The New Orleans Hornets agreed to trade reserve point guard Antonio Daniels and a 2014 second-round draft pick to Minnesota on Wednesday in exchange for forward Darius Songaila and guard Bobby Brown.
"This move gives us added depth at the guard position and the power forward position," Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said. "Darius brings toughness and experience to bolster our frontcourt. We know Bobby pretty well from when he played on our summer league team and are excited to add his speed and scoring ability."
The move will cut the Hornets' payroll by $1.3 million this season, but Songaila has two years left on his contract, while Daniels' contract expires after next season.
The Timberwolves take on a little more salary this season, but get out from under Songaila's player option for next year, which will cost about $4.8 million.
"Antonio has the ability to play both guard positions and will provide a veteran presence and added flexibility to our backcourt," said David Kahn, the Timberwolves' president of basketball operations. "This trade also provides increased flexibility for personnel moves beginning next summer."
Songaila, who is 6-foot-9, has been in the NBA for six seasons, averaging 7 points. He spent the past three seasons in Washington and was acquired by Minnesota in June. He averaged 7.4 points in 77 games for the Wizards last season. He was drafted 50th overall by Boston in 2002.
Like Hornets star point guard Chris Paul, Songaila also played at Wake Forest. Songaila, Paul, and fellow Hornets David West and James Posey all were coached by the late Skip Prosser in college.
Brown, who was on the Hornets' summer league team in 2008, played 68 games with Sacramento and Minnesota last season, his first in the NBA. He will have to compete with Hornets 2009 first-round draft pick Darren Collison for playing time.
Daniels, 34, is a 12-year veteran. He was acquired by the Hornets last season from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Mike James. Daniels played in 61 games for New Orleans last season, averaging 3.8 points and 2.1 assists. He has one season left on his current contract, worth about $6.5 million next season.
Drafted by the Grizzlies when the franchise was still in Vancouver, Daniels also has played for San Antonio, Portland and Seattle. He has averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 assists during his career.
Showing posts with label trade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trade. Show all posts
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Clippers agree to deal Randolph to Grizzlies for Richardson
A week after the Los Angeles Clippers backed out of a proposed trade that would have sent forward Zach Randolph to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Clippers have changed their minds and will now agree to the deal, with newly acquired Memphis swingman Quentin Richardson going to the Clippers, TNT's David Aldridge reports. The deal can't officially be announced until next week.
The deal would clear a logjam for the Clippers' frontcourt. The team was determined to make room for its first-round pick, overall number one selection Blake Griffin, but playing time was split up between Randolph, center Chris Kaman and forward/center Marcus Camby. It was believed that Randolph, with his low-post skills, was the safest of the three, because halfcourt basketball is the preference of Coach Mike Dunleavy. But Kaman's contract, with an expensive trade kicker, may have made him more difficult to deal.
The trade probably wouldn't have been made if the Clippers hadn't won the Lottery, but they did, and Griffin's presence signals a likely change to a more up-tempo attack in Los Angeles next season.
The 27-year-old Randolph averaged 20.8 points and 10.8 rebounds last season, playing the first 11 games in New York and 39 in Los Angeles after being dealt by the Knicks in a package for Cuttino Mobley and forward Tim Thomas. It was the second straight season Randolph averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds.
It's a low-risk deal for Memphis, which hasn't had a legitimate low-post option since dealing Pau Gasol to the Lakers in that often-vilified deal in early 2008. But that deal brought forward Marc Gasol, Pau's brother and the team's starting center last season, and the other pieces in the deal ultimately led to the Grizzlies getting a draft pick in last week's draft that turned into Pittsburgh forward Sam Young. Young was one of three solid picks in last week's draft, along with center Hasheem Thabeet and forward DeMarre Carroll.
The deal also makes the Clippers yet another team that could be a player in the summer of 2010. With the final two years and $33.3 million of Randolph's deal off their books (Richardson has one year at $8.7 million left on his contract), Los Angeles will only have a little more than $36 million committed in team salaries, including Griffin's second-year salary of $4.4 million, for 2010.
The Grizzlies changed potential players in the deal to make it work. Last week, they had offered forward Marco Jaric for Randolph, but with two years and $14.7 million left on his deal, he wouldn't have given the Clippers with the potential to get involved in 2010 that Richardson's contract provides, and owner Donald Sterling nixed the deal.
Richardson, 29, has seen his production fall off in recent seasons. He averaged just 10.2 points in 72 games for New York last season. The Grizzlies traded center Darko Milicic to the Knicks last week for Richardson, but there was no place for him in Memphis with O.J. Mayo well set at the shooting guard spot and Rudy Gay the incumbent at small forward. So in essence, the Grizzlies were able to turn Milicic into Randolph.
Richardson spent his first four seasons with the Clippers after being drafted by them in 2000.
Hoopsworld and the Los Angeles Times first reported the potential trade.
