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Free Agents Seeking More Than The Minimum

September 26th, 2012 at 11:39am CST by Luke Adams

With free agents like Jonny Flynn, Louis Amundson, and Anthony Tolliver coming off the board this week, there aren't many recognizable names left on our list of available players. Of the unrestricted free agents still on the market, a handful stand out: Leandro Barbosa, Kenyon Martin, Mehmet Okur, Mickael Pietrus, and Tracy McGrady.

There's no question that any of these players could help an NBA team. None of them are stars or maybe even starters anymore, but they're solid role players that won't hurt you off the bench. So why are they still on the market? I don't have any inside info about their contract negotiations, but I'd guess it's because their asking prices remain too high. Here's what we've heard this offseason about the contracts these guys are after:

Leandro Barbosa: Barbosa was looking for a multiyear contract earlier this summer, and his interest in the Cavs, who have a ton of cap space, suggested he didn't want to take a huge pay cut. It looks like he won't have much choice in the matter, but I'm not sure he's willing to settle for the minimum yet, or he'd already be signed.
Kenyon Martin: We've heard multiple times this offseason that Martin is seeking more than the veteran's minimum. Most recently, Timberwolves assistant coach Bill Bayno said Martin's asking price is the reason his team isn't pursuing the former first overall pick.
Mehmet Okur: The Timberwolves were linked frequently to Okur this offseason, but the team's inability to offer more than the minimum was a roadblock. It seems Okur's best shot at a bigger payday may come from a Turkish team.
Mickael Pietrus: Agent Bill McCandless stated pretty unequivocally back in July that his client wouldn't be signing for the veteran's minimum. With Pietrus still unsigned, you have to wonder if recent reports of the former Celtic drawing heavy interest and possibly closing in on a deal were floated by McCandless to try to drum up last-minute interest from teams with some spending room.
Tracy McGrady: There haven't been any reports this offseason explicitly suggesting that McGrady isn't interested in the veteran's minimum, but after a solid 2011/12 season in Atlanta, I would think there'd be plenty of teams interested in signing him at that price. The Knicks, for instance, are reportedly willing to take a flier on Rasheed Wallace, but are no longer interested in McGrady. It could just be a matter of Wallace being a better fit, but it wouldn't be surprising if T-Mac's asking price was still too high.

There are a number of other players on our list of free agents who could still be after more than the minimum — Derek Fisher, Michael Redd, and Josh Howard, to name a few. But it appears the five listed above are the best bets to force a team to dip into its cap space, mid-level exception, or bi-annual exception.

Still, we're at a point in the offseason where very few, if any, players are receiving more than minimum-salary offers. So if these free agents don't receive any NBA offers they like, perhaps they'll seriously consider signing overseas, an option that could appeal in particular to players like Barbosa, Okur, and Pietrus, who have international roots.

Celtics Rumors: Fisher, Bibby, Barbosa, Pietrus

September 22nd, 2012 at 4:14pm CST by Chuck Myron

Keyon Dooling's retirement reduced the number of fully guaranteed contracts on the Celtics roster to 13. Though Dionte Christmas and Jamar Smith have small partial guarantees of $237K and $25K, respectively, the team appears to have the flexibility to add another free agent. They still possess their $1.957MM biannual exception, and with Dooling retired and Avery Bradley recovering from right shoulder surgery, they could be in the market for an experienced backup to point guard Rajon Rondo. In the meantime Jason Terry will serve in that capacity, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, who believes the former Mav will make the greatest contribution of all the new Celtics this year (Twitter links). Blakely unleashed a series of tweets full of notable Celtics rumors, and we've rounded them up here:

