spurscenter
07-05-2007, 04:50 PM
AL thornton signs with Clippers
was there for the presentation (no i didnt take the photo below, some guy with a big camera did - lol :pctoss), I asked him what about the Spurs and Tim Duncan. "I cant wait to face him" loves the spurzzzs style. (marking calender)
The man has a GRILLLLLLL like Manu.
All these rookies are less gangster than years before, I like that. Smart, articulate, things I lack. They know its a bizzz snizzle even though he handed Elgin a dime bag before the damn thing started. jk
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Clips looking for PG, SEND Them BENO for Pick?
BENO for two 2nd Round pick or 1st and a sheet of star wars stamps? JK, the star wars stamps have too much value. Juuuust keeeeeding boss.
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WHATS UP WITH Mike's SUIT for GOD SAKES!
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/0c/fullj.getty-74924310ng006clips_thornton.jpg
Lakers, Clippers stuck in mid-level
BY RICH HAMMOND, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 07/01/2007 01:54:35 AM PDT
From Kevin Garnett to... Mo Williams? From Jermaine O'Neal to ... Steve Blake?
Their attempts to land a superstar via trade thwarted — at least for now — the Lakers will set their sights considerably lower as they negotiate with free agents over the next 11 days.
The negotiation period began at 9 p.m. Saturday night and will continue until July 11, when teams can actually sign players. Given their ever-present salary crunch, the Lakers cannot make much of a splash on the free-agent market, as they have only the mid-level exception ($5.5 million per year) to offer.
That could be enough to land the Lakers an upgrade at point guard, perhaps with Williams, Blake or Steve Francis, or instead lure a post player such as center Jamaal Magloire or forward P.J. Brown.
There's also the matter of the Lakers' own free agents. General manager Mitch Kupchak said the Lakers are interested in retaining both Luke Walton and Chris Mihm but have cut ties with Smush Parker.
All of this is relatively minor, considering that Kupchak's main task this summer is to make a blockbuster trade that will appease Kobe Bryant and make a dramatic improvement to the roster.
In fact, perhaps the best the Lakers can hope to do
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is add a point guard and retain their own guys.
Blake, 27, spent part of last season running Denver's efficient offense and is known as a strong on-the-ball defender, which as a major weakness of Parker. He's not a big name, and averaged only 6.4 points and 5.0 assists per game last season, but Blake could be a good fit for the triangle offense.
Williams is more of a scorer and is less consistent.
The Lakers might also take a run at Greek guard Theo Papaloukas, who was the Euroleague MVP last season while playing for CSKA Moscow.
The Lakers' biggest decisions involve their internal free agents.
Walton, 27, averaged 11.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season. He's a steady presence, a high-energy player and a respected teammate, but he will command a hefty raise from his $1.4 million salary.
The salary cap does not restrict the Lakers in terms of signing Walton or Mihm, who did not play last season as he recovered from reconstructive ankle surgery. Mihm will take a big pay cut — he made $4.2 million last season — but when healthy, he's a 7-footer who could be a viable backup center.
Meanwhile, the Clippers have a similar need as the Lakers: a point guard. But the Clippers probably will not land a significant player unless they make a trade.
They only have the $5.5 midlevel exception to sign a player, and it does not appear there is a key free-agent point guard they can get for that.
Barring a trade, the Clippers could split up their exception to sign two players, including a point guard. They also have need for a shooter and a backup big man.
The Clippers' roster stands at 11 without counting recently drafted small forward Al Thornton, and they have let three depth players from last season become unrestricted free agents: Daniel Ewing, James Singleton and Yaroslav Korolev. At the bare minimum, they will try to use free agency to upgrade their depth.
Among the free-agent point guards the Clippers could try to land are Blake, Chucky Atkins or Jacque Vaughn. They also have not closed the door on Jason Hart, who filled in well after the loss of Shaun Livingston to multiple knee injuries.
Joe Stevens contributed.
---
Rich Hammond, (818) 713-3611
[email protected] :pctoss
was there for the presentation (no i didnt take the photo below, some guy with a big camera did - lol :pctoss), I asked him what about the Spurs and Tim Duncan. "I cant wait to face him" loves the spurzzzs style. (marking calender)
The man has a GRILLLLLLL like Manu.
All these rookies are less gangster than years before, I like that. Smart, articulate, things I lack. They know its a bizzz snizzle even though he handed Elgin a dime bag before the damn thing started. jk
---
Clips looking for PG, SEND Them BENO for Pick?
BENO for two 2nd Round pick or 1st and a sheet of star wars stamps? JK, the star wars stamps have too much value. Juuuust keeeeeding boss.
---
WHATS UP WITH Mike's SUIT for GOD SAKES!
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/0c/fullj.getty-74924310ng006clips_thornton.jpg
Lakers, Clippers stuck in mid-level
BY RICH HAMMOND, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 07/01/2007 01:54:35 AM PDT
From Kevin Garnett to... Mo Williams? From Jermaine O'Neal to ... Steve Blake?
Their attempts to land a superstar via trade thwarted — at least for now — the Lakers will set their sights considerably lower as they negotiate with free agents over the next 11 days.
The negotiation period began at 9 p.m. Saturday night and will continue until July 11, when teams can actually sign players. Given their ever-present salary crunch, the Lakers cannot make much of a splash on the free-agent market, as they have only the mid-level exception ($5.5 million per year) to offer.
That could be enough to land the Lakers an upgrade at point guard, perhaps with Williams, Blake or Steve Francis, or instead lure a post player such as center Jamaal Magloire or forward P.J. Brown.
There's also the matter of the Lakers' own free agents. General manager Mitch Kupchak said the Lakers are interested in retaining both Luke Walton and Chris Mihm but have cut ties with Smush Parker.
All of this is relatively minor, considering that Kupchak's main task this summer is to make a blockbuster trade that will appease Kobe Bryant and make a dramatic improvement to the roster.
In fact, perhaps the best the Lakers can hope to do
Advertisement
is add a point guard and retain their own guys.
Blake, 27, spent part of last season running Denver's efficient offense and is known as a strong on-the-ball defender, which as a major weakness of Parker. He's not a big name, and averaged only 6.4 points and 5.0 assists per game last season, but Blake could be a good fit for the triangle offense.
Williams is more of a scorer and is less consistent.
The Lakers might also take a run at Greek guard Theo Papaloukas, who was the Euroleague MVP last season while playing for CSKA Moscow.
The Lakers' biggest decisions involve their internal free agents.
Walton, 27, averaged 11.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season. He's a steady presence, a high-energy player and a respected teammate, but he will command a hefty raise from his $1.4 million salary.
The salary cap does not restrict the Lakers in terms of signing Walton or Mihm, who did not play last season as he recovered from reconstructive ankle surgery. Mihm will take a big pay cut — he made $4.2 million last season — but when healthy, he's a 7-footer who could be a viable backup center.
Meanwhile, the Clippers have a similar need as the Lakers: a point guard. But the Clippers probably will not land a significant player unless they make a trade.
They only have the $5.5 midlevel exception to sign a player, and it does not appear there is a key free-agent point guard they can get for that.
Barring a trade, the Clippers could split up their exception to sign two players, including a point guard. They also have need for a shooter and a backup big man.
The Clippers' roster stands at 11 without counting recently drafted small forward Al Thornton, and they have let three depth players from last season become unrestricted free agents: Daniel Ewing, James Singleton and Yaroslav Korolev. At the bare minimum, they will try to use free agency to upgrade their depth.
Among the free-agent point guards the Clippers could try to land are Blake, Chucky Atkins or Jacque Vaughn. They also have not closed the door on Jason Hart, who filled in well after the loss of Shaun Livingston to multiple knee injuries.
Joe Stevens contributed.
---
Rich Hammond, (818) 713-3611
[email protected] :pctoss