Sam Smith Talks about some of the names being batted around here. I didn't know Butler's agent is the same guy that represented Ben Gordon. From yesterday...
NBA news and notes-- A further sign of what a great league it is: Reports have the Knicks “wish list” for a center including Kwame Brown, Tony Battie and Aaron Gray. If that’s who you are hoping for I’m guessing you are not that close to a title. An agent shouldn’t be a detriment to any signing, but Caron Butler is represented by Raymond Brothers, who was the agent for Ben Gordon in the contentious negotiations in which Brothers leveled all sorts of scurrilous allegations against the Bulls. Bobcats coach Paul Silas talked to the Charlotte Observer about Corey Maggette being the “focal point” of the offense with Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace gone. That ought to be an interesting offense with Maggette and Tyrus Thomas not exactly your most unselfish players. As often as they look up they might not even know who their teammates are.
-- Lots of guessing who’ll get the Shawn Kemp award starting Friday. It was Kemp who at the end of the 1998-99 lockout came into Cavs camp about 75 pounds overweight to effectively begin the end of his career... Might be tough for Jannero Pargo to make it back after surgeries. But brother Jeremy might be an interesting backup guard option for cheap after he played in Israel... Though Portland wants him back, Joel Przybilla figures to end up with the Bucks as he keeps a home in Wisconsin... The Grizzlies have tried to move O.J. Mayo for a power forward, Josh McRoberts or J.J. Hickson, twice since last trading deadline. You assume then they’d take Taj Gibson without hesitation.
--There was speculation last week Tyson Chandler was angling for $20 million annually, Nene almost $18 million and Marc Gasol almost $15 million. That would be one reason to sit out free agency this season as none really would make enough of a difference as free agents to justify that kind of salary. But that’s also why the players’ argument that owners don’t have to overpay players was specious. Yes, they do. Teams have to spend almost up to the $57 annual salary cap, and if those are elite free agents it tells you there aren’t nearly enough good players to go around and the new labor agreement isn’t going to change much the way business has been done. ... One free agent you don’t hear much talk about is Andrei Kirilenko, who is playing in Russia. Of course, the consensus is he’ll stay, but he’d be an intriguing addition... With all the free agency talk, much overlooked is a couple of interesting debuts this season: Minnesota point guard Ricky Rubio and the Kings’ Jimmer, and whether they can play in the NBA. ... With rookie Enes Kanter, Derrick Favors, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Mehmet Okur, once the free agency excitement clears you assume there’ll be a lot of talk with the Jazz. ... The new Warriors owners are sounding like the next Mark Cuban with lots of public talk and rumors surrounding many big names and promises to spend. They’ll be interesting to watch.
-- Perhaps all you need to know about Brandon Roy now was the revealing comment of Portland executive Larry Miller to the Oregonian: "If Brandon were to accept mentally that 'I'm not that guy anymore, but I will do whatever I can to help the team,' it would make it easier to keep him around. We know every so often he is going to give us that game, and be the Brandon Roy of old, but mentally accepting where his game is, that's the bigger challenge for him. I don't know if he is there, or if he can get there." That’s really the danger of taking a shot at any former star, like Vince Carter, to take a role playing position. Teams are wondering how Michael Redd’s attitude will be as he’s now a backup player, at best. ... Watch out for the Clippers this season. The Los Angeles Times said they reached out immediately with their cap room to free agent forwards Caron Butler and Tayshaun Prince. With Griffin, Eric Gordon and DeAndre Jordan and a small forward they should make a nice move as they figure to try to make a deal for Chris Kaman. In the final year of his contract, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Knicks make a move for Kaman for Chauncey Billups, who would be a stabilizing veteran also in his final season for the Clippers at point guard.
http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/smith_111205.html
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