July 2012 – Page 29 – NBA Blog

Brandon Roy will sign with Timberwolves

Brandon Roy is headed back to the NBA.

Roy, who starred for the Trail Blazers for five seasons before knee injuries forced him to walk away from the game, has verbally agreed to sign a with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to his agent, Greg Lawrence.

The deal is for two years and around $10.4 million, according to Lawrence.

“He’s excited,” Lawrence said. “He looks good. It’s a fresh start.”

One of the most popular and decorated players in franchise history, Roy left the Blazers in December 2011 when team doctors determined his degenerative knees presented a risk for his long-term well being. The team used an amnesty clause to release him, which wiped the final four years and estimated $68 million owed to him off the Blazers’ salary cap books.

— Reported by Jason Quick of the Oregonian

Trail Blazers plan to keep Nicolas Batum

The Trail Blazers delivered a direct and emphatic message to free agent Nicolas Batum during a downtown meeting Thursday afternoon: Batum will remain with the Blazers.

A trio of Blazers executives, led by general manager Neil Olshey, met with Batum and agent Bouna Ndiaye and told the 23-year-old forward that they intend to keep him in a Blazers uniform no matter what other teams offer him or propose to the team in trades.

“We told Nic that it is in his best interests to sign with us,” Olshey said.

— Reported by Jason Quick of the Oregonian

Jeremy Evans to stay with Utah Jazz

The Jazz agreed Thursday to a three-year, $5.5 million deal with third-year forward Jeremy Evans, The Salt Lake Tribune has learned.

Evans entered free agency as a restricted free agent. The Jazz extended him an official qualifying offer last Friday.

“I’m very thankful to [Jazz General Manager] Kevin O’Connor for making the commitment to Jeremy,” agent Mark Bartelstein told The Tribune. “It’s another huge step in his career, and hopefully this young man will just continue to grow and become a bigger and bigger part of the Jazz.”

— Reported by Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune (Blog)

Mavs reach out to Ramon Sessions

The Dallas Mavericks, in the aftermath of Thursday’s stunning departure of point guard Jason Kidd, have reached out for a second time t

o Ramon Sessions, this time with a starting job to pitch.

A source close to the situation said the Mavs initially contacted Sessions’ representatives prior to Kidd opting to pass on a three-year, $9 million offer from Dallas and instead agreeing to a similar deal to join the New York Knicks.

After Kidd reached his decision to move on, the Mavs again reached out to Sessions, the 26-year-old point guard that was traded from Cleveland to the Lakers at the trade deadline last season. Sessions, the source said, is seeking a starting job and security.

The source said another round of talks with the Mavs are set for Friday.

— Reported by Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/_/id/8133677/source-dallas-mavericks-turn-attention-point-guard-ramon-sessions

Cavaliers sign rookies Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed 2012 NBA Draft picks, guard Dion Waiters (Syracuse) and forward/center Tyler Zeller (North Carolina), to contracts, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft are guaranteed to receive a contact from the team. So, this is standard, and expected.

Waiters, 20, was selected by the Cavs with the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Zeller, 22, was drafted 17th overall by the Dallas Mavericks and his draft rights were acquired by the Cavs in a draft night trade.

Celtics likely keeping Brandon Bass

The Boston Celtics reached an agreement with Brandon Bass Thursday afternoon on a three-year deal, according to a league source.

Bass opted out of the final year of his previous contract in order to secure a longer-term deal, but expressed a strong desire to return to Boston throughout the latter part of the season.

Bass appeared in 59 games last year — including 39 starts as he moved to the starting power forward role in the second half of the season — and averaged career-highs of 12.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

The Celtics acquired Bass from the Orlando Magic last season in a sign-and-trade deal in exchange for Glen Davis.

— Reported by Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston

Myla Sinanaj, ex-girlfriend of Kris Humphries, says she is pregnant

Kris Humphries may not be the sharpest tool, but he sure is potent, because TMZ has learned his ex-girlfriend, Myla Sinanaj is PREGNANT.

Sources directly connected with Myla tell us Myla confirmed Monday that she’s 3 months pregnant and says Kris is definitely the father.

This could be used in Kris’ divorce with Kim Kardashian, because Kris has claimed he was devastated by the break-up and suffered emotionally. This development further cements the fact that Kris moved on quickly.

We’re told Myla plans to have the baby but wants to raise it alone, because she believes Kris has betrayed her by talking crap about their relationship.

— Reported by TMZ

Eric Gordon wants to go to Suns, not stay with Hornets

Eric Gordon is in Las Vegas vying for one of the final spots on the U.S. national team that will play in this summer’s Olympics. He wants to go to London. But he doesn’t want to come back to New Orleans.

Gordon, a restricted free agent who has a four-year, $58 million offer sheet from the Phoenix Suns, believes they are more committed to his future than the New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets acquired Gordon from the Los Angeles Clippers last season in the deal that sent point guard Chris Paul to the Clippers.

Paul didn’t want to be in New Orleans any longer, either, and Gordon suggested if the Hornets match the Suns’ offer and retain him, they’d be looking at a similar situation. The four-year offer from the Suns, a source said, includes a player option on the fourth year.

“Phoenix just showed a lot more interest, overall, and definitely in how they negotiated,” Gordon said. “I don’t know what New Orleans’ plans are for me. There are no negotiations right now.”

— Reported by Ric Bucher of ESPN.com

Jason Kidd to sign with Knicks

In an unforeseen reversal, Jason Kidd has decided to leave the Dallas Mavericks to join the New York Knicks.

“I think I can help,” Kidd told ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher, adding he felt the Knicks have more “pieces to work with.”

With the Mavericks confident they were closing in Thursday on a verbal agreement on a three-year deal with Kidd worth $9 million, sources told ESPN.com that Kidd — after all-day deliberations with both teams — has decided instead to leave Dallas to join the Knicks for a similar deal.

— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com

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LeBron, CP3 both recruiting Ray Allen

LeBron James and Chris Paul are the closest of friends, but they will be at cross purposes over the next few days. They are recruiting against each other for the services of Ray Allen.

Allen hasn’t ruled out re-signing with the Boston Celtics, who have made him a strong monetary offer, but signs are pointing to Allen choosing between James’ Miami Heat and Paul’s Los Angeles Clippers.

On Thursday, the Heat will host Allen for a visit as they try to persuade him to accept less money and perhaps a lesser role to join their bid to repeat as champions. Friday, Allen is scheduled to visit the Clippers, who have more money to offer and a clear role as the starting shooting guard.

James and Paul, sources said, have been actively recruiting Allen to join their respective teams. Earlier this week, James tweeted a photo of Allen wearing a Heat uniform. Wednesday, Dwyane Wade sent out a tweet describing Thursday as a big day for the franchise.

— Reported by Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com