Gortat has verbally signed with Dallas at the full MLE and the Rockets are ready to offer a MLE to Ariza.
Gotcha. I like that plan. Yeah the NY daily news reported the Knicks are ready to offer or have offered $32 million to Lee. In reference to the Grizzlies, they actually pulled out prior to getting Randolph. They were ready to offer $60 million to Lee before the owner nixed it, which led to the addition of Randolph. I agree with you on Houston. I think they're going to go after him now for sure after losing out on Gortat.
The Daily News is a crapshoot thought I like them more then the Post which is just trash. And as soon as I posted my plan about having cap room for next year, this comes out. I wouldn't be at all upset with having Kidd here, believe me, having a true star and leader here would be a great step for the Knicks. But with Nash available next year Im not sure who Id rather have. Kidd is probably the better defender and penetrating to the basket while I think Nash is more effective in half court sets and deadly as a jump shooter. Per Rotoworld: Donnie Walsh acknowledged that he can offer more than a one-year contract to potential free agents after a report surfaced stating that he would offer Jason Kidd a three-year deal. If the Knicks are going to offer Kidd three years, which is what the Mavericks are offering, the chances of him going to New York look much better - even if the offer is for less money. Kidd would love to play for Mike D'Antoni and his kids live in New York. "I have a little leeway which will leave me in good position for next year," Walsh wrote to The Associated Press. "I know what it is but do not talk much about it.
Its not exactly like that. Odom is seeking 10m/year and reports are that the Lakers are "far off" from that figure. Artest coming to LA would mean he is their starting SF. Is LA going to pay a bench player 10m/year?
On ESPN radio today, Odom was mentioned in conjunction with San Antonio. He seems a bit like the Spur's sort of player, but I half expected them to make a play for Rubio..
Yeah, San Antonio and Phoenix have apparently been trying to make room to sign Odom. Why would they make a play for Rubio when they have Parker, George Hill and the new kid who they just drafted?
Rubio is a Spurs sort of player, his weaknesses would be absorbed by their system, and he has tremendous upside if the Franchise is patient with him. Like the Spurs ending up with Dixon, it's just how they do things.
The acquisition still makes no sense in my opinion. They have two PG's already and one that they just drafted. Dixon who?
Not a little high. realistic. His offensive game is insane and he is only barely over 20 years old. it will develop. it was Riley who said that beasley's game is built to lead the league in scoring. I agree with him.
the entire MLE. most likely a one year fix with a wink wink at a longer protected deal the following year which would mean that Haslem is a goner in 2010. adding Iverson on a 1 year also and then reupping him in 2010...would also mean that the heat could only add ONE MAX contract and the MLE in 2010. this is of course if we sign him on a wink wink type of deal with promised cap space from next year. Boston did that with James Posey.
Nice deal for the Lakers. He is a perfect fit there. They will MISS Odom though. hard to replace all those rebounds.
Ouch ...Artest is ******ed. he took THREE YEARS at 6 mil per. 3 for 18 mil. JEEEEZ. He could have gotten a 1 year MLE and then reupped for 20 for 2 in Cleveland, Miami, or Houston. (minimum) He lives in LA..so he likes it there I guess.
Dallas has aparrently offered Gortat their entire MLE. This spells good news for the Magic(or another suitor) getting their hands on Bass. http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wi...bass_camp_open_to_sign_and_trade_with_orlando
FWIW, he was quoted previously underscoring the fact that he would rather be in LA - precisely because of the differences between the cities of Cleveland & LA.
WTF is Ariza thinking...Maybe he sees potential salary void in Houston with Yao's troubles along with T-Mac's history & obviously Artest moving to LA?
Ariza's leaving, but no indications that Odom will. Geez, though, Artest and Odom...that's a lot of headcases in important roles. I think at this stage of his career, Artest won't be looking at more than MLE type deals from here on out. I can't see anyone giving him 10 mil per year, even with so many teams awash in cap room next year. Even though he's been a reasonably good citizen the last couple of years, you can't ignore the possibility that he'll just go ape**** one day.
Odom wants 40 for 4. LA will pay that to a 6th man? as for Artest..I could have seen a scenario where he played well for his 1 year MLE and then got 20 for 2. LA couldn't be happier with this signing.
Well, the Pistons just paid 5/55M to a sixth man, so why not? Odom may want 4/40, but I'm sure he knows he won't get it. Who's going to give him anywhere close to that kind of money? The Pistons might have, but not now. The Griz and Thunder won't, and no one else has cap room. He'll come back to the Lakers for something they can both live with. Worst case, he signs a 1 year, 10M type deal and tries again next year.
I hate, hate, hate, HATE the player option. It's a pure downside play. If the player outperforms his contract, he leaves. If he plays like crap, he sticks around and soaks your payroll for another year. For one year, it's a bad play. A two year player option is worse still. And if a GM signs a guy to a three year player option, he should be fired on the spot.
As a Lakers fan, I am actually on the fence about the Artest signing. I think playing with Kobe will help keep him level headed. But the fact remains, that Ron psych himself out of games and is really easy to rattle. I am willing to bet that if you put me in a game defending him, I could get him to take a swipe at me and get ejected within the first half (of course he probably would have dropped 30 on me at that point as well...) It is going to suck to see Ariza go, but I am happy for him if he is happy, he will always be a Laker. Also, I get the feeling that Odom is coming back. He likes it here and as others have said, no one is going to pay him the money he is looking for. A lineup of Kobe/Artest/Odom/Gasol/Bynum wouldn't be the worst thing in the world offensively.
BREAKING NEWS: This just in...Ron Artest has set fire to Staples center while raping Jerry Buss on the baseline as he smoked a bowl full of crack. he will be fine guys...Artest is crazy...but the good kind of crazy. The funny kind. Just don;t throw beer cups at him and he will be fine.
