Antawn Jamison

Odds & Ends: Miller, Sessions, Deng, Brown

Andre Miller was excited when he got word he had been traded, reveals Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “I was ready to go,” said Miller. “I’m glad it’s over. I’ve been sitting around for about a month and a half. I’m happy to be here.” He’ll have the opportunity to help the Wizards make some noise in the East after sitting on the bench since late December. Let’s round up some news from around the NBA:

  • According to HoopsHype, 20 of the 50 most discussed trade candidates wound up being dealt by Thursday’s deadline.
  • Ramon Sessions is content being back with the Bucks, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinal. The Bucks selected Sessions 56th overall in the 2007 draft.
  • The deadline deal between the Bobcats and Bucks is now official per a tweet from Charlotte’s PR account, so Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour can now play playoff-hopefuls in Charlotte.
  • Luol Deng will be a free agent at season’s end, and if he chooses to walk away from the Cavaliers, he’s likely to be pursued by the Mavs, Lakers, Celtics, Magic and Bobcats, hears Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News.
  • The Bulls and Spurs are among the teams interested in signing the recently waived Antawn Jamison, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).
  • Shannon Brown is coming off his second 10-day with the Spurs, and although his play for San Antonio was less than stellar, he’s drawing interest from the Rockets, Heat, Bulls, and Knickstweets Sam Amick of USA Today.
  • It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Heat sign two free agents in the coming week, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, who notes Miami has an open spot from the Roger Mason deal, and also could waive Toney Douglas if they’re interested in more than one guy (Twitter link).
  • An official press release from the Cavaliers revealed the team has assigned Arinze Onuaku to their D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge. Onuaku had been playing for the Charge before signing a 10-day deal with Cleveland but didn’t have his rights owned by the Cavs.
  • Gino Pilato of DLeagueDigest.com explores what went wrong during Pierre Jackson‘s tenure in the D-League.
  • David Stern laid the foundation for continuing growth in the NBA, and Carol Cain of the Detroit Free Press looks back on what he was able to accomplish during his tenure as commissioner.

Wizards Notes: Maynor, Davis, Jamison

The Wizards saw trading Eric Maynor as an “imperative,” a source tells J. Michael of CSNWashington. That’s a strong indictment of his play, since Michael notes that Maynor didn’t cause trouble in the locker room. Maynor was never the team’s first choice last summer when they were seeking a backup for John Wall, he was just the first to accept their offer, writes Michael. Now that Andre Miller is on the roster, the team believes they have found the right player for them.

More on the Wizards:

  • The Wizards have a “lukewarm” interest in Antawn Jamison now that the Hawks have officially waived him, tweets J. Michael. The team will wait and see what other players are available prior to making a decision on Jamison.
  • J. Michael also tweeted that Glen Davis isn’t likely to be in the Wizards plans. He thinks Davis is most likely to sign with the Clippers.
  • Miller commented on his difficulties with former coach Brian Shaw, in an article by the Associated Press. Miller stated, “It was just an instance where I kind of lost my cool and was a little bit unprofessional and stepped out of character. And I apologized to my teammates for what happened. That’s not me. That’s not what I’m about.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Hawks Waive Antawn Jamison

3:18pm: The Hawks have officially waived Jamison, the team announced.

FRIDAY, 12:24pm: Atlanta will waive Jamison, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. It’s not entirely clear whether Jamison will give back any of his salary in a buyout, or whether he’s simply being released. The move will give the team an open roster spot to re-sign Cartier Martin.

THURSDAY, 3:22pm: The Hawks and Antawn Jamison appear to be thinking about swinging a buyout in the wake of Atlanta’s agreement to trade for the veteran power forward today, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Jamison is making the minimum salary, and represents a cap hit of just $884,293. The league pays the rest of his nearly $1.4MM take.

In the buyout arrangement, Jamison would agree to give up some of his salary in exchange for the Hawks putting him on waivers. He’d probably look to sign with a contending team if he hits free agency. A club that’s particularly enamored with him could claim him off waivers, but that seems unlikely for the 37-year-old who’s averaging just 3.8 points in 11.3 minutes per game this year.

The Hawks would have to waive him on or before March 1st for him to be eligible to play for another team in the postseason this year. The Wasserman Media Group client isn’t far removed from a 17.2 PPG season for the Cavs in 2011/12, so he could be an intriguing commodity for teams confident he can show at least a glimpse of his old form.

