Transactions 07/08

[Karma]

The silly season is upon us, so place any signings, trades and waivings here.

Finley Passes On Free Agency To Stay With Spurs

ESPN - 06/27 - 1:22 AM EST
San Antonio Spurs swingman Michael Finley notified the team Tuesday that he will bypass the opportunity to become a free agent July 1 and play out the final season of his contract with the newly crowned champions.

Finley had until Saturday to forfeit next season's $3.1 million salary and return to the open market, but called his decision a "no-brainer."

"I originally signed for three years, with the last year being an option [year] if I didn't enjoy it here," Finley told ESPN.com. "I like it here."

Flip Murray Exercises Option To Return To Pistons

ESPN - 06/26 - 7:22 PM EST
Pistons guard Ronald "Flip" Murray has exercised his player option for next season to return to the team, his agent, Mark Termini, said Tuesday.

Murray's salary for 2007-08, in the second year of a two-year deal, will be $1,890,000.

Wallace Set For Free Agency

SI.com - 06/26 - 5:03 PM EST
Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace will become an unrestricted free agent Sunday after deciding not to extend his contract for another season.

Wallace, who led Charlotte in scoring last season with 18.1 points a game, will explore all options, his agent, Rob Pelinka, said Tuesday.

Wallace made just over $5.5 million last season. He will likely command at least $10 million a season under a new contract that could run as long as six years.

Jasikevicius Picks Up Option

San Francisco Chronicle - 06/26 - 11:09 AM EST
Warriors guard Sarunas Jasikevicius picked up his $4 million option for next season, as expected, but it remains unlikely that Golden State will be the team issuing his paychecks.

Jasikevicius, who had until Sunday to guarantee the last year of the three-year, $12 million contract he signed with the Pacers in 2005, quickly disappeared from the Warriors' rotation after arriving from Indiana in January.

Though the Lithuanian was pegged as the backup to Baron Davis, Jasikevicius struggled in coach Don Nelson's open-court system and was relegated to cheerleader status during Golden State's playoff games.

 

[TheAdmin]

Looks like Scott Williams got squeezed out of the announcer booth and quit, does that count?

 

[Cleveland56]

Fabricio Oberto, the starting center for the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, has declined a player option on his contract and will become a restricted free agent.

 

[Karma]

Houston Buys 54th Pick From Orlando

RealGM - 06/28 - 12:25 PM EST
The Orlando Magic have traded a second round pick (54th overall) in the 2007NBA Draft to the Houston Rockets in exchange for cash considerations, General Manager Otis Smith announced this afternoon.

Orlando owns pick #44 during tonight’s draft.

 

[Karma]

Oden signs, gets ready for summer league​

July 2, 2007
AP - Jun 29, 6:04 pm EDT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The Portland Trail Blazers have signed No. 1 pick Greg Oden.

According the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, Oden's deal will be for two years, with team options for the third and fourth seasons. Oden will make $3.885 million as a rookie and $4.176 in Year 2. If they pick up the option in the third year, his salary will be $4.476 million.

Oden, a 7-foot center from Ohio State, signed his contract Sunday and the team announced the deal Monday.

Oden immediately started working out with the other players on Portland's summer league roster, impressing teammates with his powerful dunks and ability to block shots.

"One shot I couldn't block, and he came over my shoulder and blocked it; I was amazed," said power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 draft. "And he dunked everything around the rim."

Oden, Aldridge and second-year guard Sergio Rodriguez headline Portland's Las Vegas Summer League team, which opens its five-game schedule Friday against the Boston Celtics.

The Trail Blazers also signed second-round picks Josh McRoberts, the forward from Duke, and Florida guard Taurean Green.

Petteri Koponen, the Finnish point guard who was the final pick of the first round, signed a waiver that allows him to play in the summer league.

 

[Karma]

Vaughn Remains With Spurs

San Antonio Express-News - 07/03 - 1:24 AM EST

The Spurs have reached agreement with Jacque Vaughn on a two-year contract that will pay him about $2.5 million, an NBA source said Monday.

Vaughn's agreement, which pays him the minimum salary for players with at least 10 seasons of experience, means the Spurs have commitments from two of their free agents. Fabricio Oberto plans to sign a three-year deal once the league's free-agent moratorium ends on July 11.

The Spurs also are continuing negotiations with forward Matt Bonner.

 

[Karma]

Bobcats Pick Up Second-Year Option On Herrmann's Contract

SI.com - 07/02 - 1:19 PM EST

The Charlotte Bobcats picked up the second-year option on forward Walter Herrmann's contact, his agent said Monday.

