NBA Off-Season...

[sahyder1]

And VC wants out of Toronto, no surprise there.

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How many times a year does ESPN do that piece?

[sahyder1]

Thursday, July 1, 2004

ESPN.com

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks free agent guard Steve Nash reached a verbal agreement Thursday night to sign with the Phoenix Suns, ESPN.com's Marc Stein has learned.

2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS

GM  PPG  RPG  APG  FG%  FT%

78  14.5  3.0  8.8  .470  .916

Nash and agent Bill Duffy, according to league sources, received an offer from Phoenix on Thursday -- believed to be a five-year package worth more than $65 million with a partial guarantee for the sixth season -- and brought it back to the Mavericks.

Mavs owner Mark Cuban, sources said, declined to match the offer.

"It's exciting, but it's also a little bittersweet," Nash told ESPN.com. "I am really sad to leave my teammates, but I am glad to be going somewhere where they really wanted me."

According to sources, after giving the Suns a verbal commitment, Nash immediately phoned longtime teammates Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley to break the news.

Mavericks sources said Cuban was reluctant to give Nash more than a four-year guaranteed contract because of fears the 30-year-old couldn't physically handle no more than 32 minutes per game.

No deals can be formally signed until July 14, when the salary cap for next season is set. Teams and free agents can only reach verbal agreements during the league's two-week moratorium on signings and trades.

Nash had met with Cuban in Dallas on Wednesday morning and then was greeted by a traveling Suns delegation that included chairman Jerry Colangelo, son and team president Bryan Colangelo, new owner Robert Sarver and forward Amare Stoudemire, a client of Duffy's.

Wednesday, Duffy said, "It was a good meeting [with Cuban]. Mark made it very clear that re-signing Steve is a priority."

The Suns originally drafted Nash in 1996 and he never sold his home in the Phoenix area.

Bringing in Nash eliminates the Suns from the Kobe Bryant derby. On Wednesday night, it was reported that Phoenix was prepared to offer Bryant a six-year deal worth over $100 million.

The first signing of the offseason and Nash returns to the Suns.

[Calipso]

Bad move by Cuban. I would have kept Nash in Dallas. They have a great team, just.........well they need something good now.

[Guest bukkake bandit]

I agree. I don't understand letting Nash walk at all. Devin Harris or not.

[PH4E]

This takes Dallas out of the race for Shaq if Mark Cuban continues to refuse to trade Dirk Nowitzki.

[D-Extreme]

Yeah I think Cuban has a soft spot for foreign players who are good at perimeter shots. But I am not sure if the addition of Stackhouse and Christian L will fill in the void for Dallas after Jamison and Nash left. Sure I believe they can still make it to the playoffs next season. But winning it, I dunno. Its still hard to tell since its July and the season opener is in NOV, while the pre-season is in OCT.

Well in other news, New York Knicks and Isiah Thomas are trying to get Bulls Guard Jamal Crawford who is a restricted free agent in his current team. it is not yet sure if J-Crawford will go to NYC or stay in the windy city that already has 2 new guards after the draft. If he stays in Chicago, chances are his playing time will be shortened. But the other thing is, he brings more experience on the floor for Chicago than the other guards excluding Kendal Gill(if he miraculously stays there and be of better use in the next season.) If he goes to New York, the knicks will have an improved backcourt in the next season as Houston will return on the floor after the injury he suffered last season.

But hell, in my case, good for Thomas, he is thinking realisticly and realizes that Kobe, O'Neal and Rasheed are out of his reach. This free agent market thing is a land of opportunities for his team. But I just hope Crawford stays in Chicago...I dunno...I just want him to

My opinion of the Houston-Orlando blockbuster trade. I think Houston will have their hands tied here. I mean they have to create a positive chemistry between T-Mac and Yao. Sure they are 2 great players, but they still need to learn to work together on the floor. Well in the Orlando side of things, it seems like they finally have a very good backcourt with 2 great guards (mobley and Francis) but will their No.1 pick Dwight Howard be a factor in a possible season success for the Magic as well? I am still waiting to find out.

Okur? Well if he leaves Detroit, he is a very good catch to any team that signs him on. He is a tall guy, who I know can manage to shoot a 3-pointer(a white version of Sam Perkins...oh wait....I think thats Dirk already....) and is also a good rebounder. I dunno but I think he will stick with Detroit even though his minutes might get cut down.

Kobe, he will stay in LA no doubt, unless he is guilty and will get sentenced in prison for a long time which will be sad news. I hope he aint guilty of anythin crime like. Shaq? Meh, wherever he goes, I hope he will find a happy place, and I dont mean Orlando....unless he has plans of interest in returning there.

What about the Bobcats, sorry I dunno.....was there any expansion team within the 1970s-1990s that got into the playoffs in their first season with the NBA?

[*RDB*]

Nash walking hurts but I trust the Mavericks because I remember way back before the Mavs were any good.. we let the same thing happen to Jamal Mashburn and Jimmy Jackson. And especially Jason Kidd. We landed Nash when he was a young 3rd stringer and not worth really anything and built him up. We may have to wait but we can build up another PG.

Also Dallas is certainly out of the race for Shaq because there's no way we justify losing Dirk to pick up Shaq with no leader at PG. We could still make the trade, but we are still missing pieces and Dirk is more of a long term solution so we won't make the trade regardless.

