Free Agent Stock Watch: Aaron Brooks
With the fate of the NBA season still up in the air last November, Aaron Brooks agreed to sign with China's Guangdong Southern Tigers. Less than two weeks later, the players and owners reached a tentative deal to resolve the lockout, but Brooks was locked in to his contract in China for the rest of the CBA season. For Brooks, whose team reached the CBA Finals, that season lasted longer than it did for fellow NBA players like Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith. But after losing to Stephon Marbury's Beijing Ducks in the Finals, Brooks' path has been cleared for a return to NBA.
Because he was a restricted free agent heading into the lockout and offer sheets can't be signed after March 1st, Brooks can only sign with the Suns if he's going to play this year. Phoenix has no interest in signing Brooks for the rest of the season and allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, so unless the point guard agrees to a cap-friendly, multiyear deal, it's unlikely he'll play in the NBA this season. Comments made by Suns GM Lance Blanks on his blog after a recent visit to China also suggest Brooks will sit out the season:
"[Brooks] is eager to get back home to the States, see his family and begin his off season training to prepare himself for a return to NBA."
If Brooks is already beginning his offseason training, we can assume he'll become a restricted free agent again this summer, though perhaps he'll be better positioned than he was a year ago. After a successful 2009/10 campaign in Houston, Brooks took a slight step back last year, spending half the season with Phoenix after a deadline deal. His 10.7 PPG, .375 FG% and 13.1 PER in 2010/11 were all below his career rates entering the season (13.0 PPG, .421 FG%, 14.5 PER).
However, Brooks was impressive during his stint in China, averaging 22.3 points and 4.8 assists in just 29.9 minutes per game, along with shooting rates of .553/.407/.830 (stats via Asia-Basket.com). He's only 27, and he'll hit the free agent market during a year when the draft is light on top point guards. The free agent market features plenty of options, but probably only one true star in Steve Nash.
Brooks' future may ultimately be tied to Nash's. The Suns are expected to make an effort to retain their longtime point guard, but if Nash decides to sign with a team closer to title contention, Phoenix will find itself under more pressure to keep Brooks. If Nash re-signs, the Suns may not want to commit so much free agent money to one position and keep both point guards, but if Nash is gone, I'd expect the team to match any offer sheet for Brooks.
The Hawks, Mavericks, Lakers, Heat, Magic, and Trail Blazers are among the other clubs who could kick the tires on Brooks in the offseason, but between Blanks' visit to China and Brooks' fondness for Phoenix, the Suns are the favorites. I don't expect Brooks to be offered more than the mid-level exception, so Phoenix should have the means to comfortably match any rival offer.
Leonard, Lillard, Wroten To Enter Draft
This June's NBA draft will take place at the Prudential Center, but it appears the May draft lottery will be moving from New Jersey to New York. Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports that the venue for the draft lottery will switch locations for the first time since 1994. We'll see if the new location turns out to be a good-luck charm for the Bobcats, Wizards, Hornets, or another club on May 30th. In the meantime, you can keep an eye on our tentative 2012 draft order to follow the latest odds on which lottery team will land that first overall pick.
Here are few more draft-related updates:
- Sophomore Meyers Leonard will forgo his final two years at Illinois and enter the draft, the team announced (hat tip to Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com). The 7'1" center is expected to be selected in the first round, with ESPN.com's latest mock draft slotting him at 20th overall.
- Point guard Damian Lillard will leave Weber State a year early. We heard last month that the junior was expected to declare his intent, and Martin Renzhofer of the Salt Lake Tribune says Lillard made the decision official today. The 6'3" Lillard is considered perhaps the top available point guard in this year's draft, and could be a lottery pick.
- Washington freshman Tony Wroten will hire an agent and enter the draft, the school announced today. Said Wroten: "I love the University of Washington, but I just feel that it's best for me to make the jump." The 6'5" guard is expected to be a first-round pick, ranking 19th among ESPN.com's top 100 prospects and 23rd on DraftExpress.com's list.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) talks to scouts and GMs to get an idea of which players helped or hurt their stocks in the Final Four.
- Wizards point guard John Wall spoke to Michael Lee of the Washington Post about the possibility of Washington landing Anthony Davis in the draft.