While Dooling will be missed, Blakely doesn't think the team will go after Derek Fisher or Mike Bibby to replace him (Twitter links).
Leandro Barbosa and Mickael Pietrus aren't likely to join the Celtics either, Blakely says (Twitter links). Barbosa has indicated a willingness to sign for the minimum with a contender, while Pietrus expressed an interest in returning to Boston, but for the biannual exception instead of the minimum.
Darko Milicic, who signed a guaranteed one-year minimum deal, is a worthwhile gamble given his low price, Blakely thinks (Twitter link).
The last we heard on Bradley's recovery was that it might keep him out until mid-December. Blakely says it's possible, although not likely, that he'll be back for the regular season opener, and believes Bradley will eventually retake the starting shooting guard job from Courtney Lee. (All Twitter links).
Amongst the team's rookies, Jared Sullinger figures to get the most playing time, Blakely tweets.
The Celtics have "a very good shot" at a championship, but it hinges on the team's health, Blakely opines (Twitter link).
Kenyon Martin has been linked to the Celtics recently, but he'll require more than the minimum, according to Timberwolves assistant coach Bill Bayno, who says that's why his team isn't pursuing the big man, tweets Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 radio.

Latest On Shawne Williams

September 19th, 2012 at 4:31pm CST by Luke Adams

While veteran players like Kenyon Martin and Mickael Pietrus are reportedly uninterested in signing for the minimum salary, Shawne Williams appears very open to such a deal. According to Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com, Williams would like to join the Knicks on a minimum-salary contract, but New York isn't currently interested.

The Knicks are still seeking a power forward to fill out their roster, but are targeting players like Martin and Louis Amundson rather than Williams. If those players sign elsewhere or remain out of the Knicks' price range (the team can only offer minimum-salary deals), Williams, a former Knick, may re-emerge as a potential option. In the meantime, the Hawks and Bobcats are eyeing the 26-year-old, says Zwerling.

Williams, the 17th overall pick in 2006, has seen NBA action for the Pacers, Mavericks, Knicks, and Nets since his rookie season. Most recently, after injuries cut his 2011/12 campaign short, he was dealt by the Nets to Portland, where he never played a game for the Trail Blazers. The Blazers bought Williams out earlier this summer, which could be one reason he's willing to play for a minimum salary.

Atlantic Notes: K-Mart, Knicks, Celtics, DiLeo

September 18th, 2012 at 11:24am CST by Luke Adams

Among the NBA free agents still looking for work, Kenyon Martin arguably has one of the strongest career resumés. Given his past production, the former first overall pick has "remained steadfast" in not wanting to sign for the veteran's minimum, according to Alan Hahn of MSG Network (Sulia link). A few teams, including the Knicks and Celtics, have K-Mart on their radar, but New York can't offer more than the minimum, and the odds of Boston signing Martin are "slim to none," according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.

Here are a few more Atlantic Division notes from Hahn, Blakely, and a handful of other NBA scribes:

The Knicks are still considering their power forward options, says Hahn, who cites Louis Amundson, Shawne Williams, and Jordan Williams as a few possibilities. Chris Andersen has "pushed the idea" of signing with the Knicks, but that interest isn't mutual, according to Hahn.
Within Blakely's above-linked piece, he answers plenty of Celtics-related questions that he received from Twitter followers.
The Celtics haven't ruled out adding another veteran before training camp, but it would almost definitely have to be for the minimum salary, says Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com spoke to Chris Copeland, who is on a non-guaranteed contract with the Knicks, about what he's learned from the team's veteran players during pre-camp workouts.
The 76ers should give Tony DiLeo the opportunity to take over for Rod Thorn as the club's general manager, opines Neil Hartman of CSNPhilly.com.

Knicks Continue To Pursue Kenyon Martin

September 14th, 2012 at 8:40am CST by Zachary Links

TheKnicks continue to rate Kenyon Martin as the veteran free agent they like the most, but still haven’t sold him on playing for the veteran’s minimum, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The Celtics and Lakers are among the other teams that have shown interest in the forward, but like the Knicks, won’t offer more than $1.35MM.

