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Nets Sign Andray Blatche

September 12th, 2012 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 3:19pm: The Nets have officially announced the signing in a press release.

TUESDAY, 10:30pm: The Nets and Blatche have finalized the deal, Josh Newman of SNY.tv reports.

SUNDAY, 12:18pm: Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports that Blatche "has other business that needs to be addressed first" before he finalizes his deal with the Nets, according to Miller. While it appears there are other options for Blatche, he's still likely to sign with the Nets this week, Kerber says. Rumors have linked him to the Heat and the Spurs since the Wizards used the amnesty clause to waive him in July.

FRIDAY, 1:40pm: Agent Andy Miller confirmed to Michael Lee of the Washington Post that Blatche has agreed to sign with the Nets and will finalize the deal sometime next week.

THURSDAY, 5:55pm: For most of the offseason, Blatche has been working out in Houston, Texas under the guidance of former NBA player John Lucas in hopes of landing an NBA deal for the upcoming season.  According to Lucas, via Twitter, the forward has signed a contract with the Nets.

8:02am: Two sources close to Blatche tell Michael Lee of the Washington Post that the former Wizard has yet to make a decision, and that he's still considering an offer from the Heat. It's clear that Blatche hasn't signed anything yet, but based on the number of reports suggesting that at least a verbal agreement with the Nets is in place, I'd be surprised if he didn't end up with Brooklyn within the next few days.

WEDNESDAY, 8:51pm: Blatche's deal will be non-guaranteed, according to Howard Beck of the New York Times (via Twitter).

7:52pm: The Nets have agreed to terms with Andray Blatche on a contract, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). The deal is for one year and is worth the minimum salary, according to Spears, who adds that Blatche and the Nets are expected to finalize the agreement early next week (Twitter link).

Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com reported last week that if the Nets signed Blatche, it was unlikely to be a guaranteed deal. ESPN.com's Marc Stein echoed that sentiment today, indicating that the Nets, who have 13 players on guaranteed contracts, prefer to fill their last two roster spots with non-guaranteed deals. So we'll have to wait and see how much, if any, of Blatche's deal includes guaranteed money.

Blatche is coming off a tremendously disappointing season in Washington, but has the upside to make the deal a worthwhile investment for the Nets. In the two seasons prior to 2011/12, Blatche averaged a very solid 15.3 points and 7.1 rebounds with a 17.2 PER in 30.5 minutes per game. However, those averages fell off to 8.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 10.6 PER, and 24.1 MPG in a '11/12 season plagued by conditioning issues.

Because the Wizards amnestied Blatche this summer, he'll continue to receive a salary well above the veteran's minimum from Washington for the next three years. For the Nets, assuming he earns a place on the regular-season roster, he'll come off the bench as a power forward and perhaps earn some minutes backing up Brook Lopez at center.

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Odds & Ends: Anderson, Mbenga, Heat, Harden

September 11th, 2012 at 10:06pm CST by Chuck Myron

It's been a busier day than we've had for a while around the NBA, and with training camps opening as soon as September 29th, expect the faster pace of news to continue. Let's dive right into some of the latest from around the league:

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Odds & Ends: Harris, Aguilar, 2014 Draft, Bynum

September 11th, 2012 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few Tuesday afternoon odds and ends from around the Association….

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Hassan Whiteside Working Out For Heat

September 11th, 2012 at 1:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Hassan Whiteside, who worked out for the Timberwolves last week, is in Miami today to audition for the Heat, tweets Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500. Whiteside's agent tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune that the Miami workout may not be his client's last, as there are a handful of other teams interested in having the former King work out for them (Twitter link).

The Timberwolves and Heat are among the teams still looking to add at least one more big man to their respective rosters. The T-Wolves are said to have interest in Mehmet Okur, but Okur is seeking more than a minimum-salary deal, which is all Minnesota can offer. The Wolves are still "very much in the mix" for Whiteside, according to his agent (Twitter link via Zgoda).

The Heat, meanwhile, have been frequently linked to former Knick Josh Harrellson, but he remains unsigned. Over the weekend, we heard that the Heat are considering bringing Harrellson on board, but Whiteside's workout suggests the team is still exploring its options.

In two seasons with the Kings, Whiteside recorded only 111 total minutes, but his height (7'0") and age (23) make him a potentially intriguing prospect for teams looking to add another frontcourt player.

