NBA Official off season talk

[FlamesofFury]

Gerald Wallace, the Bobcats' top scorer from last season, is returning to join Jason Richardson in the new-look Charlotte attack.

Wallace and the Bobcats reached an agreement in principle, executive vice president of basketball operations Bernie Bickerstaff said Wednesday.

"There's still some paperwork issues to work out before we can get everything signed, but we're happy," Bickerstaff told The Associated Press. "It's been a collaborative effort on both sides."

The Charlotte Observer, citing an anonymous source, is reporting that Wallace and the Bobcats have agreed to a six-year, $57 million contract. The sixth year of the deal will be Wallace's option, and he can earn as much as $2 million each season in bonuses.

Bickerstaff and Wallace's agent, Rob Pelinka, declined to disclose any details of Wallace's contract.

Wallace, who turns 27 later this month, led the Bobcats with 18.1 points per game last season. He also averaged 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 steals in 72 games to become the first NBA player in 14 years to average 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals in a season.

Wallace became an unrestricted free agent last month, and the Bobcats faced heavy competition in their efforts to re-sign the forward. Seven other teams contacted the free-agent forward when the NBA free-agency period began. Dallas, Orlando, Milwaukee, Detroit, Miami, Portland and Golden State all made inquiries.

But Bobcats part-owner Michael Jordan had said keeping Wallace was one of the team's top offseason priorities.

"Gerald's excited to go back to Charlotte and be a part of a young, athletic team with an ownership group committed to building a winning team," Pelinka said late Wednesday.

Wallace made just over $5.5 million last season, but he opted out of the final year of his contract, which would have paid him about $6 million, to become an unrestricted free agent.

Wallace, who left Alabama after one season, spent three seasons with the Sacramento Kings after they made him their first-round draft pick in 2001. The Bobcats then picked the 6-foot-7 Wallace from the Kings' roster in the 2004 expansion draft. Since then, Wallace has blossomed after being a reserve at Sacramento.

The Bobcats took on the first big contract in their three-year history when they acquired swingman Richardson from Golden State in a draft-night trade. Richardson, who the Bobcats hope will be the go-to scorer they've been missing, is due about $51 million over the next four seasons.

The Bobcats believe a nucleus of Richardson, Wallace, power forward Emeka Okafor, and point guard Raymond Felton will get them to the playoffs next season.

The Bobcats also re-signed free-agent guard Matt Carroll.

Though the deal with Carroll was announced last week, Bickerstaff said Wednesday that some paperwork issues still needed to be resolved. Agent Paul Nadel said last week that Carroll is expected to sign the deal after he returns this week from a trip to China.

The Bobcats have yet to reach a long-term deal with Okafor, who is eligible to receive an extension of his rookie contract. Charlotte has until Oct. 31 to sign an extension with Okafor, who averaged 14.4 points and was the team's top rebounder with 11.3 per game.

Bickerstaff said Wednesday that talks with Okafor are the team's "next order of business."

"We want to start that dialogue soon," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

[FlamesofFury]

Free-agent center Darko Milicic agreed in principle to a three-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, the player's agent Marc Cornstein told ESPN.com Insider Chad Ford.

Cornstein refused to disclose the amount of the deal, but the starting salary is believed to be for substantially more than the $5.3 million mid-level exception.

ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher, citing anonymous sources, is reporting that the deal is for three years and $21 million. A formal team announcement could take place as early as Thursday.

"We are extremely excited for this new opportunity," Cornstein said. "Darko's going to a team that really wants him. He's going to a young team with an exciting bright future much like his own. We're very excited Darko gets to learn from coach Marc Iavaroni. We believe he's one of the best big men coaches in the game. And we couldn't be happier that he has found a new home where he's appreciated."

Milicic was recently waived by the Orlando Magic to clear the cap room necessary to sign Rashard Lewis.

"Memphis has really pursued Darko since the moment he became an unrestricted free agent last week," Cornstein said. "And I'm grateful for the opportunity they'll be providing for Darko at this stage of his career."

Milicic was the second pick in the 2003 NBA draft. He was taken ahead of All-Stars like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade and was widely regarded as a draft bust heading into his third season.

Milicic was traded to the Magic in February of 2006 and began to turn around his career. He averaged eight points and 5.5 rebounds in 23 minutes per game for the Magic last season. But he upped his average to 12.3 points per game in the playoffs this year.

Magic general manager Otis Smith said that the team's top priority in the offseason was signing Milicic, but he reversed course after it became clear that signing Lewis would take all of their cap room.

Milicic should address the Grizzlies' biggest offseason need -- adding a center to play with Pau Gasol. His game appears to complement Iavaroni's up-tempo system.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

 

[PeepShow]

O shit, so the Bobcats did get Richardson. Wow, I didnt know that. Thats a pretty good deal the Bobcats got. They should be pleased with J-Rich

 

[FlamesofFury]

O shit, so the Bobcats did get Richardson. Wow, I didnt know that. Thats a pretty good deal the Bobcats got. They should be pleased with J-Rich

They need a center desperately but this is what the Bobcats might look like next year.

PG- Raymond Felton
SG- Jason Richardson
SF- Gerald Wallace
PF- Emeka Okafor
C- ???? (I'm thinking Anderson Varejao even though he isn't center)
Bench 1: Adam Morrison
Bench 2: Sean May
Bench 3: Jeff McInnis
Bench 4: Primoz Brezec
Bench 5: Matt Carroll
Bench 6: Derek Anderson
Bench 7: Walter Herrmann

That's a good lineup

 

[PeepShow]

Put in May, see how he does. I think he could produce

 

[phantomgerald]

Trade brezec and may to get a decent center and they'll be contending for the last playoff spot

 

[PeepShow]

Ya, but in reality, the Bobcats are still gunna suck.....lol

How bout we talk about a real team, lol

 

[FlamesofFury]

Ya, but in reality, the Bobcats are still gunna suck.....lol

How bout we talk about a real team, lol

Richardson, Wallace, Felton and Okafor a team with that tandem can get to the playoffs.

