TUESDAY, 9:46am: The Clips are meeting with Crawford today and are considered the frontrunner for him, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Los Angeles reportedly intends to offer Crawford a three-year deal worth the $5MM mid-level exception, and I wouldn't be surprised if he accepts it.
The Clippers, who'll meet Tuesday with Jamal Crawford, plan to make him an offer for the $5MM mid-level exception, and will offer Chauncey Billups a one-year, $4MM contract, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. The team is also eyeing center Ryan Hollins.
The Timberwolves are off to an aggressive start in free agency, having reportedly made a "serious offer" to restricted free agent Nicolas Batum. According to Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld, sources believe the Trail Blazers' willingness to match a big offer for Batum will depend on whether they're able to land Roy Hibbert. Here are a few more updates on the T-Wolves' targets in free agency and trades:
- Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com updates an earlier story to say that Batum has narrowed his options to the Blazers, with whom he's meeting later this week, and the Wolves, and has postponed visits to other teams.
Earlier updates:
It's past midnight on the East Coast, and that means teams may negotiate with free agents from other clubs, as the NBA's offseason gets under way in earnest. Players can't officially sign contracts until July 11, and trades can't be made official until that date either. That doesn't mean there won't be plenty of talk and agreements in principle between now and then, and if this evening is any indication, we're in for a busy couple of weeks ahead. There are several bits of news rolling in on free agents as July begins, so we'll round up what we're hearing around the late-night rumor mill here.
- The Lakers are seeking a point guard in free agency, and in addition to reaching out to Ramon Sessions, they're also targeting veterans like Chauncey Billups, Jameer Nelson, and Kirk Hinrich, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- In search of a center, the Mavericks have shown some interest in Hasheem Thabeet and Joel Przybilla, says Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
- The Cavaliers have expressed interest in Jonny Flynn, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. They're also eyeing Sonny Weems, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
We keep hearing teams like the Mavericks, Nets, and Raptors named as potential suitors for Steve Nash, but if one of those teams misses out on both Nash and Deron Williams, its next target could be Jeremy Lin. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld hears from sources that one of those three clubs could sign Lin to an offer sheet, forcing the Knicks to match. Here are a few more free agent updates from Kennedy, with just over 12 hours left until the fun begins….
JUNE 27TH, 7:50pm: Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com caught up with Jamal Crawford who confirmed that he did in fact opt out despite initially being agreeable to a trade. He said that after consulting with his family, he decided to go the free agent route in hopes of securing a long-term deal:
"I wanted to experience free agency truly for the first time. The last two years I've essentially played on one-year contracts and I can't do that to my family anymore. I want a multiyear deal," Crawford said.
Although Jamal Crawford was planning to opt out of his contract, he extended his decision deadline for his player option two weeks, until June 29th. This move allows the Trail Blazers to try to find a suitable trade partner for Crawford on or before draft night. If the Blazers find a destination Crawford likes, he could agree to exercise his player option and be dealt. And according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, there's no lack of trade interest in Crawford. The Blazers are fielding offers from a number of teams, with the 76ers, Timberwolves, and Celtics among the most active suitors.
Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles looked at some specific names that could surface on the Lakers' radar if Ramon Sessions is not on the roster next season, mentioning Aaron Brooks, Raymond Felton, and Kirk Hinrich as guards who could be available for the team's mini mid-level exception. You can read more of tonight's miscellaneous links here, including rumblings about Atlanta's offseason activity, a minor update on Derrick Rose, and an in-depth look at Charlotte's new head coach…
A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com yesterday advanced the notion of Jamal Crawford joining the Celtics. Fellow CSNNE.com scribe Rich Levine endorses the idea, but believes Crawford is seeking a multi-year deal worth more per year than the $5MM he made this past season with the Blazers, and wonders whether the Celtics are willing to spend that much on him. Crawford is expected to decline his $5.225MM Blazers option for next year. There's plenty more on potential Celtics comings and goings this morning, with just a few weeks to go until free agents officially hit the market.
The Lakers made history on this day 11 years ago when they beat the Sixers 108-96 to claim the NBA championship with the highest playoff winning percentage of all time at 93.8%, according to Hoopedia. Led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles went 15-1 in the playoffs by sweeping the Trail Blazers, Kings and Spurs before losing just once to Philadelphia. Let's take a look around the league to catch up on the latest news and stories making headlines…