NBA Thread

[GM Franchise]

Interesting article about the teams pursuing Lebron James.

Reports: LeBron James' agent meets with 4 teams, additional talks planned

http://www.si.com/lebron-james-agent-meetings-cavaliers-suns-rockets-mavericks?xid=si_nba&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, held meetings in Cleveland this week with at least four teams -- the Cavaliers, Mavericks, Rockets and Suns -- to discuss his client's future, according to ESPN.com. Further, Paul and James could meet again with three "finalists" next week, according to Yahoo.com, as the unrestricted free agent forward decides whether or not to re-sign with the Heat. 

The NBA's 2014 free agency period has opened with a whimper, as much of the league waits on James' decision. Miami has been widely viewed as the favorite to land James, but the process has been in limbo while James has been on vacation this week. In the three days since free agency opened on July 1, Heat president Pat Riley has reportedly contacted a number of free agents but has yet to land a public commitment. James suggested in June, after Miami fell to San Antonio in the Finals, that the Heat needed to significantly upgrade their roster, which simply couldn't match up to the Spurs' depth. Riley, in response, urged James and fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to return to South Beach and build on the Heat's four consecutive Finals appearances and two titles during the "Big 3" era.

NBA
LeBron James
How your team will try - and fail - to land LeBron James this offseason
by Ben Golliver Here's a quick rundown of the pros and cons of each of James' suitors. Note: all five teams listed below can offer James a max contract, although some of the teams need to make cap-clearing trades to do so.
Miami Heat

Pros: Ideal market, family doesn't need to move, four straight Finals appearances during "Big 3" era, proven front-office led by Riley and coaching staff led by Erik Spoelstra, Riley drafted James favorite Shabazz Napier, playing in the weaker Eastern Conference, staying put protects James from "mercenary" accusations.

Cons: Pay cuts for other stars are necessary to build out roster, a number of key pieces (Mike Miller, Shane Battier) have departed in recent years, Wade's knee problems, lack of a true center.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Pros: James' "hometown" team and his first NBA organization, promising young core featuring Kyrie Irving and 2014 No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins, chance for redemption after "The Decision," playing in the weaker Eastern Conference.

Cons: Not exactly the favorite destination of NBA players, might not be able to compete for a title in 2015, first-time coach David Blatt is well-regarded but lacks NBA experience, GM David Griffin recently assumed post, owner Dan Gilbert publicly blasted James after the decision, roster needs some serious after four straight lottery trips, big man Anderson Varejao has dealt with multiple injuries in recent years.

Dallas Mavericks

Pros: Big, warm-weather market, organization won 2011 title, owner Mark Cuban is committed to spending to win, coach Rick Carlisle is regarded as one of the league's best, Dirk Nowitzki agreed to take a steep discount on his new contract, the Mavericks have no major deadweight deals on their books.

Cons: Dallas was weak defensively and barely made the playoffs in 2013, just traded away starting point guard Jose Calderon, a James/Nowitzki/Monta Ellis core might not be perfectly balanced, new starting center Tyson Chandler is coming off of an injury-plagued year, Mavericks have previously struck out multiples times on A-list free agents, playing in the tougher Western Conference.

Houston Rockets

Pros: Big, warm-weather market, ownership and forward-thinking front-office are committed to winning, All-Stars Dwight Howard and James Harden are in place to form a quality "Big 3," Chandler Parsons could be re-signed as a fourth quality piece.

Cons: Rockets would need to make multiple trades to create room for max offer to James, bounced in the first round of the 2014 playoffs, James has no clear ties to Howard or Harden, playing in the tougher Western Conference.

Phoenix Suns

Pros: Warm weather market, excellent cap flexibility to pair James with another max-level star, James is known to be friends with up-and-coming guard Eric Bledsoe (a restricted free agent), organization was NBA's biggest surprise team in 2013-14 and has extra picks to help in the future, GM Ryan McDonough has excellent track record since taking job, lots of young talent already on hand.

Cons: An off-the-radar organization in recent years, coach Jeff Hornacek is well-regarded but lacks playoff experience, might not be able to compete for a title in 2015, lacking A-list big man, playing in the tougher Western Conference.