Herrmann, who had been playing in the Spanish ACB League, signed a one-year deal last September with a team for a second season worth about $2 million.

 

[Karma]

Bobcats Waive Brevin Knight

Charlotte Bobcats Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bernie Bickerstaff today announced that the team has waived Brevin Knight.

The 5-10,170-pound guard appeared in 180 games in three seasons for the Bobcats and averaged 10.8 points, 8.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 30.8 minutes. Charlotte originally signed Knight as a free agent on August 31, 2004.

“Brevin Knight is a natural leader who embodied all of those intangible qualities that you would want in a veteran player,” Bickerstaff said. “The professionalism that he brought to this team, both on and off the court, makes this a tough decision. His contributions to this young franchise will continue to have an impact on our younger players as we move forward.”

A 10-year NBA veteran, Knight has averaged 8.3 points, 6.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 581 career games with Cleveland, Atlanta, Memphis, Phoenix, Washington, Milwaukee and Charlotte. Over his career, he has averaged at least 1.25 steals in each of his 10 seasons.

Knight was selected 16th overall by Cleveland in the 1997 NBA Draft, where he spent three-plus seasons. As a rookie, he earned All-Rookie First Team honors after he averaged 9.0 points, 8.2 assists and 2.45 steals in 31.0 minutes. Knight finished eighth in the NBA in assists and second in steals during the 1997-98 season.

 

[Karma]

Jazz to Release Fisher from Contract

SALT LAKE CITY (July 2, 2007) – Utah Jazz senior vice president of basketball operations, Kevin O’Connor, announced today that guard Derek Fisherhas requested that the team release him from his player contract due to his daughter Tatum’s ongoing medical condition.

“Derek will pursue an opportunity as a free agent with a team in a city that has highly specialized medical facilities in order to get the best possible care for his daughter. Derek has contributed greatly to the Utah Jazz organization and we are reluctant to see him go, but understand the importance of putting his family first,” said team owner Larry H. Miller.

Under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, a player contract cannot be amended during the moratorium period that ends on July 11. The Jazz will enter into an agreement to release him from his contract as soon as the CBA allows.

Fisher (6-1, 211, Arkansas-Little Rock) has played in 782 regular season games over 11 seasons with the L.A. Lakers, Golden State and Utah and owns career averages of 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He appeared in all 82 games in his lone season in Utah in 2006-07, averaging 10.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 27.9 minutes per game. The Jazz acquired Fisher from Golden State in exchange for Devin Brown, Keith McLeod and Andre Owens on July 12, 2006.

 

[Karma]

Lakers to re-sign free agent Luke Walton

July 2, 2007

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Luke Walton appears to be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Several published reports said the forward agreed to a six-year, $30 million deal Sunday on the first day teams were allowed to contact free agents.

"This is where I wanted to be all along," Walton, an unrestricted free agent, told the Los Angeles Times. "I couldn't be any happier to remain a Laker."

Walton's agent Lon Babby told ESPN.com that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak called one minute after the free-agent signing period officially opened.

"They called at the earliest possible moment, and we worked on it all day," Babby said. "They wanted him back, and Luke wanted to be there. We wanted to make every effort to get an agreement before we went out and looked at any other teams."

A four-year veteran, the 27-year-old Walton averaged 11.4 points, five rebounds and 4.3 assists -- all career highs -- last season.

He will make more than triple his last season's salary of $1.4 million.

A message left for Lakers spokesman John Black was not immediately returned and teams aren't allowed to announce signings until July 11.

 

[Karma]

Lakers Sign Javaris Crittenton

lakers.com - 07/03 - 10:17 PM EST

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed first round draft pick Javaris Crittenton, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.

Crittenton, the 19th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, was an early entry candidate out of Georgia Tech. The 6-5 guard finished his career with the Yellow Jackets averaging 14.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.0 steals in 32 games played.

 

[Karma]

Slaughter Signs Two-Year Deal With Miami

Press-Enterprise - 07/03 - 6:51 PM EST

Marcus Slaughter signed a two-year contract with the Miami Heat on Monday.

Slaughter, a 22-year-old forward, said he will begin playing for the Heat's summer league team in Orlando next week following a successful season spent in the Turkish Basketball League.

"It hasn't really hit me," Slaughter said by phone. "They want me to play defense and rebound. My goal is to play."

 

[Karma]

Pacers Sign Rush, Graham And Owens

RealGM Staff - 07/03 - 1:58 PM EST

The Indiana Pacers announced Tuesday they have signed free agents Kareem Rush, Stephen Graham and Andre Owens. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not revealed.