Teams Signing The Most 10-Day Contracts
Teams have different motives for bringing players in on 10-day contracts. In the case of a lottery-bound team with little to play for in the immediate future, signing a player to a 10-day deal allows for an affordable, first-hand look at a young player to determine whether or not he might be a long-term asset (think Gerald Green with the Nets). For a contender, a 10-day deal allows a team to bring in a veteran to temporarily provide bench help in case of injuries or questionable depth (ie. Mike James and the Bulls).
As our 10-day contract tracker shows, however, some teams like taking advantage of these deals more than others. While a number of clubs have yet to sign a single player to a 10-day deals, a handful have brought in multiple players on temporary contracts, renewing some and letting others expire. Here's a quick look at which teams have taken advantage of the 10-day contracts the most this season, handing them out to multiple players:
Cavaliers:
Manny Harris (two 10-day contracts followed by rest-of-season contract)
Lester Hudson
Ben Uzoh
Hornets:
Jeff Foote
Solomon Jones (two 10-day contracts)
Donald Sloan (two 10-day contracts)
Lance Thomas (two 10-day contracts followed by rest-of-season contract)
Nets:
Andre Emmett
Gerald Green (two 10-day contracts followed by rest-of-season contract)
Dennis Horner
Jerry Smith
Raptors:
Alan Anderson
Ben Uzoh
Rockets:
Earl Boykins
Courtney Fortson (10-day contract followed by rest-of-season contract)
Malcolm Thomas
Spurs:
Eric Dawson (two 10-day contracts)
Justin Dentmon
Warriors:
Keith Benson
Mickell Gladness (10-day contract followed by rest-of-season contract)
Wizards:
Cartier Martin
Edwin Ubiles
Pacific Notes: Williams, Kings Arena, Barnes
The Lakers will host the Nets at the Staples Center tonight, but if you're a Los Angeles basketball fan, you can be forgiven for looking ahead to tomorrow night's matchup. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers square off against Chris Paul and the Clippers in a game that will directly impact the top of the Pacific Division standings. The Lakers currently hold a one-game lead over the Clips, but that could change quickly, with just over three weeks left in the regular season.
Here are a few Tuesday afternoon updates out of the Pacific:
- If he's facing a reduced role with the Clippers heading into next season, Mo Williams could decline his player option and look for a new contract elsewhere, according to Eric Pincus of HoopsWorld. While Williams has conveyed a desire for long-term financial security in the past, I have a hard time believing he'd give up a guaranteed $8.5MM for next season.
- Sacramento City Council faces another vote on the Kings' new arena proposal tonight, as Ryan Lillis and Tony Bizjak explain in an informative piece for the Sacramento Bee. Meanwhile, one group in Sacramento is planning a petition drive to stop the city from financially supporting the arena without voter approval, says Bizjak in a separate article.
- Matt Barnes appeared on 710 ESPN in Los Angeles to discuss the Lakers' bench and coach Mike Brown's rotation, among other topics, as Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes.
Free Agent Market For Centers
What a difference an early termination option makes. If Dwight Howard hadn't decided to waive his ETO to remain under contract with the Magic for one more season, we'd be looking forward to a free agent class headlined by the NBA's best center and a perennial MVP candidate. With Howard locked in for 2012/13, this year's group of big men loses a good deal of lustre, overshadowed by a 2013 class that could include both Howard and Andrew Bynum. Still, for teams in immediate need of a frontcourt presence, there are a number of solid options poised to hit free agency in July….
Unrestricted Free Agents
Chris Kaman was a topic of much discussion at this year's trade deadline, but ending up staying put in New Orleans, something I doubt happens again this summer. Kaman appears to be the prize of the unrestricted free agents, and should receive offers from both over-the-cap contenders and teams with cap space. It'll be interesting to see if Kaman joins a title contender or accepts the largest offer from a team desperate for size. Spencer Hawes is the other intriguing name here. Having accepted a qualifying offer from the Sixers before this season, he'll hit unrestricted free agency at age 24. An injury-plagued season hurts his stock a little, but if he can finish strong, he should still earn a big payday. The rest of this group consists of mostly young projects like Hasheem Thabeet and Ian Mahinmi or veteran contributors like Marcus Camby, Joel Przybilla, and Jermaine O'Neal.
Restricted Free Agents
Teams eyeing this year's free agent centers may end up zeroing in on the restricted free agents, a group that includes plenty of players with a combination of youth and upside. The Nets should make a strong effort to retain Brook Lopez, though perhaps another team confident in Lopez's health will make things difficult. Roy Hibbert and JaVale McGee should also draw plenty of interest, though I don't think McGee will find the sort of deal he's reportedly seeking ($14MM annually). Omer Asik is a player to watch too. I expect the Bulls will want to keep Asik, but they already have $64MM+ in guaranteed money committed next season, and 2013/14's increased luxury tax penalties are looming.
Players With Options
Don't expect to find any deals here. Among the centers with options, Andrew Bynum's team option is a lock to exercised by the Lakers and DeSagana Diop's player option will certainly be picked up by Diop. Solomon Alabi is the only other center with an option, and even if the Raptors don't bring him back, he's probably too raw to have much appeal on the open market.
Previously:
Free Agent Market for Power Forwards
Free Agent Market for Small Forwards
Free Agent Market For Shooting Guards
Free Agent Market For Point Guards
Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Knicks, Calipari, Davis
It looks to be an eventful day for the Atlantic Division, both on and off the court. The 76ers and Knicks will visit Miami and Indiana, respectively, looking to gain ground on the division-leading Celtics, while off the court, Nets star Deron Williams is again discussing his impending free agency. We have a few more notes from the division to round up, so let's dive in….
- Executives and other sources around the league don't blame Celtics GM Danny Ainge for his inactivity when it comes to moving his Big Three, says Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Said one source: "Look, I’ve had my dealings with [Ainge], and he could be pain in the butt. But if I was him, I wouldn’t have taken what we were trying to give. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is nothing, even when it’s the right thing. We’re programmed to act, but sometimes that can be the dumbest thing you can do." Ainge's decision to stand pat is paying off now — the Celtics are 15-5 since the All-Star break, including an ongoing five-game winning streak.
- The Lakers have title aspirations and the Knicks are battling to hold on to a playoff spot, but the two teams have more in common than you'd think, argues John Hollinger of ESPN.com (Insider link). According to Hollinger, health is the main difference between the two teams, as Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum have yet to miss a single game due to injury while the Knicks have been hit hard by the injury big.
- Even now that Kentucky has won a National Championship, don't expect to see John Calipari jump at a chance to coach the Knicks or any other team, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
- Calipari's star player, Anthony Davis, is a lock to go first overall in this June's draft, prompting Reid Cherner of USA Today to ask which of the league's eight worst teams would benefit most from drafting the Kentucky big man. The Nets and Raptors are among the choices, and Raps coach Dwane Casey is among Davis' fans, according to Eric Koreen of the National Post.
Williams Interested In Re-Signing With Kings
Since being drafted 11th overall by New Jersey in 2009, Terrence Williams has played for three different teams. Williams was traded to the Rockets by the Nets in 2011, then signed with the Kings this March after being waived by Houston. While the Louisville product has yet to find a permanent NBA home, his stint in Sacramento is off to a promising start.
Williams, coming off a Kings win in which he scored 12 points and grabbed 12 boards (his best rebounding game since 2009/10), told Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee he'd love to stay in Sacramento. The Kings signed the third-year swingman for the rest of this season, but Williams would listen if the team had interest in keeping him around longer than that.
"I'm a free agent July 1st," Williams said. "I'll take any calls from Sacramento. Hopefully we'll get something to work out. I love it here and I love playing here and I think I fit in well."
Having fallen well out of playoff contention, the Kings figure to give Williams plenty of minutes over the season's final few weeks to determine whether or not he's part of the team's future. For his part, Williams said he'd be open to either a one-year or multiyear deal. The Kings have about $42.5MM in guaranteed money committed to salaries for 2012/13, but have three restricted free agents they'll need to decide on, in Williams, Jason Thompson, and Donte Greene.
Antawn Jamison Unlikely To Return To Cavs
The Cavaliers are on the midst of a seven-game losing streak, and Antawn Jamison is frustrated by the team's second-half collapse. The veteran forward told Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal he'll wait until after the season to make a decision about leaving or returning to Cleveland, but conceded it would be a surprise if he were a Cavalier next year. While losing more games this season may benefit the team in the long term, the Cavs' future isn't Jamison's primary concern.
