The Los Angeles Daily News (Elliot Teaford) reports (via blog): It seems likely that Lamar Odom could sign a five-season deal with the Miami Heat at the mid-level exception ($5.8 million for next season and $34 million or so for the length of the contract) by the end of the week. The Dallas Mavericks also are interested in giving Odom the same deal, but he seems less likely to land in Dallas. Reports out of Miami indicate the Heat are trying to sign Odom and trade for Carlos Boozer of the Utah Jazz in an attempt to satisfy Dwyane Wade’s demands for a beefed up roster next season.
Month: July 2009
Richard Jefferson breaks off wedding
NBA small forward Richard Jefferson, formerly of the New Jersey Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, recently traded to the San Antonio Spurs, is now a single man. The New York Post reports:
Former Net star Richard Jefferson admitted yesterday that he told his beautiful bride-to-be that their wedding was off in an e-mail — stunning her just days before their planned posh nuptials.
Kesha Ni’Cole Nichols got the heart-wrenching message after a tense Fourth of July weekend, Jefferson told The Post.
“There was a lot of stress and tension in the relationship. We’ve been through a lot — but we just couldn’t continue,” said Jefferson, sounding upset during a telephone interview.
But at least Nichols got a nice parting gift — Jefferson, who was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the San Antonio Spurs last month, said he’s giving her a “six-figure” settlement so she can start a new life.
In speaking with the Post, Jefferson also took a moment to clear something else up:
He insisted a rumor he’s gay had nothing to do with the breakup.
“I’m not gay,” Jefferson said. “That couldn’t be any further from the truth. I have nothing to hide.”
Denver Nuggets sign 2009 first round draft pick Ty Lawson
The Denver Nuggets have signed rookie G Ty Lawson to a contract, Nuggets Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
All NBA first round draft picks are guaranteed a contract, assuming they want one right away, so this is standard and an expected signing.
Lawson, the 18th overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft out of North Carolina, was acquired by the Nuggets from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a draft-night trade on June 25. Named the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, Lawson was a key member of the Tar Heels’ 2009 NCAA Championship team.
Lawson, 5-11, 195, made his Nuggets debut last night in the team’s first game of the 2009 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He finished with eight points and three assists in 29 minutes of action during Denver’s 78-76 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The Nuggets continue their summer league schedule tonight, taking on the Washington Wizards at 8:30 PM (Mountain Time).
Chicago Bulls re-sign Lindsey Hunter
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The Chicago Bulls today re-signed guard Lindsey Hunter. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Hunter, a 6-2, 195-pound guard, originally signed with the Bulls on Nov. 13, 2008. The 16-year NBA veteran appeared in 28 games with Chicago and averaged 2.6 ppg and 1.3 apg in 9.5 mpg.
For his career, he has posted averages of 8.6 ppg, 2.7 apg, 2.2 rpg and 1.21 spg in 25.0 mpg. He owns career shooting averages of .388 from the field, .361 from downtown and .746 from the line.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Hunter is about 73 years old and can barely tie his shoes at this point. He first entered the NBA before electricity existed. He’s basically an assistant coach on the floor. Somewhere, right now, his great-grandchild just hit a winning shot in a pickup basketball game.
Anthony Randolph scores 42 in summer league game
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The San Jose Mercury News reports on Golden State Warriors forward Anthony Randolph: Randolph has been perhaps the most dominant player in this year’s summer league. He put together his best performance Tuesday as the Warriors defeated the Chicago Bulls 95-83 at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion. Randolph scored 42 points, tying the record for a Las Vegas summer league game. (Marcus Banks and Von Wafer each scored 42 in 2007.) Randolph also had four steals, three blocked shots and no turnovers. In four games, Randolph is averaging 26.7 points on 60.9 percent shooting with 8.5 rebounds. “He’s very unique,” said Warriors assistant coach Keith Smart, who’s coaching Golden State’s summer league team. “That’s why it’s hard for us to tell him, ‘Don’t do this and don’t do that,’ because his window is so big. We never thought he’d be able to post up and make a play, pass it out or shoot it. We never thought he could face a guy up and shoot a jumper.”
No NBA expansion team coming
The Las Vegas Review-Journal (Steve Carp) reports: For now, Las Vegas will have to be content with its lone tie to the NBA, as the host city for the annual Summer League. Commissioner David Stern said the league is not in a position to add members, and relocation is not an option because there is no NBA-quality arena in Las Vegas. “It’s more about the economy than the arena,” Stern said. “The idea of expansion, of building arenas, it’s waiting to see if the economy has bottomed out, what it’s going to do.”
Report: Lakers take Lamar Odom offer off table
Are the Los Angeles Lakers and forward Lamar Odom going to part ways?