Rush is a 6-6, 215-pound guard who played last season in the Lithuanian League and was the Baltic League Final Four MVP. He was the No. 1 pick of the Toronto Raptors (20th overall) in the 2002 NBA Draft and was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on draft night. He has also played for Charlotte and Seattle.

Graham is a 6-6, 215-pound forward who has played for Portland, Cleveland, Chicago and Houston. Last season he played 32 games for Sioux Falls in the D-League, averaging 18 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while being named a D-League All-Star.

Owens is a former Indiana All-Star from Perry Meridian High School who played one season at Indiana before transferring to Houston. He’s a 6-4, 200-pound guard who played last season with Anaheim in the D-League, averaging 16.6 ppg.

Those three will join 14 others in the Pacers’ rookie/free agent camp, which starts Thursday on Finish Line Court in Conseco Fieldhouse.

 

[Karma]

Sonics sign Durant, Green

July 4, 2007

SEATTLE (AP) -- Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, the second and fifth overall choices in last week's NBA draft, signed contracts with the Seattle SuperSonics on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-9 Durant, just 18, is a forward who earned Associated Press college player of the year honors in his one season at Texas. He also won the Adolph Rupp Trophy, the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award.

He will make $3.476 million as a rookie and $3.736 million in the second year. Green will earn $2.548 million in his first year and $2.739 million in the following one. The SuperSonics have one-year options for the players' third and fourth years.

The 6-9 Green, also a forward, played three seasons at Georgetown, averaging 13.2 points and 6.5 rebounds. Green, 21, was named to the AP All-America third team in 2006-07 and, as a junior, helped the Hoyas make their first NCAA Final Four appearance since 1985.

Both players are in Las Vegas for the NBA summer league and will make their professional debuts on Friday when the Sonics face the Dallas Mavericks.

 

[Karma]

Bobcats come to terms with Carroll, sign Dudley

By MIKE CRANSTON, AP Sports Writer
July 4, 2007

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Guard Matt Carroll and the Charlotte Bobcats came to terms on a six-year, $27 million contract.

Agent Paul Nadel, a partner with Fegan and Associates, said Wednesday that Carroll is expected to sign the deal next week when he returns from a trip to China.

Carroll, signed by Charlotte out of the NBA's developmental league midway through the 2004-05 season, quickly became a key contributor. A 3-point specialist, he averaged nine points in 25 games to close that season, then 7.6 points the following year.

Last season, Carroll averaged a career-high 12.1 points and shot 42 percent from 3-point range, moving into the starting lineup late in the season.

"I'm very excited about Matt being back in the fold," Bobcats coach Sam Vincent said. "The guys who are part of this thing last year and have gotten us to this point are special to this organization. The more of those guys that we can keep around, that's what we're trying to do."

Carroll, who was undrafted out of Notre Dame, was cut by New York, Portland, San Antonio and Golden State early in his career. But his game blossomed while playing for Roanoke in the NBDL. He averaged more than 20 points a game before he was signed by Charlotte.

Due to his humble beginnings, Carroll said late last season that he wanted the security of a long-term deal. Carroll received some interest from other teams, but the Bobcats were the only team that could have offered him a six-year contract, the maximum length allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.

"He's very excited. This is where he wanted to be," Nadel said.

The 6-foot-6 Carroll will face more competition for playing time next season after the Bobcats acquired fellow shooting guard Jason Richardson in a draft night trade. But part-owner Michael Jordan had said they wanted to retain Carroll to keep depth at the position.

"He's a pure shooter," Bobcats guard Raymond Felton said. "He can put the ball on the floor. He can shoot the ball well. I love that he's coming back."

The Bobcats also said Wednesday that they had signed first-round pick Jared Dudley to his rookie contract. Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement's rookie scale, Dudley will receive $947,500 next season and $1.018 million in the second year. The Bobcats hold team options for a third and fourth year.

Dudley,left of picture, the 22nd pick in the draft, averaged 19 points and 8.3 rebounds as a senior at Boston College last season and was named the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. At 6-foot-7 and 219 pounds, the Bobcats plan to use Dudley at both small forward and power forward.

The Bobcats' major offseason concern remains unsettled. Forward Gerald Wallace, the team's top scorer last season, remains unsigned. Vice president of basketball operations Bernie Bickerstaff and Wallace's agent, Rob Pelinka, have been in talks since early Sunday.

Wallace has received inquiries from at least seven other teams, but Vincent is confident they'll keep him.

"I feel great about Gerald," Vincent said. "I shouldn't say I'm expecting it to happen soon, I'm hoping it happens soon. But I feel good about it."