 

[FlamesofFury]

The Lakers have gone to their past in hopes that it will help solidify their immediate future in the backcourt.

Point guard Derek Fisher, who played an integral role on the Lakers' three-peat team earlier this decade, has agreed in principle to a three-year contract, the Los Angeles Times reports. The deal is worth roughly $14 million.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak was non-committal about Fisher's return to the team.

"That position has been something that we identified as an area where we felt we needed to improve," Kupchak told the Times. "Not a slight to Jordan [Farmar] and our drafted rookie [Javaris Crittenton], who's just 19 years old, but at 19 and 20 years old with limited NBA experience, we're not going to think that they're going to be the ones that can lead the team next year.

"Having said that, without naming players that are out there, when we have additional information and we have an announcement, we'll make that announcement. Right now, we're not in that position, but we're getting close."

Fisher was drafted by the Lakers with the 24th pick in 1996, the same draft in which the team acquired Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets in a draft-day trade. He played the first eight seasons of his career in Los Angeles before signing a six-year, $37-million free-agent contract with Golden State. After two seasons with the Warriors, Fisher was traded to the Utah Jazz, where he played last season.

He played a key role in the Jazz's run to the Western Conference finals last season, but he asked out of his contract with Utah two weeks ago. He was seeking to move to a city with more appropriate medical care for his 1-year-old daughter, Tatum, who has a rare form of eye cancer.

Fisher, 32, must clear waivers after the Jazz files paperwork to terminate his contract, a process that likely won't be completed until next week.

Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's senior vice president of basketball operations, was positive about Fisher's departure.

"We wish him the best, and I hope four games a year he doesn't play well against us," O'Connor told The Salt Lake Tribune.

The Times reports that the first year of Fisher's proposed deal with the Lakers would pay him a little more than $4 million. That leaves Los Angeles with a little more than $1 million left from their $5.3 million mid-level exception to sign another free agent. The Lakers still have the veterans' exception of $1.3 million.

Fisher is keenly familiar with the Lakers' triangle offense and will likely step into the starting lineup, the newspaper reports. He'll also be expected to help Farmar, Crittenton and the rest of the team's young guards develop.

Finally, Fisher could help ease the sometimes tense relationship between Bryant and coach Phil Jackson. Bryant has fumed this offseason about the team's direction and at one point demanded a trade. Bryant did not tell the newspaper if Fisher's return would guarantee his own return to L.A. next season.

"I'm not getting into my situation," Bryant said Wednesday at a Nike promotional event. "I'm just not going to go there."

 

[phantomgerald]

Wow thats a steal for the lakers, and Kobe will be pleased. And Darko getting 21 million for flopping? C'mon thats not how the grizzlies should spend their cap room. I still think MJ is an idiot for acquiring J-rich. He's good, but not good even to give up an 8th draft pick for. Plus, he have a gigantic contract and is obviously being overpaid

 

[Wordlife]

when are my bulls gonna trade pj brown....UGH i hate his ass

 

[FlamesofFury]

Wow thats a steal for the lakers, and Kobe will be pleased. And Darko getting 21 million for flopping? C'mon thats not how the grizzlies should spend their cap room. I still think MJ is an idiot for acquiring J-rich. He's good, but not good even to give up an 8th draft pick for. Plus, he have a gigantic contract and is obviously being overpaid

Wrong it was a good move by the Bobcats. Drafting another young PF would make the organization look like a D-League team. You already have Okafor and May at that position and they are going to be better than Wright for the first season. For the Bobcats it is good for now to get a player that has been playing a while to mentor some of the younger talent here and as well as help Sam Vincent the new coach along.

 

[circle]

The Bobcats are in prime position to make a run with their current core.

I see a lot of what ifs, but if Emeka and May can stay healthy for the season then the bobcats will have 2 legit big men to bang with the 4's in the East. Plus Matt Carroll is instant offense off the bench. I still believe they need to bring back brevin knight b/c he is a solid role player and a good back up to Felton, but if J-Rich and Wallace mesh well along with their growing nucleus of players I can def see a playoff spot for them. Finally J-Rich needs to stay healthy...he missed time b/c of a knee injury

Bobcats are looking up

 

[phantomgerald]

Wrong it was a good move by the Bobcats. Drafting another young PF would make the organization look like a D-League team. You already have Okafor and May at that position and they are going to be better than Wright for the first season. For the Bobcats it is good for now to get a player that has been playing a while to mentor some of the younger talent here and as well as help Sam Vincent the new coach along.

Paul pierce, KG, Kobe and Jermaine O'Neal were all available, yet he went for J-Rich with the same salary as them, but not as good. He wasn't even the best guard in Golden state last year(that would go to Baron Davis). They could have aggresively pursued Kobe. If you had to give up May plus what they gave to J-Rich to Kobe, which would the bobcats fans have preferred?

 

[phantomgerald]

Tons of signings. First one is maurice williams to the bucks for a 52 million dollar deal for six years, with player option to opt out in the fourth and fifth year.

I think they overpaid for him. Miami was courting him and they decide to sign him up. He's a 7-million a year player, so on average he should get about 42 million for six years. This could come back to haunt the bucks.

Mikki Moore to the Kings and Maagloire to the nets. The nets got the better deal in my opinion. Never like Mikki Moore.