Sixers coach Brett Brown referred today to a “fluid” situation, wouldn’t address questions regarding Andrei Kirilenko and Jorge Gutierrez, and said there’s “high probability” that the team will make a “subtle, small announcement” before tonight’s game, observes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Sixers on Thursday announced the acquisition of both Kirilenko and Gutierrez, and Philadelphia reportedly has held some interest in keeping as a potential asset for the trade deadline, even though reports prior to the trade indicated that Philly intended to waive him. While we wait to see what Philly’s plans are regarding Kirilenko, here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The amount of cash the Nets sent the Sixers in the Kirilenko trade is $1MM, tweets Robert Windrem of NetsDaily. That leaves the Nets with a total of $2.3MM they can send out in trades between now and the end of June, as the NetsDaily scribe points out.
- Carmelo Anthony was forceful in his insistence that he doesn’t want to leave the Knicks as he addressed an earlier report that he would be open to waiving his no-trade clause, one that both he and his agent denied. Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com has the details. “Come on, man. After all the work I did to get here and get back here? If I was to get up and want to leave now that would just make me weak, make me have a weak mind,” Anthony said. “I’ve never been a person to try to run from any adversity or anything like that so I’m not going to pick today to do that.”
- Luc Mbah a Moute and K.J. McDaniels, both free agents at season’s end, join Michael Carter-Williams and Robert Covington as the Sixers whom the team should prioritize keeping, opines Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Should be a lot of interest in McDaniels this off-season, even as he’s restricted. Excellent rebounder and defender for his position, and he’s shot the ball better than a lot of people thought he would as a rookie (better 3p% than McDermott and Stauskas).
Any guesses to the contract range that will get offered?
I’m no expert, but I would think he’s worth a 3-year deal in the $7-$9M range. He’ll be 22, coming off a really solid rookie year on a terrible team. If it stays in that range, I’d have to think Philly matches.
I hope that means 3 years, $7-9M total? Anything in the NBA rookie scale would be reasonable (even pushing $12M total), and I think the Sixers match for sure.
I do wonder if teams will break the bank for him with mid-levelish money $5M+, since he is relatively young with potential.
Yeah, definitely $7-9M total. I could see a team going up to $5M when you consider the cap increase. Idk if he’s quite worth that, but GMs tend to do stupid things.