The deal would clear a logjam for the Clippers' frontcourt. The team was determined to make room for its first-round pick, overall number one selection Blake Griffin, but playing time was split up between Randolph, center Chris Kaman and forward/center Marcus Camby. It was believed that Randolph, with his low-post skills, was the safest of the three, because halfcourt basketball is the preference of Coach Mike Dunleavy. But Kaman's contract, with an expensive trade kicker, may have made him more difficult to deal.
The trade probably wouldn't have been made if the Clippers hadn't won the Lottery, but they did, and Griffin's presence signals a likely change to a more up-tempo attack in Los Angeles next season.
The 27-year-old Randolph averaged 20.8 points and 10.8 rebounds last season, playing the first 11 games in New York and 39 in Los Angeles after being dealt by the Knicks in a package for Cuttino Mobley and forward Tim Thomas. It was the second straight season Randolph averaged more than 20 points and 10 rebounds.
It's a low-risk deal for Memphis, which hasn't had a legitimate low-post option since dealing Pau Gasol to the Lakers in that often-vilified deal in early 2008. But that deal brought forward Marc Gasol, Pau's brother and the team's starting center last season, and the other pieces in the deal ultimately led to the Grizzlies getting a draft pick in last week's draft that turned into Pittsburgh forward Sam Young. Young was one of three solid picks in last week's draft, along with center Hasheem Thabeet and forward DeMarre Carroll.
The deal also makes the Clippers yet another team that could be a player in the summer of 2010. With the final two years and $33.3 million of Randolph's deal off their books (Richardson has one year at $8.7 million left on his contract), Los Angeles will only have a little more than $36 million committed in team salaries, including Griffin's second-year salary of $4.4 million, for 2010.
The Grizzlies changed potential players in the deal to make it work. Last week, they had offered forward Marco Jaric for Randolph, but with two years and $14.7 million left on his deal, he wouldn't have given the Clippers with the potential to get involved in 2010 that Richardson's contract provides, and owner Donald Sterling nixed the deal.
Richardson, 29, has seen his production fall off in recent seasons. He averaged just 10.2 points in 72 games for New York last season. The Grizzlies traded center Darko Milicic to the Knicks last week for Richardson, but there was no place for him in Memphis with O.J. Mayo well set at the shooting guard spot and Rudy Gay the incumbent at small forward. So in essence, the Grizzlies were able to turn Milicic into Randolph.
Richardson spent his first four seasons with the Clippers after being drafted by them in 2000.
Hoopsworld and the Los Angeles Times first reported the potential trade.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Report: Cavaliers close to trade for Shaq
The Cleveland Cavaliers are close to acquiring Phoenix center Shaquille O'Neal in a trade that would pair him with NBA MVP LeBron James, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The Cavs and Phoenix Suns have reached an agreement in principle on the deal, which gives the Cavaliers two of the league's biggest superstars.
O'Neal will join Cleveland in exchange for center Ben Wallace, guard Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round draft pick (No. 46 overall in Thursday's draft) and cash, said the two people who spoke on condition of anonymity because the league still must approve the deal.
Yahoo! Sports first reported the deal.
The trade, which the sides had been discussing for months, gives the Suns financial flexibility in the future. O'Neal has just one season left on a $20 million contract and Wallace, who ended last season saying he may retire, is in the final year of a $14 million deal.
The Suns save $10 million on the deal, half of it by lowering their payroll below the luxury tax limit. They plan to buy out Pavlovic, who has $1.5 million of his $4.95 million contract guaranteed.
Phoenix, which also gets $500,000 in cash from the Cavs, might save even more if Wallace decides to accept a buyout. The big center reportedly is considering retirement after battling injuries the last few seasons.
Owner Robert Sarver, whose banking and real estate interests have suffered greatly in the economic downturn, said last Saturday that he didn't mind paying a luxury tax for a good team. But Phoenix failed to make the playoffs, and the Suns are in the midst of what amounts to a rebuilding effort.
In Cleveland, O'Neal could be the missing piece for James to win a first championship.
O'Neal's addition also provides Cleveland with some much needed size in its frontcourt. The Cavs couldn't stop Orlando center Dwight Howard in the Eastern Conference finals, losing the series in six games and seeing a 66-win regular season and deep playoff run come up short.
Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry tried to acquire O'Neal before the trading deadline in February.
The Suns were a West-leading 34-14 when they acquired O'Neal in February 2008. He averaged 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds last season and appeared in his 15th All-Star game, stealing the show with a goofy dance during pregame introductions at U.S. Airways Center.
Suns point guard and two-time MVP Steve Nash was asked Wednesday by NBA.com about the possibility of trading Shaq.
"I don't want to get involved in that," Nash said before a charity soccer match he co-hosted in New York. "Everything [Suns management does] has a financial connotation, so it's not even worth commenting on. No one can know what they're going to do, so I just hope everyone is happy."