Clippers Looking For Frontcourt Help

The Clippers are dangling Jared Dudley, Antawn Jamison and Byron Mullens in search of a frontcourt upgrade, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Matt Barnes may also be on the block as well, Berger says. Marc Stein of ESPN.com first reported the Clippers were shopping Dudley a couple of weeks ago. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports last night tweeted overnight that the Clips were seeking backup bigs.

Jamison and Mullens were two players the team signed this past summer to serve as frontcourt reserves, but neither is having much impact. Both are on minimum-salary deals, though Jamison’s pact covers just this season while Mullens has a player option for next year.

Dudley is signed through 2015/16, making $4.25MM each year. His production is down after coming over from the Suns last summer via trade, and Doc Rivers recently yanked him from the starting lineup. Barnes is posting a career-worst 38.5% field goal percentage after inking a three-year deal for nearly $10.2MM in the offseason.

Western Notes: Lakers, Landry, Blazers, Frye

The Clippers signed Antawn Jamison earlier this week, and Jamison conducted a radio interview with ESPN 710 in Los Angeles on Friday, transcribed and given context by ESPN Los Angeles scribe Ramona Shelburne this morning.

In the interview Jamison spoke about last season under the microscope with the star-studded Lakers, applauded the competitive drive of Kobe Bryant, and discussed his sometimes strained relationship with coach Mike D'Antoni, who removed Jamison from the rotation late in the year. Said Jamison of Bryant:

"I would never count Kobe Bryant out of anything. I've played with some special players. Gilbert Arenas when he was [in Washington D.C], at the top of his game, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal [in Cleveland]. I've played with a lot but never played with an individual player who had the type of mindset, the drive that he has. If [Bryant] says he's going to win a sixth ring, believe me, he's going to do everything possible to get that ring."

Jamison also said there was little communication or rapport between the players and D'Antoni after Mike Brown was fired five games into the season.  

"Mike was pretty much put in a difficult situation. There was no training camp where he could get a feel for guys. There was a breakdown of communication when we first got there. And throughout the season it was kind of up and down."

Here's more from around the Western Conference, including a possible D-League addition to the Lakers next season…

  • The Los Angeles Times' Eric Pincus shares the offseason workout video (via Ryan Ellerbusch of Maximum Exposure) of Lakers summer league standout forward Marcus Landry
  • Landry – younger brother of Carl Landry – averaged 15.2 PPG in 5 games this summer and in February was named to the Futures All-Star roster for the 2013 D-League All-Star Game.
  • Pincus adds that the Lakers are planning to bring 16-20 players to training camp despite having just 12 players under contract. They're expected to sign second round pick Ryan Kelly.
  • Sam Tongue of Blazers Edge wonders whether Blazers President Chris McGowan can enhance fan experience by upgrading their digital properties to "talk with the fans, rather than at them."
  • The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn tweets that Suns GM Ryan McDonough says they'll know whether Channing Frye will play in 2013/14 in the next few weeks, but he's "optimistic he'll be able to play."

Clippers Sign Antawn Jamison

WEDNESDAY, 4:08pm: The Clippers have officially signed Jamison, the team announced today in a press release.

MONDAY, 4:44pm: The Clippers have signed Antawn Jamison to a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter links).  It was reported that the Clippers were closing in on a deal with the veteran last night, though the Grizzlies and Bulls were also in the mix for his services.

Jamison, 37, spent last season with the Lakers, averaging 9.4 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 21.5 minutes per contest. It was a noticeable step back from the forward's previous career averages of 19.5 PPG and 7.9 RPG in 36.3 minutes per game. 

The Clippers were said to be waiting on other options, namely Lamar Odom, before signing Jamison. In fact, they told Jamison as much nearly two weeks ago when he thought he was on the verge of a deal.  It appears that Odom is going through some personal troubles right now, though earlier today, agent Jeff Schwartz refuted reports that his client has gone missing.  One source told ESPN's Marc Stein that Odom is dealing with a drug problem and his friends are trying to get him help.

The UNC product is represented by the Wasserman Media Group, according to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.

Clippers Notes: Jamison, Odom, Mullens

The Clippers reached an agreement to sign Antawn Jamison earlier this week, but most of you don't expect him to make a significant impact for the team this season. When Alex Lee of Hoops Rumors asked last night how many points per game Jamison would score in the 2013/14 season, over 62% of you predicted a single-digit average for the veteran forward.