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Heat Re-Sign Terrel Harris

September 10th, 2012 at 5:34pm CST by Zachary Links

SEPTEMBER 10TH: The Heat confirmed the signing via press release.

SEPTEMBER 8TH: The Heat have agreed to re-sign guard Terrel Harris, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.  Terms of the deal are not yet known but yesterday we learned that the Heat were planning to offer him a non-guaranteed contract.

Miami now has 13 guaranteed contracts heading into 2012/13, leaving them with two vacant roster spots.  One spot will likely go to a big man such as Mickell Gladness or Jarvis Varnado, who each signed make-good contracts with the team yesterday.  The remaining spot will likely go to a wing player such as Harris.  The 25-year-old averaged 3.6 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.2 APG in 14.5 minutes per contest last season.

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Odds & Ends: Fegan, Childress, Anthony, Gee

September 10th, 2012 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Prominent NBA agent Dan Fegan has confirmed that he's no longer with Lagardère Unlimited, according to Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal (via Twitter). Fegan, who had been serving as the president of basketball at the agency, represents a number of NBA players, including big names like Dwight Howard and Nene. It will be interesting to see how many of those clients he takes with him.

Here are a few more Monday odds and ends from around the NBA:

  • Josh Childress will meet with Nets GM Billy King and coach Avery Johnson and work out for the team on Tuesday, according to Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. We heard last week that Childress and Dominic McGuire would work out for the Nets, but McGuire has since reached an agreement with the Raptors.
  • Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel thinks the Heat could be angling to find a way to move Joel Anthony's contract. Anthony has three years remaining on his deal (including a third-year player option) for about $3.8MM annually.
  • Sean Williams remains on the Timberwolves' radar, tweets Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500. Wolfson had reported late last month that the T-Wolves were eyeing the big man.
  • Alonzo Gee's new deal with the Cavaliers, which was finally completed earlier today, was held up because Gee switched agents during the negotiations, says Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal (Sulia link). The Cavs wing is now represented by Happy Walters.
  • After the Kings, Cavaliers, Wizards, Bobcats, and Hornets drafted in the top five in June, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld examines whether any of last year's NBA bottom-dwellers are ready to contend for the postseason in 2012/13.
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Odds & Ends: Shaq, Howard, Gladness, Harrellson

September 9th, 2012 at 12:09pm CST by Chuck Myron

Shaquille O'Neal, speaking with Rachel Whittaker of The Times-Picayune, refuted reports that he would play a couple of games for a team in the Mexican league next month while still leaving the door open for such a cameo to take place, saying "we could talk, but nobody has contacted me." While the future Hall of Famer ponders a cameo south of the border, he said he's had little time to consider the implications of Dwight Howard with the Lakers. Shaq is "flattered" that D12 followed his footsteps from the Magic to the L.A., but he said, "I don't have a reaction. You have to care to have a reaction. I've got businesses to run. I always tell people that in order to step in my shoes you have big shoes to fill. For him, he's going to have to at least win three to get people's respect." 

Here's more news from around the Association:

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Knicks Rumors: Isiah, Camby, Giddens

September 9th, 2012 at 8:25am CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks owner James Dolan would like to have former coach and executive Isiah Thomas formally rejoin the organization in some capacity, but Thomas is reluctant come back, reports Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Thomas might fear media backlash if he is rehired, and he has lingering resentment of some MSG executives from his previous tenure with the team, Isola writes. Thomas, who was college teammates with GM Glen Grunwald and coach Mike Woodson, is serving as an unofficial adviser to the team, according to Isola's report, and an eventual return in a official capacity seems likely. Here's more from the Big Apple: 

  • We passed along an item about Marcus Camby's enthusiasm for the Knicks roster last night, and in the piece Keldy Ortiz wrote for Newsday, Camby also talked about how close he came to signing with the Heat. Camby said it was a phone call from former teammate and current Knicks assistant GM Allan Houston that persuaded him to come to New York. "I knew that it would have been very hard for me to put on that Miami Heat uniform, especially all the battles we used to have back in the days with Houston and those guys," Camby said. "I'm happy things worked out."
  • Camby also spoke about reuniting with some of his old Nuggets and Blazers teammates who are now with him on the Knicks, and adjusting to a bench role after starting for so long, as Anthony Sulla-Heffinger of the New York Post writes.
  • Former Knicks guard J.R. Giddens, who the Celtics took with the final pick of the first round in the 2008 draft, could be headed to the Italian league to play for Centrale del Latte Brescia, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. 
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Odds & Ends: Bobcats, Cavs, Nelson, Heat

