three-year-deal-dallas-mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks have agreed to terms on a new three-year contract believed to be in the $30 million range, according to sources close to the situation.

The deal, sources said, contains a player option that would allow Nowitzki to return to free agency in the summer of 2016 and preserves the rare no-trade clause he had in his last contract.

Fresh off completing a four-year, $80 million contract in which he left some $16 million on the table, Nowitzki has agreed to take a far steeper pay cut this time in hopes of leaving enough salary-cap space for the Mavericks to sign top free-agent target Carmelo Anthony or multiple other contributors this summer.

Sources say that the Mavericks intend to extend a lucrative offer sheet to Houston Rockets free agent Chandler Parsons or try to sign Cleveland Cavaliers free agent Luol Deng if Anthony, as expected, elects to re-sign with the New York Knicks.

Nowitzki's deal can't be made official until July 10, when a leaguewide moratorium on signings and trades is lifted and the officially salary cap and luxury tax figures for the 2014-15 season are announced.

But Nowitzki was always the most likely big-name free agent to get a deal done quickly after the sides discussed the possibility of an extension last month that would have prevented the 36-year-old from even reaching free agency, much like Memphis did last week with Zach Randolph.

"Cubes (Mavs owner Mark Cuban) knows I don't want to go anywhere and he doesn't want me to go anywhere," Nowitzki recently told ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM. "We're guessing that will be over pretty quick and then we can focus on making this franchise even better.

"This deal is not going to be about squeezing out the last dollar. We'll just have to wait and see what the years and the final number is, but I'm sure it will be respectable for both sides."

[Gravedigger]

Pierce isn't on the Celtics anymore, Pancho. The deal would be with the Nets.

As for his defense, he can play in a team-oriented system, but he has lost a step and isn't a very good one-on-one defender anymore. He could be a nice piece as a role player, but not as a big chip on a winning team.

[Cory]

What would he even be on the Clips, like a 7th?

[GM Franchise]

Probably 6th or 7th.

[Gravedigger]

If he's willing to be a role player it's a good get for the Clips. In 2008 when he was one of the big 3 for a title team the Celtics had guys like PJ Brown and Sam Cassell as role players. They had small roles, but came through when needed. I think that's the kind of guy Pierce should be looking to be at this point. 15-20 minutes a night for a title contender.

[GM Franchise]

An update on the Paul Pierce to Clippers rumors...

Billy King: Nothing brewing on Pierce

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/11174393/brooklyn-nets-not-interested-paul-pierce-los-angeles-clippers-deal-gm-billy-king-says

Brooklyn Nets general manager Billy King confirmed that the Los Angeles Clippers reached out about a possible sign-and-trade deal for veteran forward Paul Pierce, but that the team was not interested.

"They made a call and inquired, but there's nothing there at this point that makes sense for us," King said Thursday on ESPN NewYork 98.7 FM's "The Michael Kay Show."

Sources told ESPN.com on Wednesday night that the Clippers engaged the Nets about the possibility of reuniting Pierce with his former coach, Doc Rivers, in Los Angeles.

Pierce is an unrestricted free agent, and has received interest from several teams, including the Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets and Clippers, sources told ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

The Clippers could sign Pierce with their $5.3 mid-level exception. But the Nets hold Pierce's Bird Rights, enabling them to offer him more money than any other team.

By facilitating a sign-and-trade, Pierce could get paid more than the mid-level and Brooklyn could get something in return from Los Angeles. The Clippers would have likely included some combination of Jared Dudley, Matt Barnes and Reggie Bullock for Pierce, sources said. But it appears that nothing is happening on that front, at least at this juncture.

King said he spoke with Pierce's agent, Jeff Schwartz, on Thursday, and the two sides are in negotiations. The Nets, sources said, would like to re-sign Pierce to a short-term deal worth between $6 million and $8 million per season. Pierce made $15.3 million last season.

"I think we're in the process," King said. "We know the number we want to get to, I think they know the number they want to get to. We're just trying to get to the point where we're all comfortable and I know what we're trying to accomplish, and it's just in the negotiation process. That's all it is. We have the ability to pay him more than everybody else, but we are going to be a little bit more financially responsible at this point in time."

[GM Franchise]

Lakers meet with Carmelo Anthony

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/11174172/los-angeles-lakers-give-free-agency-pitch-carmelo-anthony

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Free agent Carmelo Anthony met with the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and heard their pitch as to why he is the right man to become the next face of the franchise.

The Lakers also made it clear to Anthony they'd offer him a maximum four-year, $95 million contract if he chose to sign with them, according to sources.

Anthony arrived at the team's practice facility shortly after 3 p.m. ET, and departed just before 6 p.m.

Escorted to his car by Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak on the way out, Anthony stopped to say hello to reporters and signed autographs for Lakers fans but declined to comment on the meeting.

