NBA Off-season Trades/news

[Ridders]

Wow, the trades keep on coming with Orlando acquiring Vince Carter, with New Jersey receiving Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee. Don't know if its confirmed but its pretty close to being done. I'm not too sold on this, giving up Courtney Lee is a big pretty big move, he had a pretty good rookie season i thought. .

Sources: Nets, Magic agree to trade

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By Chad Ford
ESPN.com
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The New Jersey Nets have agreed to a trade with the Magic that will send Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee, two league sources told ESPN.com.

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ESPN Insider has the updated buzz from the National Basketball Association rumor mill.
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The two sides are expected to a complete the trade by the end of the day.
The trade would give the Magic even more star power on their quest to win an NBA championship. The addition of Carter to a lineup that already consists of All-Star players Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson would make Orlando the favorite to win the Eastern Conference title next year if the franchise also finds a way to bring back Hedo Turkoglu, who will opt out of his contract this summer.
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Check out the details of the VC deal in our NBA Trade Machine.
As for the Nets, the move is a cost-cutting measure. Both Alston and Battie are in the last year of their contracts, and trading for them would shave $16.5 million off New Jersey's roster in the summer of 2010 and put the Nets well below the salary cap.
Over the life of the contracts, the Nets would save $40 million by making the deal.
The deal, if completed, would also give the Nets a young, promising shooting guard in Lee.
With the 11th selection in the 2009 NBA draft, the Nets are likely to select Louisville's Terrance Williams, sources tell ESPN.com.
Chad Ford covers the NBA and NBA draft for ESPN Insider.

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Ahhh Courtney Lee or Vince Carter? Carter thanks. He's a cat, but he's still a better overall player. Only quibble is whether Carter can buy into Orlando's system. Will be interesting to see if they're willing to keep Hedo now, Gortat seems a lock to be re-signed (now Battie is gone), but Hedo might be a different story.

 

[Stonecutter]

They'll keep Hedu if they can. Does this trade free up cap room for Orlando to do so?

No they don't, the trade will add around $4mill to their cap. I don't think they'll re-sign Hedu if they needed too free up room before.

Turkuglo in this team makes them a championship favourite. He would be the glue keeping this team together with his style of game.

 

[Ridders]

Ahhh Courtney Lee or Vince Carter? Carter thanks. He's a cat, but he's still a better overall player. Only quibble is whether Carter can buy into Orlando's system. Will be interesting to see if they're willing to keep Hedo now, Gortat seems a lock to be re-signed (now Battie is gone), but Hedo might be a different story.

I'd rather have a guy who, while being less talented, at least gives it his all when he plays. FMD Carter has been mailing it in for years. Plus Courtney Lee was by far Orlando's best backcourt defender who can guard both the PG and SG positions pretty well. I just thought he showed enough promise to give it another go with a healthy Jameer Nelson. If the Magic resign Hedo then i might change my mind on it but if this results in them losing Hedo, this trade will be an epic fail. I know who i would rather have in cruch time between Hedo and VC.

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Carter has made plenty of big shots in his time and is more capable of getting his shot off than Hedo. Lee was ok, but let's face it, he's not going to be a superstar. Not strong enough to guard the elite two guards in the NBA (as Kobe proved) and it doesn't matter how much effort he gives. Piddling offensive player. Carter on a team with a clearly defined pecking order will be fine. Huge upgrade in talent, and on a legit contender, who knows what we'll see from Carter? I'd rather take a shot than trot out the same group again next year.

 

[Ridders]

Courtney Lee's problem was that Kobe killed him on the post. Then again, how many back-court players have the same array of post moves as Kobe. I can barely name one. My main problem with this is that it probably means losing Hedo. The guy created the offense for alot of the Magic's playoff run as well as making countless big shots. I just think the Magic team from this post-season, with a healthy Jameer Nelson wasn't such a bad thing. I mean they were the best team in the NBA before he went down. This trade is more of a reaction to all the big trades that are happening in the East.

 

[andrew057]

Hedo is definitely going with the Carter signing. Whoever asked about cap space, of course this doesnt help Magics cap. I like this trade for the Nets, Lee has got the goods and now they can make a play for a superstar in next season free agency stakes, to go along with Harris, Lopez and Lee.

 

[Ridders]

Thats a good point. New Jersey have a great cap situation for the future.

 

[El Coconuto]

As an Orlando fan I am very very very pleased with the Carter trade. You can't really appreciate this trade if you haven't had to deal with the heartache of seeing Shaq - McGrady - Penny leave in their primes. You really can't. All three of those guys were made who they were in Orlando...and they all screwed us by jumping ship after verbally agreeing to extensions. We watched them all express post a pile of sh*t to our head office by renegging on their agreements.

So when Hedo freely said he WAS opting out of his contract this season, well, what was Otis Smith meant to do? Take his word that he would happily re-sign with us? I mean, it's Orlando for crying out loud!? This situation NEVER plays out the way it is supposed to for us. So kudos to Smith for covering us this time around. Even if Hedo walks, we have Carter there to fill the role (which I think he'll do quite nicely).

Now...