Popular coach Mike D'Antoni, who reportedly pushed management to acquire Shaq, left at the end of O'Neal's first season. D'Antoni was replaced by Terry Porter, who was fired in midseason after a failed attempt to get the team to play better defense.
The Suns won one playoff game in O'Neal's 1 1/2 seasons -- and last spring they failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2004.
Soon after the season ended, speculation began to grow that the club was looking to deal O'Neal while his trade value was still high.
The Suns might not be finished with big trades. All-Star Amare Stoudemire, who can opt out of his contract, also is being mentioned prominently in potential deals.
With James' potential free agency looming after next season, the Cavaliers feel an even greater sense of urgency to win the city's first pro sports championship since 1964. By bringing in O'Neal, they have again demonstrated to the 24-year-old James that they're willing to make bold moves while keeping themselves in good financial position.
If the O'Neal-James pairing doesn't work out, the Cavs might be able to trade the perennial All-Star next February and would have more money to spend in the Summer of 2010 on what is being called the greatest free agency class in league history.
James and O'Neal have known each other for years. When James was a high school phenom in Akron, Ohio, O'Neal attended one of his games and the two have remained close. James has often wondered what it would be like to play with a center of O'Neal's stature.
He's about to find out.
The Cavs and Phoenix Suns have reached an agreement in principle on the deal, which gives the Cavaliers two of the league's biggest superstars.
O'Neal will join Cleveland in exchange for center Ben Wallace, guard Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round draft pick (No. 46 overall in Thursday's draft) and cash, said the two people who spoke on condition of anonymity because the league still must approve the deal.
Yahoo! Sports first reported the deal.
The trade, which the sides had been discussing for months, gives the Suns financial flexibility in the future. O'Neal has just one season left on a $20 million contract and Wallace, who ended last season saying he may retire, is in the final year of a $14 million deal.
The Suns save $10 million on the deal, half of it by lowering their payroll below the luxury tax limit. They plan to buy out Pavlovic, who has $1.5 million of his $4.95 million contract guaranteed.
Phoenix, which also gets $500,000 in cash from the Cavs, might save even more if Wallace decides to accept a buyout. The big center reportedly is considering retirement after battling injuries the last few seasons.
Owner Robert Sarver, whose banking and real estate interests have suffered greatly in the economic downturn, said last Saturday that he didn't mind paying a luxury tax for a good team. But Phoenix failed to make the playoffs, and the Suns are in the midst of what amounts to a rebuilding effort.
In Cleveland, O'Neal could be the missing piece for James to win a first championship.
O'Neal's addition also provides Cleveland with some much needed size in its frontcourt. The Cavs couldn't stop Orlando center Dwight Howard in the Eastern Conference finals, losing the series in six games and seeing a 66-win regular season and deep playoff run come up short.
Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry tried to acquire O'Neal before the trading deadline in February.
The Suns were a West-leading 34-14 when they acquired O'Neal in February 2008. He averaged 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds last season and appeared in his 15th All-Star game, stealing the show with a goofy dance during pregame introductions at U.S. Airways Center.
Suns point guard and two-time MVP Steve Nash was asked Wednesday by NBA.com about the possibility of trading Shaq.
"I don't want to get involved in that," Nash said before a charity soccer match he co-hosted in New York. "Everything [Suns management does] has a financial connotation, so it's not even worth commenting on. No one can know what they're going to do, so I just hope everyone is happy."
Popular coach Mike D'Antoni, who reportedly pushed management to acquire Shaq, left at the end of O'Neal's first season. D'Antoni was replaced by Terry Porter, who was fired in midseason after a failed attempt to get the team to play better defense.
The Suns won one playoff game in O'Neal's 1 1/2 seasons -- and last spring they failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2004.
Soon after the season ended, speculation began to grow that the club was looking to deal O'Neal while his trade value was still high.
The Suns might not be finished with big trades. All-Star Amare Stoudemire, who can opt out of his contract, also is being mentioned prominently in potential deals.
With James' potential free agency looming after next season, the Cavaliers feel an even greater sense of urgency to win the city's first pro sports championship since 1964. By bringing in O'Neal, they have again demonstrated to the 24-year-old James that they're willing to make bold moves while keeping themselves in good financial position.
If the O'Neal-James pairing doesn't work out, the Cavs might be able to trade the perennial All-Star next February and would have more money to spend in the Summer of 2010 on what is being called the greatest free agency class in league history.
James and O'Neal have known each other for years. When James was a high school phenom in Akron, Ohio, O'Neal attended one of his games and the two have remained close. James has often wondered what it would be like to play with a center of O'Neal's stature.
He's about to find out.
Wizards send No. 5 pick to Wolves for Foye, Miller
The Minnesota Timberwolves are set to have one busy draft day.
A trade that brings the Timberwolves the No. 5 overall pick in Thursday's draft has been completed.
The Timberwolves and Washington on Wednesday struck a deal that gives Minnesota its fourth first-round draft choice, along with Wizards forwards Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov.
