NBA Thread

[GM Franchise]

Gold tabs on collars of past champs

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11219276/nba-jerseys-now-feature-gold-tabs-collars-indicate-teams-won-titles

All NBA teams that have won a championship will wear a small gold tab on their back jersey collars starting with the 2014-15 season, according to images obtained from an adidas retail catalog that began circulating on the Internet on Tuesday afternoon.

The gold championship tab would be the first league-wide championship badge ever used by one of the "Big Four" North American professional sports leagues, and it is similar to the star system used by soccer teams to denote World Cup titles.

But while soccer teams add an additional star for each championship, the NBA plans to use a single tab for all teams that have won a title, so a one-time champion, like the Portland Trail Blazers, will wear the same badge as a team that has won many, like the Boston Celtics.

The gold tabs were announced on Twitter by Conrad Burry, who told ESPN.com that he obtained the images from an adidas catalog used by retailers for the 2014-15 season:


The adidas catalog was then shared among several additional sources, including ESPN.com. In addition to the championship tabs, it shows that the NBA has the following uniform developments in store for this fall:

• The Pacers, Kings and Raptors will have throwbacks.

• The Celtics and Bulls will have sleeved jerseys for St. Patrick's Day.

• The Celtics' road jersey will now have "Boston" on the chest, instead of "Celtics."

• This season's edition of the Lakers' black "Hollywood Nights" jerseys will have sleeves.

• There will be no sleeves, however, for this season's Hispanic heritage jerseys.

• Several teams will have new "Pride" jerseys (much like the Pistons' "Motor City" design or the Blazers' "Rip City" design), although those jerseys haven't yet been shown.

[Doug E Fresh]

Cavs getting some of that Mike Miller goodness.

[GM Franchise]

Cavs getting some of that Mike Miller goodness.

Yep and apparently he turned down a big offer from Denver to go there instead.

[Justin]

Thank you Michael Jordan! Hornets sign Lance Stephenson. Now hopefully he can coexist with a Big Al. There should be plenty shot opportunities to go around.

[J-Reb]

Thank you Michael Jordan! Hornets sign Lance Stephenson. Now hopefully he can coexist with a Big Al. There should be plenty shot opportunities to go around.

That's a pretty good deal for the Hornets.  I'd take Stephenson and Williams over just Heyward any day of the week.

[Ian "Wolfie" Trumps]

As expected the Bulls just used their amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer ending his career there.

THANK FUCK!

[GM Franchise]

Hornets sign Lance Stephenson

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11221796/lance-stephenson-charlotte-hornets-3-year-27-million-deal

Free-agent guard Lance Stephenson will play for the Charlotte Hornets for the next three seasons. His contract is worth $27 million, league sources said.

The deal was signed early Wednesday morning after Hornets owner Michael Jordan, general manager Rich Cho, head coach Steve Clifford and associate head coach Patrick Ewing met with Stephenson and his representatives Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

The contract, which includes a team option for the final season, ends Stephenson's productive yet volatile four-year stay with the Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers made Stephenson a five-year, $44 million contract offer on July 1. But Stephenson, who led the league in triple-doubles, felt the offer undervalued him.

"Lance is forever grateful for all the love he's received from Pacers fans. He is especially grateful to his teammates, [Pacers coach] Frank Vogel, [owner] Herb Simon, the Pacers management and most of all, Larry Bird," Stephenson's agent, Alberto Ebanks, said in a statement. "While we tried our best to come to the best possible terms for both sides, there was not sufficient flexibility in the terms of the contract, particularly the length of the contract.

"Reports throughout the negotiation process with Indiana have often strayed from the truth but suffice it to say that it was less about the money. Lance will miss the city, the team and the mentor who helped transform him into the dynamic player he has become. He looks forward to making a strong contribution and beginning a new chapter with the Charlotte Hornets."

The Pacers were unwilling to offer Stephenson a shorter deal, spanning two or three years, sources said. Indiana was also unwilling to increase its offer.

The Dallas Mavericks had a two-year, $20 million offer on the table to Stephenson, contingent on the Houston Rockets matching their offer for forward Chandler Parsons. If Houston had matched, Stephenson would have signed with Dallas, sources said.

