NBA Teams – Page 1223 – NBA Blog

Kings, Carl Landry agree to four-year deal

Carl Landry knows the “new” Kings better than most players.

Landry played for coach Michael Malone while he was an assistant coach in his previous two jobs at New Orleans and Golden State.

Landry also is familiar with principal owner Vivek Ranadive, a former Warriors minority owner. And point guard Greivis Vasquez was a teammate of Landry’s in New Orleans.

So when Sacramento reached out to the 29-year-old free-agent forward, Landry jumped at the chance to return, agreeing to a four-year, $26 million contract Saturday.

The six-year veteran officially can sign Wednesday, when the league moratorium on transactions is lifted.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee

Dallas Mavericks bring back Devin Harris

The Dallas Mavericks added more potency to their point guard situation Saturday when they agreed to a three-year contract with Devin Harris worth more than $9 million.

Harris, 30, played for the Mavs from 2004 until they included him in a blockbuster trade with the New Jersey Nets on Feb. 19, 2008, that helped land Jason Kidd in Dallas. Harris also played for the Utah Jazz before last season, when he averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 assists while shooting 43.8 percent from the field in 24.5 minutes per game for the Atlanta Hawks.

While adding Harris to their roster is viewed as a bonus, the Mavs lost one of their own point guards Saturday when Darren Collison agreed to a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. In his lone season with the Mavs, Collison averaged 12 points and 5.1 assists per game.

Reported by Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Orlando Magic sign first round pick Victor Oladipo

The Orlando Magic have signed rookie guard Victor Oladipo, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

Oladipo was selected in the first round (second overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft. All players taken first round are guaranteed to receive a contract, so this news is standard.

He will participate in the Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League, taking place at the Magic’s practice court at the Amway Center from July 7-12, 2013.

Oladipo (6’5”, 214, 5/4/92) appeared in 104 career games during three seasons at Indiana University, averaging 10.7 ppg., 5.2 rpg., 1.7 apg. and 1.55 stlpg. in 24.6 minpg. He ranks third in Indiana history in career steals (161) and scored 1,117 points with the Hoosiers.

Last season as a junior (2012-13), Oladipo played and started in all 36 games, averaging 13.6 ppg., 6.3 rpg., 2.1 apg. and 2.17 stlpg. in 28.4 minpg., while shooting .599 (182-304) from the field and .441 (30-68) from three-point range. He helped the Hoosiers reach their second straight trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and Indiana’s first outright Big Ten regular season championship since 1993.

Oladipo set an Indiana single-season record in steals (78) while leading the Big Ten in field goal percentage and steals. He was named First Team All-American by The Associated Press, The Sporting News and the NABC, earned The Sporting News National Player of the Year, and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Oladipo was also a finalist for the Wooden Award and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, given to the National Player of the Year. He scored in double figures 30 times, including a career-high 26 points on Feb. 10 @ Ohio State.

As a sophomore (2011-12), Oladipo appeared in 36 games (34 starts), averaging 10.8 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 2.0 apg. and 1.36 stlpg. in 26.7 minpg. He earned Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors and was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. Oladipo finished eighth in the conference in steals.

During his freshman season (2010-11), Oladipo played in 32 games (five starts), averaging 7.4 ppg., 3.7 rpg. and 1.06 stlpg. in 18.0 minpg., while shooting .547 from the field.

Jarrett Jack is signing with Cleveland Cavaliers

Jarrett Jack still sounded a little surprised Saturday that he was no longer a member of the Golden State Warriors. But the veteran guard knows the NBA life leads to sudden changes, and so, he’s ready to move on to his next gig, in Cleveland, as a member of the Cavaliers.

The Cavs agreed to terms with the eight-year veteran, one of the top free agents on the market, on a four-year, $26 million deal that will be consummated after the NBA’s moratorium on signing contracts ends July 10.

Jack became available after the Warriors reached agreement Friday with free agent Andre Iguodala on a four-year, $48 million deal, forcing them to have to renounce their rights to Jack and forward Carl Landry (who agreed to a deal in Sacramento Saturday) when the moratorium ends.

The Contra Costa Times first reported the agreement between Cleveland and Jack.