Here's more on the Clippers:

  • Grantland's Kirk Goldberry examines what the signing of Jamison means for the Clippers.
  • After adding Jamison, the Clippers are no longer interested in re-signing Lamar Odom, a source tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. However, Medina adds that the team would "welcome Odom to training camp," so it may just be a matter of not wanting to guarantee him any money. Odom's alleged drug problems almost certainly played a part in that stance.
  • With 14 contracts on their books, the Clippers plan to fill the last roster spot in training camp, according to Medina. It's worth noting that once Jamison's deal becomes official, L.A. will have 13 players on guaranteed contracts. Maalik Wayns also has a non-guaranteed pact, and Brandon Davies reportedly agreed to a partially guaranteed deal earlier in the summer, though the team has yet to announce it. In any case, it seems that there could conceivably be two spots up for grabs in camp.
  • Byron Mullens knows that some fans and observers are wondering why the Clippers would sign him, but he tells Eric Patten of Clippers.com that he intends to prove his doubters wrong. Mullens inked a two-year, minimum-salary contract last month.

Poll: What Will Jamison Average As A Clipper?

As we detailed yesterday, Antawn Jamison decided to switch locker rooms at the Staples Center, going from the Lakers to the Clippers on a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum.  Jamison is now 37 and saw his numbers drop drastically across the board last year as a part-time player for the Lakers.  He averaged only 21.4 minutes-per-game in 2012/13, the lowest number of his career, but also shot 46.4 percent from the field, which was his highest shooting percentage since his 2008/09 campaign in Washington.

Our Chuck Myron compiled a list of reactions to the signing of Jamison and the consensus seems to be that, in light of the mystery that is Lamar Odom, Doc Rivers and the Clippers were able to land a consumate professional that will help do the little things it takes to win a championship.  This was presumably the same reason the Lakers signed Jamison last year.  The question is, were Jamison's career low averages (9.4 points-per-game) a reflection of a terrible situation with the Lakers or more simply a result of an aging player's diminishing skills?  In short, what will his scoring average be this season with the Clippers?

Reaction To Antawn Jamison’s Deal With Clippers

Minimum-salary signings usually don't generate much buzz, but when it's a player who averaged double-figure scoring for 13 consecutive seasons, the rules are different. Antawn Jamison put up a career-low 9.4 points per game last season in 21.4 minutes per contest, another low watermark, but he felt capable of a larger role. Here's more on his L.A. switch from the Lakers to the Clippers, as we detail here: 

  • The Clippers have had interest in signing both Jamison and Lamar Odom, but the effect that recent rumors of personal trouble for Odom will have upon his chances of joining the club is unclear, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. Even with Jamison, the Clippers have an open spot on the regular season roster.
  • Jamison was "hardly" interested in rejoining the Lakers, Medina writes in the same piece. The forward was turned off by infighting among his teammates and he didn't have the best relationship with coach Mike D'Antoni, who made him a healthy scratch for six straight games last season.  
  • The Bulls and Grizzlies had interest in Jamison, as a weekend report indicated, but his preference all along was to join the Clippers, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
  • Jamison's meeting with Doc Rivers earlier this month essentially cinched the deal, as Rivers prioritized bringing aboard a veteran without an ego who's eager to win a championship, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). The Clippers envision Jamison as a mentor for Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, Shelburne adds in a separate tweet.
  • Jamison is joining a contender, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors predicted. “This is a good fit for me. Hopefully, I’m the player that can help take the team over the edge (for a title),” Jamison told Spears (Twitter link).

Clippers Nearing Deal With Antawn Jamison?

8:56pm: The Clippers have expressed renewed interest as of late, but there's no offer yet, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo (on Twitter).  The Grizzlies and Bulls are also in the mix.

8:21pm: The Clippers are closing in on a deal with free agent Antawn Jamison, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).  The Clippers have been in talks with the veteran for much of the summer.  Terms of the deal are not yet known but the Clips can only offer Jamison the veteran's minimum.

Jamison, 37, spent last season with the Lakers, averaging 9.4 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 21.5 minutes per contest.  It was a noticeable step back from the forward's previous career averages of 19.5 PPG and 7.9 RPG in 36.3 minutes per game.  Jamison's new club might not give him the opportunity to shine as he has in years past, but it will save him a bit in moving fees.

The Clippers were said to be waiting on other options, namely Lamar Odom, before signing Jamison.  In fact, they told Jamison as much nearly two weeks ago when he thought he was on the verge of a deal.

The UNC product is represented by the Wasserman Media Group, according to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.