Month: July 2010

Knicks sign Raymond Felton

Knicks sign Raymond Felton

New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that the team has signed guard Raymond Felton as a free agent. As per club policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed. We’ll add contract details later today.

“Raymond is a top point guard and someone we targeted during the free agency period,” Walsh said. “He is an all-around player, excelling on both sides of the court and a true professional.”

Felton, 6-1, 198-pounds, has career averages of 13.3 points, 6.4 assists, 1.42 steals and 34.9 minutes in 399 career games (369 starts) in five NBA seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats. The Marion, SC-native was drafted by Charlotte, following his junior season at the University of North Carolina, with the fifth overall selection in the 2005 NBA Draft and has played in at least 78 games in all five NBA seasons. In 2009-10, Felton averaged 12.1 points, 5.6 assists (19th in the NBA), 1.54 steals (15th) and 33.0 minutes in 80 games (80 starts) in leading Charlotte to their first playoff appearance in franchise history.

“Donnie deserves a tremendous amount of credit for all the long hours he has put towards re-shaping our roster and signing Raymond gives us a good veteran point guard who should be a great fit for us,” Head Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I think our system will highlight his numerous skills and that he will give us leadership and toughness at one of the most important positions on the floor.”

Felton had a standout career at North Carolina and became the first player in the Tar Heels’ storied history to record 1,000 points, 600 assists, 300 rebounds, 150 steals and 100 three-point field goals. He quarterbacked North Carolina to the 2005 NCAA title and was named to the all-tournament team. He also set North Carolina’s single-game records for assists (18) and three-point field goals made (eight) while on campus in Chapel Hill.

Pacers getting $33.5 million to stay in Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Star reports:

The Indiana Pacers are staying in Indianapolis, but it will cost taxpayers at least $33.5 million over the next three years.

The city and the Pacers are expected today to announce an agreement hailed by some as an important step in protecting the financial state of the city but criticized by others as a multimillion-dollar bailout of a professional sports team and its billionaire owner…

Under the terms, control of Conseco Fieldhouse — and revenues from all events there — will remain with the team, but unlike the current contract, the city will chip in $10 million per year for fieldhouse operations for the next three years. The city also will pay at least $3.5 million for capital improvements at the fieldhouse, an amount that has the potential to increase by up to $4.7 million.

In exchange, the Pacers must stay in Indianapolis through the 2012-13 basketball season or pay back the entire $30 million. The team also would be on the hook for a portion of that $30 million if it left before its contract expired in 2019.

Wesley Matthews signs Blazers offer sheet

The Portland Trail Blazers announced today they have signed restricted free-agent guard Wesley Matthews to an offer sheet. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.

The Utah Jazz will have seven days to match the offer sheet from the day on which they receive it.

Undrafted out of Marquette University, Matthews appeared in all 82 games, including 48 starts, for Utah as a rookie during the 2009-10 season. He averaged 9.4 points (48.3% FG, 38.2% 3-PT, 82.9% FT), 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 24.7 minutes for the Jazz.

Matthews (6-5, 220) started all 10 of Utah’s 2010 postseason contests, posting averages of 13.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 37.1 minutes.

Jordan Farmar will join Nets

Jordan Farmar will join Nets

The New Jersey Nets have reached an agreement in principle with free agent guard Jordan Farmar, Nets President Rod Thorn announced tonight.  Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released. The agreement is contingent on the passing of the required physical.

The deal is for three-years, $12-million, reports the Los Angeles Times.

“Jordan will be an excellent complement to Devin in the backcourt,” said Thorn.  “He comes to the Nets with championship pedigree, which will prove to be invaluable to his teammates.”

Farmar, 6’2”/180, is a four-year NBA veteran with career averages of 6.9 points and 2.1 assists in 18.1 minutes over 301 career games with the Los Angeles Lakers.  The UCLA product was selected by the Lakers in the first round (26th overall) of the 2006 NBA draft.  Farmar helped the Lakers win back-to-back championships in 2008-09 and 2009-10.  In 69 career postseason contests, Farmar holds playoff averages of 5.9 points and 1.4 assists in 15.0 minutes per game Last season, Farmar appeared in all 82 games for the Lakers, posting averages of 7.2 points on 43.5% shooting and 1.5 assists in 18.0 minutes per game.

Cavaliers will not push tampering charge

Marc Stein of ESPN reports:

The Cleveland Cavaliers have no plans to push for an NBA probe into the circumstances that led to LeBron James joining Team USA colleagues Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, according to sources with knowledge of the team’s thinking.