"I want to win," Jamison said. "Tomorrow is not promised. I might not be here next year. I can’t worry about what we’re planning for next year. For me and a lot of these other guys, what can we do now? It was tough to know we were so close [to playoff contention] and instead of taking steps forward, we took dramatic steps backward."
Jamison added that he didn't feel great about the Cavs trading Ramon Sessions to Los Angeles, calling the point guard "a big piece of the [Cavs'] puzzle." However, he admitted Sessions may not be missed quite as much if it weren't for injuries to Daniel Gibson and Kyrie Irving.
Although he's shooting a career-worst 40.7% from the floor and has posted his lowest scoring and rebounding rates since 2003/04, Jamison is still contributing 17.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG, and should attract interest on the free agent market this summer. At 35 years old, he may be seeking an opportunity to win a championship rather than continuing to be the veteran presence on a rebuilding Cleveland team.
"I appreciate the things this organization has done for me," Jamison said. "I’ve been through a lot of coaches, by far this has been my favorite coaching staff to play with and to learn things from. But to sit here and say I can see myself coming back or there’s a chance of me coming back right now, that’s one of those decisions you really have to clear your mind, let the batteries get re-juiced. It’s going to be [made] collectively with the family and myself and what I really want to do."
Deron Williams Talks Free Agency, Howard, Nets
As he stated after the trade deadline, Deron Williams hasn't wavered on his stance to test free agency after this season rather than opting into the final year of his current contract. That doesn't preclude a return to the Nets, but Williams figures to explore all of his options before making a decision. The point guard talked to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports about his impending free agency, Dwight Howard, and his role in the Nets' decision-making. Here are the highlights:
- Williams pointed out that teams don't get called "unloyal" for trading players like free agents do for leaving teams: "If [players] leave, we are not loyal, we are ungrateful. People say stuff to me on Twitter. They already think I’m gone. They are out there bashing me, saying to me I’m a traitor…. I didn’t ask to be here. I got traded. I didn’t come here being a free agent. This is the first time that I’m a free agent in my career."
- Williams "probably" would've re-signed with the Nets if the team had managed to acquire Howard at the trade deadline: "Oh yeah, it definitely would have changed things. I’ve already made it known that if he would have come I probably would have stayed."
- A winning situation will be Williams' first priority in free agency: "At the end of the day, I'm not getting any younger. I'll be 28 when I sign this next deal. I have to look for the best situation for me."
- Nets GM Billy King thinks that having a hand in his team's decision-making process will be another draw for Williams. The point guard has worked with King and the Nets' front office on personnel decisions since December, according to King: "In training camp he was in my office after practice every day just sitting there. He calls himself, 'the assistant GM.'"
- The Mavericks have long been cited as a potential destination for Williams in free agency, a fact he acknowledges: "They’d definitely love for me to play [in Dallas]. I know that. I’ve known that my whole career. The fans on Twitter, a lot of Dallas fans on Twitter, tell me to come back home. We’ll see."
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Knicks, Woodson, Lin
We'll have to wait until next season until the Knicks and Nets are forced to play nice with each other in the same city, but for now we'll put items on both clubs in the same post and see how they get along..
- While some might be wondering if the Nets' recent slide will put them into tank mode, coach Avery Johnson said today that the team will play "to the very end," writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The Nets, of course, only retain their first-round pick this year if it falls inside of the top three. Otherwise, it becomes property of the Trail Blazers thanks to the Gerald Wallace trade.
- Should the Knicks retain head coach Mike Woodson? Bob Knight certainly thinks so, writes Ian O'Connor of ESPNNewYork.com. "You'd have to be an absolute idiot not to see [Mike Woodson's success]. Not that the NBA is without its absolute idiots," Knight said.
- While a report claimed that the Knicks kept Jeremy Lin's knee surgery under wraps in order to sell playoff tickets, the club was quick to squash such speculation, writes Royce Young of CBSSports.com.
- After the Nets move across the river to Brooklyn, Shaquille O'Neal hopes to bring an NBA team to Newark, New Jersey, writes Mike Vorkunov of the Star-Ledger. However, the big man kept mum when pressed for details on how he would make that happen or where the financial support might come from.