This is the first I've heard about the Clippers having to renounce their rights to Brand in order to sign Davis. I've read we'd have to renounce on Maggette to sign both. Would suck for the Clippers because I'm sure they only renounced on Brand (assuming this info is correct) because they had assurances that he'd resign once Davis was taken care of. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/warriors/detail?blogid=39&entry_id=27815
I'm going to trust Marc Stein lol. He better not turn out to be a giant douche bag. Where'd you get this from btw?
That's incorrect. They don't have to renounce their rights to Brand but they do have to for Maggette.
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-33-12/Warriors--Big-Offer-to-Elton-Brand.html http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3470016
I believe the rights for the original team of the player is that they can offer one more year than the players suitor which is in this case is Golden State. As for the $75 million max offer, that is about correct I believe. The Clippers don't have enough cap room to give him something similar to Warriors deal.
According to Chris Broussard of ESPN, he believes that Brand will sign with the Clippers due to them being at the moment, a better team than the Warriors. Also, for the reasoning that the Warriors are a very young team. The Clippers may go over the luxury tax to keep Brand. Broussard JUST stated that on ESPN.
Stepping into an argument between Heat fans and Magic fans and choosing sides is like asking whether I'd rather punch myself in the nuts or in the face. Au contraire, mon frere. Post-oriented big men tend to age extremely well. Not to raise the bar for Howard too high, but his game reminds me a lot of Moses Malone, and their career stats to this point compare pretty well. Moses was a beast in the paint, would stab you in the heart for a rebound, and couldn't make a jump shot if his mother's life depended on it. (To be fair, Moses was a pretty good free throw shooter, which Howard is certainly not.) Moses was dominant to his early 30s and still a useful player well into his late 30s. Shaq, Elvin Hayes, Kareem, Hakeem, Wilt, Ewing, Artis Gilmore, and Robert Parish all had extreme longevity and usefulness until well into their mid to late 30s, and longer in some cases. Of those guys, Kareem was the only one with any kind of range. Kevin McHale, Nate Thurmond, Bob Lanier, Buck Williams and Maurice Lucas had similar games to Howard, and didn't decline until their mid-30s. Only McHale had a decent jumper among those guys. It's not this year that's the problem, but next year and after that's the problem. They wouldn't have gotten Davis or Arenas anyway, I suspect, and I don't know that Elton Brand would come, nor that he fills a great need. So the Lewis contract isn't a big problem at this moment, because I don't think the Magic would have been major players in this free agent market anyway. But in the next couple years, it will, and by 2011, they'll want to hang Otis Smith for that nonsense. I don't think Maggette's coming, but it can't be ruled out just yet. And you didn't get Hedo for dirt cheap; you paid the MLE for five years to a guy who was an average player for most of that time until last year. And if he builds upon last year, he's going to opt out after this year, and it's going to be damn hard to resign him because of....the Rashard Lewis contract.
Every SINGLE one of those guys you mentioned have twice as much skill as Howard. His skill set is "set". His growing curb as a player will be the same as his physical skill and health goes. Thus why his peak will be at 26. up to the age of 26 he will be a 22/12 guy...from 26 to 30..he will stabilize to a 19-11 guy and from 30 on..he will be a 17-9 guy. he is that type of player.
It keeps him from being a big man that carries a team. Seriously phunwin. Do you think Howard will be a #1 option on a championship team? For that matter..do you see him ever winning a championship with a team where he is the best player on that team?
I have no idea; it depends on whether the Magic can surround him with enough to make it work. Right now, I would say no, though more because the Magic have hamstrung themselves with the Rashard Lewis contract (yes, it's THAT bad), and made it difficult to improve their situation significantly unless they draft extremely well (and they have not). Is Dwight Howard, right now, good enough to be the best player on a championship team? Maybe, maybe not. I think your statement that all the guys I named have "twice as much skill" as Howard is inaccurate, personally. And as I noted, his early-career numbers compare pretty well with Moses Malone. Howard will in all likelihood continue to improve, even if he never develops a respectable jump shot. He's 22 and his PER has climbed every year. That suggests further increase in the future. In two or three years, I think he probably would be good enough to be the best player on a championship team.
Brand Leaning Toward Clippers Indications remain that Brand will be a Clipper. He told the Clippers that when Free Agency opened, he wanted for them to go after Baron Davis. However, he is still considering the Warriors proposal. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3471854
Yeah thats what I'm thinking. What I really can't fathom is that he stated he wants the Clippers to go after Davis and they did. He stated that he would take less money to resign and now he is pondering over Golden State's offer.