The Wizards receive guards Randy Foye and Mike Miller.
The teams first agreed to the deal on Tuesday night. Minnesota now has the fifth, sixth, 18th and 28th selections in the draft, giving them the resources to potentially trade up even higher and go after either Spanish guard Ricky Rubio or Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet.
New Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn declined comment through a team spokesman on Tuesday night, perhaps because he may not be finished trading.
Speaking after a prospect workout Tuesday morning before the deal had been reported, Kahn praised the 7-foot-3 Thabeet, who could give the team a sorely needed defensive presence next to Al Jefferson and Kevin Love up front.
"You could say that would complete our front line if we had somebody of that size and rim-protecting capability," Kahn said. "You could actually make an argument, and I'm not making that for me right now, but somebody could make that argument, that he would be the perfect fit."
Smoke screen? Difficult to say, given the Timberwolves have been searching for a formidable presence practically since they entered the league in 1989. Thabeet averaged 13.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.2 blocks and was co-Big East player of the year.
The Wizards, unlike most lottery teams, feel they can afford to deal a high first-round draft pick because they're already adding a major impact player next season. Gilbert Arenas is expected to return at full strength after missing most of the last two seasons due to multiple knee surgeries, putting Washington in contention to return to the playoffs immediately despite coming off a 19-63 season that matched the worst 82-game record in franchise history.
The Wizards also have a plentiful supply of youngsters who are supposedly up-and-coming -- Nick Young, JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche, Dominic McGuire -- and are in need of more veteran poise in the locker room rather than another developing rookie.
Plus the deal with the Timberwolves gives them a veteran shooter in Miller and a young combo guard in Foye, who may benefit from a change of scenery.
Foye has been dogged by comparisons to Portland star Brandon Roy ever since the two were swapped on draft night in 2006. Roy developed into an All-Star and one of the best young players in the game. Foye has been solid, but not spectacular, and missed most of his second season with a knee injury.
He picked up some of the scoring load when Al Jefferson went down with a knee injury in February. Foye averaged 16.3 points and 4.3 assists, but the Wolves had difficulty deciding whether to play him at point guard or shooting guard, and fans never let him forget he's been out-performed by Roy.
Miller came to Minnesota from Memphis nearly one year ago in a package that included Kevin Love in exchange for O.J. Mayo and a handful of retreads.
Viewed as one of the best perimeter shooters in the game, Miller played a far more passive game in his only season with the Wolves. He averaged a career-low 9.9 points per game.
Thomas has an opt-out clause in his contract that would allow him to become a free agent on July 1. He averaged 3.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in just 26 games last season for the Wizards.
Songaila averaged 7.4 points and 2.9 rebounds in 77 games last season.
A trade that brings the Timberwolves the No. 5 overall pick in Thursday's draft has been completed.
The Timberwolves and Washington on Wednesday struck a deal that gives Minnesota its fourth first-round draft choice, along with Wizards forwards Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov.
The Wizards receive guards Randy Foye and Mike Miller.
The teams first agreed to the deal on Tuesday night. Minnesota now has the fifth, sixth, 18th and 28th selections in the draft, giving them the resources to potentially trade up even higher and go after either Spanish guard Ricky Rubio or Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet.
New Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn declined comment through a team spokesman on Tuesday night, perhaps because he may not be finished trading.
Speaking after a prospect workout Tuesday morning before the deal had been reported, Kahn praised the 7-foot-3 Thabeet, who could give the team a sorely needed defensive presence next to Al Jefferson and Kevin Love up front.
"You could say that would complete our front line if we had somebody of that size and rim-protecting capability," Kahn said. "You could actually make an argument, and I'm not making that for me right now, but somebody could make that argument, that he would be the perfect fit."
Smoke screen? Difficult to say, given the Timberwolves have been searching for a formidable presence practically since they entered the league in 1989. Thabeet averaged 13.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.2 blocks and was co-Big East player of the year.
The Wizards, unlike most lottery teams, feel they can afford to deal a high first-round draft pick because they're already adding a major impact player next season. Gilbert Arenas is expected to return at full strength after missing most of the last two seasons due to multiple knee surgeries, putting Washington in contention to return to the playoffs immediately despite coming off a 19-63 season that matched the worst 82-game record in franchise history.
The Wizards also have a plentiful supply of youngsters who are supposedly up-and-coming -- Nick Young, JaVale McGee, Andray Blatche, Dominic McGuire -- and are in need of more veteran poise in the locker room rather than another developing rookie.
Plus the deal with the Timberwolves gives them a veteran shooter in Miller and a young combo guard in Foye, who may benefit from a change of scenery.
Foye has been dogged by comparisons to Portland star Brandon Roy ever since the two were swapped on draft night in 2006. Roy developed into an All-Star and one of the best young players in the game. Foye has been solid, but not spectacular, and missed most of his second season with a knee injury.
