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And his doctor and by the way he has a single out this week called Champions. And his locker room interview consisted of two questions and it lasted 10 minutes.
I don't like the Lakers, but I love me some Ron-Ron and that shit was funny.
I don't like the Lakers, but I love me some Ron-Ron and that shit was funny.
And people can stop calling Pau gasol "soft" now, thank you very much
The Atlanta Hawks officially extended a six-year, approximately $120 million offer to retain free agent Joe Johnson at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, the first salvo in the most anticipated free-agent negotiating period in NBA history, a person with knowledge of the offer told CBSSports.com.
The interest Johnson has generated, particularly from the Knicks, Bulls, Heat, Mavericks and Clippers, forced the Hawks' hand and resulted in the first of many surprises anticipated in the feeding frenzy over LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and other marquee players who hit the market a minute after the stroke of midnight.
Johnson agreed to meet with a contingent of Knicks officials led by his former coach in Phoenix, Mike D'Antoni, in Los Angeles shortly after official contact was permitted by league rules. The Knicks, who also plan to meet with free-agent shooting guard Mike Miller and D'Antoni's former power forward in Phoenix, Amar'e Stoudemire, are hoping to gage the desire of potential running mates before a Thursday meeting with James and his team of advisers, which is expected to take place near James' home in Akron, Ohio.
Johnson’s intentions have been difficult to read, with sources indicating that he’s been intent on hearing what other teams have to say before deciding whether to return to Atlanta. But the additional $25-plus million that Atlanta can offer him, with bigger raises and a sixth year, is expected to speak volumes in his decision. It would be a huge commitment on the Hawks’ part, one that would price Johnson’s many suitors out of the market.
It’s feasible that the max offer could simply be parlayed into a sign-and-trade arrangement, with Johnson going to the Knicks or Clippers, believed to be his two most likely destinations if he were to leave the Hawks. But if that’s the case, why would Atlanta show its cards this early? If they were preparing for Johnson to leave, they’d wait for him to bring offers to them and then react. Not the case here.
If Johnson stays, the options for teams in pursuit of LeBron are diminished exponentially. A wild card for the Knicks would be to sell LeBron on coming to New York and letting him recruit Johnson to join him. But short of landing LeBron, the Knicks’ chances of landing Johnson with a five-year deal – the most they could offer – would be close to zero. Not only would Johnson be insane to leave that much money on the table at this stage of his career – he’d be 34 in the sixth year of the Hawks’ deal – but his personality is such that he wouldn’t want to be the consolation prize for LeBron in New York. Being a franchise player has never been Johnson’s desire or strong suit, much less in the glare of New York.
With the free-agency free-for-all now upon us, here’s the rest of the buzz culled from team executives and agents throughout the day:
UPDATED 12:54 a.m.
* The Heat and Cavs expressed immediate interest in center Brendan Haywood, with the interest level from the Cavs described as "very high." Cleveland will need a center to replace free agent Shaquille O'Neal, and a person with knowledge of the negotations said a double sign-and-trade scenario was brewing that would result in the Cavs and Mavs exchanging Haywood for O'Neal. "That's got legs," the person said. Miami, in hot pursuit of one of the elite free-agent power forwards, also is after Haywood as a center to play alongside.
UPDATED 10:58 p.m. ET
* Atlanta's decision to max out Johnson means restricted free agent Josh Childress, who had been playing in Greece, stands to score big in free agency because there's no chance the Hawks will match given their expected commitment to Johnson, sources say. Though Childress left the Hawks for Greece two summer ago, his restricted free-agent status remains frozen on the NBA clock and the Hawks still have the right to match any offer sheet.
* Point guard Raymond Felton and shooting guard Mike Miller are expected to be early mid-level targets of the Knicks, who will pursue them simultaneously while courting LeBron, Johnson and other more decorated stars. Short of dumping Eddy Curry's $11.3 million salary, that's a sign of a possible backup strategy if the Knicks lose out on LeBron: get a commitment from a point guard or a shooter, use that acquisition to entice one of the top free agents, and keep power forward David Lee.