[GM Franchise]

Report: Patrick Patterson, Raptors agree to 3-year, $18 million deal

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24607820/report-patrick-patterson-raptors-agree-to-3-year-18-million-deal

Patrick Patterson has agreed to a three-year, $18 million contract to stay with the Toronto Raptors, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman. He was a restricted free agent.

Patterson was a key part of Toronto's playoff push, arriving from Sacramento in a December trade that turned around the Raptors' season. He made 41 percent of his three-pointers in Toronto, providing some much-needed floor spacing at the power forward position. In 48 games with the team, he averaged nine points and five rebounds in 23 minutes per game.

While not much of a rebounder or rim protector, Patterson is a solid, smart two-way player and a luxury to have as a backup behind Amir Johnson. Considering how well he shot the ball, it's a mild surprise he didn't get a more lucrative or longer contract. It might have helped that he wanted to come back and build on last year.

"It was great here," Patterson said at his end-of-season media availability in May. "Developed strong relationships with the staff, the organization, my teammates, embraced the city and the fans. Overall I had a great time. Out of all the stops I've been to, Houston and Sacramento, this is by far the best."

Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri has thus far done a commendable job in inking Kyle Lowry and Patterson to reasonable deals. Let's see if he can do the same with backup point guard Greivis Vasquez, who is also restricted, and add another piece or two to the core.

[GM Franchise]

Report: Jazz to acquire Steve Novak from Raptors



http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24607965/report-jazz-to-acquire-steve-novak-from-raptors

The Toronto Raptors have agreed to trade forward Steve Novak and a future second-round pick to the Utah Jazz, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Utah will send back point guard Diante Garrett, who has an unguaranteed contract for next year and will be waived by the Raptors.

Novak shot 43 percent from the three-point line in his one season in Toronto, but only appeared in 54 regular-season games. His role was significantly reduced after a December trade brought stretch-four Patrick Patterson, among others, to the Raptors.

The move means the Jazz will sign on for the final two years of Novak's contract. He is owed $3.45 million in 2014-2015, and $3.75 million in 2015-2016. He has the ability to help Utah's spacing tremendously, but the team will need to cover for him on defense. The future picks are now piling up for the Jazz, too.

Toronto needed to create roster spots if it wanted to add more pieces this summer, and moving that salary helps, too. The Raptors have agreed to new deals with Kyle Lowry and Patrick Patterson, and an agreement with Greivis Vasquez is reportedly imminent. While Novak is one of the best spot-up shooters on the planet, Toronto pounced at an opportunity to create flexibility.

[Gates]

Raptors are loading up on PG now...

[The TeeJ of Philly]

Raptors are loading up on PG now...
[/quote

The Toronto Raptors have agreed to trade forward Steve Novak and a future second-round pick to the Utah Jazz, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Utah will send back point guard Diante Garrett, who has an unguaranteed contract for next year and will be waived by the Raptors.

[Gates]

Lol yeah, I missed that. I read it elsewhere but didn't feel like editing...

[GM Franchise]

Clippers reach deal to sign Spencer Hawes

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/clippers-reach-deal-to-sign-spencer-hawes-232235978.html

Free-agent 7-footer Spencer Hawes has reached agreement on a four-year, $23 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Hawes was determined to sign with a contender and his commitment to the Clippers on Friday becomes a tremendous coup for president and coach Doc Rivers.

After missing the playoffs in five of his seven NBA seasons, the chance to be surrounded with All-Star talents Chris Paul and Blake Griffin offers Hawes considerable opportunity to flourish with his deft inside-outside game.

The Clippers recruited Hawes hard for the full midlevel exception and worked with his agent, Greg Lawrence of Wasserman Media Group, on a deal that includes a player option for the fourth year and a 15 percent trade kicker, sources said.

After a productive season between Philadelphia and Cleveland – in which he averaged 13.2 points and eight rebounds – Hawes had become a desired commodity on the market. For the Cavaliers, Hawes shot nearly 45 percent from 3-point range.

In a league searching for size and shooting, Hawes had visited seriously with Phoenix and Portland before settling on the Clippers offer.

