Josh Childress Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nets Sign Josh Childress

September 13th, 2012 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 12:05pm: The Nets have officially signed Childress, according to a team release.

TUESDAY, 4:04pm: The Nets have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Josh Childress, according to Howard Beck of the New York Times (via Twitter). Childress, who had been waived by the Suns back in July using the amnesty provision, will receive a non-guaranteed deal, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).

We heard yesterday that Childress was scheduled to meet with Nets GM Billy King and coach Avery Johnson, in addition to working out for the team, so it appears both the meeting and workout went well. The Nets had been looking to add another player at small forward, and thought they had a deal with Donte Greene before Greene suffered an ankle fracture.

Since returning to the NBA with the Suns in 2010/11, Childress has been fairly unproductive in limited minutes, averaging 4.2 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 88 total contests. While his .540 FG% is very solid, Childress seems to have lost his long-range stroke. After shooting 36% from downtown in his first four seasons, he has hit just five of 40 three-point attempts over the last two years.

Still, Childress is only 29 years old and is a former sixth overall pick, so there's hope for a rebound. Between him and Andray Blatche, the Nets will have a pair of bounceback candidates in camp as they look to find this year's Gerald Green.

New York Rumors: Brewer, Shumpert, Blatche

September 11th, 2012 at 7:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork provides updates on a pair of Knicks recovering from left knee surgery who attended a Wall Street fundraiser today in remembrance of the September 11th attacks. Ronnie Brewer says he'll be back by opening night from surgery to correct a medial meniscus tear, while Iman Shumpert, who tore his ACL in the playoffs, won't be back until December at the earliest. The Knicks, finalized four signings today, appear to have plenty of options in the meantime, and we've got more on them and their crosstown rivals here:

The four players the Knicks signed, along with Chris Smith, are all likely to wind up with the team's D-League affiliate, Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com says (Twitter link). The team is still combing the free agent market for someone to fill their 15th roster spot in the regular season, and it's likely to be a big man, according to Zwerling. A report last week said the Knicks were considering Sean Williams, though Zwerling says there's nothing new on that front.
Andray Blatche and Josh Childress are on non-guaranteed deals, but they're both expected to make the Nets, reports Howard Beck of The New York Times. That would bring Brooklyn's roster to the 15-player limit, but they'll likely sign more players for training camp, Beck adds, since teams can carry up to 20 in the preseason.
Former Nets small forward Damion James and the Hawks agreed to terms today, but was gracious in his exit from Brooklyn, thanking the Nets and their fans via Twitter (hat tip to Ben Couch).

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.

Eastern Notes: Nets, Heat, Dyson, Pistons

September 6th, 2012 at 10:54pm CST by Luke Adams

There have been plenty of newsworthy items out of the Eastern Conference today, with the Knicks unveiling new uniforms, the Nets possibly having signed Andray Blatche, and the league's most popular 12th man landing a TV gig with the Celtics. Here are a few more Eastern-related links we've yet to cover:

The Nets plan to hold a free agent workout with forwards Josh Childress and Dominic McGuire early next week, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo (via Twitter).
SI.com's Zach Lowe believes that, on a minimum-salary contract, Blatche would be worth the gamble for either the Nets or Heat.
While we've heard that Mehmet Okur will probably require more than a minimum-salary commitment, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel still thinks he could be a possibility for the Heat.
Jerome Dyson is the latest player to audition at the Heat's pre-camp tryouts, reports Winderman (Sulia link).
The Pistons' depth at small forward could mean that a trade is in the team's future, writes David Mayo of MLive.com.
Former George Washington point guard Tony Taylor Jr. will work out with the Knicks for a second time next week, according to Keith Schlosser of KnicksJournal.com.
Amare Stoudemire appeared on FOX Sports Radio to discuss a number of topics, including former Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, Jeremy Lin, and the infamous fire extinguisher incident. Sports Radio Interviews rounds up a few of Stoudemire's noteworthy quotes.
NBA.com's Sekou Smith takes a look at the Bobcats' future after the team set a record for futility in 2011/12.

Unsigned Amnesty Victims

August 17th, 2012 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

As Hoops Rumors' amnesty tracker shows, exactly half of the NBA's 30 teams have used their amnesty provisions to release a player and eliminate his contract from their books. These teams are still paying the players' salaries, but don't take a cap or tax hit for the contracts.

