NBA Offseason News and Moves

[Brett Favre 0]

Heck, they got that Brazilian guy Anderson Varejo too, the one that looks like Sideshow Bob. I heard he's an Energetic type of guy that can really get them up and down the court. Not to mention Gooden is better on the break than Boozer. They also got a young center in Steven Hunter, and they still have Luke Jackson. Add that with Eric Snow, LeBron, Big Z, McNnis (who might be traded), and Wagner, and you got yourself a playoff team in the East. They will also have Cap Room for next year after Ilgauska's contract expires to add someone else to the mix. Paxson shouldn't be fired, he needs a damn raise!

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

On Drew Gooden, he's been a victim of circumstance more than anything. Jerry West wanted someone else in the draft and they got taken before the Grizzlies were up, so he took the best available player for trading at a later time and that was Gooden. Had nothing to do with his attitude or lack of abilities, just wasn't what West was looking for at the time.

 

Orlando are just brain dead morons, and thats not Gooden's fault. They do have a PF now though and Steven Hunter, while a big athletic guy who can block shots and get a few baskets is just not getting drastically better at all, they wanted him to be their starter and he's just not that level. Gonna be a respectable back up though.

[Precious Roy 0]

My thought was that the trade of Juwan would open up space for Gooden, but I guess they want to give Howard the bulk of the minutes at the 4 so he can learn on the job.

 

As for West, David Aldredge thinks that Gooden has the scarlet letter because "the logo" is an unquestionable genius and traded him, but I agree with Mindless Agression that he was only picked because he was the best available, PLUS West was always big on Mike Miller and would have done anything within reason to get him, word is he was trying to trade for him in LA.....

[Brett Favre 0]

David Aldrigde has got to stop calling Jerry West "the logo". Is he trying to be cool or something here?

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Toine wants out of Dallas

 

'Trade' is operative word for forward

 

LAS VEGAS -- Antoine Walker predicts he could be playing for New York next season, assuming the Knicks can work a trade for the Dallas Mavericks forward.

 

"I think I'm going to be in a Knick uniform. That's my prediction, but we'll wait and see," Walker told ESPN.com Friday.

 

Walker, who was coaching a high school summer league team called the Illinois Fire at the adidas Super 64 tournament Friday, said he has to get out of Dallas before next season.

 

Wallker has one season left on his contract worth a reported $14 million.

 

"I've got to go, but obviously I'm under contract, so they don't have to move me," Walker said after he coached his team to a win at Centennial High in Las Vegas.

 

"I don't know if the grass is greener for me elsewhere, but there had been too many negative things with the situation in Dallas. They left me unprotected [in the expansion draft] and all the trade talks, and they made moves like Steve [Nash] going the other way [signing with Phoenix]."

 

A possible Knick trade could include Kurt Thomas but would also mean more players for an equal salary swap. Walker said he has spoken to the Knicks as well as the Philadelphia 76ers.

 

A potential trade with the Sixers could include Glenn Robinson. Trading Walker to the Sixers would reunite him with coach Jim O'Brien, who coached Walker in Boston, where he was a two-time All-Star. Walker averaged 22.1 points in 16 playoff games in 2002, when he led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference finals.

 

"I would love to play for him for the simple fact that I know him as a coach and I know his system," Walker said. "He wants you to play hard defensively and, offensively, he goes with the guy who can put the ball in the basket.

 

"They have [in Philadelphia] the pieces there, but I like the New York situation too," Walker said. "I like their style of play and any time you get a chance to play with a great point guard like Stephon [Marbury] is a plus.

 

"Going back to the East would be good for me," Walker said.

 

"I want to be the best I can be. You always want to be in the top 24 players at the halfway point," Walker said about being an All-Star. "The West is tough at forward. I would have a better chance going back to the East. That would put me in the mix [for the All-Star Game].

 

"I want to be a winner and would love to get back to the Eastern Conference finals and have a chance to win a ring," Walker said. "Hopefully, I can put myself in that situation again. That's why I like the Philly and New York situations. Detroit is the dominant team defensively in the East, but both teams are right there close by and maybe one player away from those guys [the Pistons]."

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Friday that Donnie Nelson, the Mavericks' president of basketball operations, said, "Antoine Walker is a big part of our team." Nelson went on to say that the Mavs like Walker "quite a bit."