Martin hooked on with the Clippers mid-season last year for the team’s full room exception of $2.5MM. While the 34-year-old offered toughness to the Los Angeles frontcourt, he didn’t light up the stat sheet as he averaged just 5.2 PPG and 4.3 RPG. It’s quite possible that those career-low numbers hurt the veteran’s value heading into this offseason.

Odds & Ends: Tolliver, Rubio, Knicks

September 13th, 2012 at 10:40pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Anthony Tolliver has been working out with several Timberwolves players, namely Brandon Roy and Chase Budinger (Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweets). Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter) looks at it as a sign that Tolliver "badly" wants to remain in Minnesota next year. In another tweet, Zgoda caught Nikola Pekovic's thoughts regarding Ricky Rubio, saying that while the Spanish point guard looks good and hopes to be running again next week, he is still aiming for a return in December. We've had quite a bit of updates tonight, so be sure to check out the newest tidbits from around the league here..

Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com tweets that Trail Blazers guard Elliot Williams is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday to repair a ruptured achilles tendon.
Justin Verrier of ESPN talks about Chris Bosh's willingness to continue playing center after contributing to a successful title run at that position with the Heat.
Free agent Maurice Evans remains confident in the leadership ability he can bring to a team, says Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Although a source suggested that the Wizards offered him a position in their front office, Evans says that he believes he still has value as a player.
ESPN's Chris Broussard writes that Hakeem Olajuwon is slated to visit with the Knicks for several days next week to continue working out with Amare Stoudemire in addition to helping Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Marcus Camby. On another matter, Tracy McGrady's health looked "good" during his workout with the team (Ian Begley of ESPN New York tweets).
According to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com, Dwight Howard's rehab is going well, although he won't be ready for the start of training camp or the start of pre-season. Earlier, Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register reported (via Twitter) that the Lakers were expected to make an announcement today regarding an update of Howard's recovery from back surgery.

Amick On Martin, Fisher, Fesenko, Williams

September 12th, 2012 at 4:44pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to reporting that Matt Barnes is closing in on a deal with the Clippers, SI.com's Sam Amick shared updates on a handful of other free agents in his latest piece. Let's dive in and round up a few highlights from the SI.com scribe:

Most, if not all, of the teams interested in Kenyon Martin only have interest at the veteran's minimum. The Lakers and Celtics were among the teams in play earlier in the offseason, but now Amick wonders if Martin will wait until midseason or even retire if he doesn't find a situation he likes.
Derek Fisher may be in the same boat as Martin, with retirement or signing halfway through the season both potentially in play. Fisher turned down an offer from the Bulls before Chicago signed Nate Robinson, and the chances of the veteran point guard returning to the Thunder are "remote."
Kyrylo Fesenko is scheduled to work out with the Spurs next week, and may work out for the Cavaliers after that. The Hawks and Heat have also been in touch with the big man.
The Pistons will work out Terrence Williams this week. The Mavericks and Celtics are also believed to have interest in Williams.

Odds & Ends: Casspi, Tolliver, Leonard, Blatche

August 19th, 2012 at 2:30pm CST by Sean Highkin

According to Fox's John Telich, the Cavaliers may buy out Omri Casspi's contract. (Twitter link) FoxSportsOhio.com's Sam Amico tweets that there have been rumors regarding Casspi's want to play overseas.

Here's a rundown on some of the latest news and notes from around the NBA this weekend:

According to Hoopshype.com, free agent forward Anthony Tolliver is receiving heavy attention from Greek's Panathinaikos.
Paul Klee of IlliniHQ.com reports that the Trail Blazers may have been weary of eventual first round draft pick Meyers Leonard's health, performing health checks up until the day he was selected.
Recent amnesty victim Andray Blatche says he doesn't care where he is next year, as long as he's playing basketball. And that includes the D-League, according to CBSSports.com's Ben Golliver.
ESPNLA.com's Andy Kamenetzky takes a look at the Nuggets, and how they should stack up against the new look Lakers next season.
According to ESPNNewYork.com's Ian Begley, the Knicks should seriously consider playing Carmelo Anthony at the power forward position more and more next season. The move would allow New York's best player to be more explosive offensively, and less of a liability on defense.
Entering his 13th season in the NBA, Corey Maggette takes a moment to speak with HoopsWorld's Joel Brigham about his role in Detroit and his future plans for his career.
Royce Young of Daily Thunder writes that the Thunder must now focus their attention on an extension for James Harden, having locked up Serge Ibaka yesterday.
Sixers head coach Doug Collins talks about what new frontcourt acquisitions Andrew Bynum and Kwame Brown bring to the team.
Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld has a list of remaining free agents who could be value signings, including Lou Amundson, Andray Blatche, Kenyon Martin, and D.J. White.