September 8th, 2012 at 12:03pm CST by Zachary Links

While there has been a great deal of championship talk surrounding the Heat, Lakers, and Thunder this summer, the Bobcats have a more modest goal of not repeating as the NBA's worst team in 2012/13.  While the Bobcats are still a work in progress, this year's team in Charlotte isn't nearly as bad as last season's group, writes Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld.  Offseason acquisitions including rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Ben Gordon, Brendan Haywood, and Ramon Sessions should all help lift the team a little bit further out of the basement.  As for the new cellar dweller?  Brigham suggests that the Magic seem to be a likely candidate.  Here's today's look around the Association..

  • The Cavs brought former University of Richmond point guard Kevin Anderson in for a workout this week, a source told Sportando.  Anderson spent last season with French team SIG Strasbourg, averaging 12.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 4.0 RPG.
  • From Lithuania to the Lakers, forward Reeves Nelson truly has come full circle, writes Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside.  Nelson was once viewed as a first-round talent, but off-court trouble led to him being kicked out of the UCLA program and a brief stint overseas. The Lakers signed Nelson to a non-guaranteed deal earlier this week.
  • In today's mailbag, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel opines that the Heat did not make a "mistake" by whiffing on Andray Blatche, as he wouldn't have been a player of major consequence in the rotation anyway. 
  • David Mayo of MLive.com isn't sure what Ukrainian big man Vyacheslav Kravtsov brings to the table for the Pistons.  Detroit signed the 24-year-old over the summer as their third center behind Jason Maxiell and rookie Andre Drummond.
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Odds & Ends: Lakers, Young, Heat, Beyer

September 7th, 2012 at 10:23pm CST by Alex Lee

It has been a busy day and night for the Lakers on this early-September Friday, which is certainly nothing new considering the influx of material since they landed Dwight Howard.  Today they signed their second round pick, finalized their offseason coaching staff overhaul and their GM, Mitch Kupchak, spoke with SI.com's Sam Amick about all things Lakers.  In addition to the earlier stories, Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles gives his take on three of the small, but meaningful issues facing the team. 

But there are 29 other teams in the NBA, so let us round up some of the odds and ends from around the Association here tonight:

  • Chauncey Billups is way ahead of schedule in his recovery from a left Achilles injury, writes Helene Elliot of the L.A. Times.  Billups hasn't set a target return date yet, but said, "When my body feels right, that's when I'll be back.  That being said, I'm far ahead of schedule.  It's not even like I had a summer. I've been on the whole time, doing rehabbing and other work every day. I'm looking forward to getting back to playing and being with the guys and resuming my normal life as a player."
  • Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld, via USA Today, writes that with the moves that the Knicks made – getting older and wiser – the team should be better equipped to compete and that the window to win is now.  One interested tidbit from Beer – there are only five active NBA players over the age of 38 and the Knicks acquired three of them this offseason in Marcus Camby, Jason Kidd and Kurt Thomas.
  • Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News evaluates the chances of the Mavericks ending up with Kevin Martin and/or Josh Smith next summer, both of whom are free agents.  After striking out this summer in free agency, the Mavericks should be in position to try again in a year with a similar level of financial flexibility.
  • Dei Lynam of CSN Philly is doing a player by player breakdown of the revamped 76ers roster, and today she tackles swingman Thaddeus Young.  The small forward position is much less crowded in Philadelphia after the departure of Andre Iguodala, and Young has made it an offseason goal to slide into that position as a starter. 
  • Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside says that while the D-League has been increasingly effective as an NBA farm system, there is additional room for growth.  He uses Andre Drummond as an example of a guy who would never be a D-League candidate, but for his development's sake, should be.
  • Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel addresses a few questions about the world champion Heat, including his thoughts on what roles of Rashard Lewis and Udonis Haslem may play on the Miami bench.
  • The NBA coaching carousel continues as the Warriors have reportedly hired Bob Beyer as an assistant coach, who spent the last five years in Orlando on Stan Van Gundy's staff, says Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area.  Beyer will replace Wes Unseld Jr., who joined Jacque Vaughn's staff in Orlando.
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