[GM Franchise]

Really glad the Clippers got another big man. That was one thing they needed.

[GM Franchise]

Chris Kaman to join Trail Blazers

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11175609/chris-kaman-agrees-deal-portland-trail-blazers-according-reports

Free-agent center Chris Kaman has agreed to a two-year, $9.8 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, according to multiple reports.

The Blazers had targeted finding a frontcourt player in free agency but were limited by salary-cap constraints. They first pursued Spencer Hawes, but quickly moved on to Kaman when Hawes drew interest from other teams including the Warriors, Clippers and Suns.

Kaman, 32, averaged 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in a career-low 18.9 minutes last season. The Lakers often utilized a smaller lineup in games, contributing to his limited minutes.

Kaman, who was an All-Star in 2010, is expected to back up starting center Robin Lopez.

The deal will become official when the league-wide moratorium on signings ends July 10.

[Cory]

Great depth move there from the Clips.

[GM Franchise]

Report: Pacers reach agreement with Lavoy Allen

http://www.si.com/si-wire/2014/07/05/pacers-lavoy-allen

Forward Lavoy Allen has reached an agreement with the Indiana Pacers, according to ESPN's Chris Broussard. The terms of the deal have not yet been announced.

Indiana acquired Allen in a mid-season trade with the Philadelphia 76ers that sent Allen and Evan Turner to the Pacers in exchange for forward Danny Granger and a second-round pick. Allen would only appear in 14 games with Indiana. In 51 games with the Sixers, he averaged 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

The Pacers finished first in the Eastern Conference this season, with a record of 56-26. They went on to lose in the Conference Finals to the Miami Heat.

[GM Franchise]

Chris Bosh may be considering offers to leave Heat

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/7/5/5872557/chris-bosh-free-agent-rumors-nba-miami-heat-max-contract

seemed like a foregone conclusion that Chris Bosh would accept a pay cut to stay in Miami, but that isn't so clear now that LeBron James' agent is entertaining offers elsewhere. Therefore, many in the league believe Bosh can be swept away for a maximum contract, according to CBS Sports' Ken Berger:

Multiple league sources say there will be a close-to-max market for Bosh if Anthony and James stay with their respective teams. One of those people, an executive with a rival team, said the growing belief around the league is that Bosh would prefer a four-year max deal with another team to a discounted longer deal with Miami.
It's not a surprise that teams would pursue Bosh, and indeed, the Rockets already have. But is Bosh really going to leave the comforts of Miami?

Why he would leave

Bosh is certainly worth a maximum contract, as Paul Flannery notes:

In normal times, Chris Bosh would be a coveted player in free agency with teams tripping all over themselves in a race to offer him a maximum contract. Still just 29 years old, Bosh is a nine-time All-Star with two championship rings and is coming off a season in which he established himself as the league's most versatile defensive big man.
One could even argue -- as Tom Ziller did -- that Bosh is a more complete player than Carmelo Anthony, the other big free agent teams are pursuing. Bosh's combination of shooting, intelligence and elite defense makes any team better, whether it's done from the power forward or center spot.

And with Miami's situation uncertain, Bosh should reach a point where he grows tired of waiting. There was widespread belief that James, Bosh and Dwyane Wade mutually agreed on their contracts before free agency began, but that has since been disputed. The trio instead appears to be waiting on Pat Riley to upgrade the team with whatever remaining cap space he has, but he's struck out so far on big names and seems resigned to settle for smaller ones. If that continues, it'd be well within Bosh's rights to look elsewhere.

Why he wouldn't leave

Bosh has been public about his desire to stay with Miami, even if it requires a pay cut. While the Heat appear to be in a holding pattern, they still present Bosh with the best opportunity to win. Bosh remade his game in Miami and has comfort and familiarity with Erik Spoelstra's scheme and style of play. It's still far too early to know if Miami's free agent plans have blown up in smoke.

Keep in mind, too, that the people quoted in Berger's original story include rival executives that are likely hoping to steal Bosh away too. They have a vested interest in the Heat forward considering other options.

