Morning Report: Clippers Have A Deal?
By:
Steve Kyler
Last Updated: 7/1/08 8:25 AM ET
| 682 times read
Brand And Baron In LA?: The LA Clippers may find good fortune in free agency. Corey Maggette opted out of his deal yesterday, followed by Elton Brand who professed that this was not a sign of wanting out of LA, rather a chance to make his situation better. The surprise move of the day was Golden State's Baron Davis opting out of his $17.8 million deal, likely putting an interesting ballet of scenarios in motion. As of this morning, league sources are convinced Baron Davis is still Golden State's player to lose, saying that if they come with at least a 4-year $55 million deal, Baron would stay in Golden State, but the real threat of the Clippers adds serious leverage to the Davis camp. How are the Clippers a threat? If the Clippers renounce Corey Maggette, they can get under the cap by as much as $11 million, after they deal with Elton Brand. Brand is said to be open to taking a deal worth slightly less than $16.4 million he opted out of, if that move lands him a serious free agent running mate. There is already talk of a "secret" deal between Davis and the Clippers, which was laughed off by league sources this morning. If the Davis camp decides to leave Golden State and Elton Brand is serious in sharing the money, both could ink deals in the $13 million range before sign-and-trade discussions take place. This is clever poker on the part of Baron Davis and Todd Ramasar. The odds Baron jumps from Golden State are still slim, as they can and likely will offer the most money, although in recent weeks the Warriors have been quirky, allowing their $9 million trade exception to expire and choosing not to make offers to several free agents. The Warriors could be opting for a new direction, and it seems Baron is now ready to make free agency interesting.
The Magic Begin The Off-Season: The Orlando Magic opened the off-season last night with a few small calls. The Magic are trying to shore up their own free agents and multiple sources confirmed yesterday that Keyon Dooling remains a priority, admitting that several teams are expressing interest in Dooling. Dooling's stance is he needs a long-term contract that gives him security. Keyon is not looking for big money, but sources close to the situation remind that Keyon has never had a big NBA contract and this might be his last shot at a long-term deal. Maurice Evans wants to return to Orlando, but the word is he may be a second option. The Magic are not holding their breath on Corey Maggette, but think the limited money landscape might work in their favor. The Magic won't go silly on Maggette, but if he'll sign for the full Mid-Level Exception expected to be worth roughly $32 million on a five-year deal they'd ink him while getting a sign and trade done with the Clippers seems highly unlikely. If all Orlando is offering is the MLE then they are not seriously in the running according to sources close to Maggette. The Magic have long been rumored to have interest in unrestricted free agent Mickael Pietrus, but an informed source yesterday said the Magic are not as serious about Pietrus as people want to believe. The Magic do feel they need help at point guard, but it may not be Orlando resident Jason Williams, and the odds of a Udonis Haslem deal with Miami seems unlikely in free agency. The Magic do have a trade chip in JJ Redick and sources say after Summer League the Magic may decide whether they will cash it. It's commonly believed that the Magic cannot risk bringing an angry J.J. Redick into camp given the delicate chemistry of the team.
Philly Has $11 Million To Spend: The Philadelphia 76ers did make a call to Elton Brand according to informed sources, the outcome of that call remains to be seen, but the 76ers were active last night despite 76ers president Ed Stefanski saying they wouldn't be up at 12:01am. The 76ers are also expected to host Josh Smith from the Hawks who is going to "do the dance" according to those near him, and see what the situations are before making his free agent decision. The 76ers have Andre Iguodala to deal with and will clear a little more room once his deal is done. It is expected the 76ers will play this to the wire to get maximum value out of their free agent money, but veteran front court is where the team plans to spend the bulk of its dollars.
Artest Staying In His Deal: Ron Artest made a decision, he is staying in the final year of his Sacramento contract worth $7.4 million. The Kings now have a choice, to keep him or trade him – there is a 50/50 chance on both. The Kings are looking for a veteran and experienced point guard, but have little to offer beyond exception money. Beno Udrih is getting a lot of love this week, he has joked with people saying he was coming to Dallas, but it was the Clippers who were among the first calls Beno's camp received. The Kings are expected to make an offer in the $6 to $7 million range, which may be far more than Beno commands on the open market. Beno is a lifestyle guy, so getting out of Sacramento may be a bit more important to him than signing a bigger deal, although players typically do not leave money on the table in the NBA, unless they are assured to replace it elsewhere.
Make sure to check back throughout the day as HOOPSWORLD continues its in-depth coverage of the very latest in Free Agency.
About the Author: STEVE KYLER
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Steve Kyler is the Editor and Publisher of HOOPSWORLD. Steve is a life-long basketball fan that started covering the NBA from Orlando in 1998, but has been a huge follower of the game since the mid-80’s.
Steve is also an on-air radio personality in Tampa for ESPN radio and appears on dozens of radio shows across the country each week.
Steve is an active member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association and is passionately involved in the development of new writers and sports personalities.
Steve does not have a favorite team per se, but does root for the underdog in almost every situation. You can reach Steve directly at skyler@hoopsworld.com
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