Inside Hoops – Page 1645 – NBA Blog

No Ben Gordon at British Olympic training camp

Britain has lost a second NBA player for the men’s basketball tournament at the Olympic Games after Ben Gordon failed to link up with the squad at its training camp in the United States.

Britain coach Chris Spice says the guard couldn’t commit to playing for the host nation after he was traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday.

Spice says “It’s really disappointing as he’s a world-class player who would have made a huge difference.”

With Bobcats center Byron Mullens out because of injury, it leaves Britain with only one NBA player — Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Trail Blazers offer Roy Hibbert a max contract

The Portland Trail Blazers offered Indiana Pacers restricted free agent center Roy Hibbert a maximum contract after meeting with him in Washington, D.C., early Sunday, SI.com has learned.

A source with knowledge of the meeting said Indiana did not offer a max deal at the outset of the free-agent negotiating period and, unless that changes, Hibbert is leaning toward signing the Trail Blazers’ four-year, $58 million offer sheet. Hibbert cannot do so until July 11, when the free-agent moratorium ends, after which the Pacers would have three days to match the offer and retain the 25-year-old All-Star.

In addition, the source said one other team, which was not named, also offered Hibbert a max deal after the start of free agency on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. ET.

New Blazers general manager Neil Olshey and team president Larry Miller were among those who met at the office of Hibbert’s agent, David Falk, the source said.

— Reported by Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated

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Steve Nash meets with Knicks, Raptors

The Knicks met with Steve Nash on Sunday knowing that they face an uphill battle in their pursuit of the future Hall of Fame point guard.

Nash also met with the Toronto Raptors on the first day of free agency and the club reportedly offered the Canadian citizen a three-year contract worth approximately $36 million.

The Knicks can only offer Nash a contract starting at $3 million annually unless they can engage the Phoenix Suns in a sign-and-trade. It’s unlikely since the Suns seem more inclined to use the money freed up by Nash leaving to pursue other free agents. Phoenix president Lon Babby has set up meetings this week in Los Angeles with point guards Raymond Felton and Goran Dragic as well as shooting guard Eric Gordon.

Phoenix hasn’t entirely ruled out re-signing Nash but it seems more and more likely that the two-time MVP won’t return to the Suns.

— Reported by Frank Isola of the New York Daily News

Dwight Howard wants trade to Nets, again

Dwight Howard met with new Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan on Friday and told him he wants to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Howard and Hennigan sat down face to face in Los Angeles, meeting for the first time since Hennigan became Orlando’s GM nearly two weeks ago.

Hennigan was noncommital when Howard told him he wants to be traded to Brooklyn, sources said.

Hennigan did not tell Howard whether he would trade him. His intentions were merely to hear the thoughts of the Magic superstar.

Howard picked up the option for the final year of his contract with Orlando on March 15. But since then, he has grown increasingly disgruntled with the organization, even telling people close to him that he feels the Magic blackmailed him into signing the “opt-in” clause.

— Reported by Chris Broussard of ESPN.com

Wolves do not extend qualifying offers to Michael Beasley or Anthony Randolph

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team will not extended qualifying offers to forwards Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph. With Minnesota not extending qualifying offers to Beasley and Randolph by today’s deadline, both players will become unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Beasley, a 6-10 forward, has averaged 16.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in two seasons with Minnesota. Acquired from the Miami Heat on July 12, 2010, Beasley averaged a career-high 19.2 ppg in 2010-11, his first season with the Wolves. Originally selected No. 2 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by Miami, Beasley owns career averages of 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 279 contests over four NBA seasons.

In his second season with the Wolves, Randolph, a 6-11 forward, totaled averages of 7.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 34 games (five starts) during the 2011-12 campaign. Acquired on Feb. 22, 2011 from the New York Knicks, Randolph has averaged 9.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in 57 games with the Wolves. Randolph owns career averages of 8.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 170 games (38 starts) with Golden State, New York and Minnesota. He was originally selected by the Warriors with the 14th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Cavs extend qualifying offers to Alonzo Gee, Luke Harangody, Semih Erden

The Cleveland Cavaliers have extended qualifying offers to center Semih Erden, guard/forward Alonzo Gee and forward Luke Harangody, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today from Cleveland Clinic Courts.

By extending qualifying offers to each player prior to June 30, Cleveland owns the right to match any offer sheet they may sign with another team.

Erden, 25, averaged 3.5 points on .527 shooting and 2.6 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game in 28 games (nine starts) during the 2011-12 season. Gee, 25, averaged career highs in points (10.6), rebounds (5.1), assists (1.8) and steals (1.3) in 29.0 minutes per game in 63 games (31 starts) this season. Harangody, 24, averaged 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.0 minutes per game in 21 games (one start).

Jordan Farmar exercises option, stays with Nets

Jordan Farmar has opted into the final year of his contract, guaranteeing he will earn $4.25 million this season and eating into a bit of Nets’ cap space this summer.

Farmar, 25, averaged 10.4 points and 3.3 assists in a little over 21 minutes per game in 39 games with the Nets last season, his second since signing with them as a free agent in 2010. Farmar spent much of last season dealing with nagging groin injuries that kept him out of the lineup for large stretches of the shortened season, including the final 16 games of the season.

— Reported by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post (Blog)

Ronny Turiaf opts out of Heat contract

The Heat has retained one backup center and lost another. Ronny Turiaf on Saturday opted out of a contract that would have paid him the veteran’s minimum $1.2 million next season. But Miami guaranteed Dexter Pittman’s contract (worth $854,369) by Friday’s deadline.

Turiaf’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said his client always intended to test the market. “He’s worth more than the minimum,” Bartelstein said. “He had a significant hamstring injury” late in the season.

Bartelstein said the Heat has expressed interest in keeping Turiaf and he plans to speak with Heat president Pat Riley. But the Heat very likely would not offer him more than the minimum.

— Reported by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald

Pacers want to re-sign Roy Hibbert, George Hill

Indiana Pacers general manager Kevin Pritchard kept the details vague but the team plans to be aggressive with free-agent center Roy Hibbert.

Come Sunday morning at 12:01 a.m., the start of the NBA free agency period, the Pacers will be on Hibbert’s doorstep making their pitch to re-sign the free agent center.

“We’ll absolutely be there,” Pritchard said.

The Pacers will also be meeting with free agent guard George Hill once he returns from vacation.

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star

Deron Williams and Jason Kidd might sign with same team

Deron Williams, the most coveted player in this summer’s free-agent class, will meet with representatives from the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks on Monday before deciding which team to sign with this July, according to a source privy to Williams’ plan.

Mavericks free-agent point guard Jason Kidd will also join whichever team Williams chooses, sources said.

Williams is spending the weekend playing golf with Kidd in New York’s Hamptons, sources say, yet one more indicator that the Nets have at least a fighting chance to keep Williams and add Kidd sometime after free agency begins Sunday.

— Reported by Ric Bucher of ESPN.com