 

When the Sacramento Kings eliminated the Mavs in the first round of the playoffs this season, Walker, who averaged 9.8 points and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes a game in the series, was quoted in an ESPN.com story saying:

 

"To be honest, [being traded] is a concern of mine. I don't want to be sent around the league. I know when you're in the last year of your deal, you can become very valuable. I'm very aware of that. But I never wanted to spend my career playing on five or six different teams. That's not something I'm looking forward to doing.

 

"I think we're very talented, but we have eight new guys on this team. Even scrambling, we won 52 games. We were a great home team that just didn't get it done on the road. With a year with everybody learning each other, we can be very good."

 

But his mood has changed upon reflecting how he was used with the Mavericks. He was phased out of the offense, especially late in the game.

 

Walker said he is in constant contact with Mavs owner Mark Cuban.

 

"I'm patient because it's only July, but I just hope I'm going to be moved before the season starts," Walker said.

 

If he isn't, then he said he would have to talk to coach Don Nelson because Walker started off "playing a lot of minutes before they got cut."

 

"I like playing ball and I don't want to be in a situation where I'm toyed around (with)," Walker said. "I want to be in a consistent situation.

 

"Offensively, it would be tough without Steve because we did a lot of the pick-and-rolls off of him when he created mismatches. Marquis [Daniels] is a good young player and [first-round draft pick] Devin [Harris] is going to have to get his feet wet. So right now, we're in tough shape."

 

Walker said he doesn't want to be put in "another situation like that [in Dallas] again."

 

Ainge should bring him back. Send bad knees LaFrentz and some other crap contract back over for him.

[nogoodnick 0]

Trenton Hassel signs with Blazers. Any T'Wolves fans know a lot about him? The only time I ever saw him play was in the playoffs against LA.

My projected starting lineup/depth chart

 

PG- Damon/ Van Exel/ Telfair

SG- Hassel/ Anderson/ Woods/ Frahm

SF- Miles/ Patterson/ Khyrapa

PF- Randolph/ Abdur Rahim

C- Ratliff/ Stepania/ Seung Jin

 

Lots of Guards in the rotation. Lack of depth at C could hurt them bad though. Also looking like SAR might have to stay. This is also assuming Miles resigns.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

Trenton Hassel is a hell of a defensive stopper who can knock down open jumpers with great regularity, the Kings doubled off of him in the playoffs and paid quite a bit. Great signing for them and that downgrades the Wolves quite a lot in the sense that now Sprewell is gonna be stuck on the other team's best guard and probably be less effective on the offensive end as a result. So yesh, if you're a Blazers' Fan, you're a happy Blazers' fan

[Guest Soylent Green Is People]

I definately like this signing for the Blazers, Portland now has a very good defensive guard to go with their very good defensive big man (Ratliff), so whether starting or coming off the bench Hassell should certainly help Portland's chances of returning to the playoffs next season.

[alfdogg 0]

The Wolves can still match for Hassell, but at 27 million for 6 years, I doubt they will.

[The Electrifyer 0]

sigh...

 

Trenton Hassel, another former Bull who only starts to play good after leaving Chicago.

[nogoodnick 0]

The Blazers should probably trade a couple guards away now. Derek Andersen isnt really doing anything for them and probably wont start. Hassel is here to stay for sure and Van Exel is probably gonna log signifigant minutes as will Damon. They signed Ritchie Frahm, who is an excellent long range threat. Obviously they are keeping Telfair as well. This leaves Qyntel Woods as the odd man out. He has ben tearing it up at the Rocky Mountain Revue (18.5 ppg) as well as FA Darius Rice (20.5 ppg). The Blazers no longer lack depth at guard and should trade a few for a backup center or something.

[Guest Redhawk]

The Sonics just traded Calvin Booth to Dallas for Danny Fortson. I like the deal for Seattle, because frankly, anyone is better than Booth. Not sure what Dallas was thinking....

[MrRant 0]

Oh thank god... I was so happy when I saw that. They pretty much have to keep James since the only other center they have is Swift.

[Guest GreatOne]

Yeah I can just see Dallas is making a run for an NBA title, why would you trade for guy you let go as a free agent in the first place?

 

If this is the Fortson that can actually throw some bodies around and be the low-post presence (esp if Collison can't quite hack it right away, this being essentially his rookie year) then good deal here. Otherwise I wouldn't be celebrating a 'nothing-for-nothing' move.