Reported by David Aldridge of TNT/NBA.com

Shaun Livingston is signing with Brooklyn Nets

In need of a backup point guard to support starter Deron Williams, the Brooklyn Nets turned to a popular name who showed promise years ago before suffering a brutal injury.

The Brooklyn Nets have agreed to terms with backup point guard Shaun Livingston, a source told ESPNNewYork.com.

ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reported earlier Saturday that the Nets were closing in on a deal with Livingston to add backcourt depth under new coach Jason Kidd.

Reported by Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York

Detroit Pistons will sign Josh Smith

The Josh Smith era in Atlanta is over.

The Hawks forward has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $56 million contract with the Pistons according to WSB.

Smith played all nine seasons with his hometown Hawks, who selected him with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. He is ranked in the top 10 in most of the Hawks’ all-time statistical categories, including games, points and rebounds.

Smith could have received a maximum deal of five years and $94 million from the Hawks.

Reported by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Detroit Pistons jumped into free-agency feet first after testing the waters, striking a deal with Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith to a four-year, $54 million deal, sources tell the Detroit News.

The deal could rise to $56 million if Smith reaches performance incentives but for the moment, he’ll be making $13.5 million per season to play both forward spots for the Pistons, immediately turning them into a more athletic and dynamic team.

The Pistons were first at Smith’s door in Los Angeles at the dawn of free agency, at 12:01 AM Monday morning, making clear their intentions to be a real player in free agency with over $20 million in cap space.

Reported by Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News

Dwight Howard says Kobe Bryant was not why he left Lakers

Dwight Howard downplayed Kobe Bryant’s pitch as a reason for leaving the Lakers for Houston and claimed he was already a winner in an interview with The Times’ T.J. Simers.

In the Lakers’ meeting with Howard on Tuesday, Bryant reportedly told Howard he should listen to Bryant more often to learn how to become a champion.

“People twisted a lot of things he said,” Howard said Friday night. “I haven’t won a championship but I’m in the NBA. That’s winning. I’m blessed to be able to play this game, blessed to come out of back surgery. Winning isn’t all about just having a championship, but winning in life. Kobe never challenged that and nothing he said had anything to do with my decision. I respect Kobe, know who he is, but this is about me and going in a different direction.”

Reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times

Dallas Mavericks interested in Andrew Bynum

After moving on from Dwight Howard’s decision to head to Houston, the Mavericks have started to seriously pursue Andrew Bynum, sources told ESPN.com’s Marc Stein.

However, the Mavs will proceed with caution due to the knee condition that caused the 7-foot, 285-pound Bynum to miss all of his lone season with the Philadelphia 76ers.

According to the sources, the evaluation process of the 25-year-old Bynum’s problematic knees will be “exhaustive.”

The Mavs consider their medical staff, headlined by Team USA athletic trainer Casey Smith and Dr. T.O. Souryal, to be the best in the league.

Reported by Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas

Free agent Dorell Wright and Trail Blazers agree to two-year, $6 million contract

Free agent wing Dorell Wright has agreed to sign a two-year contract for $6 million with the Trail Blazers, agent Greg Lawrence said.

The signing won’t become official until Wednesday.

“He was really impressed with Coach Stotts and Neil (Olshey) and how they thought he would fit in,” Lawrence said. “He’s excited about playing with (Damian) Lillard and he likes the city.”

Wright, a 6-foot-9 sharp-shooter, last season averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds as a reserve for Philadelphia.

Reported by Jason Quick of the Oregonian

Tyreke Evans says he wanted to stay with Kings

Tyreke Evans said it still hasn’t fully set in that at the start of his fifth NBA season he will not be a King.

His hope when free agency began July 1 was that he would reach an agreement to stay in Sacramento. Instead, Evans will head to New Orleans in a sign-and-trade on Wednesday, when the NBA moratorium on transactions is lifted.

“It’s been interesting just going through the process figuring out what was going to happen,” Evans said. “But at the end of the day, it was business. We (agent Arn Tellem and Evans’ family) did what was best for my career. We definitely wanted to stay in Sac, but that didn’t work out, so I have an opportunity to go to New Orleans.”

Evans will sign a four-year contract worth $44 million, the sum New Orleans offered him as a restricted free agent, and be dealt to the Pelicans in a three-team trade that will bring point guard Greivis Vasquez to Sacramento.

Reported by Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee