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Leandro Barbosa

Possible Fits For Leandro Barbosa

August 21st, 2012 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The number of household names on our list of 2012/13 free agents continues to dwindle, but there are still a handful of intriguing veterans out there, including Josh Howard, Kenyon Martin, and Anthony Tolliver, among others. One notable free agent still seeking a new contract is combo guard Leandro Barbosa. We've heard plenty of rumors involving the 29-year-old, but with September approaching, he remains unsigned.

Barbosa is coming off a five-year, $33MM contract and is still productive, so he's unlikely to accept a minimum-salary deal. And while he has the ability to play both guard positions, he's definitely a scorer first rather than a facilitator, which wouldn't be a fit for some teams. So what clubs could offer a moderate salary to Barbosa and could use a scorer off the bench? Let's run through a few possibilities….

Denver Nuggets ($3.33MM of mid-level exception available)
Denver hasn't been linked to Barbosa at all this summer, but I like the fit on paper — while the Nuggets have 15 contracts on their books, Julyan Stone's minimum-salary deal isn't guaranteed, so the team could clear a spot if it wanted to. Andre Iguodala figures to start at the two, with Corey Brewer backing him up, but neither player is a particularly strong outside shooter. Only Evan Fournier fills that role, and it might be a mistake to expect too much out of a rookie that was initially expected to continue playing overseas for a year or two before joining the Nuggets. Barbosa could provide outside scoring and act as an emergency backup at the point behind Ty Lawson and Andre Miller.

Phoenix Suns ($8MM+ in cap space, $2.575MM room exception available)
Barbosa has spent most of his career in Phoenix and the Suns certainly have the necessary money and roster space. They've also been rumored to have a little interest. With Wesley Johnson and Shannon Brown penciled in at shooting guard, the Suns could use one more reliable veteran at the position, but the team may value its cap flexibility more than the scoring Barbosa could provide.

Indiana Pacers ($2.575MM room exception available)
The Pacers had to renounce Barbosa to make their other roster moves this offseason, so they don't retain any form of his Bird rights. But Indiana does have its room exception, so if there's any interest in a reunion, the team could probably make a competitive offer. Still, the Pacers' need isn't glaring, and Barbosa didn't exactly thrive after Indiana acquired him at the trade deadline — his .399 FG% would have been a career-worst over a full season, and his mark in the playoffs (37%) was even lower.

Milwaukee Bucks ($4.35MM of mid-level exception remaining)
The Bucks' two marquee players, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, are guards, but the team's backcourt depth doesn't extend a whole lot further. Doron Lamb and Beno Udrih are the only other guards on the roster. The Bucks would probably prefer to add at least one more player to the backcourt by trading one of their many big men, but if they can't find a deal, a free agent signing may be necessary. The Bucks actually strikes me as a solid fit for Barbosa, given the money they could offer, paired with the team's on-court need. But Milwaukee isn't the most desirable destination for free agents, so even if the club is interested, we'll have to see if Barbosa would seriously consider signing there.

Detroit Pistons ($2.5MM of mid-level exception available)
As we heard yesterday, Joe Dumars is still looking to bolster the Pistons' backcourt, but it seems he's focusing on trades for now, rather than free agents. Considering Detroit already has 15 players on guaranteed contracts, it seems unlikely the team would ditch one of its current guys for a non-essential piece like Barbosa. However, if no trades are out there, it remains an outside possibility.

Cleveland Cavaliers ($11MM+ of cap space, $2.575MM room exception available)
Barbosa hinted earlier this summer that he wouldn't mind hearing from the Cavs, and it's not hard to see why — Cleveland is one of the only clubs with the space to offer him the $7.6MM salary he made last year. Of course, the Cavs aren't about to make such an offer, and with Alonzo Gee seemingly on his way back to Cleveland, the team may be close to finishing its free agent spending.

If Barbosa is open to accepting a minimum-salary contract, or perhaps the bi-annual exception, which would pay him a little less than $2MM annually, we could add plenty more potential suitors to this list. But based on reports to date, it doesn't seem like he's ready to settle just yet. It wouldn't surprise me if we heard rumors linking him to a couple more of the clubs in this post before he eventually signs a new deal.

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Page On Mavs, Lakers, Bulls

August 18th, 2012 at 6:22pm CST by Sean Highkin

Derek Page of HoopsWorld conducted his weekly NBA chat Saturday, where he touched on several relevant topics, including the offseason moves and futures of the Mavs, Bulls, and Lakers, among other teams. Here are the highlights:

  • Page thinks it is unlikely that the Mavericks will keep O.J. Mayo beyond this season, because if he plays well, he will command a higher salary than the Mavs would like to give him.
  • He believes Antawn Jamison will be a better acquisition for the Lakers than Lamar Odom will be for the Clippers.
  • Page doesn't foresee any more moves for the Lakers, who appear to have a set roster.
  • It will be difficult for the Thunder to keep James Harden if he hits restricted free agency, writes Page.
  • Page is surprised Leandro Barbosa has not been signed yet, pointing to the 29-year-old as a possible value signing.
  • Page would like to see the present Bulls roster with a healthy Derrick Rose before weighing in on moves they should make.
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Warriors, Suns Interested In Hudson, Barbosa?

August 16th, 2012 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

Last month, we heard that Lester Hudson's agent Tyler Glass was confident about his client's chances of securing an NBA job this offseason. Hudson has yet to sign a deal, but he appears to continue to draw interest, at least. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Sulia link), the Warriors are believed to be interested in Hudson, and the Suns could have some interest as well. The team executive that spoke to Amico also speculated that the Warriors and Suns could be interested in Leandro Barbosa.

Both Hudson and Barbosa are backcourt players that could provide scoring off the bench wherever they land. Neither the Warriors or Suns have a desperate need for that sort of player, but neither team is stacked at shooting guard either — Golden State heads into the season with second-year man Klay Thompson starting and Brandon Rush as his likely backup, while the Suns figure to employ a combination of Wesley Johnson and Shannon Brown at the position.

The Warriors used most of their mid-level exception to sign Carl Landry and Draymond Green, so they can probably only offer the minimum salary, making them an unlikely destination for Barbosa. However, the Suns still have a chunk of cap space to use if they decide to pursue either player.

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Kyler’s Latest: Meeks, Lakers, CBA, Walker

August 13th, 2012 at 8:36am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler turns his attention away from yesterday's Olympic final in London and touches on a few NBA items of interest. Here are a few of the highlights from Kyler's piece:

  • Jodie Meeks' deal with the Lakers appears to be worth about $2.97MM over two years — $1.45MM in year one, with a team option for the second year worth 104.5% of that amount ($1,515,250).
  • Having signed Meeks, the Lakers are now expected to finalize Devin Ebanks' deal today, putting 14 contracts on their books. With just one roster spot left and having spent close to $100MM already, the team is likely finished with its summer moves, despite having been linked to Kenyon Martin and others, says Kyler.
  • Examining how the new CBA has affected free agent deals, Kyler notes that the NBA's "middle class" has been hit hard. He points to players like Meeks and C.J. Watson, who signed for less than expected, as well as players still on the market and struggling to find offers, such as Leandro Barbosa and Carlos Delfino. Kyler predicts Barbosa and Delfino may get their best offers from their former teams at reduced rates.
  • Antoine Walker, who has played in the D-League the last couple years, acknowledges that his playing career may be over, as he indicated back in April. However, he tells Kyler that he intends to remain close to the game, and hopes to find a role as a coach or analyst at some level.
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Lakers Interested In Leandro Barbosa?

August 2nd, 2012 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

Having recently been linked to Jodie Meeks and C.J. Miles, the Lakers are clearly looking to add at least one more player to improve their backcourt and wing depth. Besides Meeks and Miles, the Lakers may also be targeting Leandro Barbosa. ESPN.com's Marc Stein tweets that he's hearing out of the Team Brazil camp that the Lakers have interest in the veteran combo guard.

The Lakers have expressed a reluctance over the last few weeks to use their taxpayer mid-level exception (worth $3.09MM), and managed to sign a solid rotation piece in Antawn Jamison to the veteran's minimum, when Jamison likely could've signed for more money with another club. The team is presumably hoping that Meeks, Miles, Barbosa, or another player will be open to taking a discount to play for a title contender in Los Angeles.

For his part, Barbosa is reportedly seeking a multiyear deal, and the fact that he's shown interest in the Cavaliers, the team with the most remaining cap space, suggests he's not looking to settle for a minimum-salary contract. The 29-year-old spent the 2011/12 season with the Raptors and Pacers, averaging 11.1 points in 21.6 minutes per game in 64 overall contests.

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Central Rumors: Barbosa, Teague, Hamilton

August 1st, 2012 at 9:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bulls have finished atop the Central Division with the league's best record the past two seasons, with the Pacers coming in second both times. With the injury to Derrick Rose and the nearly wholesale turnover of Chicago's bench, the door is open for the Pacers to move into first place this year. There are rumblings tonight about a former Pacer who could be headed to a division rival, and a pair of Bulls:

  • Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio hears that free agent Leandro Barbosa is open to discussing a move to the Cavs, but it isn't clear whether the team has any interest in the 6'3" combo guard. Barbosa, who finished last season with Indiana, is reportedly seeking a multiyear deal.
  • Mark Deeks of ShamSports examines why Marquis Teague, drafted 29th overall by the Bulls, is the only remaining unsigned first-round pick. He believes the team wants to sign him for less than the standard 120% of the rookie scale amount to avoid paying the luxury tax and to give them more flexibility, since the signing of Kirk Hinrich put them under a $74.3MM hard cap this season.
  • Deeks also speculates the Bulls will trade Richard Hamilton during the season to avoid having to pay the luxury tax for the first time in franchise history.
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Kyler On Barbosa, Delfino, Howard

July 28th, 2012 at 4:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler has taken to Twitter this afternoon, answering questions from followers and dropping some compelling tidbits along the way. Let's check out the highlights here:

  • There's been little talk about free agent guard Leandro Barbosa this summer, and that appears to be because he's been holding out for a multiyear deal. Kyler says he's spoken to teams trying to land the speedy 6'3" Brazilian, and hears Barbosa is not entertaining any one-year offers (Twitter links).  
  • The Hawks, Pacers and Celtics are among teams that have reportedly considered signing Carlos Delfino at different points this past month, and Kyler adds the Rockets to that list. Like Barbosa, Delfino is seeking multiple years. Kyler believes both players will ultimately have to settle for the offers on the table, likely meaning they'll ink the one-year contracts they've been trying to avoid (All Twitter links). 
  • Kyler shares his take on why Dwight Howard chose to waive his early termination option at the trade deadline. He believes Howard thought doing so would lead the Magic to ship him to the Nets in the offseason, following the model of what the Hornets did when they traded Chris Paul to the Clippers (Sulia link). Kyler says that while Howard loves living in Orlando, it's the Magic organization that has him so anxious to leave, and adds, via Twitter, that agent Dan Fegan didn't force Howard's hand when he opted in.  
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Money Time: Upcoming Free Agents In The Playoffs

May 26th, 2012 at 1:57pm CST by Chuck Myron

It's time for another look at soon-to-be free agents and their playoff performances as we put a bow on the conference semifinals with the Sixers-Celtics Game 7 tonight. You can find previous Money Time posts by clicking on the tag at the bottom of this entry or by clicking here. 

Winners

Danny Green, Spurs (restricted): Last year's D-League refugee doesn't have to worry about NBA job security anymore, especially after what he's done this postseason. In San Antonio's four-game sweep of the Clippers, Green delivered on 11 of 19 three-point attempts , shot 56.3% overall, and was fourth on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game.  

Boris Diaw, Spurs: He's fit so seamlessly with the Spurs that GM R.C. Buford may regret signing Diaw to just a rest-of-the-season deal when he was bought out by the Bobcats. Diaw took over the starting power forward spot next to center Tim Duncan shortly before the playoffs, and really turned it on against the Clippers, averaging 10.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals. He had 12 rebounds in Game 1, and shot 7-for-7 for 16 points in Game 2.

Lavoy Allen, Sixers (restricted): He's forgiving about his preseason ranking as the worst player in the NBA by ESPN.com, and he didn't get down when he was benched after starting Game 1 against the Bulls. Allen has instead turned into one of the most important figures for the Sixers in their series against the Celtics, shooting 62.9% from the floor and averaging 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals in 23.5 minutes a game against Boston. He has a chance to make an even more profound impression with a strong performance in Game 7 tonight. 

Losers

Kenyon Martin, Clippers: We'll circle back to catch up with one of the many Clippers done in by the Spurs. He averaged 1.5 blocks, but brought down fewer than three rebounds per game in that series, disconcerting for a big man even though he played just 16 MPG. He was nonexistant on offense, shooting just 40% and averaging 4.0 PPG.

Spencer Hawes, Sixers: We had him listed as a winner in a previous installment of Money Time, but he has not carried his encouraging play against the Bulls over to the second-round series with the Celtics. He's the team's eighth leading scorer, at 8.0 PPG, in the series, and has averaged just 24.3 minutes of court time. The Celtics are a poor rebounding team, but the 7'0", 245-pound Hawes is putting up just 5.5 RPG against them.

Leandro Barbosa, Pacers: The Pacers looked to him to spark the team's offense as a reserve, but Barbosa, a double-figure scorer for six of the last seven regular seasons, couldn't get it done. He shot 31.8% against the Heat, and the career 82.3% free-throw shooter went just 3-for-6 at the line. His 6'3", 176-pound frame made him a liability at shooting guard when he was defending Dwyane Wade, and as a 29-year-old who has long used his speed to his advantage, Barbosa's prospects look dim going forward. 

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Odds & Ends: Stern, Barbosa, Wallace

April 4th, 2012 at 10:27pm CST by Daniel Seco

In an exciting night of basketball that saw the Raptors notch their third straight victory and the Heat come away with a hard-fought win over the Thunder at home, we tip our proverbial hats to the Spurs, winners of nine in a row. The Hornets were the big surprise of the evening as the squad featured six scorers in double figures in a stunning two-point upset of the Nuggets as they welcomed Eric Gordon back in the lineup. Let's take a look around the league to see what else is happening as the Lakers and Clippers battle for bragging rights (and playoff positioning) at the Staples Center.

  • NBA commissioner David Stern spoke with the media on Wednesday and gave praise to the Spurs, Thunder and Jazz for being three model small-market franchises, writes Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake City Tribune. When asked about the Sacramento arena situation, Stern replied that he was more "hopeful than confident" that an agreement would be reached regarding the financial responsibilities surrounding pre-development funding. Smith also reports that Stern would like to see deputy commissioner Adam Silver succeed him upon his retirement. 
  • The Pacers have gone 8-3 with Leandro Barbosa on the court since acquiring him from the Raptors at the trade deadline. Barbosa has been especially effective in his last three games, all of which have featured double-digit scoring while making at least half of his shots from the field. While the Brazilian has lost fantasy value due to decreased minutes as compared to his time with the Raptors, he's played a significant role in providing depth for the surging Pacers off the bench.
  • Mike Tokito of The Oregonian caught up with Gerald Wallace during his return to Portland and discussed the recent trade that saw the former Alabama forward land with the Nets. Wallace didn't see the trade coming but wasn't as affected by the move since he had been dealt last season by the Bobcats, the club he had been a member of for the majority of his career. 
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Odds & Ends: 76ers, Pistons, Hornets, Barbosa

March 18th, 2012 at 11:17am CST by Daniel Seco

With recently-acquired players beginning to make their respective debuts with new teams, let's take a look around the league to see what's going on before the first of eight Sunday games gets underway.

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