SH Blog: Brandon Roy to return, Elton Brand to be amnestied, Louis Williams to find new team

Before Ray Allen agreed to join the Miami Heat, nothing of major significance happened in free agency today, with the exception of the return of one Brandon Roy and the Philadelphia 76ers making some major roster adjustments. Aside from that, today’s news is filled with teams and players’ options, desires, possibilities and opinions.

First reported by Jason Quick of the Oregonian, Brandon Roy has agreed to deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves: “Brandon Roy has agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to sources close to the situation. Roy can officially sign with the Timberwolves on July 11, when the league’s moratorium ends. The 27-year-old met with Timberwolves brass earlier this week and the two sides reached an agreement on Thursday afternoon, according to sources. Prior to agreeing to terms with Minnesota, Roy received interest from the Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers, according to sources.”

Here is the news of Roy’s signing from the Warriors point of view, from Matt Steinmetz: “Roy’s contract is reported to be for $10 million over two years. The Warriors could have offered Roy that same contract — using their mid-level exception — and even offered more years and more money. But earlier this week, (GM Rob) Myers made it clear that the Warriors were not prepared to use the team’s entire mid-level exception because it would put the Warriors in the luxury tax area. The Warriors’ pursuit of Roy made sense from a basketball standpoint. Roy was a three-time all-star before injuries cut short his career. If he can approach his former level of play, Roy will no doubt help the team he’s playing for.”

Jeff Green is closing in on a deal with the Celtics, according to Sam Amick of SI.com: On the Celtics front, agent David Falk continues to say he thinks a deal gets done with Boston for free agent forward Jeff Green. One source with knowledge of the talks says it may be in the four years, $40 million neighborhood, but it is not done. “I’m confident it’ll get done,” Falk told SI.com. “I guess they got (Brandon) Bass’ (contract) done, which is great. Jeff is trying to get a sense of what the team looks like first before he makes a commitment, but I expect he’ll be there and I expect it’ll be done by the 11th (when the free agency moratorium ends). We’ve gotten a lot of interest from other teams. But as far as Boston, we’re very confident we’ll get it done.

The New York Knicks, as expected, will match the Rockets’ offer sheet for Jeremy Lin, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post: “It wasn’t so poisonous. Jeremy Lin yesterday accepted the Rockets’ back-loaded “poison pill,” four-year, $28.8 million offer sheet, and it hardly created a ripple with the Knicks, who are expected to match it. The final year even has a team option. Ignited by having Jason Kidd agree to join their roster and become Lin’s mentor, the Knicks can’t wait to get Lin back. “He’s their guy,’’ one NBA official debriefed on the Knicks’ strategy said. “They’ll match.’’

Elton Brand will be cut from the Philadelphia 76ers via amnesty clause, which will help allow the signing of Nick Young, reports Adrian Wojnarowski: “The Philadelphia 76ers will use the NBA’s amnesty clause to cut Elton Brand and the $18.2 million left on his contract, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. In part, this move clears the way for the Sixers to sign Los Angeles Clippers free agent Nick Young to a one-year, $6 million deal. The 76ers can’t use the amnesty clause until the league’s moratorium on signings ends July 11. Teams under the salary cap can place bids on Brand through the amnesty wire with the highest bid claiming him. Teams currently under the cap include the Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets.

The news caused Louis Williams to share this Tweet of the Day.

The Mavericks, in dire need of getting someone, will look to claim Brand through the waivers, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com: “Mavericks, sources say, are one under-the-cap team to already express interest in claiming Elton Brand through amnesty waiver process”

According to Ken Berger of CBSSports, the Mavericks are favorites to land Brand: “League executives believe Dallas, a rare big-market team with cap room, is the odds-on favorite to pluck Elton Brand off the amnesty wire.”

Deron Williams explains why he chose the Nets over the Mavericks, from our Jan Hubbard: “People close to me know how hard it was to not pick Dallas . . . I think Mark is a great owner. But I just felt like Brooklyn the way they were going and willing to spend under this new CBA was a better situation. DWill on getting $98M over five years rather than $75M over four in Dallas. “Money never really factored into my decision. Honestly. The extra year in NY because of the cost of living and taxes and I live in the city so there’s city tax on top of that. It doesn’t end up becoming that much more money. It was just more of a basketball decision. I love Dallas, I was looking forward to going home and living there. It fits more of my lifestyle with four kids. But as far as basketball and the direction [the Nets are] going and they’re willing to spend money. … Swayed me the other way.”

One of the biggest factors in swaying Deron Williams was acquiring Joe Johnson, from Marc J. Spears of Yahoo: “Deron Williams says he was close to choosing Mavs but acquisition of Joe Johnson pushed him to Nets.”

Here is what Williams thinks of himself and Johnson, from Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News: “Deron Williams on him and Joe Johnson — “we could have one of the top backcourts in the NBA for sure.”

Tyson Chandler took a bit of a shot at his former team today, from Brian Mahoney of AP: “Chandler, on the Mavs’ plan: “Everybody gets so caught up in trying to make a home run, but we had the formula and it’s obviously gone.”