Likelihood: 4 out of 10

As much as it makes sense for Bosh to look elsewhere, this report feels like the kind of thing we often see early in free agency that ends up being resolved. It's still just July 5, so there's plenty of time for James to hear other pitches, then ultimately decide to stay in Miami. Should that happen, the Bosh domino will seamlessly fall into place.

[GM Franchise]

Report: Mavs finalizing 3-year deal, $9 million deal with Devin Harris

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24608585/report-mavs-finalizing-3-year-deal-with-devin-harris

The Dallas Mavericks are close to finalizing a three-year deal with free agent Devin Harris, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. The point guard reportedly met with Dallas owner Mark Cuban as soon as free agency began at midnight on Tuesday.

Keeping him was obviously a priority for the Mavs after trading away last year's starting point guard, Jose Calderon. Harris was a key contributor for Dallas, averaging 7.9 points and 4.5 assists in 40 games after returning from a toe injury.

Harris and the Mavs had agreed to a long-term deal last summer, but he eventually signed only a one-year contract after the injury. He emerged as an even more important part of the team in the playoffs, when Calderon's minutes dwindled due to the San Antonio Spurs exploiting him on defense. Given that Raymond Felton, acquired from the New York Knicks in the Calderon deal, is also a deficient defender, Dallas needed to get something done with Harris.

[GM Franchise]

Report: Milwaukee Bucks to make offer to Phoenix Suns' Eric Bledsoe

http://arizonasports.com/41/1747828/Report-Milwaukee-Bucks-to-make-offer-to-Phoenix-Suns-Eric-Bledsoe

Armed with the No. 2 selection in the 2014 NBA Draft, Jabari Parker, the Milwaukee Bucks are looking to bolster their roster, particularly in the backcourt.

ESPN reporter Marc Stein tweeted Saturday that Milwaukee will be pitching an offer sheet to Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe, who is a restricted free agent. Stein also said that the Bucks are pursuing RFA Greivis Vasquez of the Toronto Raptors and considering a trade for Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin.

Bledsoe, 24, would make $3.7 million next season if he finishes out his current contract. The Suns would be able to match any offer that other teams might make to him this summer.

In his first season as a full-time starter, the 6-foot-1 combo guard put up 17.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game in 43 contests. He missed a good portion of the year after tearing meniscus cartilage in his right knee and undergoing arthroscopic surgery.

Vasquez is also a restricted free agent who is scheduled to make $3.2 million in 2014-15. Despite leading the league in assists in 2012-13 with the New Orleans Pelicans, the 27-year-old Vasquez has played on four teams in his four-year career. Last year between Toronto and Sacramento, the 6-foot-6 guard posted 9.6 points and 4.1 assists in 22.5 minutes per contest, a significant drop from his numbers a season prior.

After earning around $5 million in each of his first two seasons with the Rockets, the 25-year-old Lin is scheduled to make nearly $15 million in 2014-15, the final year of his contract. Houston seems committed to Patrick Beverley at point guard going forward, and thus Lin's price has made him a popular trade candidate this summer.

[GM Franchise]

Reports: Lakers have a real shot at Carmelo Anthony

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24608834/reports-lakers-have-a-real-shot-at-carmelo-anthony

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly legitimate suitors for free agent forward Carmelo Anthony, who met with them on Thursday.


Numerous prior reports indicated that Anthony was leaning toward staying with the Knicks, but it appears that Anthony is at least intrigued with the Lakers. This, of course, follows a report that New York was only concerned about the Chicago Bulls.

Let's think about Anthony and the Lakers for a second. He's close with Kobe Bryant, and Los Angeles is a major market. The team will have significant financial flexibility moving forward, aside from Bryant's mammoth contract, and he'd have the opportunity to bring one of the league's marquee franchises back to relevance. You know, like what he signed on for with the Knicks.

There are also obvious reasons why the Lakers wouldn't make a ton of sense, chiefly the fact that New York can offer more money, the roster is a long way from contention and the whole Western Conference thing.

It's not the best basketball move, nor the best financial move, but that doesn't mean Los Angeles shouldn't be taken seriously. The Lakers always seem to land superstars and rebound from mediocrity, so we shouldn't put anything past them. One good thing: according to the New York Post's Fred Kerber, his decision could come in the next 24 hours.