Many of 2011's and 2012's amnesty victims quickly found other NBA homes, with many of this summer's amnestied players not even clearing waivers before they were snatched up. But for every Luis Scola or Elton Brand, there's a player who has yet to catch on with another NBA club. Most of the following players are still receiving pay checks from their old teams, but are available to be signed as free agents. Here's the latest on them:

Baron Davis: Entering the final year of his old contract with the Cavaliers, Davis is unlikely to sign anytime soon, since he's still recovering from the torn MCL/ACL he suffered in May. However, Davis would like to return before the end of the 2012/13 season if possible, and it sounds like the Knicks would be his first choice.
Ryan Gomes: Our rumors page for Gomes is empty since he was amnestied by the Clippers, which doesn't necessarily bode well for his chances of signing somewhere for the coming season. Still, I expect him to at least get a training camp invite from a team, and even if he doesn't, he'll earn $4MM this season from the Clips.
Gilbert Arenas: A 2011 cut, Arenas managed to catch on with the Grizzlies for part of last season, but didn't blow anyone away with his performance in Memphis. Based on recent reports, the former 20+ PPG scorer is "slimmed down and fully healthy," which could make him a worthwhile risk at the veteran's minimum.
Chris Andersen: It seems that the former Nugget is at least drawing interest, with one report suggesting that he's received offers up to $5MM per year. I think if he truly had even a one-year offer worth $5MM, he would've accepted it yesterday, but the Birdman still looks like a good bet to find a bench spot somewhere.
Josh Childress: The Wizards were said to be one of a handful of teams with a little interest in Childress, but based on his horrid 2011/12 season in Phoenix, anything more than a minimum salary for the former sixth overall pick seems unlikely. With three years and $21MM still remaining on his Suns deal, Childress is under no pressure to accept the first offer he gets.
Darko Milicic: While spending a year overseas could make some sense for Darko, it appears it's not an option he's considering, based on comments made by his agent. The Heat, Nets, Bulls, and Clippers were said to be interested shortly after he was amnestied, but at least two of those teams have signed other big men since then, so Darko's options may be dwindling.
Andray Blatche: Blatche reportedly received at least exploratory interest from the Spurs and Heat, but I wonder if the young forward would prefer to try to rebuild his value on a non-contender that would give him more playing time. Given Blatche's upside, I imagine there are teams willing to take a flier on him.
James Posey / Charlie Bell: Both Posey and Bell had just one year left on their deals when they were released in December by the Pacers and Warriors respectively, and neither player has signed an NBA deal since. Bell played overseas this year, and neither Posey or Bell has announced his retirement, as far as I know, but it doesn't seem like an NBA return is in the cards for either player.

Wizards Notes: Tolliver, Singleton, Blatche

August 7th, 2012 at 1:13pm CST by Zachary Links

The Wizards are looking to round out their roster with low-cost options and Michael Lee of The Washington Post has the latest on the club's top targets..

While it's probably a longshot, the Wizards are one of a handful of teams who have expressed interest in Josh Childress, a source told Lee (via Twitter).
Washington continues to pursue forward Anthony Tolliver but the Wizards so far have only offered him a minimum contract. Tolliver's agent Larry Fox confirmed that the interest is mutual but says that his client isn't “in the minimum game.” The Pacers, Bobcats, and Timberwolves are also said to be in talks with the 27-year-old. Fox is certain that Tolliver will get more than that minimum and says that he is in no rush to sign.
James Singleton shot down the Wizards' offer of a one-year, minimum contract and now says that he is considering four offers from China. No matter where he signs, the forward plans to make it a two-year deal. While Singleton, 31, enjoyed his time in Washington, he says that he expected a more lucrative offer out of the club.
The Spurs and Heat have both reportedly expressed exploratory interest in former Wizard Andray Blatche but neither club has made a serious pitch to sign him, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Suns Owner On Offseason, Nash, Childress

July 30th, 2012 at 1:38pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest column at NBA.com, TNT's David Aldridge takes an extensive look at the Suns' offseason, talking to members of the front office about parting ways with Steve Nash and adding a handful of players in hopes of replacing his production. The piece is a must-read for any Suns fans, with team president Lon Babby and owner Robert Sarver both providing a number of interesting quotes. Here are the highlights from Sarver:

On roster-building and the team's new direction:

"You can't kind of be in no man's land [in the NBA]. You have to be getting better or you have to be getting worse. A number of the fans obviously wanted to keep Steve, but a number of the fans thought we should have moved on last year. In general, I think our fan base was ready for us to move on. The backlash from that wasn't as strong as I thought it could have been. Our fan base was ready for us to get younger. I think we're prepared for it. The reality is that the last two seasons, we were mediocre. I was ready for us to move on."

