Beno Udrih Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Ariza, Wiz, Udrih, Howard, Jackson

August 8th, 2013 at 10:35pm CST by Alex Lee

Here are some odds and ends from around the NBA on this Thursday night:

The Wizards had a busy offseason, which kicked off with Trevor Ariza informing them that he planned to exercise his $7.7MM player option for 2013/14. Ariza didn't foresee this offseason as a good one to test free agency, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post, who sees Ariza ahead of rookie Otto Porter Jr. on the Wizards depth chart based on the team's summer league.
Lee adds that if the Wizards plan to add a big man, they'll like only be able to offer a minimum salary. Wizards owner Ted Leonsis is willing to become a tax-paying team, per Lee, but would rather do so once he has a contender on his hands.
Keith Schlosser of the Knicks Journal examines the addition of Beno Udrih to the Knicks' backcourt, arguing that Udrih is of borderline starter caliber. The Knicks got another bargain, Schlosser says, writing that Udrih's acceptance of a minimum salary implies he is on board with the "win now" mentality of the New York locker room. Filling a clearly defined role, previously occupied by Jason Kidd, should facilitate Udrih's transition, Schlosser opines.
In an interview with ESPN Radio in Los Angeles, Lakers executive vice president Jeanie Buss said that the team would have had a much better chance to keep Dwight Howard if her father, the late Dr. Jerry Buss, had been healthy and involved, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN LA. Buss called her father "the best closer in the business" and also stated that her husband, former Lakers coach Phil Jackson, still has the itch to coach, but stopped short of implying anything about a return to the Lakers. Hear the full interview here.

Knicks Sign Beno Udrih

August 8th, 2013 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

4:01pm: The Knicks have officially signed Udrih, the team announced today (Twitter link).

9:08am: The Knicks have reached an agreement on a one-year deal with point guard Beno Udrih, tweets Al Iannazzone of Newsday. As Iannazzone adds in a second tweet, Udrih will sign for the veteran's minimum, since that's all the Knicks can offer. ESPN.com's Marc Stein adds (via Twitter) that Udrih had a meeting scheduled with the Grizzlies today, but has cancelled it after deciding on New York.

Landing the 31-year-old Udrih looks like a major coup for the Knicks, who were initially viewed as a long shot due to their limited financial flexibility. Still, the team remained focused on Udrih, making him their top priority, and yesterday emerged as the favorites to sign him, as Marc Berman of the New York Post wrote.

Udrih spent last season with the Bucks and Magic, heading to Orlando in the deadline deal that sent J.J. Redick to Milwaukee. In 66 games overall, he averaged 8.2 PPG and 4.6 APG to go along with a 14.2 PER. In New York, he'll essentially take Jason Kidd's spot on the roster, complementing returning point guards Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni.

The agreement with Udrih almost certainly takes the Knicks out of the running for other point guards they've been linked to, such as Bobby Brown and Chris Duhon. The team will still have room for one more guaranteed salary on the 15-man roster, but another big man is a more likely addition.

Udrih, who is represented by Pinnacle Management Corp., will receive a 2013/14 salary of $1,272,279, the minimum for a player with his NBA experience. The Knicks will only have to pay $884,293 of that amount, while the rest will be covered by the league.

Eastern Notes: Knicks, Udrih, Nets, Teague

August 8th, 2013 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers strengthened their bench, the Nets made a big splash by landing Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Andrei Kirilenko, and the Bulls will have Derrick Rose back. Nonetheless, the Heat remain the favorites in the Eastern Conference for 2013/14, according to Hoops Rumors readers. Nearly half of you named Miami the best team in the East in last night's poll, with Indiana receiving about 24% of the vote, followed by Chicago (about 16%) and Brooklyn (12%). Here are a few more items from around the East:

Ivan Johnson has been in talks with the Knicks, but the possibility of the two sides reaching an agreement may be dwindling since Jeremy Tyler signed with the team, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
Before Beno Udrih agreed to sign with the Knicks, the Grizzlies were the other primary suitor for him, and the Sixers also had interest, according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter). A chance to win with the Knicks was the deciding factor in Udrih's decision, says Begley.
Tim Bontemps of the New York Post spoke to future NBA commissioner Adam Silver about the Nets' offseason spending, and Brooklyn's willingness to pay substantial tax penalties. As Silver notes, the league sought a hard cap during 2011's CBA negotiations, in the hopes that "the teams that have disparate resources are all competing with roughly the same number of chips."
Jeff Teague tells Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld that he realizes his new long-term contract comes with a greater responsibility for the Hawks' success, and that he's ready for a larger role.
In his latest mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman wonders if a healthy Greg Oden could affect Chris Bosh's role and future with the Heat. Of course, Oden would have to prove he can be healthy and productive before the effect on Bosh could really be evaluated.