"You know I can't say anything right now, but I wanted to stop and say hey," Anthony said.

A person who was in the Lakers' pitch said they thought it went "really well" and added, "I don't know how big of a shot we have, but I think we have a shot."

Another Lakers source described Anthony as "extremely attentive" throughout the meeting.

Anthony was flanked by agent Leon Rose and business manager Bay Frazier as the group was greeted in the parking lot by former Lakers great James Worthy and then escorted into the building for the beginning of the meeting.

Kobe Bryant was not able to make it back from a family vacation in Europe in time for the meeting, according to sources. Bryant intends to meet with Anthony later Thursday evening, after Anthony's scheduled meeting with the New York Knicks following his session with the Lakers, sources said.

Bryant reached out to Anthony directly to explain why he wasn't able to make the meeting, after the time had been moved up, sources said. The two are close friends, and have been in touch throughout the entire process.

The Lakers' presentation was led by team president Jeanie Buss, executive vice president of player personnel (and Jeanie's brother) Jim Buss and Kupchak. It also included Lakers chief operating officer Tim Harris and executives from Time Warner Cable SportsNet, the Lakers' television network, and representatives from AEG.

Movie producer Joel Silver was also present and created a short film in homage to Anthony, followed by a conversation about the avenues that Anthony and his wife, La La Vasquez, can take into the entertainment industry, multiple sources told ESPNLosAngeles.com.

The Lakers intended to sell Anthony on their championship tradition, commitment to winning and unique platform as the glamour franchise of the NBA, with the largest profit margins available to pour back into the team.

After the Jeremy Lin kerfuffle in Houston on Wednesday, when the Rockets displayed digital images of Anthony wearing Lin's No. 7 jersey on the side of the Toyota Center even though Lin is still under contract, L.A. had a No. 7 Lakers uniform mocked up for Anthony as part of the presentation, according to a source, but did not make any grandiose gestures like the billboard campaign the Lakers did last summer to try to get Dwight Howard to stay with the team. The Lakers  chose not to believing his main focus was on winning and not fame.

Xavier Henry wore No. 7 for the Lakers last season, but he is currently a free agent.

[GM Franchise]

LeBron agent meets with Cavs, others

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11174623/lebron-james-agent-meets-cleveland-cavaliers-dallas-mavericks-houston-rockets-phoenix-suns

The agent for LeBron James has this week met with officials from multiple teams interested in courting James in free agency, according to sources close to the process.

The exact number of teams to secure face-to-face meetings with Cleveland-based Rich Paul was not immediately known, but sources told ESPN.com that the Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and James' home state Cleveland Cavaliers have all had the opportunity to make presentations to Paul in recent days.

ESPN's Chris Broussard reports that Suns owner Robert Sarver, in particular, met with Paul on Wednesday and pitched the idea of luring James from Miami to the desert by trying to sign Carmelo Anthony or Chris Bosh as well.

Sources also tell Broussard that Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert had a meeting with Paul this week.

A picture that appeared to be Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in Cleveland circulated via Twitter on Thursday, but Cuban denied to ESPN.com that he was there to see Paul.

"I was there for a 'SharkTank' commitment," Cuban said, referencing his TV show.

James has made it clear via his Twitter feed that he is spending the early days of his free agency on vacation with his family and is also scheduled to attend the World Cup final in Brazil before it ends July 13. Paul is meeting the respective team officials on his own, sources said.

The Miami Heat, meanwhile, have yet to secure a free agent to add to fortify the supporting cast around James. The Heat are somewhat hampered by the fact that their own marquee free agents -- James, Bosh and Dwyane Wade -- are not locked into deals, but sources told ESPN.com that Miami has aggressively pursued cost-effective shooters such as Anthony Morrow, Alan Anderson to come to South Beach along with Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol.

The Heat are among the high-profile teams -- along Oklahoma City, San Antonio and New York -- trying to convince Gasol to sign for a low-dollar deal.

Sarver, meanwhile, has spoken openly of his plan to pursue James.

"We are in a good position," Sarver told the Arizona Republic. "We have a lot to offer, too, with the depth of our roster compared to some of the other teams. We think we have a favorable opportunity, but obviously he'll make his decision when he wants to make it. He's a smart player and a smart businessman. He'll look at the facts and make a decision."

James and Paul decided before free agency they would handle the process differently than they did in 2010 and that James removed from the front line as Paul would handle all initial discussions. Other than making it clear that James would only accept a contract for the maximum value of an estimated $20.7 million and the deal would include flexibility on length, Paul and James have been virtually silent in recent days as they watch how the free agent market unfolds.

Paul also represents restricted free agents Eric Bledsoe of Sarver's Suns and Kevin Seraphin of the Washington Wizards.