On wanting to avoid bottoming out, or "tanking":

"We went back and looked at all teams over the last 30 years and how they rebuilt. The reality is that if you go bad for a few years to get good, there's no assurances you're ever going to get good. There are a few exceptions like Oklahoma City, but the majority of the teams have taken six to 10 years to rebuild."

On his willingness to sign-and-trade Nash to the rival Lakers:

"At the end of the day, this just gave us the best option for assets, too, and from a basketball standpoint, if you kind of take the emotion out, it was the best thing for the Suns, for the franchise. I think we've shown in the last couple of years that drafting is one of our strengths, so it kind of played into our strengths. It's one of the things we definitely have to use to move our franchise forward, especially with the new rules with the new CBA."

On amnestying Josh Childress:

"Actually, the Josh thing was my idea. I just felt it made sense. We still felt Josh was a good player. I think the system in which we play, especially with Steve where we need to spread the floor, maybe wasn't the best for him. I think he's good and will still be a good player, but freeing up that cap space allowed us to have more opportunities down the road, to have that space for free agents or to be able to make trades. It was part of being able to make a move for [Luis] Scola and still being able to have the cap space to make other moves next summer."

Suns Amnesty Josh Childress

July 15th, 2012 at 4:32pm CST by Michael Pina

The busy Suns have amnestied Josh Childress, according to a tweet from SI.com's Sam Amick. Posting the worst scoring and rebounding averages of his career over the past two seasons, the 28-year-old will end a disappointing campaign with Phoenix with $13.68MM guaranteed over the next two years, and a $7.31MM player option for the 2014/15 season.

Pacific Notes: Clippers, Paul, Malone, Warriors

May 26th, 2012 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

Items out of the Pacific as the Clippers decide whether to exercise Vinny Del Negro's option for next season..

Clippers guard Chris Paul has Warriors assistant Mike Malone on his short-list of preferred replacements for Del Negro, a source told Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld. Malone was a part of the Hornets' staff during Paul's time in New Orleans.
Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com wonders what the Warriors will do if Malone lands a head coaching job elsewhere.
Even though many have speculated that Suns swingman Josh Childress could be an amnesty candidate, the 29-year-old is hopeful that there could still be a role for him with the club, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Childress is set to earn $21MM across the next three seasons, including his 2014/15 player option.

Kyler On Thunder, Howard, Crawford, Young

March 5th, 2012 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld wraps up his look at trade options for all 30 NBA clubs today, running alphabetically from Oklahoma City through Washington. You can find our recaps of the first two installments in the series here and here. Now, let's round up a few of the highlights from Kyler in part three….

The Thunder aren't actively engaged in any trade talks, but if they're concerned about Thabo Sefolosha's foot injury lingering, they could look into acquiring a defensive-minded replacement.
Sources close to the Dwight Howard process say the Magic are at least 50% sure they can keep D12 around for another season, if not longer. If that's the case, a blockbuster trade involving Howard is unlikely. Orlando is working hard to acquire pieces around its star center, though the team's lack of assets is making it a challenge.
Daniel Orton is "a safe bet" to be traded by the Magic.
While the 76ers have trade chips, they're unlikely to make a move before the deadline.
The Suns would gladly move Josh Childress, Hakim Warrick, or Robin Lopez.
Kyler hears from sources close to Jamal Crawford that the Blazers guard hasn't requested a trade, but that he wouldn't be opposed to being sent to a less chaotic situation.
The Spurs haven't had "meaningful discussions" with any potential trade partners, and will probably stand pat at the deadline.
The Raptors may be active in the next ten days, but Toronto continues to turn away proposals for Andrea Bargnani.
Although the Jazz have some strong trade assets, they probably would want to include Devin Harris in any deals, which could turn off potential suitors for other players.
Having accepted a qualifying offer from the Wizards this season, Nick Young can veto any deal that sends him out of town. However, Kyler hears that Young would welcome a move.