Month: July 2008

Del Harris to be Bulls assistant coach

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jeff Caplan) reports: Longtime Mavs assistant coach Del Harris, who most recently served as a team consultant, is leaving the organization to join the staff of first-time head coach Vinny Del Negro with the Chicago Bulls.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Fantastic hire by the Bulls, adding an extremely well-known veteran coach to help guide Del Negro. Of course, one wonders if it should be the other way around, Harris getting the head coaching job while Del Negro learns the ropes under him and gets good experience before leading a team himself. That’s what I would probably have done. But then again, I don’t know Del Negro’s basketball mind. Maybe he’s brilliant.

OJ Mayo helping Grizzlies ticket sales

The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Jim Masilak) reports: Excitement over the draft-night deal that brought guard O.J. Mayo to Memphis is palpable at FedExForum, where skeptical season-ticket holders are signaling their approval by re-upping for the 2008-09 season. “I’ve been here since the start,” said Dennis O’Connor, the Grizzlies’ vice president of ticket sales and service. “There has been more excitement stemming from draft night on the business side than in any year since I’ve been here.” As Grizzlies fans know all too well after back-to-back 22-60 seasons, excitement has been in pretty short supply at FedExForum. Although the emergence of second-year forward Rudy Gay provided a glint of hope, it has been dimmed by the team’s inability to find a bona fide star attraction.

Elbow to chest ends first Beasley practice early

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Ira Winderman) reports: Michael Beasley’s Miami Heat debut was cut short when the No. 2 pick in last week’s NBA Draft was sidelined by an elbow to the chest just over a half hour into the team’s first practice at summer camp. Beasley was not available for comment after today’s session at AmericanAirlines Arena. Coach Erik Spoelstra believed the elbow came from free-agent Anthony Washington, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound center out of Portland State.

Warriors chase Elton Brand

The San Francisco Chronicle (Janny Hu) reports on her blog: Flush with cap space after Davis’ sudden exit, the Warriors have offered free agent Elton Brand a five-year deal worth between $85 and $90 million, according to league source. Brand, like Davis, opted out of the final year of his contract just before Monday’s deadline, giving up a guaranteed $16.4 million for next season. At the time, Brand’s agent, David Falk, told reporters that the move was designed to create some cap flexibility for the Clippers to add another top-line player.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I think both Baron and Elton want to be in Los Angeles, to play together but also to further their careers in the movie industry, which can obviously be done easier as long as they are based near Hollywood. On the other hand, if Brand can make an extra $20 million playing for the Warriors, that money goes a long way.

Lakers chasing Marcelus Kemp

The Los Angeles Daily News (Elliot Teaford) reports: The Lakers are pursuing Marcelus Kemp, a shooting guard from the University of Nevada. Kemp’s agent, John Grieg, told a Reno newspaper he expected a deal to be struck soon.

InsideHoops.com says: Why do the Lakers always go after such low-profile free agents? They need James Posey, not Marcelus Kemp.

Earl Watson breaks right thumb

Seattle SuperSonics general manager Sam Presti announced today that guard Earl Watson suffered a fracture of the right thumb while preparing for the upcoming season in a basketball game in Los Angeles. The injury has a typical recovery period of three to four months. Watson is scheduled to have surgery on Thursday, July 3 in Los Angeles.

“We are confident Earl will work hard towards a healthy and timely recovery and look forward to getting him back on the court,” Presti said.

Last season, Watson averaged career highs in points (10.7), assists (6.8), rebounds (2.9) and minutes (29.1). Over his seven-year NBA career, Watson has averaged 7.4 ppg, 4.5 apg and 2.2 rpg in 529 games.

Rudy Fernandez joins Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers reached an agreement to sign Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez, it was announced today by general manager Kevin Pritchard.

“I am so excited about joining the Trail Blazers and the NBA,” said Fernandez. “The whole staff did a tremendous job making me feel like a very important team member to them and made me forget about the economic issues because of the rookie scale.

“My dream has been to play in the NBA and Portland is giving me this opportunity. I was amazed about everything that Mr. Allen, Kevin Pritchard, Coach McMillan and the rest of the guys did to show me how much they wanted me. Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, I can’t wait to play with them. We will do nice things!”

More here.

Bobcats extend qualifying offers to Emeka Okafor and Ryan Hollins

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced that the team has extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Emeka Okafor and Ryan Hollins and picked up the 2008-09 team option on the contract of Jermareo Davidson.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.

Okafor, the 2004-05 NBA Rookie of the Year, has averaged 14.3 points and 10.8 rebounds in 248 career games for the Bobcats since being selected by the team with the second overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. Last season, he averaged 13.8 points and 10.7 rebounds while shooting a career-high .535 from the field and played all 82 games for the first time in his career.

Hollins, who was selected by Charlotte with the 50th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, has averaged 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds in 87 career games, including averages of 2.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 60 games played last season.

Davidson, the 36th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft whose rights were acquired from Golden State as part of the trade that brought Jason Richardson to Charlotte, averaged 3.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 8.5 minutes in 38 games played last season.

The Bobcats declined to exercise the 2008-09 option on the contract of Othella Harrington. Harrington spent the past two seasons with Charlotte, averaging 2.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 48 games played. Harrington missed 71 games during his time with the Bobcats due to two left knee surgeries.

Eddie Jones stays with Mavs

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports: Dallas Mavericks veteran guard/forward Eddie Jones exercised his player option Tuesday morning and will return for a 15th NBA season and second with the Mavericks, a team official confirmed. Jones, 36, is due $2 million next season. Signed last season as a free agent to bolster the team’s 3-point shooting and defense at the shooting-guard spot, Jones struggled through injuries, most notably a bad knee and ankle. He played in just 47 games and averaged 3.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

Talking Rumors: Free agent talks begin

July 1: Free agent negotiations began today (Tuesday) and even more than usual, always assume that any good or great free agent is going to re-sign with their own team, because almost no one else has the money (under salary cap rules) to make it happen. So, Jose Calderon will go back to the Raptors, totally expected since the team is still going to trade T.J. Ford away for Jermaine O’Neal.

I think the Wizards are making a mistake giving Gilbert Arenas the max. He’s a terrific player, certainly a star, but I always felt a max contract should only go to players who instantly make a team with good role players a contender. Select top superstars deserve the max, and that’s it.

Baron Davis to the Clippers? That would be fun if it happens. I don’t know how good the combo of Baron Davis, Al Thornton, Elton Brand and Chris Kaman will be — this assuming that Corey Maggette is gone if Baron comes on board (a money thing). On paper it sounds good.

I predict the Celtics successfully wind up keeping James Posey.

If the Rockets can land Brent Barry, it’ll help a little if he’s healthy, but aside from some three-pointers and nifty passes in very limited minutes he won’t do too much. He’s 94 years old (in other words, double the age of Greg Oden).

P.J. Brown shouldn’t retire. He may, but he shouldn’t. He clearly helped the Celtics and can do it again.

Wow, Shaun Livingston and Sebastian Telfair are both now unrestricted free agents, and possibly now considering the world famous InsideHoops.com rec team as an option. Livingston showed more flashes of talent than Telfair did, but that awful injury to Livingston unfortunately changed all that. I won’t pretend to know how Livingston is playing right now, but I assume he has a long way to go in his road to recovery. And a few guys I talked to don’t think he’ll ever recover. Telfair will probably get signed by someone, but probably a short term deal for very low money.

This NBA Rumors commentary accompanies the InsideHoops NBA Rumors page. Read Inside Hoops every day, several times a day, all summer long. And talk basketball with other fans on the InsideHoops basketball message board.