NBA Thread

[GM Franchise]

$32m for Frye?  Good grief.

The NBA has become the FBL.

[The TeeJ of Philly]

The NBA has become the FBL.

One of the better perimeter 4s that don't hurt you on defense, not entirely false. I think 8 million is high, but I thought he would make more than he is worth given the surge of perimeter fours and his rep that is seen on the floor. Most teams respect him enough to cover him, spacing the floor for the slashers they have.

I think they fact they have such a young team that many of their players are locked up for 3-4 years down the road, they can afford to have him on the team and then if needed, he's not TOO overpriced that he'd be hard to move. I think its a good move for Orlando, won't move the needle much for them, but he'll provide productive minutes and help the development of their young guys.

[J-Reb]

He doesn't rebound and plays medicare defense- he's actually pretty poor from inside the three-point line.  As a stretch four, he's useful, but really doesn't offer you anything else except for pretty good 3pt shooting.

Considering Patterson, a similar player, and 6 years younger, just got $18m over 3 years...the Magic woefully overpaid.

[Gravedigger]

If you're 6'10" or taller you really have to SUCK at basketball to make less than 7 or 8 million as a free agent in the NBA these days...

[Reya Serra]

Frye's only been a mediocre contributor as far as I could really tell.

Magic totally overpaid, imo.

[GM Franchise]

LeBron to meet with Pat Riley

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/11192373/lebron-james-meet-miami-heat-wednesday-according-sources

LeBron James and Pat Riley will have their long-awaited face-to-face meeting Wednesday in Las Vegas, according to league sources.

James is in Las Vegas for his annual basketball camp, the LeBron James Skills Academy, and Riley has flown in for the meeting.

Riley, who sold James on leaving Cleveland to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami four years ago, will try to keep James from leaving the Heat this summer.

In an effort to beef up a Heat roster that James said needs "to improve at every position," Riley reached agreements to sign center/forward Josh McRoberts and forward Danny Granger on Monday.

The meeting with Riley on Wednesday is believed to be the first meeting James has participated in since opting out of the final two years and $42 million of his Heat contract.

James's agent, Rich Paul, met with or spoke with officials from the Mavericks, Rockets, Suns, Cavaliers and Lakers last week, but James was not present.

The four-time MVP told The Associated Press he had "no complaints" when asked how free agency was going on Tuesday.

A person close to the situation told The Associated Press that James and Wade worked out together in Las Vegas on Tuesday morning. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no one has publicly released James' itinerary.

[Justin]

He doesn't rebound and plays medicare defense- he's actually pretty poor from inside the three-point line.  As a stretch four, he's useful, but really doesn't offer you anything else except for pretty good 3pt shooting.

Considering Patterson, a similar player, and 6 years younger, just got $18m over 3 years...the Magic woefully overpaid.

[GM Franchise]

Report: Gordon Hayward agrees to offer sheet with Hornets

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/09/report-gordon-hayward-agrees-to-offer-sheet-with-hornets/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Gordon Hayward's visit with the Hornets must have gone well.

Despite the Jazz threatening to match any offer he receives, Hayward has convinced Charlotte to navigate the treacherous road of restricted free agency.

I bet this is a max contract (projected to be $14,756,881 starting and $63,011,880 over four years). Otherwise, Hayward would probably hold out for one of his many other suitors – including the Celtics, Cavaliers and Suns. As soon as he signs an offer sheet, he's locked into those contract terms – whether it's with the team signing him or the Jazz should they match.

And I bet Utah matches within its three-day limit. Hayward is too valuable to let walk with no return. Besides, where would the Jazz spend the money they'd save, anyway? They don't need to hoard cap space.

Hayward can't officially sign until Thursday, and I figure Charlotte and Utah will discuss a sign-and-trade beforehand. By committing to sign Hayward, the Hornets give themselves a little leverage. Maybe the Jazz would find a sign-and-trade preferable to paying Hayward so much money. There's a little time to sort all that out, but once Hayward officially signs an offer sheet, a sign-and-trade is no longer possible.