Negotiations between the two sides reportedly haven’t been going well, and things may have gone in the opposite direction, if a new report is true.
The Los Angeles Daily News, via blog, reports: Now it looks as if the Lakers offer to the free agent forward has been taken off the table, according to our Elliott Teaford, who is attending the Lakers summer league game in Las Vegas.
Odom may be looking for approximately $10 million per season, while the Lakers may be offering several million less per year.
Phoenix Suns sign Channing Frye
The Phoenix Suns today signed unrestricted free agent Channing Frye to a one-year deal with a player option for a second season, the club has announced. We will add salary info tonight.
“We’re excited to welcome Channing home to Phoenix,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr. “We’re fortunate to add a player of his caliber to our frontcourt. Channing fits our style perfectly because of his ability to run and shoot with range, and he’s our kind of person, too – a great teammate with high character and someone who is very community-minded.”
The 6-11, 245-pound Frye is a four-year NBA veteran originally selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. Frye, who spent his first two career seasons with the Knicks (2005-07), joins his third NBA team following a two-year stint most recently with the Portland Trail Blazers (2007-09). The 26-year-old owns career averages of 8.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 278 games (94 starts).
Frye’s best statistical seasons came with consistent minutes in his first two NBA campaigns with the Knicks. Frye averaged 10.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 25.3 minutes in 137 games in 2005-06 and 2006-07, including a career-high 12.3 points in garnering NBA All-Rookie First Team honors in 2005-06.
The decorated former University of Arizona standout spent four seasons in Tucson, earning First Team All-Pac 10 honors as both a junior and senior while serving as co-captain of the Wildcats. Frye finished his career with the Wildcats ninth on the school’s all-time scoring list (1,789), third in rebounds (975), second in blocks (258) and fourth in field goals made (707). Frye won the 2005 Pac-10 Sportsmanship Award.
Atlanta Hawks trade David Andersen rights to Houston Rockets
The Atlanta Hawks today traded the rights of David Andersen to the Houston Rockets for a future second round pick, cash and future considerations, it was announced by Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund.
Previously selected by the Hawks in the second round of the 2002 Draft – the 37th pick overall – Andersen is an Australian professional basketball player who has played internationally since the 1998-99 season, most recently in the Spanish League with FC Barcelona.
In Euroleague play this past year, the 6-11 forward-center averaged 11.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 23 contests (.544 FG%, .800 FT%), and in 36 games in ACB Spanish League competition, he tallied 10.0 ppg and 4.1 rpg (.480 FG%, .810 FT%).
Andersen, 29, started playing basketball at the Australian Institute of Sport (high school) and signed his first contract with the Wollongong Hawks of the Australian National Basketball League. Following one season, he signed a multi-year deal with Italy’s Virtus Bolonga (1999-03), with whom he won several titles in his four years there.
In the summer of 2003, he switched to the Italian club Montepaschi Siena, with whom he won another Italian Championship.
The next season, Andersen joined the Russian Super League club CSKA Moscow, and in four seasons, he earned All-Euroleague first team honors in 2004-05. That same year, CSKA reached the Euroleague Final Four.
He also competes as a member of the senior Australian national team, participating for his country in the 2008 Olympic Games.
Utah Jazz re-sign Ronnie Price
The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has re-signed guard Ronnie Price. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released. We will post contract info tonight.
“Keeping Ronnie on our roster was important to us,” said Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor. “He is someone who knows our system and has proven capable of stepping in whenever called upon. Over the last two seasons he has shown a commitment to working hard and improving his game, and as a result, we expect his growth to continue.”
A four-year NBA veteran, Price (6-2, 190, Utah Valley) appeared in 52 games (17 starts) for the Jazz in 2008-09, averaging 4.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 14.2 minutes per game. He also doubled his point (8.2) and assist (4.2) averages as a starter, filling in for an injured Deron Williams early in the season.
“Ronnie Price is the consummate professional,” said Utah Jazz president Randy Rigby. “He is always prepared when Coach Sloan calls on him and we are looking forward to his energy and toughness next season.”
The only player in Jazz franchise history to wear jersey number 17, Price was originally signed as a free agent on July 26, 2007 and has appeared in a total of 113 games (20 starts) in two seasons with Utah, averaging 3.8 points and 1.6 assists in 11.7 minutes per game. Price spent his first two seasons with the Sacramento Kings, where he became only the second Utah Valley graduate to appear in the NBA, and the first to advance directly from the university to the NBA. Despite not being selected in the 2005 NBA Draft, Price has played in 200 career games (21 starts) over four NBA seasons with the Jazz and Kings, owning career averages of 3.4 points and 1.2 assists in 10.2 minutes per game.