One week after the Fourth of July, NBA free agency is still setting off fireworks across the league. Deron Williams — the face of the Brooklyn Nets after signing a five-year, $98 million deal in the summer of 2012 — wanted out according to ESPN. Ankle injuries have riddled Williams into a shell of his former Olympian self. Williams and Joe Johnson — once called the “best backcourt” in the NBA by general manager Billy King — have been shopped heavily. Now, Williams
We have our first offer sheet signing. Enes Kanter is going to the Portland Trail Blazers for a max contract of $70 million over four years, with a 15 percent trade kicker. Only he isn’t. Having lost LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopez, Wes Mathews and Nicolas Batum, the Trail Blazers went for a Hail Mary on Thursday and tendered an offer sheet to Kanter, arguably the best pickup of the trade deadline. Oklahoma City has 72 hours to match the offer, and the only
The day dawned without a single word of disgust on Mark Cuban’s Twitter account. No even an emoji … even a simple one, like a frowning face. Today is the day after DeAndre Jordan reneged on his verbal commitment to the Dallas Mavericks and instead decided to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, keeping Lob City intact and making the Mavs’ decision-makers go back to the drawing board and their analytics tables to debate the relative merits of JaVale McGee and
Yesterday’s main column started with a question: What is the next big surprise? Our answer arrived midday Wednesday. And what a surprise it was. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and coach Doc Rivers turned the NBA on its head by making a last-ditch effort to get DeAndre Jordan to change his mind on his commitment to signing with the Dallas Mavericks, flying to Houston for a sitdown with the seven-year vet. If Jordan were to back out of his verbal commitment to the Mavs,
“The Truth” is what Doc Rivers might just need to order for him to finally get the Los Angeles Clippers over the hump. Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce, aka “The Truth”, is expected to opt out of his $5.5 million player option with the team. David Aldridge of NBA.com is reporting the 10-time All-Star is looking to reunite with Rivers in Los Angeles: As I reported as likely to happen a couple of weeks ago, Paul Pierce will opt out of his
The Charlotte Hornets are unlikely to keep swingman Matt Barnes after acquiring him with Spencer Hawes in the trade that sent Lance Stephenson to the Clippers, thus making Barnes a probable free agent by the end of the month. “It is unlikely Charlotte keeps Barnes, who’ll become a free agent,” wrote Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who initially broke news of the trade. Barnes would be owed $3.5 million for the 2015-16 season should the Hornets keep him, but only $1 million of
The Denver Nuggets have been searching for a reliable coach after the firing of Brian Shaw in March, and has finally decided to hire a coach who was also fired earlier in the season: former Sacramento Kings’ coach Mike Malone. Malone made quite the impression on general manager Tim Connelly and president Josh Kroenke during their meetings, and has reportedly signed a four-year deal with Denver, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports: [Read more…]
Here’s what’s been good about the 2015 NBA playoffs: 1. LeBron James. 2. Stephen Curry. 3. Paul Pierce in the clutch. 4. Clippers-Spurs, especially Game 7. Here’s what’s been bad about the 2015 NBA playoffs: Everything else. [Read more…]