At least everything is in motion now. Hayward will almost certainly play for the Hornets or Jazz next season.

[GM Franchise]

Report: LeBron James considering only Heat and Cavaliers

http://tw.nbcsports.com/MO0

LeBron James' agent has met with the Lakers, Cavaliers, Rockets, Suns and Mavericks. At least one member of the 76ers is trying to lure LeBron, too.

Of course, LeBron's current team, the Heat, is also in the mix.

But LeBron might have already thinned the field.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, appearing on Fox Sports Live:

By every source I have, there are just two considerations at this point — and that's Cleveland and staying in Miami.

This shouldn't surprise anyone.

The Heat opened free agency as heavy favorites to retain LeBron. He's repeatedly expressed satisfaction in what Miami has accomplished while he's played there.

Since, the door has opened, and the Cavaliers get mentioned more and more.

At this point, I'd be pretty surprised if he signs anywhere but Miami or Cleveland. If Wojnarowski actually said that, I'd be shocked if LeBron signs anywhere but Miami or Cleveland.

[Justin]

I think the Hayward deal is a little rich but I understand the overpayment in hopes of the Jazz not matching. I hope they dont match because I think he would be a great fit for us.

[GM Franchise]

Cavs' Jarrett Jack headed to Nets

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11194467/jarrett-jack-cleveland-cavaliers-headed-brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-part-trade

The Cleveland Cavaliers will trade Jarrett Jack to the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday as part of a three-team deal with Boston to create more salary-cap space for the pursuit of LeBron James, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Nets have agreed to take on the contracts of Jack and youngster Sergey Karasev from the Cavaliers in a swap that also will see the Celtics acquire Brooklyn's Marcus Thornton, Cleveland's Tyler Zeller and a protected 2016 first-round pick from the Cavaliers.

Cleveland is expected to take back a young prospect or two that Brooklyn has already drafted just to complete the transaction but no one who will be on its roster next season. The moves will give the Cavaliers significant financial flexibility by shedding the contracts of Jack, Zeller and Karasev.

Meanwhile, ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reports that the Cavaliers, in addition to James, are also now trying to strike a deal with free agent guard Ray Allen and/or forward Mike Miller as a means of enticing James even more about a return to Cleveland.

After briefly considering retirement following the Heat's loss to the Spurs in the NBA Finals, Allen is leaning toward returning for a 19th season, sources said.

According to ESPN's Tom Penn, the trade of Jack sheds $9.5 million in salary (Jack, $6.3 million; Zeller, $1.7 million; Karasev, $1.5 million), giving the Cavaliers $21.7 million in cap space.

• EnlargeJarrett Jack
  AP Photo/Seth Wenig
  The Cavs' trade of Jarrett Jack, left, will create more salary-cap space for their pursuit of LeBron James, according to sources.
  The Nets first had talks with the Cavaliers about Jack before the trading deadline last season but ended up dealing Jason Terry and Reggie Evans to Sacramento for Thornton.
  
  The two teams revived trade talks shortly after the end of the season with the idea that Jack could be a replacement for Shaun Livingston, who agreed to sign with Golden State in free agency. A league source said the Nets also had a strong interest in Karasev, whom they were high on during the 2013 draft.
  
  Karasev was selected 19th overall, and the Nets took Mason Plumlee at 22nd overall.
  
  Karasev gives the Nets another young forward to develop alongside Bojan Bogdanovic, who has agreed to a three-year deal with the Nets for their mini mid-level exception, according to a source.
  
  The trade can't be officially consummated until Thursday, when a league-wide moratorium on signings and trades is lifted at 12:01 a.m.

[GM Franchise]

Cavs pursue Ray Allen, Mike Miller

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11194706/cleveland-cavaliers-pursue-ray-allen

After shedding nearly $22 million in cap space in a proposed three-team trade, the Cleveland Cavaliers are also pursuing free agent shooting guard Ray Allen and forward Mike Miller, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard.

