- Wizard owner Abe Pollin reportedly tells free agent Gilbert Arenas, in a private phone call, that he won't let him leave. Here's some more on that, including talk of a max offer, and news of the Kings being interested.
- Geoff Lepper of the Contra Costa Times: "... the Warriors most definitely have been lowballing Baron. Consider this: When Chauncey Billups was 15 months older than BD is now, he got four guaranteed years worth approximately $11.5 million per season. When Steve Nash was 18 months older than BD is now, he got five guaranteed years worth $13 million per. BD was being asked to take significantly less security than that. Thing is, nobody should be shocked by this turn of events. Lowballing has been the Warriors' default negotiating position for a few years now; it's how they chiseled Barnes down to a lone season at $3 million after his breakout year in 2006-07, and how they forced Pietrus to eat the one-year qualifying offer last season. It's why the books look better and has worked for the team. In this instance, however, it appears to have backfired. The Warriors have had plenty of opportunities to discuss an extension, but by sticking with their usual modus operandi, when Elton Brand opted out with the caveat that he's returning to the Clippers, the opportunity was there for Davis to go home. And he's jumping at it."
- Golden State of Mind: "Take away Baron Davis and Chris Mullin and Robert Rowell are quite possibly fielding the worst team in the league." For what it's worth, Davis does not make the NBA's top fifty in terms of adjusted plus/minus. UPDATE: It appears I owe Mr. Davis an apology. That link was to the top fifty in playoff adjusted plus/minus. Of course, Davis wasn't on that list. For the regular season, he was, by this measure, the 30th most effective player in the NBA.
- I still want Baron Davis to end up in Cleveland.
- Stop-n-Pop from CanisHoopus e-mails: "One of the things that I think has been missed in the discussion of the Mayo/Love trade is the fact that the Wolves picked at 3 while Memphis had the 5 spot because of a coin flip that occurred at the end of the season. Last year, the Wolves and Portland had a coin flip and the Blazers walked away with a lottery numbers combination that netted them the #1 pick and Greg Oden. This year, the Wolves won the better combo and they walked away with the 3 pick and OJ Mayo. Had they lost the flip, we Wolves fans would be sitting around with Kevin Love at the 5 pick wondering how McHale and Co. are going to unload players like Toine and Marko. Thanks to the fortuitous flip, the Wolves got the player they would have drafted anyway while netting Mike Miller, a defensive center to pair with Big Al, salary cap flexibility in the big 2010 free agent season, as well as getting rid of the aforementioned Walker and Jaric. A single coin flip turned Kevin Love into Kevin Love, Mike Miller, and cap flexibility. Who says the Wolves never get lucky?"
- Turquoise sweatsuit? Check. Mini boombox on your belt? Check.
- The Grizzlies can sign an expensive free agent this summer, if they want to. But will they want to? The Grizzlies salary cap situation, from Chip Crain at 3 Shades of Blue: "So with $35,336,586 approximately (not counting Mayo and Arthur's new deals, Marc Gasol's contract plus another likely lottery pick) tied up in option year or qualifying offers that summer and the knowledge that very soon as many as four players will be demanding new contracts, how much free cash does the team really have? Today we could hear the particulars of the Marc Gasol deal but assuming the $3 million deal is correct that puts the Grizzlies at over $38 million. OJ Mayo is slated to make $3,875,040 after being the #3 pick in the draft but actually that isn't a fixed number. Players can sign from 80% to 120% of that figure. It has become standard to pay rookies 120% of the slated number so that could put Mayo's salary at $4,650,000. That brings the Grizzlies salary cap number up to $42.5 million. Arthur would see his salary cap number rise from $970,000 to $1.17 million. That puts the Grizzlies up to nearly $44 million. Assume the Grizzlies have a top 5 pick next summer and we are close to $49 million. The cap number could be $57 million but not much more. Then the new renegotiated contract issue becomes very serious. Do the Grizzlies go back above the salary cap to extend Rudy Gay and sign a big name free agent? Do they delay the negotiations and focus on signing a big name player during the riches of the Summer 2009 free agency? Something to keep in mind when someone suggests we spend some money in free agency this summer."
- Play-by-play of the unfolding Josh Smith free agency courtship period from Sekou Smith of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "I poked around a bit more and found that not only has [Sixers honcho Ed] Stefanski been intrigued by Smith's talent since he was a high schooler coming out in the 2004 draft, he also has a longstanding relationship with one of Smith's agents, Brian Dyke, who is also Kenyon Martin's agent. Stefanski worked in a similar capacity in New Jersey when Martin was there and was in almost the exact same situation as Smith (if you remember, the Nets dared Martin to find a team willing to pay him more than they wanted to and he did just that and left in a sign-and-trade deal with Denver)."
- Assessing rumors the Hornets may have interest in James Posey or Corey Maggette.
- A look at Knick contracts, a suggestion the Knicks ought not to use any of the mid-level between now and 2010, and some notion of why the team has apparently been shopping David Lee.
- The Trent Tucker rule.
- It's official: Rudy Fernandez is a Blazer.
- Eric Musselman chronicles the many coaches Jason Kidd has not gotten along with.
- The idea that LeBron James wants to play in New York does not just come from the imaginations of sportswriters. UPDATE: A good bit of perspe
ctive on this story.
- The Rockets reportedly still want Brent Barry.
- Brian McCormick on the wisdom of crowds: "I cannot wait for the first enterprising organization to save itself millions by investing in the fans. With the information available via the Internet, an organization could replace its General Manager, International and college scouts with its fan base. Imagine the savings in salary and travel expenses. ... Imagine if Sacramento, a team looking to save money, dumped Geoff Petrie and its scouts and turned the organization over to its passionate fan base. The Maloofs could hire SacTown Royalty's Tom Ziller as the de facto General Manager and give him the authority to contact teams about trades. But, all final decisions would be made through a vote on the blog." Or how about letting those fans buy in as minority owners, and vote with their stock? That way the majority owners could keep control, but the fans could have some accountability.
- Video of Derrick Rose's introductory press conference. Here's what stood out to me: Vinny Del Negro talked about the kind of offense he wants to run, and he sounded like Mike D'Antoni talking, with his talk of players having fun, high screen and rolls, getting the most out of people. Suddenly that hire feels less like it's from left field, and more like it's from Phoenix.
- A Laker fan reflects on a great season. Worth the read.
- UPDATE: Would Baron Davis make the Clippers truly great?
- UPDATE: A coach who loves three draft picks: Joe Alexander, Jason Thompson, and Joey Dorsey.
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