NBA commissioner David Stern said Sunday that the league would investigate the Heat’s signings of James and Bosh for any illegal negotiating or planning before free agency officially started if the Cavaliers or Toronto Raptors make that request.

Reached Sunday by ESPN.com, Stern said: “Whenever a team lodges a tampering charge, it is investigated.”

The Cavaliers declined official comment Sunday, but one source briefed on Cleveland’s intentions told ESPN.com that — in the wake of owner Dan Gilbert’s vitriolic open letter to Cavs fans that slammed James for leaving his home-state team — the organization wants to try to keep the focus from here on its post-James future as much as possible.

Hornets to sign Luther Head

UPDATE: There were problems with Luther Head’s physical, so the Hornets chose not to sign him. See this page.

The AP reports:

The New Orleans Hornets have reached an agreement on a two-year contract with veteran guard Luther Head.

The Hornets are not announcing the deal yet because Head still must pass his physical, but Head’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, told The Associated Press on Saturday that the deal paying Head about $2.5 million over two years is done.

InsideHoops.com editor says:

With this move, the Hornets improve their bench depth.

Bulls have no negative words for LeBron

John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Like other teams in other cities, the Bulls went all-in to try to get LeBron James and suffered a major setback when James decided to join the Miami Heat to form the Bigger Three with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

But unlike some of those other spurned teams — especially the Cleveland Cavaliers — the Bulls had no harsh words for James and offered no regrets about any decision they made in the free-agent process.

”In our dealings with [James], he was terrific,” general manager Gar Forman said. ”He was professional, we really enjoyed the time we had to spend with him and there was nothing [negative].”

Raptors sign-and-trade Chris Bosh to Heat

Raptors sign-and-trade Chris Bosh to Heat

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday they have acquired two first-round draft picks and a trade exception from the Miami Heat in exchange for forward Chris Bosh. The Raptors facilitated a sign-and-trade with Bosh.

InsideHoops.com will post details of Bosh’s contract this weekend.

“We all just witnessed an unprecedented moment in professional sports as these three young stars have joined forces in an attempt to completely transform this league. We are certainly sorry to see Chris leave, but we are planning to use these acquired assets to retool our roster and evolve as an organization,” said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo.

The Raptors reacquired their own 2011 first-round pick originally sent to the Heat on February 13, 2009 (trade of Jermaine O’Neal and Jamario Moon for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks) and Miami’s 2011 first-round draft choice (lottery protected).

Bosh was selected fourth overall by Toronto in the 2003 NBA Draft. He has career averages of 20.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 37.0 minutes in 509 games, including 497 starts. He is the all-time franchise leader in points (10,275), total rebounds (4,776), offensive rebounds (1,369), defensive rebounds (3,407), free throws made (2,997), blocks (600), minutes (19,813), games started (497) and double-doubles (239).

Clippers sign Brian Cook

Clippers sign Brian Cook

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agent forward Brian Cook. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

Cook, 29, appeared in 15 games for the Houston Rockets last season, averaging 1.4 points and 0.6 rebounds. A seven-year NBA veteran, the six-foot-nine, 234 pound Cook has appeared in 349 career games with the Rockets, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers, tallying career averages of 5.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.3 blocks.

The former University of Illinois star was originally drafted by the Lakers with the 24th overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft. As a rookie, Cook appeared in 35 games and 13 playoff contests as a member of the 2004 Western Conference Champions. Cook played four complete seasons with the Lakers, making a career-high 81 appearances in 2005-06, the same season he averaged a career-best 7.9 points and 3.4 rebounds.

In his career, Cook has played in 31 total playoff games, averaging 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds. A career 39 percent three-point shooter, Cook has attempted over 80 three-pointers in five different pro seasons, shooting nearly 43 percent from beyond the arc in 2005-06.

Cook joined the Orlando Magic in a trade on Nov. 20, 2007 where he played in 66 total games from 2007-2009. The Lincoln, Illinois native was then traded to Houston on Feb. 19, 2009 as a part of a three-team trade. The Rockets waived Cook on Feb. 19, 2010.

The 2002-03 Big Ten Player of the Year and Third-Team All-American selection as a senior, Cook averaged 20.0 points and 7.6 rebounds in his final college season and finished his Illinois career as the third leading scorer in school history.

Cook’s father Norm was a star at the University of Kansas and played in 27 NBA games with the Celtics and Denver Nuggets from 1976-78.