NBA News: The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to enter the competition for Clippers Forward Elton Brand. The Warriors and the Clippers have already made offers to Brand. Brand is currently deciding on which team he will go to. If or when the 76ers do make a bid, it could potentially create a bidding war for Brand's rights. Magic PF Dwight Howard was with the Magic when Bulls PG Chris Duhon visited the team. Howard helped with the recruiting. The Cavaliers and Kings have expressed interest in Duhon but no visits have been made. Duhon is expected to make a decision within the week. The Nets have made a $2.7 million dollar qualifying offer to PF Nenad Krstic. If they do re-sign him, they have no plans on keeping him. They are looking to trade the Forward. Krstic is interested in a 2 or 3 year deal with the team. Utah Jazz are one of the teams that have expressed interest in Clippers Forward Cory Maggette. It is worth noting that the Jazz have signed Maggette before, in 2003 to be exact, but the Clippers matched their offer which was at the time a six year deal, worth $42 million. Maggette isn't expected to receive that big of an offer this time around. Baron Davis' decision to sign with Warriors has helped the Spurs tremendously. The Spurs have shown interest and are at the top of the hunt for Maggette's rights. The Spurs benefit from the Davis signing because the Clippers would not use their "Larry Bird" rights. SI.com
NBA News: Clippers Forward Chris Kaman has received his German citizenship and will team up with Dirk Nowitzki in Germany. Bulls PG Chris Duhon could be finalizing his new deal with the Orlando Magic by the end of the week. He spent more time with the team Wednesday. Bobcats Forward Sean May has been cleared to play basketball. He says he will not rush it. Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro has signed experienced coaches to be his assistants. The coaches are Del Harris, Bernie Bickerstaff and Bob Ociepka. They have also retained assistant coach Pete Myers. Rotoworld.com
They're friends and Brand opted out to supposedly free up money so the Clippers could specifically sign Davis. If he jumps the Clippers ship now he'll go from loved to completely hated here, and his nice guy persona will be tarnished imo.
Orlando has offered Chris Duhon $10 million over 3-years. Bargain, because I think he'll nearly double his career numbers in the right system. I've always been a fan of Duhon's game, but I don't think he received a fair shot in Chicago. Obviously, they've had Kirk Hinrich there. Knicks are expected to target Sebastian Telfair if Duhon opts for Orlando.....
Just ask Cavs fans about that. They still hate Carlos Boozer. I'm sure Brand won't renege on a verbal deal though like Boozer, he is from Duke...
Boozer stabbed a blind guy in the back. If that doesn't give you street cred, I don't know what does.
For Duhon, it's whether a starting job is worth a year less on his contract, with the per annum money pretty close. He won't start in Orlando, not with Jameer Nelson around, but he is a really good fit for what they need. In NY, he'll be a starter.
Next thing you know Bill Richardson will be walking around Congress with a clock around his neck, and gold teeth, discussing text amendments with Lil Jon on his iPhone.
Just what I always wanted...Marbury AND Marbury's cousin who cant stand him on my team. Ugh, Im switching franchises; hello Portland. Since I still have my Clyde the Glyde dream team jersey from when I was like 15 (which is now about 23487 sizes to small) it shouldnt be too big a stretch
Agreed. I was pointing out that it was a bargain deal for Orlando. For Duhon, however, New York is definitely his best option with D'Antoni offering him the opportunity to run a point guard friendly system. D'Antoni tried to acquire Duhon to backup Nash in Phoenix a few years ago, too. So there's obviously some history there. The report I read yesterday had New York as the front runner. It also stated that Duhon would choose between New York & Orlando on Thursday (today). I think the $10,000,000 over 3-years was an updated offer from Orlando.
NBA News: New Clipper acquisition Baron Davis is confident that Brand will be in a Clippers uniform. Davis states that Brand stating that he would come back (when he opted out) was a big reason he signed with the "other" Los Angeles team. However, Davis says that Brand has to make a decision that's best for him. Davis believes that the two can be a dynamic duo. The Clippers and Brand's agent did not discuss the offers on the table. Brand is expected to make a decision after the holidays. The Warriors have yet another option to lean back on if they lose out on Brand. They are expected to make a heavy push for another Clippers free agent, Corey Maggette. The Warriors would be in a bidding war for Maggette's rights with the Spurs, Celtics, Cavaliers, Jazz and possibly the 76ers. The Detroit Pistons have targeted Warriors free agent Mickael Pietrus and Celtics Forward James Posey. Another possibility is Blazers Forward James Jones. If the Pistons were to offer a contract, it would be no more than the mid-level exception which is worth approximately $5.8 million. Eight teams have reportedly shown interest in Pietrus. Doctors have cleared Lakers Center Andrew Bynum to start conditioning. There has been no swelling or pain in his knees and is not expected to make any follow-up visits to the doctor. Bynum will be in New York to continue rehabilitation and then will go to Atlanta to work with his trainer. Andrew Bynum is under contract for the upcoming season but has requested an offer of approximately 5 years, $80 million from the Lakers. The Denver Nuggets are in the hunt for a starting Point Guard again. As of now, they aren't targeting their own free agent Anthony Carter. The Nuggets have shown interest in Magic PG Carlos Arroyo, Anthony Johnson and Jannero Pargo. The Nuggets also have their own J.R. Smith to re-sign. The Spurs may look to Smith if they fail to acquire Clippers Forward Corey Maggette. Celtics Forward James Posey has drawn interest from several teams including the Lakers, New Orleans, Cleveland and his own Celtics. James Posey is looking for a contract that pays him almost $6 million a year over a span of 4 to 5 years. The Celtics have worked out several players in the past couple days. The players worked out are former Pacer David Harrison, Darius Miles, Kirk Snyder and Patrick O' Bryant. They have also shown interest in Knicks Center Randolph Morris. Dallas Maverick free agent Devean George has drawn interest from six different teams. The teams are Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Suns, Spurs, Hornets and Mavericks. The Knicks have contacted Celtics FA Point Guard Eddie House. House played for D'Antoni in Phoenix. SI.com
