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Phoenix Suns sign Steve Nash to contract extension

The Phoenix Suns today signed two-time NBA MVP point guard Steve Nash to a two-year contract extension through 2011-12, the club announced.

“Steve is still one of the best point guards in the NBA, and his dedication to conditioning will keep him among the league’s elite for several more seasons,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr. “In many ways he embodies what our franchise is all about, and we’re thrilled that he will be the leader of our team for the next three years.”

A 13-year NBA veteran, including seven overall in Phoenix, Nash has spent the last five seasons in the desert and has led the Suns to two Western Conference Finals appearances and two of the club’s three seasons of 60 or more wins in franchise history (2004-05, 2006-07). Since signing to return to Phoenix on July 14, 2004, Nash has led the Suns to an average of 56 wins each season and Phoenix has compiled an impressive 270-115 (.701) mark with him in the lineup.

One of only nine players in NBA history to collect back-to-back NBA MVP awards (2005, 2006), Nash is a six-time NBA All-Star (four appearances as a Sun, 2005-08) and a three-time All-NBA First Team Selection (2005, 2006, 2007). Since 2004-05, Nash has averaged 17.1 points and 10.9 assists in 385 games in a Suns uniform while shooting an unparalleled 51.1 percent from the field (2,401-4,697), 44.9 percent from three-point range (687-1,530) and 91.6 percent from the free-throw line (1,108-1,209).

Among the most prolific passers in NBA history, the 6-3, 178-pound Nash currently ranks ninth on the NBA’s all-time assist list (7,505) and second on the Suns’ franchise list (4,586) behind Suns legend Kevin Johnson. Nash is the only player in Suns history to average 11 or more assists in three different seasons (2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08) and owns four of the 10 double-digit assist seasons in franchise history.

Widely regarded as one of the NBA’s best shooters, in 2008-09, Nash became the first player in NBA history to shoot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line in three different seasons (2005-06, 2007-08). The 35-year-old Nash concluded the season tied for 16th on the league’s all-time list of three-pointers made (1,360) and just 10 threes shy of surpassing the Suns’ franchise record currently held by assistant coach and Ring of Honor member Dan Majerle (800).

Nash will begin his eighth season in Phoenix in 2009-10 ranked as the second-most accurate free-throw shooter in NBA history behind only Mark Price, and tops among active players. A career 89.7-percent shooter from the line, Nash is one of only six players in league history to shoot 90 percent or better from the free-throw line in at least five career seasons. In 2008-09, Nash shot a career-high 93.3 percent from the charity stripe, breaking his own Phoenix franchise record (.921, 2005-06).

Originally selected by the Suns with the 15th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft, Nash played his first two seasons in Phoenix before being traded to Dallas on July 25, 1998 for Pat Garrity, Bubba Wells, Martin Muursepp and a future first-round pick that the Suns would use on Shawn Marion in 1999. After six seasons with the Mavericks, Nash returned to Phoenix as a restricted free agent prior to the 2004-05 season and keyed the then third-largest turnaround in NBA history and a franchise-record tying 62 victories a season after the club won 29 games.

Among the numerous and wide-ranging awards his professional and personal endeavors have garnered, Nash was named to the Order of Canada in Dec. 2007, his home nation’s highest civilian honor, for his success on the court and his humanitarian efforts. Nash was also the recipient of the 2007 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, is a two-time winner of the Lionel Conacher Award as Canada’s top male athlete (2002, 2005), and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2006.

His well-known Steve Nash Foundation is dedicated to assisting underserved children in their health, personal development, education and enjoyment of life with efforts focused in British Columbia, Arizona and Paraguay, home nation of Nash’s wife, Alejandra. Winner of the 2008 Steve Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy, foundation events have raised over $1 million.

One of the NBA’s “greenest” players, in 2007 Nash opened the Steve Nash Sports Club in Vancouver, the first sports gym to aspire to meet standards for energy conservation and environmentally friendly practices. His Nike “Trash Talk” shoe is made from the wasted manufacturing scraps of other shoes, packaged in a box made entirely of recycled fiber and went on sale to the public on Earth Day 2009. Nash now partners with Arizona Public Service (APS), the state’s largest and longest-serving electric utility, and appears in popular television advertisements to promote the company’s solar and renewable energy initiatives.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa on Feb. 7, 1974, Nash moved to Canada at the age of 18 months.