He picked up some of the scoring load when Al Jefferson went down with a knee injury in February. Foye averaged 16.3 points and 4.3 assists, but the Wolves had difficulty deciding whether to play him at point guard or shooting guard, and fans never let him forget he's been out-performed by Roy.
Miller came to Minnesota from Memphis nearly one year ago in a package that included Kevin Love in exchange for O.J. Mayo and a handful of retreads.
Viewed as one of the best perimeter shooters in the game, Miller played a far more passive game in his only season with the Wolves. He averaged a career-low 9.9 points per game.
Thomas has an opt-out clause in his contract that would allow him to become a free agent on July 1. He averaged 3.1 points and 2.5 rebounds in just 26 games last season for the Wizards.
Songaila averaged 7.4 points and 2.9 rebounds in 77 games last season.
Aldridge: Warriors deal Crawford to Hawks for Law, Claxton
The Golden State Warriors dealt with their troubled backcourt situation Wednesday by agreeing to deal guard Jamal Crawford to the Atlanta Hawks for guards Acie Law and Speedy Claxton, according to a league source.
The move solidifies the Hawks at a position where Atlanta had a potential problem this coming offseason, with incumbent Mike Bibby entering free agency.
The Hawks were leery about being able to re-sign Bibby this summer, expecting him to get an offer in excess of $7 million per year-more than they're willing to pay. Bringing in Crawford alleviates that potential problem.
Crawford can give the Hawks consistent backcourt offense, which will ease pressure on Joe Johnson.
The trade was first reported by ESPN.
Crawford, acquired from the Knicks last season in the Al Harrington deal, quickly fell out of favor with Warriors Coach Don Nelson. By the end of the season, Nelson demanded that Crawford exercise his out clause in his contract and become a free agent, or expect to be traded.
Crawford didn't mind being traded, as long as it was to a winning team.
Law, the 12th pick overall in 2007, never broke into Mike Woodson's rotation in two seasons in Atlanta.
The Warriors are expected to waive Claxton, who has been slowed by injuries in recent years.
The move solidifies the Hawks at a position where Atlanta had a potential problem this coming offseason, with incumbent Mike Bibby entering free agency.
The Hawks were leery about being able to re-sign Bibby this summer, expecting him to get an offer in excess of $7 million per year-more than they're willing to pay. Bringing in Crawford alleviates that potential problem.
Crawford can give the Hawks consistent backcourt offense, which will ease pressure on Joe Johnson.
The trade was first reported by ESPN.
Crawford, acquired from the Knicks last season in the Al Harrington deal, quickly fell out of favor with Warriors Coach Don Nelson. By the end of the season, Nelson demanded that Crawford exercise his out clause in his contract and become a free agent, or expect to be traded.
Crawford didn't mind being traded, as long as it was to a winning team.
Law, the 12th pick overall in 2007, never broke into Mike Woodson's rotation in two seasons in Atlanta.
The Warriors are expected to waive Claxton, who has been slowed by injuries in recent years.
Spurs acquire Jefferson from Bucks for three players
The San Antonio Spurs needed a scorer and they needed to get younger. They got both in one deal.
Milwaukee sent swingman Richard Jefferson to San Antonio on Tuesday for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto, taking three aging bench players with expiring contracts to unload Jefferson and the $29.2 million owed in the final two years of his contract.
Milwaukee then dealt Oberto to the Pistons for forward Amir Johnson. The trades give the Bucks more financial flexibility, the Spurs a proven scorer and the Pistons a veteran big man at a lower cost than Johnson.
Jefferson, 29, averaged 19.6 points in his one season with the Bucks. The trade gave both sides what they were after: Milwaukee needed to cut its payroll, and the Spurs needed and a young and healthy offensive threat after a long distinction as the NBA's oldest team.
"His age helps us transition our team into a new era," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said.
Spurs guard Tony Parker welcomed Jefferson into the fold, alongside Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. San Antonio is coming off its shortest playoff run since 2000 and faded down the stretch with Duncan, 33, hobbled and Ginobili, 31, sidelined by injury.
Jefferson, in contrast, hasn't missed a game the past two seasons.
"He's a great wing," said Parker, speaking to reporters before the trade for Jefferson became official Tuesday. "It's something we don't have on our team."
Jefferson became the Bucks' best offensive threat after Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut went down with season-ending injuries, but the Bucks' tight financial situation made a move necessary.
Milwaukee does not want to pay the NBA's luxury tax, which last year hit teams dollar-for-dollar once they reach $71.15 million in total payroll.
Redd, Bogut and Jefferson are scheduled to make more than $41 million combined this season.
"The trade we made today provides us with much needed options in both the short and long-term planning for our franchise," Bucks general manager John Hammond said in a statement.
The trade was a shock to at least one Bucks player: Charlie Villanueva posted "RJ traded to Spurs. Wow" on his Twitter account before the trade was official.
Bogut also chimed in, wishing Jefferson the best.
