As the fury of NBA free agency slowly dies down as we approach the dog days of August — the dreadfully slow period of the NBA offseason — we’re left with a few big names standing. One of which is Eric Beldsoe, the standout guard for the Phoenix Suns who has had a difficult time navigating restricted free agency. He and his agent, Rich Paul (LeBron’s agent and close friend), have been miles apart on negotiations with the Suns front office. The
The NBA, like most sports, can often be defined by its different eras. And those eras are often defined by players, teams and rivalries. LeBron James has come to define this era of basketball, and he continues to shift the landscape of the NBA, specifically the Eastern Conference. In terms of competition, the East has been in another league compared to the Western Conference. And not it a good way. [Read more…]
In a story that has seemed to get little attention Thursday, Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell collapsed while speaking at a corporate event in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Russell, 80, has made a second career out of public speaking since retiring from basketball with 11 NBA championship rings. Understandably so, as many companies greatly desire the “team” concept amongst their employees. He was reported to have been feeling faint throughout the event before collapsing. He did, however, remain conscious, and was transported to a
LAS VEGAS- When the Atlanta Hawks sent Lou Williams to Toronto for John Salmons in a salary dump earlier this month, former first-round pick Lucas Nogueira was involved in the trade to the Raptors as well. Throw-ins in minor trades usually aren’t profiled, but what about a seven-foot 21-year-old who can block shots and fun the floor? Nogueira, born in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, was the 16th pick of the 2013 draft, taken by Boston and sent to Atlanta on draft night. Nogueira
Kevin Durant, Mike Krzyzewski, Jerry Colangelo and Kevin Love at a USA Basketball announcement in 2013. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) The World Cup just ended, right? I’m sure of it. I watched it. Germany beat Argentina one-to-nil in extra time, thus ending two months of highly anticipated, very engrossing fútbol (spelled as such so as to not confuse it with American football). Well, it is and it isn’t over. FIFA has had its fun,
ATLANTA HAWKS 2015-16 Offseason Additions: G Tim Hardaway, C Tiago Splitter, C Walter Tavares, G Lamar Patterson 2015 Draft Picks: G Markus Eriksson, F Dimitrios Agravanis Draft Picks Coming: 2016 second round (Washington); 2017 second round (Brooklyn); 2017 second round (Miami, protected 31-40); 2018 first round (Minnesota, 1-14); 2019 second round (Washington) Draft Picks Going: 2017 second round (to San Antonio, 31-55) Cap Exceptions: Partial mid-level ($1,810,000) Trade Exceptions: None Over/Under: Over the cap Amnesty Provision: Unavailable PLAYER 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 Paul Millsap $18,670,000 $20,070,000 $21,470,000 Al Horford $12,000,000 Tiago Splitter $8,800,000 $8,550,000 Jeff Teague $8,000,000 $8,000,000 Kyle Korver $5,750,000 $5,240,000 Thabo Sefolosha $4,000,000 $3,850,000 Mike Scott $3,330,000 $3,340,000 Kirk Hinrich $2,850,000 Kent Bazemore $2,000,000 Dennis Schroder $1,760,000 $2,710,000 $3,820,000 Tim Hardaway Jr. $1,300,000 $2,280,000 $3,340,000 Walter Tavares $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $1,010,000 $1,290,000 Kris Humphries $1,000,000 Mike Muscala $950,000 $1,020,000 Lamar Patterson $530,000 $870,000 $1,210,000 Terran Petteway $80,000 TOTAL SALARY $70,220,000 $56,930,000 $30,850,000 $1,290,000 $0 Player
This may come as a surprise, but the Atlanta Hawks are actually closer to becoming championship contenders than you might think. This summer, Atlanta has a realistic opportunity to present LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony with the most attractive free agent pitch of any team in the league, if Danny Ferry maneuvers contracts aggressively and appropriately. It’s certainly an ambitious idea, but it’s far from ridiculous. First and most obviously, the Hawks are situated in the Eastern Conference. This gives them a succinct
The ‘stuff’ hit the proverbial fan Tuesday just before lunch, as ESPN broke the that four-time NBA MVP LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul had informed the Miami Heat that he has elected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent. [Read more…]