Darko Milicic Not Considering Playing Overseas
Darko Milicic is still seeking a new contract after having been amnestied by the Timberwolves last month, but he expects that contract to be with an NBA team rather than an international club. Agent Marc Cornstein tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Sulia link) that his client isn't considering playing overseas, and that he will be back in the NBA.
Shortly after he was waived by Minnesota, Darko was said to be drawing interest from the Heat, Nets, Clippers, and Bulls. The latter two teams have signed other veteran bigs – Ryan Hollins for the Clippers and Nazr Mohammed for the Bulls – so it would seem the Heat and Nets would be the two frontrunners for the 2003 lottery pick, and Tomasson confirms that Miami still has interest. However, according to Cornstein, Darko is still looking at a number of teams, with no definite timetable for his decision.
Because he's still earning a pay check from the Timberwolves, Darko has indicated that playing time will likely be a more important factor in his decision than salary. I'd expect to see him sign a minimum-salary deal with a team that could offer him a spot in its frontcourt rotation.
Suns Sign P.J. Tucker
AUGUST 1ST: The Suns have officially signed Tucker, the team announced today (Twitter link).
JULY 24TH: Six years ago, P.J. Tucker was selected 35th overall by the Raptors, and played 17 games with Toronto before finding himself out of the NBA. At age 27, Tucker is prepared to make a comeback. Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports that the forward has agreed to a two-year, minimum-salary deal with the Suns, with a partial guarantee on the first year.
Since his time with the Raptors, Tucker has played in Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Puerto Rico, Italy, and Greece. He had been under contract to play in Russia for the coming year, but utilized an NBA out clause to sign with the Suns. The $762,195 he could earn as a second-year, minimum-salary player is less than half what he would have made overseas, but Tucker is looking forward to his second chance in the NBA, as he told Coro.
"When was in Toronto, I wasn't half the player I am now," Tucker said. "First and foremost, I'm going to help the young guys and always be a positive voice in the locker room. I look at myself as a defensive player first but I can rebound and handle the ball. I just stick my neck out and play hard. I never let anyone outwork me."
For the Suns' Summer League team in Las Vegas, Tucker averaged 5.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game. Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside takes a look at the journey that sees the 27-year-old back on an NBA roster.
Southeast Notes: Bobcats, Heat, Magic, Howard
On this day 12 years ago, the Heat and Hornets consummated a blockbuster swap that was, at the time, the largest trade in Heat history. The nine-player deal saw Jamal Mashburn, P.J. Brown, and three others head to Charlotte in exchange for four players, including Anthony Mason and Eddie Jones. We're certainly not expecting a move that big out of the Southeast or any other division today, but there are a few links worth passing on out of the Southeast, so let's round them up….
- The Bobcats made "a big push" to sign Carl Landry, but there was mutual interest between Landry and Warriors since the start of free agency, writes Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld.
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel thinks the Heat would still like to add a veteran big man, if possible.
- While the exact details of the Magic's long-term plan remain unclear, the team intends to follow the model established by the Spurs, says Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
- In an Insider piece for ESPN.com, Chris Broussard suggests the steps Dwight Howard should take to rehabilitate his image and part ways on good terms with the Magic.
Rivers Takes Blame For Allen Leaving Celtics
Although much has been made of Ray Allen's reportedly frosty relationship with Rajon Rondo, coach Doc Rivers tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that Rivers, rather than Rondo, should be blamed for Allen's departure from Boston. According to Rivers, Allen wasn't pleased with a reduced role in the Celtics' offense and rotation, a decision made by the coach.
"I'm the guy who gave Rondo the ball," Rivers said. "I'm the guy who decided that Rondo needed to be more of the leader of the team. That doesn't mean guys liked that – and Ray did not love that – because Rondo now had the ball all the time…. And that bothered Ray.
"And not starting [games] bothered Ray," Rivers continued. "I did examine it, and the conclusion I came back to was this: By doing the right things, we may have lost Ray. If I hadn't done that, I would've been a hypocrite. In the opening speech I make every year, I tell the team: 'Every decision I make is going to be what's good for the team, and it may not be what's good for the individual.'"
According to Rivers, he mediated issues between Rondo and Allen for most of the five years that both players were in Boston together, with the relationship between the backcourt mates worsening in 2010/11. Wojnarowski reports that Allen also took issue with how he was compensated, his reduced role, and the fact that his name was constantly included in trade talks.
Rivers doesn't believe Allen's role will be any greater in Miami than it would have been in Boston. However, the C's coach points out that it may be easier for a veteran player to accept a lesser role when he's getting a fresh start, rather than being gradually shifted into that role by a team that used to feature him more. Rivers also holds no ill will toward the veteran sharpshooter for his decision to sign with the Heat.
"For a week or two, I was really disappointed, pissed, because I thought it was for all the wrong reasons," Rivers said. "It was more about himself, his team. And then, I realized: Well, it should be about himself. It was free agency. I wasn't thinking right."
Craig Brackins Signs In Italy
Italian club Angelico Biella has signed former first-round pick Craig Brackins, the team announced today (English link via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The 21st overall pick in the 2010 joins Biella after appearing in just 17 regular season games in his two seasons with the 76ers.
Brackins, 24, was drafted by the Thunder in June 2010 and was traded to the Hornets and then to the Sixers before the 2010/11 season began. While the 6'10" forward was ineffective in limited NBA minutes, he was very productive in the D-League, averaging 19.7 points and 8.8 rebounds in 25 contests for Springfield and Maine over the last two seasons.
The Sixers did not exercise either of their team options on Brackins' rookie contract, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer after just two years in the league.
Cavs Eyeing C.J. Miles, Carlos Delfino
The Cavaliers continue to shop for small forwards, and aren't necessarily targeting players to replace Alonzo Gee, says Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. According to Pluto, the Cavs may add a small forward in addition to Gee, and are eyeing C.J. Miles and Carlos Delfino.
This isn't the first time we've heard about Cleveland's interest in Miles, who met with the Cavs last week. While the Cavs could view Miles as a Plan B if they fail to come to terms with Gee, it seems unlikely that the restricted free agent will slip away, as the team is prepared to match any offer sheet he signs. So it's not surprising that Pluto suggests the Cavs could be interested in signing both players. Still, Miles may be headed elsewhere, as he's said to be close to a decision and drawing serious interest from the Lakers.
Delfino, meanwhile, has reportedly received some interest from the Rockets and others, but has yet to find the multiyear deal he's seeking. With a few expiring contracts coming off their books at the end of 2012/13, the Cavs have the flexibility to make Delfino a multiyear offer if they so choose, but the club may view that as an unnecessary commitment for a non-core player.