Orlando Magic sign Matt Barnes

The Orlando Magic have signed free agent forward Matt Barnes, General Manager Otis Smith announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed. We’ll add contract info tonight.

“Matt (Barnes) is a versatile player that fits very well with our style of play,” said Smith. “He is a good defender, can knock down the open shot and is coming off his best season as a pro. We’re happy to welcome Matt to the Magic family.”

Barnes (6’7”, 226, 3/9/80) played in 77 games last season with Phoenix, averaging career-highs of 10.2 ppg., 5.5 rpg. and 2.8 apg. in 27.0 minpg. He made 40 starts for the Suns, averaging 12.6 ppg., 6.1 rpg. and 3.2 apg. during that span. Barnes led (or tied) the team in scoring twice, in rebounding 11 times and in assists four times. He scored in double figures 36 times and had eight games with 20+ points, including a season-best 26 points on Mar. 1 vs. L.A. Lakers. Barnes also recorded five double-doubles and dished out a career-high 11 assists on Mar. 15 @ Golden State.

Originally selected by Memphis during the second round (46th overall) of the 2002 NBA Draft, Barnes has played in 363 career NBA regular season games with the L.A. Clippers, Sacramento, New York, Philadelphia, Golden State and Phoenix, averaging 7.0 ppg., 4.1 rpg. and 1.8 rpg. in 20.3 minpg. He has also appeared in 11 career playoff games, averaging 11.1 ppg., 5.7 rpg., 2.4 apg. and 1.45 stlpg. in 30.0 minpg.

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Orlando Magic to sign Matt Barnes

The Orlando Magic are about to land help at the swingman spots. Yahoo (Adrian Wojnarowski) reports:

In an aggressive summer of spending, the Orlando Magic have agreed with Matt Barnes on a two-year, $3.2 million contract, a league source said Monday night… The deal includes a player option of $1.6 million in 2010-11, the source said. Barnes will sign the agreement on Tuesday.

Assuming the deal happens, it’s a good move for the Magic. Barnes will help their bench. With new shooting guard Vince Carter likely starting and Rashard Lewis probably sliding from power forward to his natural small forward position, Mickael Pietrus and Barnes will provide nice backup minutes at the SG and SF spots.

Last season with the Phoenix Suns Barnes averaged 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 27.0 minutes per game.

Steve Nash to sign contract extension with Phoenix Suns

The AP reports: Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns have agreed on a two-year, $22 million contract extension, his agent said. Bill Duffy confirmed the agreement Monday in an interview with The Associated Press. The deal will keep the two-time MVP point guard under contract with the Suns through the 2011-2012 season… Under the agreement, $6 million of the final two years of the contract will be deferred, with $3 million being paid in each of the two years following the expiration of the contract, Duffy said.

Shaq lands sports-reality TV show

USA Today (Gary Levin) reports: NBA star Shaquille O’Neal is getting ready to multitask. The four-time hoops champion, who joins the Cleveland Cavaliers next season, will star in “Shaq Vs.,” an ABC reality series that pits him against top athletes in their own sports. Filming begins Wednesday in Pittsburgh, where Shaq takes on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in football. Future hourlong episodes will pit him against Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, tennis pro Serena Williams and beach volleyball Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

InsideHoops.com editor says: The show sounds like it should be fun to watch, if done correctly. Ideally, the guest athletes share cool stuff that we wouldn’t normally hear or see and bring something new, aside from showing off skills we already know they possess.

Phoenix Suns sign Channing Frye

The Phoenix Suns today signed unrestricted free agent Channing Frye to a one-year deal with a player option for a second season, the club has announced. We will add salary info tonight.

“We’re excited to welcome Channing home to Phoenix,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr. “We’re fortunate to add a player of his caliber to our frontcourt. Channing fits our style perfectly because of his ability to run and shoot with range, and he’s our kind of person, too – a great teammate with high character and someone who is very community-minded.”

The 6-11, 245-pound Frye is a four-year NBA veteran originally selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. Frye, who spent his first two career seasons with the Knicks (2005-07), joins his third NBA team following a two-year stint most recently with the Portland Trail Blazers (2007-09). The 26-year-old owns career averages of 8.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 278 games (94 starts).

