Hawks Targeting Small Forwards
The Hawks have agreed to trade away two of their starters already this offseason, in Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams. And while the team acquired a number of players in the Nets trade and a potential starting point guard in the Jazz deal, the team was left with a hole at the small forward position, where Williams and Johnson played last year. According to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, that position is a top priority for the team in free agency.
Free Agent Rumors: Jamison, Sessions, Lewis
Five days into free agency, a number of big names, such as Deron Williams, Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash, are off the market. But there are still plenty of players out there looking for contracts. We'll wrap up many of today's free agent updates right here, with the latest items added to the top of the page throughout the day….
- Antawn Jamison had dinner in Charlotte with Bobcats executives Rod Higgins and Rich Cho, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). The former UNC star has also been talking to Warriors general manager Bob Myers, Jamison's former agent, and will chat with head coach Mark Jackson in the near future.
- The Mavericks have reached out to Ramon Sessions for a second time and pitched a starting job to the veteran point guard, writes Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
- Rashard Lewis will visit the Heat this weekend after having his contract bought out by the Hornets, reports David Aldridge of NBA.com (Twitter links). The Hawks and the Knicks are among other teams interested in the veteran forward.
Earlier updates:
Rashard Lewis Eyeing Five Teams
WEDNESDAY, 1:33pm: Lewis has been in contact with at least three teams on his list so far, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld — the Lakers, Knicks, and Heat.
TUESDAY, 3:37pm: Having cleared waivers, Rashard Lewis will likely be looking to sign with one of five teams, according to the New York Post's Marc Berman. Berman names the Knicks, Heat, Spurs, Hawks, and Lakers as the clubs on Lewis' "short list."
Heat Pursuing Rashard Lewis
The Heat have had multiple conversations with Tony Dutt, the agent for Rashard Lewis, about bringing the 6'10" long-range shooter aboard with the NBA champions, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. Dutt says money is not a primary issue for his client, who will receive the $13.7MM guaranteed portion of his contract for next season after he was waived by the Hornets this weekend.
Free Agent Rumors: Terry, Lewis, Bass, Young
As the first day of free agency continues, reports continue to pour in on teams reaching out to certain players, perhaps to schedule meetings or make contract offers. We've rounded up plenty of those items already today, but we'll use this space to follow a few more updates, as they come in….
Hornets Buy Out Rashard Lewis
SATURDAY, 6:17pm: The Hornets announced that they have bought out Lewis.
TUESDAY, 11:02pm: Rashard Lewis will be bought out by the Hornets and is set to become an unrestricted free agent, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Lewis is under contract for over $22MM in 2012/13, but only about $13.7MM is guaranteed, so New Orleans will shave nearly $9MM off of its cap figure for next year.
Reactions To The Hornets/Wizards Trade
The Wizards and Hornets finalized the first trade of draft season this afternoon, with Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza heading to Washington in exchange for Rashard Lewis and a second-round draft pick. The deal could be a win-win, as the Wizards acquire two solid veteran rotation players that could help them become a playoff club in the near future, while the Hornets clear two expensive contracts from their books and create excellent long-term cap flexibility.
If I had to pick a winner, I like the Hornets' side a little more. Clearing out their two biggest contracts without giving up any other assets means the Hornets will be in great position to build around Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, and the No. 10 pick in this year's draft, and could be a player on the free agent market this year or next. For Washington, I'm not sure if Okafor and Ariza are enough to put the team over the top in the short-term, and their contracts will make it difficult to make any other impact moves.
Here are a few more reactions and quotes on the deal….
Wizards Acquire Okafor, Ariza For Lewis
The New Orleans Hornets have traded Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Rashard Lewis and the No. 46 pick in the draft, reports Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (via Twitter). The Wizards have officially announced the swap in a press release.
Wizards To Shop Lewis, Blatche Before Draft
Of the nine players the Wizards have money committed to for 2012/13, six are on rookie contracts. Nene, Rashard Lewis, and Andray Blatche are the only veterans on the roster, and Washington is expected to part ways with two of them this summer. According to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, the Wizards will try to move Lewis and Blatche via trade prior to the draft, rather than paying them not to play for the team.
Wizards Facing Decision On Rashard Lewis
Rashard Lewis has one year remaining on the massive contract he signed in July 2007, but it's very unlikely he'll return to Washington in 2012/13. Michael Lee of the Washington Post says the Wizards will likely "take every step to part ways" with Lewis this summer.
While it's clear the Wizards would like to shed Lewis' contract, there isn't necessarily one obvious solution for how to do so. Lewis' $22.7MM salary for next season is only partially guaranteed for $13.7MM, so Washington could save $9MM by simply releasing the 32-year-old by June 30th. The Wizards have also yet to use their amnesty provision and could eliminate Lewis' remaining $22.7MM from their cap entirely by amnestying him.
According to Lee, however, the Wizards view Lewis as having trade value and are expected to pursue deals around the time of the draft. Lewis' contract will be next year's largest expiring deal and could represent a chance for a team to clear significant cap room in preparation for the CBA's more punitive cap and tax restrictions in 2013/14, says Lee.
While it's certainly worth exhausting trade possibilities in case there's a team that would have interest in Lewis and his expiring deal, I have my doubts that Washington will find a suitor. Players in the final years of large contract this season, such as Antawn Jamison and Chris Kaman, didn't seem to attract significant interest, and Lewis has an even bigger price tag, which will make it challenging to find a trade partner.
As I wrote when I previewed the Wizards' offseason, I view Andray Blatche as a more logical candidate for the amnesty provision, and expect Washington to simply buy Lewis out prior to June 30th, saving $9MM. For Lewis' part, he still expects to be a contributor, wherever he plays next year.
"I still feel like I got a lot of basketball in me," Lewis said. "I know I can still play at a high level. I know I can still run and jump. It’s just getting healthy."