Kennedy On McGrady, Martin, O’Neal, Arenas

August 8th, 2012 at 1:44pm CST by Luke Adams

It wasn't long ago that we heard the Bulls had some interest in signing Tracy McGrady, but that possibility no longer appears realistic. After signing first-round pick Marquis Teague, the Bulls are only about $758K under their hard cap line, meaning a veteran's minimum contract for McGrady wouldn't fit unless the team traded another player. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld confirms that the two sides are no longer talking, and says McGrady will continue weighing his options in hopes of joining a contender. Here are a few more updates from Kennedy on some unsigned veterans:

Kenyon Martin is talking with several teams, and while he doesn't want to sign for the veteran's minimum, he may end up having no choice, says Kennedy.
Jermaine O'Neal says "winning a championship is the only goal," and would like to join a contending team on a minimum-salary deal. The Lakers, Bucks, and Suns have watched him work out.
Sources close to Gilbert Arenas say that he's slimmed down and is fully healthy as he searches for an NBA contract.
Ben Wallace still hasn't made up his mind about whether to retire or return to the Pistons for one more year. A decision is expected within the next few weeks.
There's no timetable on Josh Howard's free agent decision, but it sounds like he's close to picking a destination. We heard last week that Howard had narrowed his options to five teams.

Amick On Olympics, Martin, Mason, Harden

August 6th, 2012 at 11:38am CST by Chuck Myron

You might expect Thunder GM Sam Presti to fall in line behind Mavs owner Mark Cuban in calling for limits on the participation of NBA players in the Olympics, considering Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka are all playing in London after a long postseason run this spring. Sam Amick of SI.com writes that while Presti is officially neutral on the issue, his enthusiasm for the benefits of international play is apparent, as he harked back to the growth he saw in Durant and Westbrook after the 2010 World Championships. "I think it's really helpful for them to play under different circumstances; it only rounds them out as players and makes them better," Presti said. "What we observed from the World Championship was just the mental endurance that it takes to go through an international competition and the training camp that leads up to it in medal-round play just to get there." The comments made by Presti, a product of the Spurs front office, seem to echo what Spurs GM R.C. Buford has said about the issue. Amick has plenty more in today's piece, and we've got the highlights here:

The market for remaining frontcourt players is being held up while teams wait for Kenyon Martin to sign, Amick hears. The Lakers and Nets are among teams he's considering, but the willingness of many others to settle for the minimum salary so far this summer has eroded Martin's leverage. Martin is reportedly uninterested in a deal for the minimum.
Amick takes a closer look at how NBA teams are being more cautious in handing out deals under the new CBA, along with the rise in minimum-salary deals. Luke Adams compiled a list of pacts for the minimum through August 1. The contract Roger Mason signed this weekend with the Hornets is another minimum deal, Amick reports. He also notes that players union president Derek Fisher and vice president Maurice Evans, two key figures in last year's lockout, remain unsigned.
Emptying his notebook, Amick passes along a James Harden quote from last month that gives indication he's confident about his prospects for an extension with the Thunder. "I'm pretty, a hundred percent, I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be in Oklahoma City," Harden said. "I'll let my agent and Mr. Presti and [Thunder owner Clay] Bennett discuss all that, so I'll let them handle that and stay out of it for right now and worry about the USA Olympics."