Like many teams, the Hornets, while fans of Stephenson's play, had concerns about his antics and attitude. But sources say those concerns were alleviated in Tuesday's face-to-face meeting.

Pacers teammates were upset when Stephenson was goaded into his second technical foul in a March win over Miami and again when he publicly challenged LeBron James & Co. during the playoffs. Stephenson also got into a practice scuffle with teammate Evan Turner during the playoffs and was even criticized by Bird, one of Stephenson's biggest fans, after he blew into the ear of James during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Pacers center Roy Hibbert, though, tweeted Wednesday that he'll miss having Stephenson

[GM Franchise]

NBA, where the drama continues...

Silver: No guarantee on D. Sterling

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/11220986/adam-silver-guarantee-donald-sterling-before-season-starts

LAS VEGAS -- NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed media after the NBA's Board of Governors meeting with a variety of information on how the NBA product might improve.

What he couldn't promise, though, was the extrication of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who remains in a legal dispute with the league over his contested ownership of the team, before the beginning of the 2014-15 season.

"I can't say with certainty because it's in the hands of the probate court right now, and Donald is in the process of suing us for lots of money and we're defending ourselves against those lawsuits," Silver said.

While Silver continues to profess that the NBA will prevail in either getting Sterling to sell the Clippers or wresting control of the team from him via the legal system, the commissioner could not give ironclad assurances.

"It's difficult to say anything with certainty in a situation like this," Silver said. "I can say with certainty that we are doing everything in our power to move Donald out as an owner in the NBA."

The commissioner announced that the NBA has yet to approve ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, whose $2 billion bid on the team was accepted on May 30 by Shelly Sterling in a written agreement.

In addition to the update on the Clippers situation, Silver spoke of several changes and proposals. He announced that the NBA's replay review system will be aided by a replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey. Silver also floated the idea of a televised NBA awards show, and a midseason tournament.

Silver also addressed his thoughts on LeBron James' decision to leave the Miami Heat for the Cleveland Cavaliers, a decision he learned of on Twitter, "when virtually everyone else learned about it." Silver said he was moved by James' statement that appeared in Sports Illustrated.

"I've gotten to know LeBron pretty well over the years," Silver said. "From that standpoint, I really am more like a fan. This seemed to be a great moment for the league. And again, I understand it's Miami's loss, but that's always going to be an issue when you have such a transcendent player like LeBron."

[GM Franchise]

Carlos Boozer to join Lakers

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/11229606/carlos-boozer-join-los-angeles-lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired Carlos Boozer on amnesty waivers, sources told ESPN.com.

Boozer was released by the Chicago Bulls earlier this week, and teams with cap space could make a bid on a portion of his $16.8 million contract.

The Lakers made the highest bid in a blind auction and were awarded him on Thursday shortly after 5 p.m. ET.

Boozer averaged 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Bulls last season.

Only nine teams in the league had sufficient salary-cap space to bid for Boozer: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Milwaukee, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Utah and the Lakers.

After a rough start to free agency, Los Angeles now has secured relative bargain deals with Memphis Grizzlies free-agent forward Ed Davis and Boozer to upgrade their frontcourt cast.

[Jon]

Eh... we'll take it.

[GM Franchise]

Eric Bledsoe and Suns far apart on Deal

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2105767-eric-bledsoe-rumors-latest-buzz-and-speculation-surrounding-suns-g

ESPN's Chris Broussard reports Eric Bledsoe and the Phoenix Suns remain miles apart in their ongoing contract negotiation:


Broussard added more on the discussions:

The future of one of the most talented free agents left on the market remains cloudy as Eric Bledsoe and the Phoenix Suns remain far apart in contract talks, according to sources close to the situation.

Bledsoe's representatives have been engaged in discussions with Phoenix, but the Suns' offer is far below what Bledsoe is looking for.

Updates from Saturday, July 5

Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears has an update on Bledsoe's status with the Suns:


Original Text

One year ago, Eric Bledsoe was the lynchpin to the Phoenix Suns' rebuilding effort. Eleven months later, the talented point guard's future is once again the topic of discussion.   