* Amid conflicting reports as to whether the Knicks will try to meet with Amar'e Stoudemire while in Los Angeles to court Johnson, a person with direct knowledge of the situation said no such meeting had been set up by late Wednesday night. Stoudemire is said to be wary of joining the Knicks if they are not able to land one of the top-tier free agents.
UPDATED 8:30 p.m. ET
* In a surprising move, Spurs forward Richard Jefferson opted out of his contract, leaving $15 million on the table and a lot of people sitting around tables scratching their heads. Jefferson never fit as well as anticipated in San Antonio's system and culture, but his decision seems to be, believe it or not, financially motivated. It's a calculated gamble based on the expectation that the new CBA will dramatically reduce his earning potential on a new contract next summer. Although Jefferson will never make $15 million a year again, he obviously believes he'll do better in the long run by signing a multi-year deal this summer under the current rules as opposed to waiting for the uncertainty of next summer. Even with Jefferson's $15 million coming off the Spurs' books, they still don't have cap money to spend on free agents. But Jefferson's decision frees them from luxury-tax jeopardy for now.
• Stoudemire’s decision to invoke his early-termination option and become a free agent Wednesday was a foregone conclusion, but the line of communication between Suns owner Robert Sarver and Stoudemire’s agent, Happy Walters, remains open. Sarver, Walters, coach Alvin Gentry and Stoudemire met Tuesday night in Los Angeles to continue negotiations on an extension. Sarver and Walters followed up on the phone Wednesday, but the Suns’ offer still hadn’t reached the max level. Stoudemire, meanwhile, has no free-agent visits scheduled as the teams with the most cap space are focusing on the big prizes first – LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer will come into play quickly once the options for the Big Three become apparent. Stoudemire, according to a source, is open to meeting with the Knicks out of respect for his former coach, Mike D’Antoni. But the Knicks are completely focused on making their pitch to LeBron Thursday in Akron.
• In an online video discussing the arrival of July 1, Bosh said he’ll probably be in Dallas awaiting offers . Since Bosh recently cut his dreadlocks, it’s not clear how long ago the video was shot. A person with knowledge of the top free agents’ itinerary said the Knicks were planning to meet with Wade and Bosh in New York Friday. None of the visits have officially been confirmed, and one person involved in the process said everything is subject to change once the pitches begin.
• Three free agents who are not named James, Wade or Bosh are expected to attract significant interest: David Lee, Rudy Gay and Steve Blake. Teams know that the Knicks cannot sign two max players and retain Lee, whose rights must be renounced before July 8 in order to clear enough space. The Knicks hope Lee will wait while they explore their top priorities, but Lee is expected to be in demand in the meantime. Gay, a restricted free agent, could see some immediate offer sheets because teams will want to start the clock ticking on Memphis’ seven-day period in which they can match. Blake is a good mid-priced option in an otherwise weak point-guard market at a time when numerous teams are seeking point guards. Free-agent Raymond Felton is expected to be seeking an offer similar to the six-year, $42 million he turned down last year, and Blake could be had for roughly half the price. One of the first inquiries is expected to come from the Lakers, who view Blake as a reasonably priced upgrade over Jordan Farmar as a backup to Derek Fisher and eventual starter. Indiana is a potential destination for Farmar, sources say.
• Chris Paul notwithstanding, the wild card in the point-guard market remains Tony Parker. Once source said the Spurs are “hellbent on moving him,” but that will take time to play out. The Knicks are the most likely destination for Parker, but they need to address their top priority – LeBron – before they go down that road.
• The Trail Blazers’ GM position remains Danny Ferry’s job to turn down, and that’s exactly what Ferry is expected to do, a high-level coaching source familiar with the situation said. The meddling ownership elements that resulted in the demise of Kevin Pritchard and Tom Penn are still in place, and that’s a concern for Ferry, who may not be eager to step back into such a situation after an exhausting experience in Cleveland.
• Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey is the only candidate to have interviewed for the Suns’ opening, sources say. Phoenix is focused on re-signing Stoudemire before further addressing the job vacated by Steve Kerr.
The interest Johnson has generated, particularly from the Knicks, Bulls, Heat, Mavericks and Clippers, forced the Hawks' hand and resulted in the first of many surprises anticipated in the feeding frenzy over LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and other marquee players who hit the market a minute after the stroke of midnight.
Johnson agreed to meet with a contingent of Knicks officials led by his former coach in Phoenix, Mike D'Antoni, in Los Angeles shortly after official contact was permitted by league rules. The Knicks, who also plan to meet with free-agent shooting guard Mike Miller and D'Antoni's former power forward in Phoenix, Amar'e Stoudemire, are hoping to gage the desire of potential running mates before a Thursday meeting with James and his team of advisers, which is expected to take place near James' home in Akron, Ohio.
Johnson’s intentions have been difficult to read, with sources indicating that he’s been intent on hearing what other teams have to say before deciding whether to return to Atlanta. But the additional $25-plus million that Atlanta can offer him, with bigger raises and a sixth year, is expected to speak volumes in his decision. It would be a huge commitment on the Hawks’ part, one that would price Johnson’s many suitors out of the market.
It’s feasible that the max offer could simply be parlayed into a sign-and-trade arrangement, with Johnson going to the Knicks or Clippers, believed to be his two most likely destinations if he were to leave the Hawks. But if that’s the case, why would Atlanta show its cards this early? If they were preparing for Johnson to leave, they’d wait for him to bring offers to them and then react. Not the case here.
If Johnson stays, the options for teams in pursuit of LeBron are diminished exponentially. A wild card for the Knicks would be to sell LeBron on coming to New York and letting him recruit Johnson to join him. But short of landing LeBron, the Knicks’ chances of landing Johnson with a five-year deal – the most they could offer – would be close to zero. Not only would Johnson be insane to leave that much money on the table at this stage of his career – he’d be 34 in the sixth year of the Hawks’ deal – but his personality is such that he wouldn’t want to be the consolation prize for LeBron in New York. Being a franchise player has never been Johnson’s desire or strong suit, much less in the glare of New York.
With the free-agency free-for-all now upon us, here’s the rest of the buzz culled from team executives and agents throughout the day:
UPDATED 12:54 a.m.
* The Heat and Cavs expressed immediate interest in center Brendan Haywood, with the interest level from the Cavs described as "very high." Cleveland will need a center to replace free agent Shaquille O'Neal, and a person with knowledge of the negotations said a double sign-and-trade scenario was brewing that would result in the Cavs and Mavs exchanging Haywood for O'Neal. "That's got legs," the person said. Miami, in hot pursuit of one of the elite free-agent power forwards, also is after Haywood as a center to play alongside.
UPDATED 10:58 p.m. ET
* Atlanta's decision to max out Johnson means restricted free agent Josh Childress, who had been playing in Greece, stands to score big in free agency because there's no chance the Hawks will match given their expected commitment to Johnson, sources say. Though Childress left the Hawks for Greece two summer ago, his restricted free-agent status remains frozen on the NBA clock and the Hawks still have the right to match any offer sheet.
* Point guard Raymond Felton and shooting guard Mike Miller are expected to be early mid-level targets of the Knicks, who will pursue them simultaneously while courting LeBron, Johnson and other more decorated stars. Short of dumping Eddy Curry's $11.3 million salary, that's a sign of a possible backup strategy if the Knicks lose out on LeBron: get a commitment from a point guard or a shooter, use that acquisition to entice one of the top free agents, and keep power forward David Lee.
