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The Portland Trail Blazers have signed rookie forward Will Barton, it was announced today by General Manager Neil Olshey.
The Trail Blazers used the 40th overall pick in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft to select Barton, 21, the reigning Conference USA Player of the Year. In two years at Memphis, Barton averaged 15.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.49 steals for the Tigers. He led the conference in scoring last season with 18.0 points per game.
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The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have matched the Phoenix Suns’ offer to restricted free agent Eric Gordon. According to multiple reports, the deal is for four years, $58 million.
“We are pleased to announce that we have matched the offer sheet for Eric Gordon. Eric is a phenomenal player that we are thrilled to have in our organization”, said Hornets General Manager Dell Demps. “We thank Tom and Gayle Benson for making this possible with their commitment to the team, our fans and the New Orleans Community.”
“There is always a business element to the NBA when dealing with contracts but I never lost my appreciation for the New Orleans fans,” said Gordon. “I look forward to giving my very best on the court this season to make our team successful.”
Last year in his first season with the Hornets, Gordon averaged a team-leading 20.6 points in addition to 3.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals in nine games (all starts) while shooting 45.0% from the field. The Hornets were 6-3 when Gordon played this season and he led the team in scoring in all but one of those contests.
InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner says: Gordon really hoped to start a new life on the Suns, and was hoping the Hornets would not match the offer, but I think he’s better off in New Orleans. Austin Rivers, Anthony Davis, Gordon, and Ryan Anderson are a nice start, and with a few more pieces they may have a nice squad in a season or two.
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Though details had to be finalized and Kyle Korver had to pass a physical, the Bulls agreed in principle to trade the 3-point specialist to the Hawks via the Timberwolves on Friday, two sources with knowledge of the talks said.
There were late indications the three-team deal could fall apart, though that didn’t stop Korver from scheduling a flight from his offseason training base in California to Atlanta for the physical, the sources said.
The deal would take the Bulls off the hook for the $500,000 guarantee of Korver’s $5 million non-guaranteed salary for 2012-13 and slide him into the Hawks’ traded-player exception, acquired in the Joe Johnson deal with the Nets.
— Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune
The Houston Rockets want Jeremy Lin back,and they’re hoping to see him throw a few post passes to Dwight Howard.
Lin has signed an offer sheet with Houston,according to a person with direct knowledge of the move. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Friday night on condition of anonymity because the agreement with the New York Knicks’ point guard was not announced.
Another person familiar with the negotiations says it’s a three-year deal worth about $25 million. The person,who spoke on condition of anonymity because the terms had not been announced,says the third year is worth about $15 million.
Lin is a restricted free agent and New York is expected to match Houston’s offer within the required three days.
— Reported by Chris Duncan of the Associated Press