Bledsoe, 24, is a restricted free agent come July 1 and is expected to garner offers around the league at an eight-figure yearly salary. Publicly, Suns management has been open with its desire to keep Bledsoe and fellow free agent P.J. Tucker in the fold.

"We'll try to do that as soon as possible and not let it get to the point where you'd have to get an offer and we'd match it," Suns general manager Ryan McDonough told Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic.

Privately, it seems the situation is more fluid.

Jake Fischer of Liberty Ballers and The Boston Globe reported the Kings have floated a trade that would send the No. 8 pick in this year's draft and guard Isaiah Thomas to Phoenix for Bledsoe:


The offer comes from Sacramento's side—and it is difficult by its very nature due to both players being free agents—so it's possible the Suns have zero interest in such a swap. Phoenix already has three first-round picks in this year's draft, and McDonough has continually floated the idea of swapping at least one of those selections. Adding another pick to the mix only compounds the problem—even if it's a juicy mid-lottery pick.

There is also the issue of further compensation. It's curious that Sacramento would dangle both its first-round pick and Thomas in a Bledsoe deal. Thomas, also a restricted free agent this summer, averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 assists per game this season while shooting at a solid clip from three-point range. His status as a defensive liability makes his projection as a long-term starting guard questionable, but Bledsoe is not exactly proven as a lead guard.


The former Kentucky standout averaged 17.7 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game in his first season in the desert. While he showed promise as a primary ball-handler and is a good man-to-man defender, Bledsoe missed 39 games due to injury. He's missed at least 20 games in two of his four NBA seasons, and a half-season sampling doesn't seem enough from Sacramento's perspective.

Phoenix's side is a little more interesting, and it largely depends on how management sees Bledsoe. The Suns acquired him amid what seemed like a wide-scale tanking effort. Goran Dragic was considered the likeliest next man out as McDonough gutted the roster, with Bledsoe taking the point guard reins full-time.

Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk broke down Bledsoe and why teams would be interested in the guard:

He's just 24 and played at a near All-Star level in Phoenix last season — 17.7 points with a .578 true shooting percentage, plus 5.3 assists a game with a 19.6 PER — in the 43 games he played. He is a difference maker and can be a big part of the future... if he can stay healthy.

There are a number of teams willing to take that risk, to offer him a healthy contract and see if he can stay on the court.

The result was far different. Dragic emerged as an All-NBA selection, Phoenix narrowly missed out on the playoffs and McDonough comes into this offseason tasked with keeping the good vibes going.

Keeping Bledsoe would go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. The Suns were playing like a playoff lock before Bledsoe went down with a knee injury. While they kept their solid play up in his absence, the team has still not seen what the Bledsoe-Dragic pairing can do over a full season. Phoenix has one of the league's cleanest cap sheets and can sign Bledsoe and another veteran piece this offseason.

Matt York/Associated Press
Price might be the deciding factor.

In reporting Phoenix's interest in Kevin Love, Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears said it would take a maximum contract to "control" Bledsoe's rights. A maximum contract with someone at Bledsoe's experience level averages $15 million per season. That's a lot of faith for someone with a total of 78 starts in his four professional campaigns.

The Suns are able to match any offer sheet Bledsoe receives, so they may be more willing to let him test the market rather than throw a preventative max his way. If they find the offer sheet too onerous, then a sign-and-trade deal could be worked out. The Kings and Pelicans worked out a similar quid pro quo trade last summer for Tyreke Evans.

Either way, the Kings-Suns rumor seems far-fetched. It's a ton to give up from Sacramento's perspective, and the possible return for Phoenix is something it already has an abundance of. Barring something unforeseen, Bledsoe won't be a King.

[Justin]

Bledsoe is not worth a max contract.  I'm not sure who in his corner his telling him so.

[Jon]

Bledsoe is not worth a max contract.  I'm not sure who in his corner his telling him so.

Doesn't mean he won't get one.

[Justin]

Doesn't mean he won't get one.

Oh I know that, but I honestly don't see any team giving him a max contract.  I'm not even sure there is a team that will give him more than what the Suns offered.

[Reya Serra]

Considering they've already got like 6 guards under contract now (including Thomas who was mentioned in that news piece) the Suns have already positioned themselves for if/when Bledsoe were to jump to another team.