The cap-clearing maneuvers would primarily allow the Cavs to make a max offer to LeBron James, but Allen and/or Miller also could join Cleveland under team-friendly deals.

Both Allen and Miller are good friends with LeBron, having played with him for two and three seasons, respectively, with the Miami Heat.

Allen made $3.6 million last year. He'd likely have to take a pay cut to join the Cavaliers, should they land James and pay him the max salary, which is $20.7 million for next season. If the Cavs want to pay Allen and/or Miller more, they'd have to clear additional cap space.

Allen has spent the past two seasons as James' teammate with the Heat. He was said to be considering retirement following Miami's loss in the NBA Finals, but sources said he has since changed his mind and is leaning toward returning for a 19th season in the league.

Allen, who will turn 39 on July 20, played 73 games in the regular season and all 20 postseason games for the Heat. He averaged 9.3 points per game on 41 percent shooting in the playoffs.

After the Heat lost in Game 5 of the Finals, Allen said he felt good about his career and had a clear mind as he faced his summer options.

LeBron James playing under Cavs owner Dan Gilbert would say a lot about NBA's great owner-player divide. Story

"One thing is for certain, to [make a decision] on my terms is the most important thing," Allen said. "Whether that is me retiring, staying here or going somewhere else, it will be on my terms. I've made it to this point, and I felt great that I have the choice to make it for myself."

Miller played with James in Miami from the 2010-11 season to 2012-13. He was waived last July as part of a financial move that saved the Heat as much as $17 million on future luxury-tax payments.

Miller ultimately signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 7.1 points and 1.3 3-pointers per game.

James previously has spoken of his close relationship with Miller. In May, he said not having Miller on this past year's team could be felt significantly.

"Yeah, he was just that stable guy," James told bleacherreport.com. "I mean, Mike, everything that he went through, both injuries and being in and out of the lineups, and not one day did he ever come to work with an 'I don't want to be here' attitude. Like never. And we all respected that. And for a guy like that who's done so much in his career, to come in with that mindset every day, we all saw that."

[GM Franchise]

Sources: Melo waiting on LeBron

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/11194988/carmelo-anthony-waiting-lebron-james-decision-choosing-team

A number of rival teams increasingly believe that New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony plans to hold off on announcing any decision about his future until LeBron James reveals where he'll be playing next season, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com that Anthony, whose decision was widely expected before a resolution to James' situation when free agency began, has kept the Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and other suitors waiting at least in part to see where James goes and whether there would be any option to join his close friend.

Sources say that the Knicks thought they'd know by Monday if Anthony was prepared to commit to new team president Phil Jackson for the long term or sign with the Lakers instead. The Knicks can offer Anthony a five-year maximum deal valued at $129 million, with the Lakers' max offer topping out at $96 million over four years.

The Lakers' pitch to Anthony included a conversation with Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, according to ESPN.

Los Angeles is determined to wait on James and Anthony before moving on in its pursuit of other free agents. James and Anthony are the Lakers' main targets, but with each passing day the franchise gets antsy about potentially missing on other free agent targets such as Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza.

Anthony has gone as silent as James with free agency now more than a week old, sparking the belief that he's waiting to see if there is a viable opportunity for the two stars to team up.

"He wants to see what LeBron does," one source with knowledge of Anthony's thinking told ESPN. "But he can't wait forever."

The Knicks have tried to maintain their long-held confidence that Anthony will stay in New York, sources said, but the delay has definitely frayed some nerves, with no indication as of Wednesday morning when either Anthony or James plan to make their decisions known.

Anthony held meetings last week with Chicago, Houston, Dallas and the Lakers before granting last word to the Knicks on his interview tour. But there's been a strong belief over the past few days that the 30-year-old is likely to choose between New York and Los Angeles, both cities that his family is very comfortable in.

Bosh is seriously considering the Houston Rockets' maximum contract offer of four years, $88 million, ESPN's Chris Broussard reported earlier this week.

