Smoove not sold on the Clippers

[NJHAWK]

Slow And Steady: The LA Clippers got their first piece of business done, signing and introduction Baron Davis. Besides playing damage control on Elton Brand, the Clips have been busy talking with restricted free agents such as Josh Smith (Hawks), Emeka Okafor (Bobcats) and now Andris Biedrins (Warriors). All three players can have offers matched by their respective teams, although of the three Josh Smith seems the most obtainable because of Atlanta's ownership situation. According to sources near Smith's camp, Josh is not sold that the Clippers are a better situation for him than the Hawks. In Smith's case an offer from or the hint of a real offer from the Clippers might simply be leverage to get the Hawks to the table on a real deal. The $60 million given to Andrew Bogut this week by the Bucks, sets the bar for front court players like Biedrins and Okafor, but also for Smith. The Clippers are also saying they will re-open discussions with Shaun Livingston about returning, but have renounced his rights meaning he has to fit under the cap space the team has. Livingston has talked with several teams including the Denver Nuggets. Clippers President Andy Roser said yesterday that his team would be talking to a number of players, and would regroup to make some final decisions, hinting that offers were not coming any time soon.

This article is from Hoopsworld. Something tells me the Clips arent exactly foaming at the mouth to make Smoove a huge offer. Only time will tell though.

[coachx]

I think Smoove is the Clippers #1 option.

Okefor and Bedrians are too stiff and slow to play PF beside another slow, stiff player in Kaman. Those guys can't run with Thorton and Davis either. You can live with Kaman rebounding and starting the break but you don't need 2 stiffs who can't run if your going to turn Thorton and Davis loose.

The Warrios have already lost Davis to the Clippers. I doubt they let them steal Bedrinas too. Nelson has already come out and said he expects Bedrians back in an article yesterday:

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Nellie checks in from Las Vegas

From Janny Hu.

Talked to Nellie this morning, which qualifies as a tiny crack in the Warriors' long-running silence. (Chris Mullin still isn't returning calls). A quick rundown, with some funny bits:

Nellie's projected lineup:

PG: Monta Ellis, C.J. Watson

SG: Stephen Jackson, Marco Belinelli

SF: Corey Maggette, Anthony Randolph

PF: Al Harrington, Brandan Wright

C: Andris Biedrins, (*Ronny Turiaf)

Assuming they get Turiaf, who should be signing the Warriors' 4-year, $17 million offer sheet anytime now, Nellie said the next priority is to add a third point guard to backup Monta. Names I've heard they are/were interested in are Keyon Dooling, Jamont Gordon, and Anthony Carter, who just re-signed with the Nuggets. He says no other major moves expected.

He and Baron smoked a cigar last Friday in Oakland when BD dropped by the Warriors' practice facility to say good-bye. Nellie says they're still planning on getting together in Maui next month. Stephen Jackson? Nellie joked that he's left five messages for him and hasn't heard back.

As for Maggette, Nellie said he believed there were no option years on the contract. So that would leave it as a five-year deal for a little less than $50 million.

Now for the Bobcats and Okefor. Larry Bown came out with a puclic statement today saying he hopes the ownerships does the right thing by signing Okefor and goes on to say how hard it is to find a 5.

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/535...re_sign_okafor/

So both Nelson and Larry Brown have come out publically saying they want to keep their centers. Charlotte wants to keep Larry Brown happy more then the ASG want to keep Woody happy. Golden State cannot affort to have egg on their face again by allowing the Clippers to steal BOTH of their prized FAs in (Davis and Bedrinas).

Smoove is the #1 target. Make no mistake about it. No need to panick. The ASG has the right to match. If they don't they would steal the Clippers reputation of being the cheapest NBA franchise............even if its not the truth that would be the public perception.

[WraithSentinel]

That work for us if they offer him in the $60 million range. Bogut contract should help set the market for Smoove. I like how things are potentially shaping up. Although I would rather this info came from somewhere else beside hoopsworld.

[jezmund]

5 year / 60 million is ideal. I think that would allow us to keep Childress and pick up a veteran big while staying under the luxury tax.

[crimedog]

I think Smith is the the guy they are considering the most because he is the most talented, but given an equal amount of money he is the most likely to be matched ownership or not. If the Clippers throw the max at Smith, ASG considers matching because Smith is already talented and has a boatload of potential and the team has had the most support, by a considerable margin, in a long time and Smith may be the most recognizable player on the team (to the casual Atlanta fan). Now they might end up letting him walk, but they certainly wouldn't do so without thinking.

Charlotte doesn't have those same things going for it. There is a much greater chance that Mek, who will be 26 by the start of the next season, has reached his peak. They aren't coming off a big year and the potential for gaining or losing revenue probably isn't as high. Larry Brown or no, Charlotte doesn't match a max deal.

[coachx]

Do not underestimate the power of Larry Brown. When he signed his contract I am sure the Okefor free agent situation came up with Brown's love of defense.

If they don't keep Brown happy he will bolt for the door in a NY minute, mark it down.

Warriors have more to loose then either the Bobcats or Hawks. The Clippers already robbed them of Baron Davis. What would their fans public out cry be if they lost their other prized FA ( a 22 year old center) to the same team who happens to be in the same state ? That is twice as bad as us losing Smoove. Is is not ?

[Chris18]

Losing Beans to the Clips would be bad for the Warriors but it wouldn't be close to us losing Smoove.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Interesting that they referenced the Bogut deal. That's exactly what I thought when I saw how much money Bogut got. Both Smith's and Okafor's agent have to be talking along those lines, even if they know that they won't get that much.

I think somebody said yesterday on this board that Smith might take a contract that see him having a player option going into year 4, and the Hawks having a team option going into year 5. If Smith gets a 5/60 deal, and he believes that he'll be an all-star caliber player in 4 years, he may demand that he get that player option in year 4, just in case he develops into that kind of a player.

