2009 NBA offseason thread

[mrpayroll]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090625/...aq_cavaliers_1

AP Source: Cavs acquire Shaq from Suns

By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer Tom Withers, Ap Sports Writer – 36 mins ago
CLEVELAND – LeBron and Shaq: Two of the NBA's biggest stars are now teammates.

The Cleveland Cavaliers completed a blockbuster trade Thursday, bringing superstar center Shaquille O'Neal from the Phoenix Suns to play with current MVP LeBron James, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been officially announced.

The Cavaliers hope they are creating a basketball duo with the drawing power of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — or even Shaq and Kobe Bryant.

Each of those pairs won multiple NBA titles. The Cavs would settle for their first.

The Cavs are sending center Ben Wallace and swingman Sasha Pavlovic to the Suns, along with a second-round pick in the 2010 draft and $500,000 in cash, one of the people close to the deal said.

Well at least now it will be easier for the Lakers to win the Western Conference!

Chris

[mrpayroll]

Originally Posted by El Scorcho

it will be fun to watch the NBA finals next year when the Western Twin Towers (Gasol & Bynum) clash with the Eastern Twin Towers (Shaq & Z)

I agree 100%!

Chris

[Deftones]

Originally Posted by fumanstan

I wonder if Shaq will talk shit about the Suns on his way out too.

I don't see how he could. He knew it was coming. The Suns allowed him to have a resurgence in his career. He was pretty much done and came here, the training staff really got him able to play consistently again. If anything, talk shit about the ownership but don't talk smack about the team or the training staff.

[fujishig]

Originally Posted by mrpayroll

I agree 100%!

Chris

Seriously, who considers Oden and Pryz as "twin towers?"

[Decker]

Originally Posted by Deftones

I don't see how he could. He knew it was coming. The Suns allowed him to have a resurgence in his career. He was pretty much done and came here, the training staff really got him able to play consistently again. If anything, talk shit about the ownership but don't talk smack about the team or the training staff.

Dude won three rings and three finals MVPs with the Lakers. Got paid tens of millions and became an all-time great. That didn't stop him from making some pretty nasty comments about his teammates, coach and ownership after they honored his request for a trade.

[fujishig]

Originally Posted by chess

And while I'm thinking about it, how has Shaq managed to play with 3 (4 if you count Nash) of the top 5 players in the game?

What about Horry? Played with Olajuwon, Drexler, Kobe, Shaq, and Duncan. Technically, I think he also played with Nash in his brief, towel-throwing stint with the Suns, but Nash was a bench player at the time. Of course, he's also the only non-Celtic to have 7 rings, so it makes sense...

[chess]

<-- Surprised Grant Hill has a job.

I don't think I've seen Shaq play in the past two years. How much gas is in the tank? What kind of minutes is he playing? What's the over/under on major injury?

[chess]

Originally Posted by fujishig

What about Horry? Played with Olajuwon, Drexler, Kobe, Shaq, and Duncan. Technically, I think he also played with Nash in his brief, towel-throwing stint with the Suns, but Nash was a bench player at the time. Of course, he's also the only non-Celtic to have 7 rings, so it makes sense...

Horry is also a lucky dude.

[dx23]

Originally Posted by chess

<-- Surprised Grant Hill has a job.

Why?

[DaveWadding]

Chatter that the Rockets are considering trading McGrady, Brooks and Landry to the Suns for Amare & Barbosa.

[ChineseCheckers]

if that's true the Rockets do that in a heartbeat. How much would the suns be saving in money?

[mrpayroll]

Here is a good page to keep up with the trades.

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/06/23/t....html?rss=true

Chris

[Rendle]

The Cavs beat reporter is talking about targeting Rasheed Wallace with the midlevel exception. This would only happen if Varejao leaves for more money.

[chess]

Originally Posted by dx23

Why?

Mostly because he's my age...but I also hadn't heard anything about him in a long time.

[dx23]

Originally Posted by chess

Mostly because he's my age...but I also hadn't heard anything about him in a long time.

He played really good this year in Phoenix and was healthy. He can easily contribute to a lot of teams. Jason Kidd still in the league and they are the same age too.

[dx23]

Originally Posted by DaveWadding

Chatter that the Rockets are considering trading McGrady, Brooks and Landry to the Suns for Amare & Barbosa.

With the rumor that Yao might be out until January, I can see why they are thinking in getting Stoudamire. Still, the Rockets should worry more about re-signing Artest, checking if Yao and McGrady are going to be back and get a decent backup center and a scorer.

[chess]

Originally Posted by dx23

He played really good this year in Phoenix and was healthy. He can easily contribute to a lot of teams. Jason Kidd still in the league and they are the same age too.

No doubt. I just lost track of him after that 4 year injury hiatus.

[DaveWadding]

Originally Posted by ChineseCheckers

if that's true the Rockets do that in a heartbeat. How much would the suns be saving in money?