IF the Magic somehow manage to keep Hedo, it means we'll be in mirky luxury tax waters this season (which surprises and delights me as a fan, because our owner has been one of the tightest of tightasses in all professional sports over the years) and means we have two seasons at max with a possible lineup of Nelson, Carter, Turkoglu, Lewis, and Howard before being pushed over the cap by years five and six (the big years) of Dwights and Lewis' contracts. Two more decent chances to win it all.

I'm sad to see Lee go, but at best, he was a shorter Tayshaun Prince. Vince opens the floor and gives us two more years to make a solid run, even against the LeBron-Shaq Cavs and the Pierce-Allen-KG Celts. Well done, Otis Smith.

 

[Ridders]

Don't get me wrong, a straight swap of Courtney Lee for Carter is an undeniable upgrade. My point is that if you lose Hedo, this trade ends up essentially being Lee & Hedo for VC. My whole problem is more from a tactical standpoint rather than personnel. No doubt VC gives you a guy who can create his own shot, but then again Orlando for alot of this season was a team that was based on executing offensive sets rather allowing guys to do their own thing. Like Tiger said, whether VC can buy into this system, after essentally doing his own thing for so long will be a big question. Your point about superstars leaving Orlando is one i hadn't really considered, and is a fair point, so i'll probably wait for the season to come before giving my final verdict.

 

[El Coconuto]

Admittedly, this excited me a little too much...

 

[Ridders]

Updated: July 1, 2009, 8:13 PM ET
Sources: Gordon, Villanueva to Pistons

ESPN.com news services

The Detroit Pistons made the biggest early splash in free agency on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva.

Gordon

Villanueva

Former Bulls guard Gordon will receive a five-year, $55 million deal, while former Bucks forward Villanueva gets a five-year deal for $40 million, sources told ESPN.com's Chris Broussard.
Gordon rejected deals from Chicago in excess of $50 million each of the past two seasons. Milwaukee elected to let the 24-year-old Villanueva become an unrestricted free agent earlier this week, after the Bucks determined that matching any restricted free-agent offers would move the team closer to the luxury tax threshold and limit changing the roster.
The Associated Press first reported the Villanueva signing.
Free agents can't officially sign with new teams until July 8.
Gordon, who was taken third in the 2004 draft by Chicago, led the Bulls in scoring each of the past four seasons. He averaged 20.4 points per game on 45.5 percent shooting last year. For his career, he has a 21.3 points per game average.
Villanueva, the seventh overall pick by Toronto in 2006 who has played the past three seasons with the Bucks, averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last season.

The Pistons now turn their attention to re-signing forward Antonio McDyess, but they'll have competition from the Cavaliers, Celtics and Spurs.
Chris Broussard covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. ESPN.com's Marc Stein contributed to this report.

 

[Stonecutter]

Charlie is a Rasheed Clone, doesn't want too defend and too soft too bang it inside regularly. Only plus is that he is younger. Not sure how Gordon will go to be honest.

 

[Ridders]

I'm not sure whether this current season from Charlie was a result of him progressing as a player or simply because it was a contract year. I can see why the Pistons would want to take a chance on him.

I've always had a soft spot for Gordon. Sure he's an undersized 2-guard who can defend and wouldn't know what the term "extra pass" means. I always get the feeling from him that he has the "f**k all you haters, i'm going to go out there, play limited defense, not spread the ball and get my 20 an night" mantra. Nice pick up for Detroit, but i don't see how he fits in with Rip Hamilton.

Now if we could just get Detroit to make a move for Okafor, we could have a re-union of the 2004 Ucon team. Would be good times.

 

[Special K]

I'd say they would shop Rip around or play Rip at the 3 some times..

I think both are terrible signings btw

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Looks like Randolph to Grizzlies for Richardson.

Good move from Clippers - puzzling move from Grizzlies. Warrick is younger and should be able to re-signed cheaper and provides a lot of what Randolph does (scoring and not much else).

Kaman
Griffin
Thornton
Gordon
Davis

Camby
Q-Rich

That's a decent 7 man rotation, if Dunleavy is able to get the best out of them (highly doubtful). Need a solid backup point.

 

[McLovin]

Detroit are just a jumbled mess these days. I don't like the Gordon and CV signings tbh...

 

[Ridders]

In terms of Detroit, don't really know what happened to them going after Boozer. I always thought he was their primary target. Gordon really lucked out after moronically rejecting Chicago's offer last year of 50mill over 5 years. He made himself alot of money in that Boston series.

 

[Stonecutter]

In terms of Detroit, don't really know what happened to them going after Boozer. I always thought he was their primary target. Gordon really lucked out after moronically rejecting Chicago's offer last year of 50mill over 5 years. He made himself alot of money in that Boston series.

Boozer opted to stay at Utah for the $12.7 million and not become a free agent. Okur and Korver also opted too stay at Utah.

 

[Ridders]

Yeah but the whole reason Boozer didn't opt out was because Detroit didn't want to pay him. If Detroit had told him they were going to offer him some serious money, Boozer would have bolted from Utah (would have been some karma after what he did to Cleveland). Remember Boozer saying sometime during the season that he was 100% confident of opting out, and how it was his best financial recourse. Both Okur and Boozer not opting out is a bit of a disaster for the Jazz in that they also have to pay Millsap, who is a free agent.