Hawks may be better off offering a 6/75 deal, but we'll see.

[shock]

I think Biedrins will sign with the Clips simply because he will demand more money than Josh or Okafor, yet that price tag will be more than Golden State is willing to pay him.

[BornandDieHawks]

Quote:

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Slow And Steady: The LA Clippers got their first piece of business done, signing and introduction Baron Davis. Besides playing damage control on Elton Brand, the Clips have been busy talking with restricted free agents such as Josh Smith (Hawks), Emeka Okafor (Bobcats) and now Andris Biedrins (Warriors). All three players can have offers matched by their respective teams, although of the three Josh Smith seems the most obtainable because of Atlanta's ownership situation. According to sources near Smith's camp, Josh is not sold that the Clippers are a better situation for him than the Hawks. In Smith's case an offer from or the hint of a real offer from the Clippers might simply be leverage to get the Hawks to the table on a real deal. The $60 million given to Andrew Bogut this week by the Bucks, sets the bar for front court players like Biedrins and Okafor, but also for Smith. The Clippers are also saying they will re-open discussions with Shaun Livingston about returning, but have renounced his rights meaning he has to fit under the cap space the team has. Livingston has talked with several teams including the Denver Nuggets. Clippers President Andy Roser said yesterday that his team would be talking to a number of players, and would regroup to make some final decisions, hinting that offers were not coming any time soon.

This article is from Hoopsworld. Something tells me the Clips arent exactly foaming at the mouth to make Smoove a huge offer. Only time will tell though.

If it's true Smooth is not sold on the Clipps, then the Clipps has to be one of the dumbest organizations if they offer him a contract knowing their cap will be tied up for seven days and the Atl ownership has promised they will match. Why will they risk losing out on the other two while they wait for Atlanta to match?

[AnakinJoe]

Sounds like posturing to me. Smith says he's not interested. clips say they may consider a littany of other options. Again, sounds like they're both trying to use the media to negotiate the contracts.

Or Smith's agents are trying to entice Sund into making a pre-emptive offer. Maybe Smith's agents want Sund to think that a low-ball offer will work, because that would serve as incentive to convince Smith that Hawks are "disrespecting him" and that he should sign with Clips.

After watching how Falk manipulated the Brand movement, I think these agents are willing to do anything to show a little power, including mis-guiding their clients.

[crimedog]

Quote:

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Sounds like posturing to me. Smith says he's not interested. clips say they may consider a littany of other options. Again, sounds like they're both trying to use the media to negotiate the contracts.

Or Smith's agents are trying to entice Sund into making a pre-emptive offer. Maybe Smith's agents want Sund to think that a low-ball offer will work, because that would serve as incentive to convince Smith that Hawks are "disrespecting him" and that he should sign with Clips.

After watching how Falk manipulated the Brand movement, I think these agents are willing to do anything to show a little power, including mis-guiding their clients.

Or maybe its all just conjecture anyway. This report says that "sources near Smith's camp" say something. Bucher's sources were sure that Smith wanted out no matter what. Most sources say that Smith wants to stay in Altanta...

I wouldn't be suprised if he really didn't want to go there, the Clippers got Falked big time in the Brand deal but there is a reason people trash that organization and in this case it came back and bit them in the ass.

I actually think Smith is a better fit in LA than he is here because they have a lot of shooters so he wouldn't be asked to play on the perimeter for 15-20 a night (when he and Chil are in the game together) and he'd be playing with a better halfcourt playmaker than any he's been with.

Regardless though, I don't see a max offer for him from the Clips working out well for either team. The Hawks lose one of their most important peices and the Clips lock themselves into a core where their second best player will be coming of age as their best player declines.

[bird_dirt]

smoove may not be sold on the clippers because the clippers may not be sold entirely on him, either. i just saw this on si.com:

Quote:

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Knicks unwilling to trade Randolph to Clippers in salary dump

By Ian Thomsen, SI.com

The Knicks have rejected a proposal from the Clippers to trade power forward Zach Randolph, league sources told SI.com.

Terms of any proposal were not known, but the Clippers have enough salary-cap space to accept Randolph's contract without having to give the Knicks equal salaries in return. The Clippers, seeking to replace the departed Elton Brand, were trying to take Randolph off the Knicks' hands while offering little more than cap relief to New York, the sources said. Randolph will make $14.7 million next season, and he has three years and $48 million left on his contract.

While the Knicks are known to be interested in clearing cap space by 2010 to make a run at LeBron James or other potential free agents, the sources said New York wanted more than simple cap relief in exchange for Randolph. The Knicks appear to believe that Randolph will provide a highly productive season under new coach Mike D'Antoni, which could raise his value much higher than it is today. That's why the Knicks were not interested in nearly giving away Randolph's contract, according to the sources.

Other options for the Clippers would include pursuing Hawks power forward Josh Smith or Bobcats power forward Emeka Okafor, but because both are restricted free agents, their respective teams can match any offer.

if the clips are trying to trade for randolph, then they must be hoping they get a little more experienced of a player for the money they'd have to give smoove to pry him from atl.

if the clips do end up trading for another pf, the hawks could make out very well without any major compitition for smoove's services. i wouldn't expect any quick resolution to this, though, as we are talking about the asg here.

[crimedog]

The ideal situation is that the Knicks are hoping the Clippers throw something else into the pot, maybe DeAndre Jordan or something. If thats the case than I could see this getting done in which case we'd be free to negotiate... although I suspect the Hawks would still take a "wait and see approach" and offer him a little more than whatever Biedrins/Okafor get signed at.

[DrReality]

Such a trade with NY makes no sense but then they make a lot of such trades.