* Amid conflicting reports as to whether the Knicks will try to meet with Amar'e Stoudemire while in Los Angeles to court Johnson, a person with direct knowledge of the situation said no such meeting had been set up by late Wednesday night. Stoudemire is said to be wary of joining the Knicks if they are not able to land one of the top-tier free agents.
UPDATED 8:30 p.m. ET
* In a surprising move, Spurs forward Richard Jefferson opted out of his contract, leaving $15 million on the table and a lot of people sitting around tables scratching their heads. Jefferson never fit as well as anticipated in San Antonio's system and culture, but his decision seems to be, believe it or not, financially motivated. It's a calculated gamble based on the expectation that the new CBA will dramatically reduce his earning potential on a new contract next summer. Although Jefferson will never make $15 million a year again, he obviously believes he'll do better in the long run by signing a multi-year deal this summer under the current rules as opposed to waiting for the uncertainty of next summer. Even with Jefferson's $15 million coming off the Spurs' books, they still don't have cap money to spend on free agents. But Jefferson's decision frees them from luxury-tax jeopardy for now.
• Stoudemire’s decision to invoke his early-termination option and become a free agent Wednesday was a foregone conclusion, but the line of communication between Suns owner Robert Sarver and Stoudemire’s agent, Happy Walters, remains open. Sarver, Walters, coach Alvin Gentry and Stoudemire met Tuesday night in Los Angeles to continue negotiations on an extension. Sarver and Walters followed up on the phone Wednesday, but the Suns’ offer still hadn’t reached the max level. Stoudemire, meanwhile, has no free-agent visits scheduled as the teams with the most cap space are focusing on the big prizes first – LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer will come into play quickly once the options for the Big Three become apparent. Stoudemire, according to a source, is open to meeting with the Knicks out of respect for his former coach, Mike D’Antoni. But the Knicks are completely focused on making their pitch to LeBron Thursday in Akron.
• In an online video discussing the arrival of July 1, Bosh said he’ll probably be in Dallas awaiting offers . Since Bosh recently cut his dreadlocks, it’s not clear how long ago the video was shot. A person with knowledge of the top free agents’ itinerary said the Knicks were planning to meet with Wade and Bosh in New York Friday. None of the visits have officially been confirmed, and one person involved in the process said everything is subject to change once the pitches begin.
• Three free agents who are not named James, Wade or Bosh are expected to attract significant interest: David Lee, Rudy Gay and Steve Blake. Teams know that the Knicks cannot sign two max players and retain Lee, whose rights must be renounced before July 8 in order to clear enough space. The Knicks hope Lee will wait while they explore their top priorities, but Lee is expected to be in demand in the meantime. Gay, a restricted free agent, could see some immediate offer sheets because teams will want to start the clock ticking on Memphis’ seven-day period in which they can match. Blake is a good mid-priced option in an otherwise weak point-guard market at a time when numerous teams are seeking point guards. Free-agent Raymond Felton is expected to be seeking an offer similar to the six-year, $42 million he turned down last year, and Blake could be had for roughly half the price. One of the first inquiries is expected to come from the Lakers, who view Blake as a reasonably priced upgrade over Jordan Farmar as a backup to Derek Fisher and eventual starter. Indiana is a potential destination for Farmar, sources say.
• Chris Paul notwithstanding, the wild card in the point-guard market remains Tony Parker. Once source said the Spurs are “hellbent on moving him,” but that will take time to play out. The Knicks are the most likely destination for Parker, but they need to address their top priority – LeBron – before they go down that road.
• The Trail Blazers’ GM position remains Danny Ferry’s job to turn down, and that’s exactly what Ferry is expected to do, a high-level coaching source familiar with the situation said. The meddling ownership elements that resulted in the demise of Kevin Pritchard and Tom Penn are still in place, and that’s a concern for Ferry, who may not be eager to step back into such a situation after an exhausting experience in Cleveland.
• Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey is the only candidate to have interviewed for the Suns’ opening, sources say. Phoenix is focused on re-signing Stoudemire before further addressing the job vacated by Steve Kerr.