Barbosa 2 years/$13.8 mil left (6.6/7.1) (+ player option for 3rd year)

Amare 1 year $16.4 mil (+ player option)

______

Brooks is making $1.2 mil this year, then closer to 2 and 3 mil the next 2...

its says Landry is an FA (?) but he made less than a mil last year

and TMac's corpse is in the final year of his deal earning $23.2 mil

Basically Amare and Leandro's contracts match up to T-Mac's this year, but paying Brooks and Landry isnt so bad...and it saves them Dro's $7.1 next year.

[Ravenous]

Originally Posted by chess

Mostly because he's my age...but I also hadn't heard anything about him in a long time.

Whoa, youre Grants age? I swore you woulda been around 22 at the oldest man

Well with Shaq going to the Cavs I can officially start to hate them. On a side note that Delonte West is one of the ugliest sons of bitches I have ever seen. I had to turn the station whenever they showed him up close. Theres also a player for the Heat who is down right hideous.

[Rendle]

Hollinger just mentioned a trade is brewing during his chat:

Nets and Magic are apparently working on a Vince Carter trade, according to our Chad Ford. Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie would go to New Jersey.

[mrpayroll]

This has to be one of the biggest years in (potential) trades???

Chris

[dx23]

Magic in talks to acquire Nets’ Carter

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports 29 minutes ago


Yahoo! Sports

The New Jersey Nets are in advanced discussions to send Vince Carter(notes) to the Orlando Magic for Rafer Alston(notes), Tony Battie(notes) and Courtney Lee(notes), a source with knowledge of the negotiations told Yahoo! Sports.

If the Nets move Carter, they will draft Louisville shooting guard Terrence Willams at No. 11, if he’s still available.

The source categorgized the deal as “close” and it could be consummated by the end of the night.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns

I don't get how this trade helps the Magic at all. Is Hedo going to return now? Vince has that aura similar to Iverson where he brings teams down because of his selfishness.

[shadowhawk2020]

Originally Posted by Rendle

Hollinger just mentioned a trade is brewing during his chat:

Nets and Magic are apparently working on a Vince Carter trade, according to our Chad Ford. Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie would go to New Jersey.

I am not a big fan of this move... I think the Magic have to move Alston, because him and Nelson will both want to start. But I do not want to give up young talent in Lee, for old players like Carter.


I was also hoping they would have the money to get Bosh at some point.

[Daryl]

Originally Posted by mrpayroll

This has to be one of the biggest years in (potential) trades???

Chris

The 2003 draft is the gift that keeps on giving. Now teams can dump salaries left and right, selling their fans the excuse that they are "freeing up cap space for 2010" when in reality they are simply looking to reduce payroll ASAP.

[mrpayroll]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090625/...rriors_trade_2

AP Source: Warriors, Hawks working on trade

By JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer
1 hr 14 mins ago

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Hawks and Golden State Warriors were working Thursday to finalize a trade that would send point guard Jamal Crawford to Atlanta for guards Acie Law and Speedy Claxton, a person with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press.

Crawford can't be traded until July 1 or until he signs paperwork indicating he won't opt out of his contract and become a free agent. Once he does that, the trade could be completed in the coming days, the person said on condition of anonymity because the talks were confidential.

The Warriors acquired Crawford, who had his differences with coach Don Nelson, from the New York Knicks early last season. He is due to make nearly $20 million the next two years and the trade certainly would help the Warriors regarding the salary cap.

Monta Ellis has already been made Golden State's starting point guard heading into training camp. New general manager Larry Riley and Nelson recently visited Ellis in Memphis to tell him how important he is to the franchise.

Ellis, who signed a $66 million, six-year deal after averaging a career-best 20.2 points during the 2007-08 season, averaged 19 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season.

He was limited to 25 games because of a serious ankle injury last summer in a motorized scooter accident that resulted in a 30-game suspension without pay from the team.

Riley said he would consider picking a point guard with the No. 7 selection in Thursday night's NBA draft, but power forward Jordan Hill of Arizona also was high on his wish list.

The 29-year-old Crawford averaged 19.7 points, 4.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds last season.

Nelson indicated to Crawford during the season that he wasn't in the team's future plans. Nelson sat Crawford for a game against Charlotte on Feb. 27 and he was benched twice in one week during March. He then missed another game after asking for more practice time to prepare following the benchings.

Crawford provides the Hawks with depth and flexibility at the guard spot. Starting point guard Mike Bibby and backup combo guard Flip Murray are both unrestricted free agents after helping Atlanta reach the second round of the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

Bibby averaged 14.9 points and 5.0 assists, giving the Hawks their first true point guard since Mookie Blaylock. Murray chipped in with a 12.2 scoring average.

Claxton was a fan favorite during two seasons with the Warriors from 2003-05 but has been hampered by knee problems and other ailments. He went more than two years without playing until the final week of the season and now is in the final year of his contract.

___

AP Sports Writer Paul Newberry in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Chris