Joe Smith signs with the Chicago Bulls/Ime Udoka to sign with San Antonio Spurs

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Joe Smith chooses Bulls over Sixers

By David Aldridge
Inquirer Staff Writer
PARTNER OFFER

LAS VEGAS - The 76ers lost out on their top off-season priority Friday night, with free-agent forward Joe Smith agreeing to a two-year, $10 million deal with the Chicago Bulls.

The Sixers had been pleasantly surprised with the 31-year-old Smith, the former first pick overall in the 1995 draft, who was a piece in the Allen Iverson trade with the Denver Nuggets last winter.

Smith played in 54 games with the Sixers, averaging 9.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 25 minutes a game. But he quickly became a solid presence in the locker room and a teacher to some of the team's younger players, and president and general manager Billy King wanted very badly to re-sign him.

"Philly really couldn't come up with the same package," said Dan Fegan, Smith's agent. "We tried. I really like both of those groups. We wouldn't have sent him to another team if the dollars were the same."

The Sixers' best offer was a three-year deal for $10 million.

The Bulls had been interested in Smith from the beginning of the free-agent process, looking for a veteran big man to come off the bench. Chicago also re-signed its own restricted free agent, Andres Nocioni, to a $38 million deal earlier in the week.

Also, free-agent center Mikki Moore accepted a three-year deal with the Sacramento Kings. Moore was one of the more coveted big men available, but the 76ers were more interested in either re-signing Smith or signing center Darko Milicic, who agreed to a three-year deal with Memphis for $21 million.

A source indicated that Milicic may have come to the Sixers on a two-year agreement if he had not gotten the three-year deal in Memphis.


Bulls remain a powerhous in the east...


PG Kirk Hinrich...Chris Duhon/Jamson Curry
SG Ben Gordon... Thabo Sefolosha/Adrian Griffin
SF Luol Deng...Andres Nocioni/Viktor Khryapa
PF Tyrus Thomas...Joe Smith
C Ben Wallace...Joakim Noah/Aaron Gray



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Spurs in negotiations with Udoka

Posted By: Mike Bachmann

According to a report out of Portland, the Spurs have interest in Portland guard Ime Udoka. Mike Barrett, the Portland Trailblazers play-by-play announcer, wrote on his blog Friday, "It appears that Ime Udoka has received a very strong offer from the San Antonio Spurs." Barrett goes on to write that it would be a 3-year contract worth about $3 million a year. To read the blog entry, click here.

News 4 also talked with Udoka's agent, Erin Cowan. He says that while the Spurs have shown interest, they have not extended an offer as of 5:30 Friday night. Cowan also said that he expected his client to make a decision soon.

Udoka started 75 games for Portland last year. He's a 6-foot, 5-inch guard that averaged 8 points a game for the Trailblazers last year, and has averaged 40% from 3-point range for his career.

The Spurs think Udoka is the next Bruce Bowen on the defensive end!

PG Tony Parker... Jaque Vaughn/Beno Udrih
SG Manu Ginobli...Michael Finley/Brent Barry
SF Bruce Bowen...Ime Udoka/James White
PF Tim Duncan...Robert Horry/Matt Bonner
C Frabricio Oberto...Francisco Elson/Tiago Splitter

The champs will be dethroned...

[GangstaBoogy]

Why isn't PJ Brown on the roster, did he opt out or soemthin?

Ime Udoka is a great pickup. I always wanted the Lakers to bring him back.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Why isn't PJ Brown on the roster, did he opt out or soemthin?

Ime Udoka is a great pickup. I always wanted the Lakers to bring him back.

PJ Brown is a free agent...

[wcsoldier]

SAS is crazy to give up Scola to Houston (though apparently Scola didn't want to be Duncan backup)... Scola and Yao can do some damages

[Antonio_]

Why isn't PJ Brown on the roster, did he opt out or soemthin?

Ime Udoka is a great pickup. I always wanted the Lakers to bring him back.

PJ Brown is a free agent...

.....we should sign with the vets min.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Why isn't PJ Brown on the roster, did he opt out or soemthin?

Ime Udoka is a great pickup. I always wanted the Lakers to bring him back.

PJ Brown is a free agent...

.....we should sign with the vets min.

I agree...I want either him or Mihm for the vets min.

[wcsoldier]

^^^^ Mihm will come back.. once he realizes no team gonna give the amount of money he wants

[Antonio_]

Unlike some of you all i like Mihm. Shit he averaged 10+ points 2 years ago. We def need a guy who can score inside.

[Bay Area Jat]

lmao at joe smith being the 76ers top offseason priority

[GangstaBoogy]

^ I loved Mihm. But he just sat out 105 games in the last 2 seasons and has the nerve to ask for 5 million a season. If he gets his head on straight I'd be happy to see him back.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Unlike some of you all i like Mihm. Shit he averaged 10+ points 2 years ago. We def need a guy who can score inside.

I've been liking Mihm...I remember he was our 2nd scoring option in a lot of scenarios before he got injured.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

lmao at joe smith being the 76ers top offseason priority

LOL...AND they failed.

[Antonio_]

^ I loved Mihm. But he just sat out 105 games in the last 2 seasons and has the nerve to ask for 5 million a season. If he gets his head on straight I'd be happy to see him back.

What's wrong with him asking money? If nobody will give them to him, he'll accept less.

[Antonio_]

Unlike some of you all i like Mihm. Shit he averaged 10+ points 2 years ago. We def need a guy who can score inside.

I've been liking Mihm...I remember he was our 2nd scoring option in a lot of scenarios before he got injured.

Exactly. Actually he was the only one scoring 10+ a day other than Kobe at one point of the season.

[Don Jacob]

i'm pretty sure Noah will be playing more Power than he will center or at least he shoudl be, til big ben is out of there.