'Nasty News - Traversing Time & Space' Vol: 42

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,174362

The Knicks Blog: "Truthfully, if my team had $19 million in cap space, I am not sure I’d be thrilled with these two deals. I think both got overpaid to a certain extent. Maybe not Gordon, but I do not see Villanueva as an $8 million dollar player in this market. He is a high volume shooter that is more of a chucker than a premier scoring threat. He does not shoot for a good percentage and he has never seen a shot that he didn’t like. Villanueva is a good perimeter defender and a good outside shooter, but he is not a great shot-blocker and is not a great rebounder. Not for his size."

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,174362

Brew Hoop: "You could say this somehow validates the Bucks' decision to let CV walk. After all, they'd understandably never throw that kind of coin at CV. However, if the Bucks had made their intention of re-signing CV clear and given him a QO it's unlikely he would have gotten nearly that much — RFAs just don't generate the same interest in the open market. Still, I think it's understandable, if a bit regrettable, that given the tax situation they let Villanueva walk. He'll probably put up good numbers next year, but I don't think anyone ever questioned his ability to put up stats. One thing's for sure: we wish Charlie the best of luck in Motown."

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,174362

Larry Brown Sports: "Maybe it’s just because I’m not a Ben Gordon guy that I don’t like what Detroit’s doing, or maybe it’s because they spent $10 million a season on a sixth man who’s a gunner and not a ball-handler and doesn’t play much defense. Maybe it’s because I prefer Rip Hamilton and can’t envision them paying Gordon $10 mil per and telling him he’s coming off the bench meaning Rip’s probably gone. Now Villanueva’s a decent deal because he can score and board and he comes at a reasonable price as a Rasheed Wallace replacement. The thing I’m missing is the size issue. Where’s their inside presence? Don’t they need one? Maybe I should be patient to see what they add next year before I completely judge because this has to be a work in progress."

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,174362

Motown String Music: "What's next for the Pistons? Will the opening night lineup be Kwame Brown(notes), Villanueva, Tayshaun Prince(notes), Ben Gordon, and Rodney Stuckey(notes) or does Dumars have something else up his sleeve that would move Tayshaun and/or find an upgrade over Kwame, possible in a deal involving Rip?"

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,174362

Tremendous Upside Potential: "In basketball terms, Gordon's departure means John Salmons(notes) and Luol Deng(notes) need to step up. Last we saw them, Salmons was awesome, and Deng was bad and hurt. Is that what we can expect again? Salmons will be Gordon's replacement at shooting guard, and the Bulls better hope that last year wasn't an aberration. Make no mistake, Salmons had a career year last season. He set careers highs across the board at age 29, a point when most players begin to decline, not take off. His biggest jump was in three-point percentage. Without Gordon, the Bulls are going to need more shooters. Last year, Salmons was good enough to fill that roll, making 49 treys in 26 games as a Bull. He was efficient from long range too, connecting at a Gordon-like 41 percent. Again, was it a fluke, or is John Salmons for real? The Bulls better hope it's the latter."

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,174362

Mouthpiece Blog: "... Mitch Robinson caught up with BG last night after the Pistons deal was announced: 'It was an easy decision. I went to visit and speaking with (Pistons GM) Joe Dumars I liked everything he had to say, I like everything the organization stands for … they’re all about winning and I want that too,' Gordon stated over the phone. 'Joe exudes that (winning) he eats, sleeps and breathes basketball and that’s an organization I need to be a part of.'"

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,174352

Michael Rosenberg, Detroit Free Press: "No other general manager in the NBA has done it. And here is Joe Dumars, trying to do it twice. Dumars built the 2004 NBA champion Pistons without one sure Hall of Famer on the roster. How difficult is that? Those Pistons are the only team in the last 30 years to pull it off. Obviously, Dumars would love to have a Hall of Famer on his team. But they are hard to land. So instead, he is doing what he has done exceptionally well in the past: finding high-caliber, high-character, unappreciated talent that fits into a system, and — this is crucial — signing reasonable contracts to maintain flexibility. So Ben Gordon(notes), the Chicago Bulls' best player, has agreed to become a Piston. Charlie Villanueva(notes), a rising talent, has done so as well. Their arrivals put the Pistons back in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference, and they allow Dumars to keep maneuvering until he has all the right pieces. Remember, he didn't add the final starter on the 2004 champs, Rasheed Wallace(notes), until February of that season."

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_d ... nba,174352

Jeff McDonald, S.A. Express-News: "The Pistons waived Fabricio Oberto(notes) this afternoon, returning the former Spurs big man to the free agent pool. Traded last week in the deal that brought Richard Jefferson(notes) from Milwaukee, and then promptly shipped to Detroit, Oberto would have to wait a league-mandated 20 days to re-sign with the Spurs. It remains to be seen how hard the Spurs will pursue him. Much will depend on what kind of other free-agent bigs the Spurs are able to lure during free agency, as well as on how rookie DeJuan Blair(notes) pans out over the summer. Meanwhile, Bruce Bowen(notes) — another piece of the Jefferson trade — is expected to join Oberto on the market, eventually. The Bucks have until Aug. 1 to set Bowen loose and avoid paying the guaranteed portion of his contract ($2 million). The Spurs are not expected to bring Bowen back should he become a free agent."

[nasty daddy]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/07/02/gord ... index.html

Gordon says Bulls never made offer
A day after jumping to Detroit, Ben Gordon told a Chicago radio station Thursday that the Bulls never made a contract offer even though general manager Gar Forman claimed re-signing him was their No. 1 priority. "I mean they didn't pursue me at all. They didn't even make an offer so it was pretty much a one-man race," Gordon told ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago.