 

I had him on my NBA Live 01 Sonics team with Antawn Jamison, Nazr Muhammad, Theo Ratliff, Derek Fisher, and Gary Payton. Not a bad team.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

I think Fortson was making a decent chunk of money, a lot more than he should've, so maybe Dallas was just trying to cut cap.

 

The real question is, who takes the crown of "Ugliest Guy On the Sonics" now that Calvin Booth is gone?

[MrRant 0]

Booth and Fortson had pretty much the same salary according to ESPN.

[alfdogg 0]

The Pacers signed Eddie Gill. Anyone know anything about him?

[Dangerous A 0]

Only thing I know about him is he is NOT the championship answer for your Pacers

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

Gill is a CBA all star getting his first shot.

 

In other words, he's probably better then Tinsley.

[alfdogg 0]

And isn't THAT a feat...

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

unsubstantiated rumor of the day: Carter and Rose for Magliore and PJ Brown (and filler)

 

- sportsnet

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

While Q waits today to see if he will be a Clipper or Sun, he got engaged.

 

Brandy, Quentin Richardson Are Engaged

 

Thursday Jul 29, 2004 10:00am EST

 

CREDIT: GILBERT FLORES/CELEBRITY PHOTO

 

Singer Brandy and NBA star Quentin Richardson are engaged, PEOPLE has learned exclusively.

 

The Chicago-born L.A. Clippers guard, 24, surprised the Mississippi-born former Moesha star, 25, at a private reception at L.A.'s Century Club attended by both of their families and close friends on Tuesday.

 

Sweetening the surprise: rose petals decorating the club – and an 11 1/2-carat diamond ring valued at $1 million.

 

Jeweler Jason Arasheben spent months designing the unique ring – and finished it only 30 minutes before the proposal.

 

"It was a total surprise for her," says Arasheben, who has designed custom-made jewelry for the likes of Ashton Kutcher and Michael Jackson.

 

The couple have been dating about nine months. "He is a great guy for her," Brandy's mother, Sonja Norwood, recently told PEOPLE. "I can see the happiness in her."

[Dangerous A 0]

Question about Q-Rich, did the 15 day restricted free agent period go away already without a match offer from the Clips, making him a Sun? Just wondering is all.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

Q's 15 days are up today. The Suns, Richardson and his agent all say they have no idea if the Clips will match or not.

[Dangerous A 0]

I was just wondering since last year, Brand and Maggette were about to go to other squads only to have the Clips match offers on the 15th day. Fucking dicks.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

What an awful trade that Carter/Rose for Brown/Magloire deal is for New Orleans. Outside of Baron Davis, all that makes that team even sorta respectable is their bigs and their defense in the middle. Granted, just a rumor, but still, just an awful deal for the Hornets.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

Wow, assuming the offer isn't matched, the Suns can put Steve Nash, Joe Johnson, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire and Quentin Richardson on the floor at any given time. That's a shockingly decent line up. Dunno if you could play them all at once mind you, but still, nice to see Phoenix not accepting it's role of bottom dwellar.

[alfdogg 0]

The Wizards matched the Bucks' offer for Etan Thomas.

 

As far as the rumored Carter trade goes, it's the same deal as Shaq...Carter is the one who's pushing to be traded. The Raptors are not in the driver's seat...teams don't have to throw away most of the core of their team for him, like Miami did for Shaq.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Q is officially a Sun, the Clips will not match the offer

 

Clippers traded a second round pick to the Nets for Kerry Kittles.

 

Kittles has one year left on his contract at $10 million. So I'm guessing that the Clips will rent him for a year and go after Ray Allen, Michael Redd or T-Mac (if he opts out) next year.

[Guest Mindless_Aggression]

Jacque Vaughn has signed with the Nets and Anthony Peeler with the Wizards. I know, no one cares but with the signing of Peeler and the resigning of Etan Thomas, I think it's safe to say we have ourselves a new eastern conference champion and they are the wizards of the nation's proverbial hardwood.

 

But in a less delusional statement, the Nets officially have 2 scoring threats and one of them can't shoot the ball worth a damn. Well I guess Rodney Rogers is still there but he's been pretty irrelevent with the Nets up to this point.

 

Edit: You love it when I double post you into oblivion.