HOOPSWORLD Week In Review
Best of Who’s Left In NBA Free Agency
By Derek Page
It’s almost desperation time in free agency. That point in which your favorite team has come up empty-handed as the star player they’ve lusted after re-signs with the home team or the home team matches an offer to the star player.
After this happens, expect the teams left out in the cold to make a run at the best of what’s left in the free agent class of 2012.
Let’s keep in mind that none of the deals that have been reported so far are official until this Wednesday, July 11. Nonetheless, here’s the cream of the crop of free agents still available without a deal in place by position:
Six Pack: A Look At The Knicks’ Retooled Roster
By Tommy Beer
HOOPSWORLD’s Senior NBA Analyst Tommy Beer takes you through his most recent musings on the National Basketball Association in this latest installment of the NBA Six Pack… This week, we focus on New York, in a very Knicks-centric Six Pack
1. Marcus Camby Returns to Gotham
Despite having the NBA’s best defensive player in Tyson Chandler, the 2011-2012 Knicks occasionally struggled getting stops over the second half of the season. In particular, NY’s interior defense was badly exposed whenever Chandler went to the bench for a quick rest, or was prematurely sidelined due to foul trouble.
In addition, rebounding was an issue for New York last season as well. The Knicks averaged just 41.7 rebounds per game, which landed them in the bottom third of the league.
Recapping The NBA Trades
By Mark Nugent
The NBA trade season is just getting underway and already several big names have changed places. A two-time MVP has a new home, as does last year’s Most Improved Player. With more trades on the horizon, HOOPSWORLD takes a look at the deals that have already gone down.
Brooklyn Nets receive Joe Johnson; Atlanta Hawks receive Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar, DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Williams, Johan Petro, and a lottery-protected 2013 first-round pick the Nets acquired from the Houston Rockets.
The Brooklyn Nets were determined to open their new arena with an All-Star. In trading for Joe Johnson, the Nets were assured of having at least one All-Star on the roster at the start of the 2012-13 season. When this trade was originally agreed to, Deron Williams had yet to make up his mind about coming back to the Nets. As it turns out, Williams re-signed with Brooklyn in part because of the addition of Johnson.
The Nets are still in the hunt for Dwight Howard, but even if the Nets are unable to obtain him, they will start the season with Williams, Johnson, Gerald Wallace and most likely Brook Lopez, who is a restricted free agent. That’s a major improvement for a team that finished last year tied for the fifth-worst record in the league.
Dallas Mavericks Coming Together
By Derek Page
It’s not Deron Williams or Dwight Howard but the Dallas Mavericks are continuing this offseason with the goal of contending next season while also having financial flexibility for the summer of 2013.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the most recent acquisition has the Mavericks trading for Indiana Pacers point guard Darren Collison. The deal, which involves the Mavericks sending center Ian Mahinmi via sign-and-trade, would net Dallas both Collison and guard Dahntay Jones.
For the Pacers, acquiring Mahinmi gives the team a solid number two center behind the newly re-signed Roy Hibbert at a reasonable price of four years, $16 million.
For Dallas, the team that struck out in the Williams sweepstakes continues to try to fill out a mostly barren roster with a thrifty approach.
Nets Move On From Howard In A Big Way
By Alex Raskin
Now that the Dwight Howard sweepstakes has come to an end for the Brooklyn Nets, general manager Billy King moved on to other business in a big way on Wednesday.
In all, five deals became official while two more were agreed upon.
To start, Deron Williams opened the free agency signing period by inking a five-year, $98 million deal at 12:01 a.m. That news was followed by Gerald Wallace’s signing, which comes to $40 million over four years. The Nets then announced that former Atlanta Hawks swingman Joe Johnson had officially been acquired for Jordan Farmar (who will be bought out and sign to play in Turkey), Anthony Morrow, Jordan Williams, Johan Petro and DeShawn Stevenson, as well as a future first and a second-round pick.
17-year NBA veteran Jerry Stackhouse also agreed to a contract with the Nets, he told Chris Tomasson of FoxSports.com, while Reggie Evans was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers and former Euroleauge scoring champ Mirza Teletovic inked a three-year deal for the tax-paying mid-level exception of $3.09 million per season.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Final Move?
By Susan Bible
In another unforeseen offseason move, the Oklahoma City Thunder signed undrafted three-year Georgetown product, Hollis Thompson, to a contract today. Per team policy, the terms were not disclosed. Reports indicate it’s a three-year deal, partially guaranteed with a team option for the second and third years.
With this signing, the Thunder has filled its 15th and final roster spot. Given Hasheem Thabeet was officially signed today and Perry Jones III was just drafted with their 28th pick, the Thompson pick-up would imply Nazr Mohammed, Derek Fisher and Royal Ivey will not return to the team.
Thompson will not participate in the NBA Summer League as he is scheduled to undergo a minor procedure on his left groin this week. According to the team’s press release, Thompson should be able to resume basketball activities in three to four weeks.
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