[Guest bukkake bandit]

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Jazz have confirmed they have made an offer for Detroit Pistons free agent Mehmet Okur.

"We have a verbal commitment on a multiyear contract," Jazz spokesman Kim Turner said Monday night.

Turner said he could not provide any details because the Jazz cannot sign Okur before July 14. Okur is a restricted free agent and the Pistons have 15 days to match the Jazz offer.

The offer was first reported by the Detroit Free Press, which said the Pistons still were waiting to hear the official news from Okur's agent, Marc Fleisher.

Pistons president Joe Dumars said last week that it was unlikely the Pistons could afford to sign Okur as well as Rasheed Wallace, who's an unrestricted free agent.

ESPN's David Aldridge reported last Friday that the Pistons had offered Okur a six-year, $40 million contract to stay in Detroit.

Okur was expected to hear out offers from the Jazz as well as the Phoenix Suns before the deadline.

Okur is the first Turk to win an NBA championship. President Bush cited Okur in his speech during the recent NATO summit in Istanbul as an example of a Turk who has contributed to American life.

The 6-11 forward-center averaged 9.6 points in 22.3 minutes per game in the regular season and 3.7 points in 11.4 minutes in the postseason.

Oh well. The Pistons still have Darko to fall back on, granted that he's developing.

Edited July 6, 2004 by Anthony

[Guest Takayamanofear]

Well it was nice having you Okur, your a great player but your not worth that much.

[y2jerichoholic]

it's just been reported on espn news that carlos boozer has agreed to terms with the utah jazz.

[sahyder1]

Raptors sign Rafer Alston

July 7, 2004

TORONTO (AP) -- Free agent point guard Rafer Alston signed a six-year contract worth up to $30 million with the Toronto Raptors, his agent said Wednesday.

``We do have an agreement and Rafer is thrilled,'' said Paul Nadel, who works with Fegan and Associates.

Raptors spokesman Jim LaBumbard confirmed Wednesday that the team was in negotiations with Alston but would not confirm the signing.

Alston played for the Miami Heat last season, averaging 10.2 points and 4.5 assists, while shooting 37.1 percent from 3-point range.

He started the previous year with Mobile of the National Basketball Development League, and signed a 10-day contract with Toronto in January 2003. He ended up signing for the rest of the season, and averaged 7.8 points and 4.1 assists in 47 games.

Alston was a second-round draft choice by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1998.

The Raptors were desperate to add a point guard. Alvin Williams has been hobbled by knee injuries, and Jalen Rose is better suited to play shooting guard or small forward.

``Rafer fits in with what they want to do. They want to push the ball,'' Nadel said.

Nadel said the contract is worth between $25 million and $30 million, and that all six years are guaranteed. He declined to say if there are incentives.

Never should have let him go in the first place. Could've locked him for cheaper last year.

Edited July 8, 2004 by sahyder1

[DMN in the House]

Rafer Alston = Skip to My Lou, right?

[sahyder1]

Rafer Alston = Skip to My Lou, right?

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yup it does. I thought he performed well enough in his first stint with the Raptors to have deserved to get an extension. I like his game a lot. We definitely could've used him last year.

[Guest Finisher123]

Boozer is now officially on the art modell level as one as the most hated men in cleveland history.... This also means i will not be following the nba next season..... these things always have to happen to cleveland teams....

[DMN in the House]

Boozer is now officially on the art modell level as one as the most hated men in cleveland history.... This also means i will not be following the nba next season..... these things always have to happen to cleveland teams....

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Because he left? You guys take that shit too seriously. I mean, we're about to lose Shaq, Fisher, and maybe Kobe, and you don't see me going 'Oh noes, they will be hated', when all three of them are better then Boozer will ever be.

You still have LeBron, you still play in the crappy ass East, you can still get to the playoffs and get knocked out in the first round.

[Ol' Spanktooth]

Boozer is now officially on the art modell level as one as the most hated men in cleveland history.... This also means i will not be following the nba next season..... these things always have to happen to cleveland teams....

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Putting Modell and Boozer with "Hatred in Cleveland" in the same sentence is just wrong. Boozer didn't do anything except take a larger paycheck, which is what any man would have done. Modell took away our whole damned NFL team. I'm from Cleveland. I don't hate Boozer. I'll still follow his career with the Jazz, and I hope he does good there. I think you're over-reacting a little bit.

Plus, we still got LeBron, so it's all good

Edited July 8, 2004 by Ol' Spanktooth

[Guest bukkake bandit]

Jim Paxson should be fired immediately. He completely botched Boozer's contract situation. Granted Boozer gave the Cavs his word he'd resign, but instead decided to take a fat pay raise. Can't say I blame him. I'm not a big fan of the Cavs but was looking forward to Lebron/Boozer/Z doing something.

[Quom]

I thought the Nuggets would have been more interested in Boozer than K-Mart. Shows how much I know. They could have gotten Boozer cheaper and whilst he doesn't score as many points would have been a good fit with Denver.

[Guest Finisher123]

Boozer will be hated because the Cavs did a favor for him, he asked them to decline his option so he could get paid right now, and he said if they declined it, he would sign long term. Now he just went behind the Cavs back and signed with another team.....

[David Hassellhoff]

Jim Paxson is the General Manager for the Bulls Anthony.