Gordon agreed to a five-year deal worth $50-plus million with the Pistons on Wednesday after leading the Bulls in scoring the past four seasons. Under league rules, that deal can't be announced until next week.

Gordon and the Bulls had tried to negotiate long-term deals the past two years. He wound up accepting a one-year tender offer last year and enjoyed one of his best seasons, averaging 20.7 points, and tied a career-high by shooting 45.5 percent while leading the Bulls to the playoffs.

[nasty daddy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/news/story?id=4302507

Gordon: Bulls never made me an offer
Ben Gordon said the Chicago Bulls did not make him an offer, despite general manager Gar Forman saying recently that re-signing Gordon was the team's goal.

Gordon visited the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday -- the first full day of NBA free agency -- and committed to a five-year deal for between $55 million and $60 million, sources told ESPN.com. Contracts can't be signed until July 8.

During an interview on ESPN 1000's "Waddle & Silvy" show, Gordon was asked how aggressively the Bulls pursued him. "I mean, they didn't pursue me at all," Gordon said. "They didn't even make an offer, so it was pretty much a one-man race."

Audio interview with BG in the link above^.

[nasty daddy]

http://blogs.commercialappeal.com/the_m ... -griz.html

Destination Memphis?: Iverson interested in Griz
Several NBA sources have confirmed to me that controversial and wildly popular guard Allen Iverson - through representatives - has made the Grizzlies aware that he would like to play in Memphis.

The veteran, prolific scorer is a free agent for the first time in his professional career. While no deal is imminent and conversations have been only cursory, Griz brass are said to be internally weighing the pros and cons of possibly adding Iverson to the team's youth movement.Iverson would certainly have to take a major pay cut from the $21 million he earned last season with Detroit. The Griz would only entertain Iverson with what they'd deem a reasonable price, and if the 34-year-old agreed to play off the bench. But Iverson had a problem being a reserve with the playoff-bound Pistons and even said he'd prefer to retire before becoming a bench player. A somewhat mysterious back injury ended Iverson's season April 3.

The obvious risk is that Iverson would be far too disruptive WHEN he doesn't practice or receive the playing time or role he desires. Iverson, a 13-year veteran, has no apparent home or suitors so perhaps his tune has changed. Iverson's scoring ability and mass appeal (he's always been a sellout draw in Memphis) are indisputable. He played in 57 games for the Pistons and averaged 17.4 points and 4.9 assists. Nothing will play out on this any time soon. Still, the idea of adding Iverson comes with more questions than answers (pun intended). Is 'The Answer' really what the Grizzlies need?

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27257

Jeff (Memphis, TN)
Any chance Iverson ends up in Memphis? Heard anything on that? Also, what is the latest with Ariza? I think the Grizzlies should have traded Gay for Amare and then sign Ariza, what would you have thought about that?

John Hollinger (3:10 PM)
Had a couple different Iverson questions from Grizzlies fans today. He'd actually fit in one sense, because they need more scoring and he can play in a backcourt with Mayo. The problem, obviously, is that by the time the Griz are ready to anything interesting AI will be long gone, so really what's the point. BTW, Memphis should have about $6 mil in cap space even after the Zach trade, so they still can be a player for B free agents.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27257

Bryan (Bellevue)
Where does Iverson end up, then? Is he a fit in Boston? Miami? Houston?

John Hollinger (3:12 PM)
I still think Charlotte makes the most sense. He has the relationship with Brown and the Bobcats have the need.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27257

Josh (Detroit)
Was Charlie V worth all that cash in your mind considering he doesn't play defense or rebound? How do you think the Pistons will be next year with Hamilton, Gordon, Prince, and Villaneuva?

John Hollinger (3:20 PM)
Want to see what answer Joe D. comes up with at center before I answer the latter question -- He may re-sign McDyess or he may keep the $4 mil in cap space he has to take on a contract (i.e, he can trade Kwame's $4 mil and take back a player making $8 mil). As for Charlie, I thought that was fair value considering his youth and the year he had last season.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27257

Ryan (Denver)
Pistons have to move Rip for a center now, right? Stuckey, Rip, Gordon, Afflalo, Bynum...

John Hollinger (3:31 PM)
Everything I'm hearing is that Gordon will come off the bench as the sixth man and Rip will start. It bears mentioning again -- people kill Dumars for the Billups trade, but the Hamilton extension that received far less scrutiny was a much, much worse decision.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27257

Andy (Houston)
Do the Spurs really pay the luxury tax at a chance for the title or was signing Richard Jefferson a sign Manu will be traded?

John Hollinger (3:41 PM)
They signed off on paying the tax, yes; that's why you see them still pursuing players like Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess with their midlevel.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27257

Paul (Trenton, NJ)
Any chance Philly could offer some kind of package to Detroit for Rip involving Dalembert and whatever else makes Detroit forget that Dalembert is involved in the trade? Hey, the need a center.

John Hollinger (3:47 PM)
No. Sixer fans, stop with the Dalembert trade proposals. You're stuck with him. Get used to it.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27257

Alex (DC)
Would Tyson Chandler for Kwame Brown work, looks like the numbers would put New Orleans under the luxury tax

John Hollinger
No, best deal for NO would be Chandler and Brown or Wright for Maxiell and Kwame; doesn't get NO all the way under but gets them close enough that they could probably wriggle out of it at the trade deadline.

[nasty daddy]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27257

Ed (D.C.)
It seems to me that McDyess is the IDEAL fit for the Wizards - if they offered him two years at the full mid-level would it get it done?

John Hollinger (3:57 PM)
Wash certainly could use another big but I haven't heard them mentioned with any of the free agent bidding. Also, I don't think players like McDyess and Sheed see the Wizards as a real contender.

[nasty daddy]

http://myespn.go.com/nba/truehoop

•Ben Gordon on leaving the Bulls.