The Oakland Tribune (Carl Steward) reports: Maybe Baron Davis wasn’t as smart as so many of us thought. He threw away a great situation in a place where he was mostly revered and pampered for a little more money, only slightly more security and the foolish allure of playing in his hometown. That plan works if you’re going with the Lakers. But with the Clippers, particularly with Elton Brand and Corey Maggette now gone, B.D. probably just signed the death warrant on the rest of his career. He might as well be back in New Orleans. By next midseason, with the Clippers slogging through a 57-loss season, Davis will be miserable, bored, sullen out, of shape and probably injured.
Month: July 2008
Nets add Hayes and Najera
The New York Daily News (Julian Garcia) reports: In reaching agreements with forwards Jarvis Hayes and Eduardo Najera Friday, the Nets added players who fit that description perfectly. It doesn’t hurt that both can do other things that should help keep the Nets competitive until they are able to go on a major shopping spree two summers from now. Hayes, a five-year veteran, played for the Pistons last season, averaging 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds for the Eastern Conference finalists. He can help the Nets in two areas where they need it most – on defense and perimeter shooting. Najera, an eight-year veteran who turned 32 Friday, averaged 5.9 points and 4.3 rebounds with the Nuggets last season. He’s regarded as a tough player who is also great in the locker room.
Etan Thomas recovering
The Washington Post (Ivan Carter) reports: Etan Thomas won’t test himself in an NBA game until October, but yesterday the veteran center took an important step in that direction by going full speed in a practice session with the Wizards’ summer league squad. Even better, Thomas said he felt great afterward. That’s excellent news considering that Thomas missed all of last season after undergoing surgery to repair a leak in his aortic valve. His heart is fine, but Thomas had to allow his sternum to fully heal after it was separated during the surgery.
Raptors sign Nathan Jawai
The Toronto Raptors announced Friday they have signed forward-center Nathan Jawai to a two-year contract. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed. The club acquired the draft rights to Jawai from the Indiana Pacers. He was the 41st overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Jawai (pronounced JA-why) was the unanimous 2008 Rookie of the Year in Australia’s National Basketball League. He averaged 17.7 points and 9.6 rebounds in 30 games for the Cairns Taipans. He ranked third in the NBL in rebounding, fifth in field goal percentage (.575) and ninth in blocked shots (1.0). He also captured MVP honors of the 2008 NBL All-Star Game after registering 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Jawai, 6-foot-10, 280 pounds, scored 20 or more points 12 times and posted 13 double-doubles for Cairns. He had a career-best 28 points on 13-for-16 shooting and pulled down 15 rebounds at Townsville. He grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds and added 22 points at Sydney. Jawai also recorded a 25-point/16-rebound effort against Singapore.
Jawai attended Midland Junior College in Midland, Texas in 2006-07. He appeared in 13 games, averaging 11.4 points, 5.8 rebound and 1.0 blocks, before returning home to Australia.
He is the first indigenous (Aboriginal) player from Australia to be drafted by an NBA team.
Jawai will participate for the Raptors’ entry in the Las Vegas Summer League (July 11-19).
Warriors sign Ronny Turiaf to offer sheet
The Golden State Warriors have signed restricted free agent forward Ronny Turiaf to an offer sheet, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today. Per team policy, terms of the offer sheet were not announced. Under the rules of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, the Los Angeles Lakers have seven days (through Thursday, July 17) to match the Warriors’ offer.
Turiaf, 25, appeared in 78 games (21 starts) last season with the Lakers, averaging 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.38 blocks in 18.7 minutes per contest. In the 35 contests in which he played 20-or-more minutes last season, he averaged 10.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.14 blocks.
A native of the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Turiaf ranked fifth in the NBA in blocked shots per 48 minutes played (3.56) and ranked 22nd in the league in blocked shots overall despite limited playing time.
A three-year NBA veteran, Turiaf owns career averages of 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.13 blocks and 15.6 minutes in 173 regular-season games with the Lakers. The 6’10’’ 250-pound graduate of Gonzaga University has shot 50.4% (350-695 FG) from the field and 70.3% (244-347 FT) from the free throw line during his career.
NBA suspends JamesOn Curry one game
JamesOn Curry of the Chicago Bulls has been suspended without pay for one game for pleading guilty to resisting or obstructing an officer and public urination, in violation of the laws of State of Idaho and City of Boise, respectively, the NBA announced today.
Curry will be suspended for the first game of the 2008-09 NBA regular season for which he is eligible and physically able to play.
NBA suspends Brad Miller five games
The NBA announced today that Brad Miller of the Sacramento Kings has been suspended without pay for five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. Miller’s suspension will begin with the first game of the 2008-09 NBA regular season for which he is eligible and physically able to play.
Wizards sign Dee Brown to offer sheet
Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed restricted free agent point guard Dee Brown to an offer sheet. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released. The Utah Jazz will now have seven days to match the Wizards’ offer under the terms of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“Dee is a player who can bring quickness and energy to our team” said Grunfeld. “We like that he gives us depth and a different look at the point guard position.”
Brown (6-0, 185) played last season for Galatasaray Café Crown in Turkey, where he averaged 12.3 points per game. He was originally drafted by Utah with the 46th overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft and averaged 1.9 points and 1.7 assists in 49 games for the Jazz during the 2006-07 season. Brown is a product of the University of Illinois, where he finished his four-year career as the winningest player in school history (114 games, 114-23 overall record) and helped lead the Illini to the NCAA Championship Game as a junior in 2005.
Clippers renounce rights to five players
The Los Angeles Clippers today renounced their rights to free agents Dan Dickau, Shaun Livingston, Boniface Ndong, Smush Parker and James Singleton.
Per the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, a renounced player no longer counts toward team salary, so teams use renouncement to gain additional cap room. After renouncing a player, the team is still permitted to re-sign such player, but the team must either have enough salary cap room to fit the salary, or sign the player using the Minimum Salary exception. After renouncing a player, a team can still trade the player in a sign-and-trade agreement.
Warriors sign Corey Maggette
The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent forward Corey Maggette to a contract, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.
Maggette, 28, appeared in 70 games (65 starts) last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.01 steals in 35.7 minutes per contest. He ranked 11th in the NBA in scoring, fourth in free throws made and sixth in free throws attempted, while shooting 45.8% (458-1,000 FG) from the field, 38.4% (78-203 3FG) from three-point range and 81.2% (553-681 FT) from the line. Maggette, who established a new career high in three-point percentage last season, scored 30-or-more points eight times and tallied 20-or-more points 43 times – including in 38 of his final 44 games played.
“We are really excited to add a player of Corey’s ability to our team,” said Mullin. “He’s been one of the most productive players in our league for the last several years and provides us with additional versatility and veteran leadership.”
A nine-year NBA veteran who has spent the last eight seasons with the Clippers, Maggette owns career averages of 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 29.1 minutes in 589 games with Orlando and Los Angeles. The 6’6’’ 225-pound Maggette, who has averaged more than 20 points per game and led the Clippers in scoring three times in the last five seasons, had his finest NBA campaign in 2004-05, establishing career highs in scoring (22.2 ppg), rebounding (6.0 rpg) and assists (3.4 apg). A career 81.9% shooter from the free throw line, the Duke University product has shot better than 80% from the stripe in each of the last seven seasons, while also ranking in the NBA’s top-five in free throws made and top-10 in free throws attempted in four of the last five seasons.
Maggette will wear uniform #50.