Still, he feels sympathy for Dirk Nowitzki and the coaching staff and knew bad things could happen, from Hubbard: “TChandler:”If they weren’t able to land Deron Williams or Dwight [Howard] I knew there would be trouble down the road. If they weren’t able to land Deron Williams or Dwight [Howard] I knew there would be trouble down the road.”

Micky Arison tweeted the following news: “Its 2:30am in London and I was just woken up with great news. Welcome to the family #20!!”

Tony Parker will play in the Olympics and got himself some goggles for eye protection: “The two ophthalmologists (from the Spurs) confirmed the opinion of the French doctor who operated on Tony Parker, and the two Swiss specialists who also examined the player last Thursday, and indicated that he can resume playing,” the French Basketball Federation said on Friday, adding that Spurs coach Gregg Popovich also gave his blessing. Parker is joining the French squad in Orleans and he could play in a tuneup against England on Saturday.”

The Indiana Pacers are eyeing one of the following two players, from Mike Wells: “OJ Mayo or Courtney Lee? Pick one. Not both. Only one. Those are the two shooting guards the Pacers have their eyes on as they try to plug their hole at sixth man and also give Paul George a good wakeup call that he’ll have to continue to work to keep his starting spot. They’ve reached out to Mayo and Lee. Mayo is the top choice for the Pacers. He’s been their top choice for a few years now.”

Anthony Randolph will meet with a couple of teams over the next week or so, from Marc. J. Spears: “Wolves free agent forward Anthony Randolph meeting with Atlanta Hawks this weekend, source tells Y! Dallas native meeting with Mavs Tuesday.”

Eric Gordon really wants to leave the Hornets, from Jimmy Smith: “New Orleans Hornets shooting guard Eric Gordon said if the team matches the four-year, $58 million offer sheet he signed this week with the Phoenix Suns, he’ll play in the Crescent City, but he won’t be happy about it. Gordon made his comments speaking with reporters for the first time since issuing a statement through his agent that his “heart” was in Phoenix. “If (the Hornets) were interested, there wouldn’t have been no tour, there wouldn’t have been nothing,” Gordon said. “There’s been no negotiations. I was right there in Indiana. I haven’t received no calls, to me personally. They’ve contacted my agent. “As for now, I don’t know what’s going on. (If the Hornets match) as of right now, I’d be disappointed.” Is there anything the Hornets could do to change his mind? “I don’t think there is,” Gordon said.”

Jason Kidd was supposed to stay with the Mavericks, but a golf session changed his mind, from Dwain Price: “When he went to bed Wednesday night, Kidd was sure he was going to re-sign with the Mavs. Then, he had a major change of heart. “It was very close,” Kidd said. “In the morning I felt like I was going to be a Mav, then I went and played golf, and I just didn’t feel right. “I talked to my wife about it and my agent, and we all kind of agreed that if you feel like you want to go to New York and try to help them, then you should. So that’s the decision we made.”

While Kidd is willing to come off the bench, he expects to play in crunch time, from Ian Begley: “Kidd on @ESPNNY98_7FM says he doesn’t care about starting or coming off bench but wants to play the final 6 minutes of the game.‬”

Hakeem Olajuwon will be very busy tutoring more notable NBA players this summer, according to Chris Tomasson: “Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, who tutored (LeBron) James last summer before his regular season and Finals MVP season with Miami, said Saturday that New York big men Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler will work out with him in August in the Houston area and he’s optimistic of Clippers forward Blake Griffin also enlisting his services. Olajuwon also said he’ll try to get Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka in for a summer session and that Denver will be sending three or four big men to work with him, two he anticipates being JaVale McGee and Timofey Mozgov. McGee is a restricted free agent but the Nuggets expect to re-sign him.”

Marcus Camby could become a Knick or a Heat, according to Spears: “NYK and MIA leaders in comp to land HOU C Marcus Camby with either $3m mini mid or Sign-N-Trade, source tells Y! SA,DAL, HOU also interested”

Jerryd Bayless will now have the freedom to go to any team he wants, from Marc Stein: “Raps G Jerryd Bayless is now unrestricted free agent, agent Jeff Schwartz tells ESPN. Raps have pulled qualifying offer to make Bayless UFA”

Doug Collins and LeBron James share a special relationship, from Chris Tomasson: “James, then with Cleveland and now with Miami, had been moved by Collins’ speech about the pride he felt in being an Olympian despite the pain he went through. So he headed directly for Collins, who was an NBC analyst at the 2008 Games and is now Philadelphia’s coach, after the 118-107 win over Spain for the gold. “When we were able to win that gold-medal game against Spain, he was the first person I looked for,” James said. “He was sitting across from our bench, and I went over and gave him a big hug to say, it was basically, ‘This was for you as well.”‘ Collins was touched, and shed some tears. He has a keepsake of the moment in his 76ers office.

Shawne Williams will be a free agent moving forward, from Sam Amick: “Portland has finalized the buyout agreement with F Shawne Williams, per source. He was owed $3.1 million next season & joins free agent pool”

Suns “fan” has no shame and burns Steve Nash Jersey, while others talk about burning it and express their frustration of feeling betrayed, via Daye Kaba.