"Sad to see RJ go. He was a fun guy to be around and could play. We are building for the future, slow and steady. Patience grasshopper," Bogut posted on Twitter.
The deal actually might allow the Bucks to keep Ramon Sessions or Villanueva, since both are restricted free agents.
Bowen and Thomas give the Bucks a veteran group, and neither is signed beyond the upcoming season.
Johnson, 22, is a young power forward and another option down low for Milwaukee. A second-round draft pick by Detroit in 2005, Johnson started 24 games for the Pistons and averaged 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds. He is also in the final year of his contract, but makes slightly more than Oberto's $3.5 million, which is partially guaranteed.
Thomas, 36, is a 14-year veteran who averaged 4.3 points and 5.1 rebounds off the bench last season. Oberto, 34, spent four years in San Antonio and underwent a procedure earlier this month to correct an irregular heartbeat.
Bowen was a key cog in helping the Spurs win three championships, relishing his role as a shutdown defender, assigned to the best player on the floor. But the 38-year-old lost a step and saw his minutes cut significantly.
Bowen lost the starting job he held for six seasons and didn't earn a spot on the NBA's all-defensive team for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Bowen said he still wanted to play but didn't know how many years he had left.
"I'm not looking for any five-year deals," Bowen quipped.
Jefferson gives the Spurs the additional scorer they craved in April, when the Dallas Mavericks ousted San Antonio the playoffs in five games. The Spurs were little more than a two-man show of Parker and Duncan, and coach Gregg Popovich said afterward that his team simply couldn't match firepower.
"This provides us an opportunity to have a pretty (darn) good three man on our roster," Buford said.
Milwaukee sent swingman Richard Jefferson to San Antonio on Tuesday for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto, taking three aging bench players with expiring contracts to unload Jefferson and the $29.2 million owed in the final two years of his contract.
Milwaukee then dealt Oberto to the Pistons for forward Amir Johnson. The trades give the Bucks more financial flexibility, the Spurs a proven scorer and the Pistons a veteran big man at a lower cost than Johnson.
Jefferson, 29, averaged 19.6 points in his one season with the Bucks. The trade gave both sides what they were after: Milwaukee needed to cut its payroll, and the Spurs needed and a young and healthy offensive threat after a long distinction as the NBA's oldest team.
"His age helps us transition our team into a new era," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said.
Spurs guard Tony Parker welcomed Jefferson into the fold, alongside Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. San Antonio is coming off its shortest playoff run since 2000 and faded down the stretch with Duncan, 33, hobbled and Ginobili, 31, sidelined by injury.
Jefferson, in contrast, hasn't missed a game the past two seasons.
"He's a great wing," said Parker, speaking to reporters before the trade for Jefferson became official Tuesday. "It's something we don't have on our team."
Jefferson became the Bucks' best offensive threat after Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut went down with season-ending injuries, but the Bucks' tight financial situation made a move necessary.
Milwaukee does not want to pay the NBA's luxury tax, which last year hit teams dollar-for-dollar once they reach $71.15 million in total payroll.
Redd, Bogut and Jefferson are scheduled to make more than $41 million combined this season.
"The trade we made today provides us with much needed options in both the short and long-term planning for our franchise," Bucks general manager John Hammond said in a statement.
The trade was a shock to at least one Bucks player: Charlie Villanueva posted "RJ traded to Spurs. Wow" on his Twitter account before the trade was official.
Bogut also chimed in, wishing Jefferson the best.
"Sad to see RJ go. He was a fun guy to be around and could play. We are building for the future, slow and steady. Patience grasshopper," Bogut posted on Twitter.
The deal actually might allow the Bucks to keep Ramon Sessions or Villanueva, since both are restricted free agents.
Bowen and Thomas give the Bucks a veteran group, and neither is signed beyond the upcoming season.
Johnson, 22, is a young power forward and another option down low for Milwaukee. A second-round draft pick by Detroit in 2005, Johnson started 24 games for the Pistons and averaged 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds. He is also in the final year of his contract, but makes slightly more than Oberto's $3.5 million, which is partially guaranteed.
Thomas, 36, is a 14-year veteran who averaged 4.3 points and 5.1 rebounds off the bench last season. Oberto, 34, spent four years in San Antonio and underwent a procedure earlier this month to correct an irregular heartbeat.
Bowen was a key cog in helping the Spurs win three championships, relishing his role as a shutdown defender, assigned to the best player on the floor. But the 38-year-old lost a step and saw his minutes cut significantly.
Bowen lost the starting job he held for six seasons and didn't earn a spot on the NBA's all-defensive team for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. Bowen said he still wanted to play but didn't know how many years he had left.
"I'm not looking for any five-year deals," Bowen quipped.
Jefferson gives the Spurs the additional scorer they craved in April, when the Dallas Mavericks ousted San Antonio the playoffs in five games. The Spurs were little more than a two-man show of Parker and Duncan, and coach Gregg Popovich said afterward that his team simply couldn't match firepower.
