I wonder what Matt Walsh is up to these days

 

He is with the Clippers summer league team in Vegas. Lee Humphrey is with the Wizards. Brewer and Richard are out there also. Anthony Roberson is there. Donnell Harvey is there and Taurean Green as discussed above. I think thats it for the former Gators there (James White kind of counts I suppose).

 

 

I meant that more in a mocking way but good to know :thumbup

All offseason long, Kobe Bryant has voiced his displeasure about his supporting cast.

 

I've come up with a way for the Lakers' front office to make their franchise player happy.

 

Send him today's first-half game highlights of first-round pick Javaris Crittenton.

 

Trust me, if that doesn't bring a smile to KB24's face, nothing will.

 

In almost 10 minutes of play, the No. 19 pick out of Georgia Tech had eight points on 4-for-5 from the field. He also added an assist, two steals and a crowd-pleasing reverse dunk. He is the type of athletic player that will mesh well with Bryant.

 

Here we are an hour later and I want to change the advice I was giving the Lakers' brass. No need to edit the Crittenton tape to just show the first two quarters. Kobe needs to watch the entire game.

 

Crittenton was even better in the second half than he was in the first. He finished the game with 18 points, two dimes, two steals, four rebounds, a block and did not commit a turnover.

 

Of the eight shots he made, the one that he will remember for a long time is the jumper he drained with 1.7 seconds left that gave the Lakers a 66-64 win over the Bucks.

 

As impressive as his game winner was, he better not get use to taking the final shot for the Lakers. Bryant has exclusive rights to that honor.

 

http://my.nba.com/forum.jspa?forumID=400024927

Pierre Pierce sighting in the summer league.. oh boy.

Rumblings circulating here at UNLV that point guard Mo Williams has chosen to take less money to sign with the Miami Heat later this week were described as premature by multiple sources close to the situation.

 

Yet Williams is said to be leaning toward Miami and the persuasive recruiting trio of Shaquille O'Neal, Pat Riley and Dwyane Wade, even though the Bucks have his Admin Bird rights and can offer more guaranteed money.

 

Williams' decision is expected by Wednesday, which is the first day free agents can officially sign new contracts after the league announces the salary-cap figure and luxury-tax threshold for the 2007-08 season.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/stor...&id=2931193

 

 

 

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

 

:blink: :blink:

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

 

:blink: :blink:

Even Mo Williams finds that funny.

Mo Williams is a good player ...just not that good!

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

 

:blink: :blink:

 

x2

Yeah, don't be silly. We all know Orlando's going to steamroll through the competition...

 

Yeah, don't be silly. We all know Orlando's going to steamroll through the competition...

 

Isn't that a given after their offseason?

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

:lol

Yeah, don't be silly. We all know Orlando's going to steamroll through the competition...

 

Isn't that a given after their offseason?

 

 

Well, duh...

Yeah, don't be silly. We all know Orlando's going to steamroll through the competition...

 

Isn't that a given after their offseason?

 

 

Well, duh...

 

Not until we trade Dwight Howard for Antoine Walker.

The Knicks were happy to get Zach Randolph. The Trail Blazers were happy to clear space for Greg Oden. Steve Francis might be the happiest of all.

 

Multiple media outlets reported on Tuesday night that the Blazers had agreed to buy out Francis' contract -- for almost the full amount.

 

Portland sent Randolph, along with Fred Jones and Dan Dickau, to the Knicks for Francis and Channing Frye in a draft night trade on June 28. Almost immediately word surfaced that the Blazers would try to buy out Francis' deal.

 

The Washington Post and Newsday reported on Tuesday that Portland will pay more than $30 million of the $33.6 million that the former All-Star guard is due.

 

"This was the definition of a win-win situation with Isiah and the Knicks getting Zach Randolph and Steve being the ultimate beneficiary in being bought out," Francis' agent Jeff Fried said on Tuesday, according to Newsday.

 

According to the paper, Francis will go on the waiver wire at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday. Another team could claim him, but that franchise would be responsible for his contract. Most likely, Francis will become an unrestricted free agent in seven days.

 

The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers have been rumored to be interested in signing Francis. The guard's longtime friend and former Rockets teammate Cuttino Mobley plays for the Clippers.

 

According to the Post, Fried said that the buyout allows his client to find the "right fit as opposed to the most money. He doesn't need much to be made whole."

 

Francis averaged a career-low 11.3 points per game last year, his first full season in New York. He has career averages of 18.4 points and 6.1 assists per game. Francis made the All-Star Game from 2002-04 while with Houston.

 

LINK

Salary Cap Set?

 

 

 

The salary cap for the 2007-08 NBA season will be set at $55,630,000, ESPN.com has learned.

 

The number was reached after an audit of league finances and was set late Tuesday night by the players association and the league office. It will be the number teams use beginning Wednesday when a 10-day moratorium on free agent signing ends.

 

The mid-level exception for over-the-cap teams is $5,356,000, and the luxury tax threshold will be $67,865,000.

 

The salary cap numbers mean that free agent Rashard Lewis of Seattle will get a $90.764 million deal from the Orlando Magic if he signs with them for five years.