If Bosh were to decide to leave the Heat for Houston, Miami could try to sign Anthony to replace him, though the salary-cap gymnastics involved to make room for Anthony in addition to the free agents they've already committed to -- Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger -- would not be easy for the Heat.

Since opting out of the final two years of his deal (worth $42 million) with the Heat, Bosh has also been waiting to see what James decides before making his choice, having stated numerous times this season that he wants to stay with the Heat alongside the game's best player.

A conversation with James about his future in Miami this past weekend created enough doubt for Bosh to begin considering his other options, including Houston's offer, with James believed to be strongly considering a return to his home-state Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Broussard.

ESPN reported during the NBA Finals that the Heat have internally discussed the possibility of trying to acquire Anthony to form a "Big Four" in Miami, but they've since conceded that the pay cuts such a move would require make it impossible. Even if Bosh leaves the Heat, Anthony would still have to take a significant pay cut to join forces with James.

Sources say other teams, such as the Lakers, Cleveland and Phoenix, have explored the feasibility of creating sufficient salary-cap space to try to sign James and Anthony together, but none have yet been successful.

The Bulls are believed to be the only other team at this stage that could tempt Anthony beyond the Knicks or Lakers, but Chicago would need to strike a sign-and-trade deal with New York to be able to present him with an annual salary comparable to the Knicks' and Lakers' offers.

[GM Franchise]

Report: LeBron reached out to veteran free agents for if he bolts Miami

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24612775/report-lebron-reached-out-to-veteran-free-agents-for-if-he-bolts-miami

With the countdown to LeBron James' latest decision knocking out our door, the posturing for James' services is getting very serious. The Cleveland Cavaliers just shedded heaps of committed salary to open up a max contract slot on their books and are reportedly pursuing Ray Allen as a role player to entice LeBron. And now rumors about LeBron possibly leaving the Miami Heat are getting even more serious.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, James reportedly reached out to two veteran free agents recently about signing with his team if he leaves the Heat this summer. One of those veterans is reportedly Mike Miller, who played with LeBron from 2010 to 2013.


If this source is correct, James is looking to stack the support staff in his favor if he leaves Miami, which makes sense considering his support staff in the NBA Finals helped lead to an embarrassing loss to the Spurs. Miller is a favorite of LeBron, as is the Cavaliers' target other free agency target of Allen. Both were important targets in the Heat's last championship with James.

Miller was amnestied from the Heat's roster last summer to help avoid the deeper luxury tax penalties and the roster restrictions that could have followed. He played with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013-14.

[GM Franchise]

Report: Carmelo Anthony to re-sign with Knicks, announcement Thursday

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24613069/report-carmelo-anthony-to-re-sign-with-knicks-announcement-thursday

Carmelo Anthony has decided to stay with the New York Knicks, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.

A person close to Anthony told The News on Wednesday that barring a last minute change of heart Anthony will re-sign with the Knicks after "agonizing over this" for the past week.

"He will have something for everybody on Thursday," said the friend who was with Anthony before Anthony's scheduled workout with Kevin Durant and Kevin Love in Los Angeles on Wednesday. "He is really torn because this is the biggest decision of his career. But he wants to get it done in New York. He told me he believes in Phil."

The star free agent forward is expected to sign a five-year, $129 million maximum contract. He had been reportedly considering the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls, but now, according to the Daily News, he is sure he wants to stay where he and his family are comfortable.

Anthony's friend says that Anthony prolonging his decision is not a reflection of him having second thoughts about the Knicks. Instead, it was Anthony wanting to be sure that he could put himself in position to win a championship.

This is where things get tricky: New York went 37-45 last season, failing to qualify for the playoffs in a weak Eastern Conference. Knicks president Phil Jackson wants to add other stars to the team, but that likely will not happen this offseason. New York will reportedly pursue Pau Gasol, but that move wouldn't exactly make the team into a contender. Instead of going to a ready-made team, Anthony is betting that Jackson can, in time, surround him with the pieces necessary to truly compete.