"This provides us an opportunity to have a pretty (darn) good three man on our roster," Buford said.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Agent: McDyess will re-sign with Pistons next month
Antonio McDyess is coming back to play for the Detroit Pistons.
Andy Miller, McDyess' agent, confirmed Sunday the former All-Star and Olympian will re-sign with the Pistons next month.
Detroit dealt McDyess, Chauncey Billups and project Cheikh Samb to Denver for Allen Iverson on Nov. 3.
The cost-cutting Nuggets waived McDyess a week after obtaining him and he has to wait until 30 days have passed since the trade to rejoin the Pistons.
McDyess has averaged 13.4 points and 7.7 rebounds in 12 seasons. The 34-year-old power forward averaged seven points and four rebounds in two games as a key reserve for Detroit before the trade.
Andy Miller, McDyess' agent, confirmed Sunday the former All-Star and Olympian will re-sign with the Pistons next month.
Detroit dealt McDyess, Chauncey Billups and project Cheikh Samb to Denver for Allen Iverson on Nov. 3.
The cost-cutting Nuggets waived McDyess a week after obtaining him and he has to wait until 30 days have passed since the trade to rejoin the Pistons.
McDyess has averaged 13.4 points and 7.7 rebounds in 12 seasons. The 34-year-old power forward averaged seven points and four rebounds in two games as a key reserve for Detroit before the trade.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Pistons acquire Iverson, send Billups and McDyess to Denver
The shakeup promised by Detroit Pistons president Joe Dumars after last season's Eastern Conference finals has materialized just two games into the new season.
The Pistons and the Nuggets have finalized a trade that sends guard Allen Iverson to Detroit and Pistons mainstays Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver.
"We just felt it was the right time to change our team," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told The Associated Press. "Iverson gives us a dimension that we haven't had here and we really think it's going to help us."
The Pistons will introduce Iverson at a news conference Tuesday in Auburn Hills, Mich., at 3:30 p.m. ET. His debut with the Pistons might come Wednesday night in Toronto.
"He was very excited about the trade," Iverson's agent, Leon Rose, told the AP.
Young center Cheikh Samb, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers for the Pistons with the 51st overall pick in the 2006 draft, will also be going to Denver in the deal.
The Nuggets are expected to waive the 34-year-old McDyess, ESPN.com's Chad Ford reports. McDyess has no interest in playing for any team other than the Pistons, meaning he could choose to retire or negotiate a contract buyout with Denver.
Billups is in the second season of a four-year contract worth a guaranteed $46 million with a $14 million team option for a fifth year. The Pistons kept McDyess off the free-agent market by giving him a $13.5 million, two-year contract extension, and they would love to have him back if the Nuggets don't want his salary and buy out his contract.
Dumars put the entire Pistons roster on notice after they lost to Boston in the East finals, saying that there "are no sacred cows" on his team and vowing to consider trading anyone -- even a major contributor to the Pistons' 2004 title run like Billups -- in addition to firing coach Flip Saunders and replacing Saunders with the untested Michael Curry.
The Pistons could not find a workable deal over the summer after talking with numerous teams -- Denver included, according to NBA front-office sources -- but it emerged then that Billups, MVP of the 2004 Finals, was the most likely Piston to be dealt.
With Denver's desire to acquire a dependable point guard growing, Dumars moved quickly to finally consummate this deal with the Nuggets, who acquired Iverson from Philadelphia shortly before Christmas in 2006 but failed in two attempts to get out of the first round with a three-man core of Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby.
Camby was jettisoned to the Los Angeles Clippers in a straight salary dump in July for luxury-tax purposes. After playing sparingly in the preseason, Iverson was stripped of his captaincy last week and averaged just over 13 shots per game as the Nuggets opened with a 1-2 mark.
The Nuggets will be hoping now that the homecoming of Billups, a Denver native who starred collegiately at the University of Colorado, meshes better with Anthony, given that he's more of a natural point guard than Iverson. Yet there is some risk for the Nuggets, since Billups is 32 and has three more seasons left on his deal after this one, with the four years totaling in excess of $50 million.
Both Billups and McDyess were Nuggets in the 1990s.
The Pistons, meanwhile, will undoubtedly contend that their risks are mitigated by the fact that Iverson, who turned 33 in June, is in the final year of his contract at $20.8 million.
Dumars loves to gamble on players who are reputed to possess as many minuses as pluses, as seen with the trade-deadline acquisition of Rasheed Wallace in 2004 which spurred Detroit to its first championship since Dumars was playing in 1990. If this gamble doesn't work, swapping Billups for Iverson would give Detroit financial flexibility to pursue a more aggressive makeover next summer, with the highly regarded Rodney Stuckey staying put as the long-term cornerstone of the Pistons' backcourt.