Knicks Notes: Udrih, Brown, Hardaway Jr.

August 7th, 2013 at 7:24pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes on the Knicks, a team still in pursuit of more players and finding roles for those already under contract.

ESPNNY.com's Jared Zwerling tweets that Bobby Brown's workout with the team went well, but no offer has been made, and free agent point guard Beno Udrih is still a priority.
The New York Post's Marc Berman reiterates Zwerling's report, tweeting the "Knicks may get their man," with regards to Udrih.
Berman also tweeted that Andrea Bargnani's preference of socializing with European/foreign players could have an impact on the team's decision to sign Udrih.
Rookie guard Tim Hardaway Jr. says he will be completely healthy in time for the start of training camp, reports ESPNNY.com's Ian Begley. Hardaway Jr. also believes he can fill in for the injured reigning Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith.

Knicks Remain Focused On Beno Udrih

August 6th, 2013 at 4:41pm CST by Luke Adams

A report last week suggested that the Knicks were attempting to convince Beno Udrih to accept a minimum-salary deal to play in New York, and it seems the presence of other suitors hasn't diminished the Knicks' interest. According to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter), Udrih remains the club's top free agent priority, and the Knicks may not sign another player until they hear from the point guard.

The Knicks aren't necessarily considered long shots for Udrih, but he's reportedly still hoping he can earn more than the minimum, and there are at least four other teams with interest. If even one of those clubs is willing to make an offer worth more than the minimum, it could make things difficult on the Knicks.

Nonetheless, New York is preparing its Plan B just in case, according to Begley, who tweets that the team is bringing in Bobby Brown and two other players for workouts. Brown has an agreement with China's Dongguan Leopards, but can opt out for an NBA deal up until August 15th, so the Knicks want to take another first-hand look at him before then.

The Knicks are hoping to eventually sign a point guard to complement the team's existing duo of Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni.

Latest On Mo Williams, Beno Udrih

August 4th, 2013 at 12:31pm CST by Chuck Myron

Mo Williams and Beno Udrih, a pair of experienced point guards used to making much more than the minimum salary, remain on the market into August, and the Grizzlies are in discussions with both, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Knicks, who can offer only the minimum, are also still in the mix for Udrih, but New York could be a longshot, since Udrih still hopes he can make more than that, Stein says (Twitter link). The Knicks have also reportedly been eyeing Williams.

Agent Mark Cornstein identified the Knicks on Friday as one of a handful of teams with interest in Udrih. The 31-year-old finished last season with the Magic after he was part of the J.J. Redick trade at the deadline. He made $7.37MM in the final season of a contract he signed for the mid-level exception back in 2008, but even if he gets more than the minimum, he almost certainly won't approach last year's salary.

Williams made $8.5MM last year with the Jazz, and he, too, is seeking more than the minimum. Still, the Mark Bartelstein client is open to taking a discount to sign with a contender, and has identified the Heat as his preferred destination if offers from other clubs don't get any better. The Heat could offer the $3.183MM taxpayer's mid-level exception. The Grizzlies have nearly all of their $5.15MM non-taxpayer's mid-level available to outbid Miami and the Knicks, and Williams met with Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien on Tuesday.

Beno Udrih Drawing Interest From Five Teams

August 2nd, 2013 at 2:19pm CST by Zachary Links

2:19pm: The Grizzlies are expressing interest in Udrih, according to Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal (on Twitter). The club is also considering fellow free agent guard Mo Williams.