Frye’s best statistical seasons came with consistent minutes in his first two NBA campaigns with the Knicks. Frye averaged 10.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 25.3 minutes in 137 games in 2005-06 and 2006-07, including a career-high 12.3 points in garnering NBA All-Rookie First Team honors in 2005-06.

The decorated former University of Arizona standout spent four seasons in Tucson, earning First Team All-Pac 10 honors as both a junior and senior while serving as co-captain of the Wildcats. Frye finished his career with the Wildcats ninth on the school’s all-time scoring list (1,789), third in rebounds (975), second in blocks (258) and fourth in field goals made (707). Frye won the 2005 Pac-10 Sportsmanship Award.

Amar’e Stoudemire has routine eye surgery

Phoenix Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire this afternoon underwent routine outpatient surgery on his right eye.

Commenting on the surgery, Suns’ team ophthalmologist Dr. Jay Schwartz said, “Amar’e today underwent a procedure that is a standard part of his continued recovery process. It was a routine drainage of a small amount of residual fluid that was simply the next step.”

Stoudemire originally underwent surgery to repair a partially detached retina in his right eye on Feb. 20, 2009.

Phoenix Suns sign 2009 first round draft pick Earl Clark

The Phoenix Suns today announced the signing of first-round selection Earl Clark, taken with the 14th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft.

In Clark, the Suns add a versatile three-year performer from Louisville, who averaged a team-best 14.2 points and team-leading 8.7 rebounds in his final season as a junior in 2008-09. The 6-9, 225-pound Clark earned All-Big East Third Team honors in his final collegiate season and helped to lead Louisville to the No. 1 overall seed in the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Clark, who will make his Suns debut at the 2009 Las Vegas Summer League, was the 17th early entry candidate selected by the Suns in franchise history and the fourth Louisville product drafted by Phoenix, first since Charles Jones in 1984 (36th pick overall, second round).

An established big-game performer, the 21-year-old Clark averaged 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds and shot 56.8 percent from the field in NCAA Tournament games during his final two seasons at Louisville. The 2006 McDonald’s All-American led the Cardinals to the school’s first Big East Tournament title in 2009 by averaging 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists in conference tournament play. Overall, Clark averaged 10.6 points and 7.0 rebounds in 104 career games (63 starts) for Louisville, where he notched 27 career double-doubles.

The Suns begin their five-game Las Vegas Summer League slate at 3 p.m. Monday, July 13 against the Dallas Mavericks at COX Pavilion.

Jason Kidd to re-sign with Dallas Mavericks

Free agent point guard Jason Kidd will re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks, according to several ESPN reporters.

The deal will reportedly be for three years and in the neighborhood of $25 million.

The NBA’s free agent negotiation period began Wednesday, July 1. Players can sign contracts beginning Wednesday, July 8.

Kidd, who turned 36 in March, averaged just 9.0 points per game last season, the lowest of his entire NBA career. He shot 41.6%, slightly above his career average. Kidd has been shooting very well from three-point range in the two seasons he’s been on the Mavericks.

Last season he also averaged 6.2 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game.

Kidd has shown his age in the past year or two, especially on the defensive end, and should continue to slow down next season. It’s surprising to me that the Mavericks will keep him for three years. I thought if they were going to re-sign him it would be for perhaps one year, two at the most.

Former Maverick Devin Harris, traded to the Nets for Kidd, has done very well in New Jersey, though the Nets offense really centered almost entirely around the young, scoring point guard, so his stats were slightly inflated. But still, while Harris looks like he will flirt with making the NBA All-Star team for years to come, Kidd’s career is wrapping up.

Shaq sells Miami house

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sarah Talalay) reports: Former Heat center Shaquille O’Neal finally unloaded his Star Island home on Wednesday, a day before he was traded from Phoenix to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Philip Freedman, a broker with Flagstone Realty, said the deal to sell the 2.5 acre property at 26 Star Island Drive closed Wednesday. The home sold for $16 million, far below the $18.8 million O’Neal paid for the mansion in 2004 and the $32 million he was seeking for the home in 2005. He was reportedly asking $22.5 million, but couldn’t get nearly that much in this economic climate.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Shaq sold his home for a bit less than I recent spent on one of my new summer houses.