July 17, 2012 – Page 2 – NBA Blog

Fran Vazquez continues overseas career

If Fran Vázquez ever plays for the Orlando Magic, it won’t be before the 2014-15 season.

The Magic’s former first-round draft pick has decided to keep playing in Europe. Again.

In an interview Tuesday, Vázquez’s agent, José Cobelo, confirmed that Vázquez has agreed in principle to a new contract with Unicaja Málaga, a team in Spain’s top league.

Cobelo said the new deal is guaranteed for two seasons and does not include an out clause that would enable the 6-foot-10 big man to leave Spain for the NBA. The contract includes an option to extend the deal for a third year, the 2014-15 season.

“We haven’t had much communication with Orlando,” Cobelo said. “They didn’t have much interest, so they didn’t affect our situation.”

— Reported by the Orlando Sentinel

Kris Humphries to re-sign with Nets

The Brooklyn Nets have made an agreement in principle on a contract with forward Kris Humphries, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. According to multiple reports, it is a two-year deal worth $24 million.

“Kris has been a very consistent player for us over the past two years,” said King. “He has developed into one of the top rebounding forwards in the league, and we are very pleased to welcome him back.”

According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, “His pending signature gives the Nets a starting 5 certainly worthy of a playoff spot – PG Deron Williams, SG Joe Johnson, SF Gerald Wallace, PF Humphries and C Lopez – although the team’s total payroll is set to exceed $80 million, or about $10 million above the luxury tax threshold. “Kris is really excited to be playing for the new, cool team – the Brooklyn Nets,” Humphries’ agent, Dan Fegan, said. Humphries had been eager for a lucrative deal after consecutive years averaging a double-double, and he targeted Brooklyn — a team yearning for a rebounding power forward and capable of paying him more than any other team because they hold his Bird Rights.”

Humphries rejoins the Nets after a career-year in 2011-12 that saw the 6-9 forward average personal bests of 13.8 points and 11.0 rebounds, while shooting .481 (323-671) from the field in 62 games. He has now averaged a double-double in consecutive seasons, 2010-11 and 2011-12. The eight-year veteran out of Minnesota ranked 4th in the NBA in rebounds per game last season, tallied 29 double-doubles (10th in NBA) and scored 20+ points 12 times. He recorded a career-high 31 points vs. Milwaukee on March 12 and tallied a season-high 21 rebounds vs. Toronto on March 14.

Humphries originally came to the Nets as part of a mid-season trade in 2009-10. Selected 14th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft by Utah, he went on to play for Toronto and Dallas before joining the Nets. In 493 career NBA games, Humphries holds averages of 6.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

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Jonny Flynn works out for Cavaliers

Free-agent point guard Jonny Flynn worked out with for the Cavaliers on Monday, and there remains strong interest on both sides. Flynn has battled hip injuries in the past, but is healthy now and making a tour of NBA camps.

He has already worked out for the Cavs, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks and has more teams on the schedule. He isn’t close to making a decision, according to a source close to Flynn.

The Cavs have held internal debates about whether or not it’s necessary to sign another point guard. Kyrie Irving and Donald Sloan are the only pure point guards on the roster, and Sloan is on a non-guaranteed contract.

Dion Waiters can certainly run the offense and Daniel Gibson, when healthy, can handle the point guard role in an emergency. But coach Byron Scott said he’d feel more comfortable with another true point guard, particularly in case Irving gets injured again.

— Reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal