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wfhawkfan

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Posts posted by wfhawkfan

  4. Biedrins Signs For 6 Yr 63 Mil

    in Around the Association

    Posted

    The Golden State Warriors have moved quickly to prevent Latvian center Andris Biedrins from seriously entertaining interest from deep-pocketed teams in Europe by reaching terms on a lucrative new contract with the restricted free agent.

    NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that Biedrins was en route to Oakland on Sunday night after agreeing to a new six-year contract with the Warriors worth nearly $63 million. The contract, sources said, will likely be signed Monday and include a player option for Biedrins to return to the free-agent market in the summer of 2013 after completing five seasons.

    Biedrins is among a growing crop of NBA veterans -- not all European, as evidence by Josh Childress' decision to leave the Atlanta Hawks for a team in Greece -- to attract big-money offers from clubs overseas.

    The Warriors, though, made it clear entering one of the most frenetic offseasons in the club's history that re-signing its young restricted free agents -- Biedrins and guard Monta Ellis -- was management's top priority. Retaining Ellis and Biedrins, sources say, was Golden State's first consideration in every move it has and hasn't made since late June, when the Warriors elected not to use a $9.9 trade exception created by the deal that sent Jason Richardson to the Charlotte Bobcats on draft day in 2007.

    Ellis was signed to a six-year deal worth $67 million on Thursday as part of Golden State's flurry of moves since July, when point guard Baron Davis committed to signing with his hometown Los Angeles Clippers.

    The Warriors' flurry of transactions also includes signing forward Corey Maggette away from the Clippers on a five-year deal worth $50 million, matching the Clippers' three-year offer sheet worth in excess of $9 million to swingman Kelenna Azubuike, signing restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf away from the Los Angeles Lakers to a four-year deal worth $17 million and acquiring New Jersey Nets point guard Marcus Williams via trade.

    Biedrins has made steady progress since the Warriors selected him as a teenager with the 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft. He averaged 10.5 points and 9.8 rebounds last season in just 27.23 minutes per game, leading the league in field-goal percentage (.626) and improving his biggest weakness -- free-throw shooting -- from 52.1 percent in 2006-07 to 62 percent last season.

  5. Must Watch

    in Homecourt

    Posted · Edited by wfhawkfan

    A milli remix for the Hawk Fan. Very funny but sadly true.

    Dude, was 100% on.

    The flow wasn't half bad either. It is a damn shame, a random human can rap for 3 and half minutes on ASG ineptness.

  6. Another Broussard Blog on Smith

    in Homecourt

    Posted

    Apparently Monta Ellis has signed for 6 yr 66 million.

    Quote:

    The Warriors locked up restricted free-agent guard Monta Ellis with a six-year deal worth $66 million, according to an NBA insider. However, Golden State could be in danger of losing Andris Biedrins, their remaining restricted free agent.

    The fourth-year player out of Lanier High in Mississippi is now the highest-paid Warrior, and is expected to be the starting point guard.

    Meanwhile, a source close to Biedrins said the fifth-year center is being pursued heavily by European teams.

    The Latvia native is drawing strong interest in a couple of Russian clubs, according to the source, who added that teams are willing to sign him for 3-5 years for what amounts to more than $10 million per year.

    This would be the best news for Biedrins' in months. The only team with salary cap space that was reportedly interested in him, other than the Warriors, was Philadelphia. But the 76ers spent their cap money on Elton Brand. So leverage of a fat offer from overseas is Biedrins' best hope of getting the money he wants from the Warriors, or anywhere in the NBA.

    Biedrins' camp, which was rumored to have its sight set on the ballpark of Chris Kaman's contract (five years, $55 million), likely won't be elated about the offer they're likely going to get from the Warriors. It would be surprising if Biedrins' offer even equaled Corey Maggette's average of $10 million a year. A six-year, $48 million offer may be what Golden State presents Biedrins.

    I think this sets the market for smoove.

  7. Ellis sign for 6 yr/ 66 mill

    in Around the Association

    Posted

    Quote:

    The Warriors locked up restricted free-agent guard Monta Ellis with a six-year deal worth $66 million, according to an NBA insider. However, Golden State could be in danger of losing Andris Biedrins, their remaining restricted free agent.

    The fourth-year player out of Lanier High in Mississippi is now the highest-paid Warrior, and is expected to be the starting point guard.

    Meanwhile, a source close to Biedrins said the fifth-year center is being pursued heavily by European teams.

    The Latvia native is drawing strong interest in a couple of Russian clubs, according to the source, who added that teams are willing to sign him for 3-5 years for what amounts to more than $10 million per year.

    This would be the best news for Biedrins' in months. The only team with salary cap space that was reportedly interested in him, other than the Warriors, was Philadelphia. But the 76ers spent their cap money on Elton Brand. So leverage of a fat offer from overseas is Biedrins' best hope of getting the money he wants from the Warriors, or anywhere in the NBA.

    Biedrins' camp, which was rumored to have its sight set on the ballpark of Chris Kaman's contract (five years, $55 million), likely won't be elated about the offer they're likely going to get from the Warriors. It would be surprising if Biedrins' offer even equaled Corey Maggette's average of $10 million a year. A six-year, $48 million offer may be what Golden State presents Biedrins.

    link

  9. Another Broussard Blog on Smith

    in Homecourt

    Posted

    Quote:

    One of my boys, a former college teammate and current Atlanta resident, called me last night. He was distraught. Just when he thought his beloved Hawks were coming up, they lose Josh Childress to a Euro squad.

    Now, he's worried about Josh Smith -- and with good reason. Negotiations between Smith and the Hawks are pretty ugly right now.

    The Hawks are willing to pay Smith $57 million over six years (not quite the $60 million I wrote a few days ago). That's only $9.5 million per year.

    Atlanta realizes Smith has no leverage (I'm told Europe is not on his radar), and while one could argue the Hawks are being smart financially, they're screwing up by creating bad blood with one of their main cogs.

    I was on the conference call with Childress yesterday as he explained his decision to go to Europe. Childress made it clear that the Hawks' seeming indifference toward re-signing him, their hardball tactics, and their slow pace during negotiations pushed him overseas. (Sure the money was huge, but Childress may not have even gotten to that point if the Hawks had handled things differently).

    Smith, who's much more valuable than Childress, feels the same way.

    He wants $12 million a year. His position is that Philly was willing to pay him close to that until Elton Brand became available. And word around the league is that the L.A. Clippers were willing to give Smith $13 million a year before realizing they could get Marcus Camby for three jock straps and a pair of beat-up Air Force Ones.

    Of course now, no team besides Atlanta can offer Smith more than the mid-level exception, so for all intents and purposes, the Hawks can set his market value.

    As things stand now, Smith is viewing a sign-and-trade deal (which is unlikely) or acceptance of the Hawks' one-year qualifying offer as his most favorable options.

    The Hawks may be fine with getting Smith to sign the qualifying offer because they think they'll still get a great year out of him since he'll be playing for a contract. Then, even though he'll be an unrestricted free agent next summer, they'll still be able to pay Smith more than any other team.

    But in that scenario, Smith might be so upset with the Hawks that he would take less money to go elsewhere (as Elton Brand did after getting fed up with the Clippers' negotiating tactics).

    Personally, if I were the Hawks, I'd up my offer to the $11 million per year range to keep Smith happy. You don't want a player being angry and feeling slighted. Bottom line is that Smith is blossoming into a star. He's never been in trouble off the court, and your fan base will go berserk if you lose the guy.

    Also, there's no truth to the notion that Smith doesn't want to return to Atlanta to play for Mike Woodson. His relationship with Woodson is no doubt strained, but that's not a factor in his willingness or unwillingness to return to Atlanta.

    Link

  15. Chris Broussard on Smoove and Chilldress

    in Homecourt

    Posted

    First, I'll address Atlanta forward Josh Smith. Smith lost his leverage with the Hawks when Philadelphia signed Elton Brand and Golden State signed Corey Maggette. Now, he's basically at the Hawks' mercy.

    But contrary to some opinions, they are showing mercy. According to sources, they are offering Smith a six-year deal worth $60 million.

    Smith wants $12 million a year, and I can't blame him for wanting as much money as possible. But I think the Hawks are being fair.

    With no competitors on the market, they could low-ball Smith. They could offer him the same five-year, $45 million deal they offered last year, and no one could better it.

    Smith's options are limited. Sign-and-trade opportunities are sparse because Smith will be a base-year compensation player, which complicates matters financially, and his qualifying offer of $3.1 million isn't that high because he was just the 17th pick of the 2004 draft.

    What Smith has to realize is that the Hawks have to protect their future. If they want to keep their young talent together, they can't break the bank for Smith. They're going to have to pay a lot of other folks too.

    Mike Bibby's contract expires after this season, and the deals for Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams expire the following year. That's not to mention Al Horford, who'll be deserving of a big raise in a few years.

    Plus, while Smith has blossomed into a potential All-Star, he hasn't led the Hawks anywhere yet. A 37-45 record is nothing to brag about, whether you took the champs to seven games or not. Atlanta is far from a playoff lock this season.

    And Josh should count himself blessed. Perhaps he should get a little bit more money, but he could also be in the same position as Ben Gordon and Emeka Okafor, who probably wish they had taken deals worth at least $10 million annually last summer.

    As for Atlanta's other free agent, Josh Childress, I'm told the Hawks are offering a five-year deal that begins at slightly more than the $5.5 million mid-level exception. So he's looking at a deal that could approach $7 million annually.

    That's much more than any other NBA team is willing to pay him. He hasn't gotten a mid-level exception offer from another team, so the only leverage he really has is overseas, where he's considering a three-year, $20 million offer from Olympiakos in Greece.

    Three years, $20 million vs. five years, roughly 34 million. What's the difference, other than more security with the NBA offer?

    Both Smith and Childress should return to Atlanta.

    link

  17. Childress weighing offer from Greek team

    in Homecourt

    Posted

    LAS VEGAS – In a potentially stunning move that reflects the growing challenge Europe’s basketball leagues pose to the NBA, Atlanta Hawks free-agent forward Josh Childress is strongly considering a three-year, $20 million offer from Greek powerhouse Olympiakos, several league sources said Sunday night.

    Childress flew to Greece late Sunday and is scheduled to meet with Olympiakos officials on Monday. Childress, 25, is so flustered with the Hawks’ refusal to make a sign-and-trade deal to another team, one source familiar with his thinking believes there’s “better than a 50-50 chance” he’ll sign with Olympiakos.

    “Unless he just gets there and doesn’t like it at all, I think he’s going to go,” one league source said.

    Childress is a restricted free agent, but the Hawks would have no matching rights with a FIBA contract. Olympiakos’ offer also would allow Childress the opportunity to return to the NBA over the next two summers. The Hawks would maintain his restricted free-agent rights provided they make him a qualifying offer.

    Childress’ talks with the Hawks have yet to gain traction because Atlanta officials have made it clear their first priority is to resolve negotiations with forward Josh Smith, their other restricted free agent. Privately, Childress has expressed little enthusiasm in returning to play for the organization, sources said.

    The Memphis Grizzlies are the only remaining team with enough salary-cap room to make an offer exceeding the $5.6 million mid-level exception, and they so far seem content on saving their money for next summer. Several NBA GMs interested in Childress said they wouldn’t make a mid-level offer to him because they believe the Hawks would match.

    Childress’ agent, Lon Babby, has instead looked to Europe to create leverage for his client, a unique approach that would have seemed unlikely as recently as three years ago. The U.S. dollar’s declining value compared to the Euro, coupled with the influx of money from Russian owners into the Euroleague, has now made Europe a much more attractive option for players.

    Already this summer, the San Antonio Spurs’ 2007 first-round draft pick, Tiago Splitter, rejected an offer to join the NBA franchise because he can make more money by remaining in Spain. Toronto Raptors free agent Carlos Delfino signed a three-year, $13.5 million deal with Khimiki of Moscow. Juan Carlos Navarro of the Grizzlies returned to Spain for a reported five-year contract with FC Barcelona that could pay more than $20 million.

    Even so, Childress, who averaged 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season, would send far greater waves through the NBA should he leave for the Euroleague. He would be the kind of coveted, young American talent who hadn’t previously left the NBA for Europe. Childress, 6-foot-8, played his college ball at Stanford, and is believed to have the international curiosity and maturity it might take to leave the NBA behind for a year.

    If Childress joins Olympiakos then chooses to return to the NBA in either of the next two summers, he’ll likely be entering a more lucrative free-agent market than the current one.

    Link from Yahoo

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