Free Agent: Ramon Sessions

[Bruno]

http://www.nba.com/media/act_ramon_sessions.jpg

Ramon Sessions | G
Born: Apr 11, 1986
Height: 6-3 / 1,91
Weight: 190 lbs. / 86,2 kg.
College: Nevada-Reno
Years Pro: 1

info (http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ramon_sessions/index.html)

RFA

[JoshO501]

im rooting for sessions.

[DPG21920]

No way the Spurs get Sessions. He has shown too much ability for the Bucks to let him go or to let him go for nothing.

[exstatic]

No way the Spurs get Sessions. He has shown too much ability for the Bucks to let him go or to let him go for nothing.

The Bucks may not retain him for tax reasons, but if they don't it will be because someone else threw a MAX years MLE offer at him, and they didn't want to match. Spurs wouldn't go that high for a backup PG.

[JoshO501]

NBA: Sessions will test free agency
http://www.rgj.com/article/20090527/SPORTS06/90527006/1018/SPORTS&OAS_sitepage=news.rgj.com%2Fbreakingnews

Although it took awhile for the silver lining to form, falling into the second round of the 2007 NBA draft might have been one of the best things to happen to Ramon Sessions.

Instead of waiting five years to reach free agency — as first-round draft picks must do — Sessions hits the free-agent market this summer, only two years after the ex-Nevada point guard was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks.

So, while Sessions probably wasn’t thrilled on draft day two years ago, he will soon reap the benefits of sliding down the draft board.

“That’s a blessing in disguise,” Sessions’ agent, James “Chubby” Wells, said Tuesday. “We really thought he was going to go in the first round, but it worked out differently. Things work out for a reason and that ended up working out in our favor.”

Sessions will be one of the top point guards in this year’s free-agent class after averaging 12.4 points, 5.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game last season.

Sessions, who made $711,517 last season, is a restricted free agent, meaning the Bucks can match any offer by another club. Sessions also could sign a one-year tender for about $1 million to play for the Bucks and become an unrestricted free agent the following season.

Wells said Sessions would like to stay in Milwaukee but is cognizant of the business-side of the game.

“He likes Milwaukee, but he understands the nature of the beast,” Sessions said. “He really likes the city and coaching staff and the players. Ramon is the type of player who just likes to play and leave the business aspect alone.”

Wells said there will be several factors that weigh into Sessions picking a future home that extend beyond the money offered.

“The city is a big factor,” Wells said. “You don’t want to go to a team that is traditionally bad, either. He’s been in the league for two years — really more like a year and a quarter — and he hasn’t tasted the playoffs and that’s something that he wants really badly. So, that will be a big factor, too.”

Although teams can’t contact players until the free agency period opens on July 1, Wells said interest in Sessions has been high. While the agent has a price range for Sessions in mind, he declined to divulge it. The stumbling economy and talent-rich free-agent class in 2010 might depress free-agent contracts this summer, but Wells said Sessions is in a good situation heading into free agency.

“I just think if you really look at it, he’s one of the top young point guards in the league,” Wells said of the 23-year-old Sessions. “Plus, he plays that premium position — point guards and centers. How many young point guards like Ramon are available?”

[mountainballer]

reportedly Sessions demands a lot more than what the Buck are willing to pay. (or able to pay, they don't have bird rights, could only offer the full MLE). I think his asking price is the MLE for multiple years. (likely 5, with the 5th year as a PO)
no way the Spurs would be interested, especially since he doesn't even cover a big need.

btw. Spurs did like him in 2007. if I remember right, he was one of the few players they brought in for an additional 2nd work out before the draft.

[manufor3]

if the bucks pick jennings sessions could very well be gone

[duncan228]

Sources: Knicks still in play for Sessions (http://web.sny.tv/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090729&content_id=6125530&oid=36320&vkey=18)
Bowen's status with Bucks could determine outcome
By Tommy Dee

As restricted free agents' situations appear closer to resolutions, sources say that Donnie Walsh is ready to offer Milwaukee point guard Ramon Sessions the first Knicks restricted contract of the summer. The deal would be a modest one, but it would cut into the precious 2010 fund, something Walsh been reluctant to do. But the delay appears to be over the status of Bruce Bowen with the Bucks.

Despite reports that the team is moving on from pursuing the Bucks point guard, word out of Milwaukee on Tuesday night is that the Knicks are still very much in play. That would be the reason why the reported signing of Nate Robinson is now in limbo.

"Sessions is more of a priority than Nate because he fits the system so perfectly," one source said. "But it would seem the Bowen situation seems to be holding everything up."

Last month, the cash-strapped Bucks traded Richard Jefferson to the Spurs in exchange for Bowen and Kurt Thomas, two veterans whose contracts expire after this year. At the time, the deal was designed to ensure that the team would keep either Charlie Villanueva or Sessions. What Milwaukee does with Bowen has the Knicks' attention and seems to be the reason Walsh has yet to make the Milwaukee guard an offer.

The NBA's tax limit is $69.92 million and the Bucks' payroll, according to hoopshype.com, sits at $64,720,847. Should Bowen not be traded and the Bucks release him on Aug. 1, it would cost the team half of his $4 million salary, leaving the payroll slightly under $63 million. That would give the team room to match the Knicks' reported four-year, $26.5 million offer. The first year of the deal would be $5.8 million.

But do the Bucks want to? Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix tweeted that the Bucks and Hakeem Warrick could be a match, meaning Milwaukee certainly wouldn't equal any offer for Sessions.

Apparently, the play for Walsh is to sit back and see what the Bucks decide to do with Bowen, who is rumored to be drawing interest from Boston. That means nothing imminent will happen with the Sessions situation from the Knicks for a few more days. I don't think anything of the Jamaal Tinsley rumors. At this point, it would make more sense to bring in Sessions or settle on bringing Robinson back on a one-year deal.

Sessions is a pass-first, low-maintenance floor general who distributes and protects the ball like few others at the position. Last season, he ranked ninth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio while splitting time with Luke Ridnour.

Sessions burst onto the scene in 2008 with 24 assists against the Bulls, and his play immediately made incumbent point guard Mo Williams, whom the Bucks had just signed to a big contract, expendable. That made me scratch my head when the Bucks drafted Brandon Jennings in June. One would have to think that Bucks general manager John Hammond was hedging his bet in case Sessions received an offer that the Bucks couldn't match.

Having pursued Jason Kidd and Andre Miller, the Knicks are looking for an upgrade at point guard. They want someone to take the starting reins from Chris Duhon, who is better suited for a role off the bench. In Toney Douglas, they have a player who is NBA-ready and should be ready to replace Duhon at the end of the season. If the Knicks can find a taker for Duhon's contract, that move could happen sooner.

Any four-year deal offered to Sessions would have to be similar in structure to the five-year deal that Trevor Ariza just signed with the Rockets: $5.8 million in the first season, roughly $6.3 million on the cap for the 2010-11 season, 6.8 for 2011-12 and $7.2 for 2012-13.