"Two teams had one common problem, or challenge," Nuggets executive Mark Warkentien said, according to AP. "I think the Pistons looked at Stuckey and saw him as the point guard of tomorrow, and you have an All-Star in Chauncey who was in his way.
"We're just thrilled with the way J.R. [Smith] is progressing and he had a Hall of Famer in front of him. You understand the motivation of both teams."
Iverson brings considerable star power to Detroit. The 20th-leading scorer in NBA history was the league MVP in 2001 -- four years after being the Rookie of the Year -- and is a nine-time All-Star. He has averaged nearly 28 points for his career and has led the NBA in steals three times, tying a league record.
Philadelphia drafted Iverson No. 1 overall in 1996 out of Georgetown and he spent 11½ seasons with the franchise, leading it to the NBA Finals in 2001. He was traded Dec. 19, 2006, to the Nuggets and helped them reach the playoffs twice.
The Pistons and the Nuggets have finalized a trade that sends guard Allen Iverson to Detroit and Pistons mainstays Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver.
"We just felt it was the right time to change our team," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told The Associated Press. "Iverson gives us a dimension that we haven't had here and we really think it's going to help us."
The Pistons will introduce Iverson at a news conference Tuesday in Auburn Hills, Mich., at 3:30 p.m. ET. His debut with the Pistons might come Wednesday night in Toronto.
"He was very excited about the trade," Iverson's agent, Leon Rose, told the AP.
Young center Cheikh Samb, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers for the Pistons with the 51st overall pick in the 2006 draft, will also be going to Denver in the deal.
The Nuggets are expected to waive the 34-year-old McDyess, ESPN.com's Chad Ford reports. McDyess has no interest in playing for any team other than the Pistons, meaning he could choose to retire or negotiate a contract buyout with Denver.
Billups is in the second season of a four-year contract worth a guaranteed $46 million with a $14 million team option for a fifth year. The Pistons kept McDyess off the free-agent market by giving him a $13.5 million, two-year contract extension, and they would love to have him back if the Nuggets don't want his salary and buy out his contract.
Dumars put the entire Pistons roster on notice after they lost to Boston in the East finals, saying that there "are no sacred cows" on his team and vowing to consider trading anyone -- even a major contributor to the Pistons' 2004 title run like Billups -- in addition to firing coach Flip Saunders and replacing Saunders with the untested Michael Curry.
The Pistons could not find a workable deal over the summer after talking with numerous teams -- Denver included, according to NBA front-office sources -- but it emerged then that Billups, MVP of the 2004 Finals, was the most likely Piston to be dealt.
With Denver's desire to acquire a dependable point guard growing, Dumars moved quickly to finally consummate this deal with the Nuggets, who acquired Iverson from Philadelphia shortly before Christmas in 2006 but failed in two attempts to get out of the first round with a three-man core of Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby.
Camby was jettisoned to the Los Angeles Clippers in a straight salary dump in July for luxury-tax purposes. After playing sparingly in the preseason, Iverson was stripped of his captaincy last week and averaged just over 13 shots per game as the Nuggets opened with a 1-2 mark.
The Nuggets will be hoping now that the homecoming of Billups, a Denver native who starred collegiately at the University of Colorado, meshes better with Anthony, given that he's more of a natural point guard than Iverson. Yet there is some risk for the Nuggets, since Billups is 32 and has three more seasons left on his deal after this one, with the four years totaling in excess of $50 million.
Both Billups and McDyess were Nuggets in the 1990s.
The Pistons, meanwhile, will undoubtedly contend that their risks are mitigated by the fact that Iverson, who turned 33 in June, is in the final year of his contract at $20.8 million.
Dumars loves to gamble on players who are reputed to possess as many minuses as pluses, as seen with the trade-deadline acquisition of Rasheed Wallace in 2004 which spurred Detroit to its first championship since Dumars was playing in 1990. If this gamble doesn't work, swapping Billups for Iverson would give Detroit financial flexibility to pursue a more aggressive makeover next summer, with the highly regarded Rodney Stuckey staying put as the long-term cornerstone of the Pistons' backcourt.
"Two teams had one common problem, or challenge," Nuggets executive Mark Warkentien said, according to AP. "I think the Pistons looked at Stuckey and saw him as the point guard of tomorrow, and you have an All-Star in Chauncey who was in his way.
"We're just thrilled with the way J.R. [Smith] is progressing and he had a Hall of Famer in front of him. You understand the motivation of both teams."
Iverson brings considerable star power to Detroit. The 20th-leading scorer in NBA history was the league MVP in 2001 -- four years after being the Rookie of the Year -- and is a nine-time All-Star. He has averaged nearly 28 points for his career and has led the NBA in steals three times, tying a league record.
Philadelphia drafted Iverson No. 1 overall in 1996 out of Georgetown and he spent 11½ seasons with the franchise, leading it to the NBA Finals in 2001. He was traded Dec. 19, 2006, to the Nuggets and helped them reach the playoffs twice.
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