 

If, however, the Seattle SuperSonics and Magic can agree to a sign-and-trade deal, Lewis would get a six-year pact. Florida Today's John Denton is reporting that Orlando has indeed agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Sonics that will allow Lewis to make $126.4 million over the next six seasons, according to NBA sources who requested anonymity. The Magic will send back a second-round pick to the Sonics.

 

LINK

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

 

:blink: :blink:

 

It is not the west, it is the east. The East is pretty weak overall.

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

 

:blink: :blink:

 

It is not the west, it is the east. The East is pretty weak overall.

 

Chicago, Detroit and Orlando would strongly disagree with that.

Don't forget about cleveland... Not to mention up and coming teams like Orlando, Toronto, Washington and Milwaukee.

 

 

Mo freakin williams doesnt make a team the favorite.

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

 

:blink: :blink:

You've got to be kidding me, Toronto is definitely the favorite in the east since the signing of Kapono.

[/sarcasm]

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Rashard Lewis formally joined the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, leaving the Seattle SuperSonics after nine seasons when the teams completed a sign-and-trade deal for the high-scoring forward.

 

The Magic sent Seattle a conditional second-round pick, while the SuperSonics earned a trade exception believed to be in the $9 million range.

 

 

 

 

 

Lewis agreed to terms with the Magic earlier this month, yet no deal could be closed until Wednesday, the first day that the league's free agent moratorium was lifted. The six-year deal -- Lewis agreed to a five-year pact, but the sign-and-trade allows an extra year to be worked into the contract -- is expected to be worth at least $110 million.

 

 

 

"Rashard is a young, athletic forward and a proven scorer in this league," Orlando general manager Otis Smith said. "We feel his skills will be a tremendous addition to our team and we are very excited to have him join the Magic family."

 

 

 

Lewis averaged a career-best 22.4 points last season for Seattle, where he spent his first nine years after jumping straight to the NBA from high school and going early in the second round of the 1998 draft. He's averaged more than 20 points in each of the last three seasons, and is the SuperSonics' all-time leader in 3-point field goals with 973.

 

Lewis' acquisition is the first formal move in what could be a busy week for the Magic, who reportedly plan to announce an $85 million, five-year extension with All-Star center Dwight Howard on Thursday.

 

LINK

MADRID, Spain -- Marc Gasol, the younger brother of Memphis Grizzlies forward Pau Gasol, is going to stay in Spain for now.

 

 

The 22-year-old center, drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 48th pick, said Wednesday he will spend another season with the Spanish club Akasvayu Girona.

 

 

"It's in my best interests to continue at Girona due to their ambitious sporting project and the great atmosphere in the team," Gasol said. "I want to work very hard and improve this coming year."

 

 

The 7-foot-1 Gasol, who helped Spain win the basketball world title last year, was also chosen to play for the national team at the European Championship in September.

 

 

Gasol averaged 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in 37 games this season.

 

Source: ESPN.com

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

 

:blink: :blink:

Even Mo Williams finds that funny.

 

 

What is so funny about that? It is not very hard to become favorites in the east. If he said they would be instant favorites in the entire NBA, then that is probably unrealistic.

If Miami gets Williams they will become again the instant favorites for the East next year.

 

:blink: :blink:

Even Mo Williams finds that funny.

 

 

What is so funny about that? It is not very hard to become favorites in the east. If he said they would be instant favorites in the entire NBA, then that is probably unrealistic.

 

 

Agreed,

 

Miami with a healthy wade and a good point guard is one of the elite teams of the east. It is only a year away from a championship for the whole NBA as well.

The Knicks were happy to get Zach Randolph. The Trail Blazers were happy to clear space for Greg Oden. Steve Francis might be the happiest of all.

 

Multiple media outlets reported on Tuesday night that the Blazers had agreed to buy out Francis' contract -- for almost the full amount.

 

Portland sent Randolph, along with Fred Jones and Dan Dickau, to the Knicks for Francis and Channing Frye in a draft night trade on June 28. Almost immediately word surfaced that the Blazers would try to buy out Francis' deal.

 

The Washington Post and Newsday reported on Tuesday that Portland will pay more than $30 million of the $33.6 million that the former All-Star guard is due.

 

"This was the definition of a win-win situation with Isiah and the Knicks getting Zach Randolph and Steve being the ultimate beneficiary in being bought out," Francis' agent Jeff Fried said on Tuesday, according to Newsday.

 

According to the paper, Francis will go on the waiver wire at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday. Another team could claim him, but that franchise would be responsible for his contract. Most likely, Francis will become an unrestricted free agent in seven days.

 

The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers have been rumored to be interested in signing Francis. The guard's longtime friend and former Rockets teammate Cuttino Mobley plays for the Clippers.

 

According to the Post, Fried said that the buyout allows his client to find the "right fit as opposed to the most money. He doesn't need much to be made whole."

 

Francis averaged a career-low 11.3 points per game last year, his first full season in New York. He has career averages of 18.4 points and 6.1 assists per game. Francis made the All-Star Game from 2002-04 while with Houston.

 

LINK

 

He's going to end up signing with LA because of the fact his butt-buddy Cuttino is a Clipper. Reunited and it feels so good.

Chauncey official...

 

Chauncey Billups signed a $60 million, five-year contract Wednesday with the Detroit Pistons Wednesday. Unlike with Ben Wallace a year ago, the Pistons were able to hang onto Billups, who should lead the Pistons to one of the better records in the East again this season.