10:15am: About five teams still have interest in free agent point guard Beno Udrih, including the Knicks, agent Marc Cornstein told Marc Berman of the New York Post (Sulia link). Berman speculates that the Knicks are probably longshots because they only have the $1.4MM veteran’s minimum to offer, but Cornstein wouldn’t tip his hand one way or another.

“If he signs with the Knicks the reasons will not be because of the money,’’ Cornstein said. “It would be a disservice to say they’re long shots or favorites. He’s examining the situations.’’

The Knicks have missed out on several point guard targets this summer and it could be difficult to convince Udrih, who made $7MM last season, to take such a substantial pay cut. If they can’t lure Udrih to New York, they could turn to NYC native Sebastian Telfair since there is mutual interest on that front. The Knicks are in search of a third point guard to put behind Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni thanks to Jason Kidd‘s departure.

Udrih has served as a backup over the last two seasons for the Bucks and Magic, averaging 8.2 PPG, 4.6 APG, and a 14.2 PER in 66 total games for the two teams in 2012/13.

Zwerling On Knicks, Ivan Johnson, Humphries

August 1st, 2013 at 8:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com has tweeted a string of updates on the Knicks today, as we've noted in a pair of posts. Marc Berman of the New York Post delivered plenty more on the Knicks earlier today, and this evening Zwerling delivers a full story on the latest from New York. We'll hit the highlights from Zwerling's piece here:

The Knicks and Ivan Johnson are discussing a potential deal. The former Hawks power forward had been holding out for a team to commit its mini mid-level exception to him, but his interest in the Knicks, who can only offer the minimum, indicates that his price may have come down.
The Knicks' interest in Kris Humphries is mutual, but the Celtics are still unlikely to buy him out.
Other big men the Knicks are considering include Cole Aldrich, Hamed Haddadi, Jerome Jordan, Gani Lawal, Shavlik Randolph and Henry Sims.
The Knicks remain interested in Beno Udrih and Bobby Brown, but Zwerling confirms Berman's report that the team is no longer looking at Delonte West.
Berman wrote that the Knicks are expected to invite Toure Murry to training camp, and Zwerling hears that the team will do the same with "a few young developmental point guards."

Knicks Rumors: Brown, Udrih, Williams, West

August 1st, 2013 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

We heard yesterday that the Knicks, in their search for a third point guard, are hoping to convince veteran free agent Beno Udrih to sign for the minimum and come to New York. That's not the only iron the team has in the fire though. Here's the latest on the Knicks:

Although Bobby Brown reached an agreement with China's Dongguan Leopards, the deal has an August 15th NBA opt-out date, giving him two weeks to find an NBA offer he likes. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Brown's first choice would be to sign with the Knicks, even though the minimum salary he could make in New York would be about half of the $1MM he'd earn in China.
Before deciding whether to circle back to Brown, the Knicks are eyeing veteran options like Udrih and Mo Williams. However, if Williams ends up settling for a minimum-salary contract, he's more likely to join the Heat, says Berman.
Despite previous inquiries, the Knicks are no longer considering Delonte West, a source tells Berman.
Berman adds that the Knicks are expected to invite point guard Toure Murry to training camp after a successful Summer League run.
Noting that Lamar Odom is still undecided on where he'll play in 2013/14, Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com wonders (via Twitter) if the Knicks would be a fit, with New York in the market for a big.

Knicks Pursuing Beno Udrih

July 31st, 2013 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

Having used their mini mid-level exception to sign Pablo Prigioni and Metta World Peace, the Knicks' spending flexibility is limited, with the team only able to offer minimum-salary contracts. However, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter), the Knicks are pursuing point guard Beno Udrih and are "trying hard" to convince him to accept the minimum.

Even with Prigioni back for 2013/14 and Raymond Felton still under contract, the Knicks are in the market for a third point guard after losing Jason Kidd to the head coaching ranks. The team has been linked to free agents like Sebastian Telfair, Delonte West, and plenty others who have since been signed by other clubs.

Udrih, however, seems to represent one of the best available options for the Knicks on the free agent market. After a stint as the starter in Sacramento, the nine-year NBA veteran has been a productive backup over the last two seasons for the Bucks and Magic, averaging 8.2 PPG, 4.6 APG, and a 14.2 PER in 66 total games for the two teams in 2012/13.