West Coast Connection Forum
Lifestyle => Sports & Entertainment => Topic started by: 'EclipZe on July 09, 2008, 08:57:34 AM
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In a sweeping and shocking turn of events, the Philadelphia 76ers emerged Tuesday as the winners in landing coveted free-agent forward Elton Brand, prying him away from the Clippers.
Brand reached a verbal agreement with the 76ers on Tuesday for five years and about $82 million, spurning a comparable offer from the Clippers, according to multiple NBA sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on player movements.
In a day of wheeling and dealing, the Golden State Warriors also reached a verbal agreement with Corey Maggette, the Clippers' leading scorer last season, for a five-year deal worth about $50 million, Maggette said.
Deals can be announced starting today with the lifting of the NBA's moratorium and the salary cap penciled in at $58.68 million.
In turn, the Clippers will now have an abundant amount of salary cap space and are expected to turn their pursuits toward Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith, who they are expected to meet with in Los Angeles today, and Charlotte Bobcats forward Emeka Okafor.
Both, however, are less experienced than Brand and are restricted free agents, meaning any contract offer can be matched by their current teams.
The defections are not expected to affect the Clippers' acquisition of free-agent point guard Baron Davis, who agreed to a five-year, $65-million contract after opting out from his contract with the Warriors last week.
"It doesn't affect it," said Todd Ramasar, Davis' agent, who added his client was disappointed he won't be playing alongside Brand. "Baron made a commitment to the Clippers."
So, apparently, did Brand before suddenly changing his mind.
Last week, Brand reportedly had neared a verbal agreement with the Clippers for five years and $70 million.
Brand and David Falk, his agent, had said earlier that the player's decision to opt out of the final year of his Clippers contract would be made with the notion of freeing up cap space for the Clippers to land a proven point guard. Brand and Falk have not been reached for comment since then.
Enter Davis.
And exit Brand, who also reportedly received a hefty contract offer from the Golden State Warriors for five years and $90 million.
The Clippers upped their offer to Brand on Tuesday, agreeing to renounce their rights to several players and bumping it up to five years and $81 million.
But there was no bite from Brand, who was in Philadelphia at dinner with 76ers personnel, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.
"I thought that we made some moves that had the chance to get a great team on the court," Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy said, adding he hadn't been able to contact Brand since Thursday. "I thought we had a deal with Baron. I thought we had a deal with Elton. It was a big commitment from our owner. I don't know what happened with Elton. It just didn't work out."
Even as the possibility of losing Brand grew increasingly apparent Tuesday when the 76ers traded forwards Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth and a future No. 1 pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves to clear cap space for Brand, the Clippers planned a scenario to sign and trade Maggette with the hopes of acquiring a power forward, said NBA sources who weren't authorized to comment about personnel matters.
Maggette, however, proved it's time to move onto plan C.
Within an hour of news hitting that Brand had neared an agreement with Philadelphia, news broke that Maggette was entering into a deal with the Warriors.
"I really, really enjoyed the fans in Southern California," Maggette said. "I had a great opportunity being there and I will never forget the fans. I wish the Clippers would have at least gave me an opportunity and they didn't. But there's no bad blood and I wish them the best."
Maggette said he had called the Clippers asking whether they were willing to match Golden State's offer. The response, he said, was no.
The two players opted out of their contracts on the same day last week, choosing free agency. Brand left $16.4 million on the table, owed next year, and Maggette left $7 million. Now, they also find their new teams on the same day.
In seven years with the Clippers, Brand, a two-time All Star, averaged 19.2 points and 10 rebounds. He missed all but eight games last season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles' tendon.
Maggette played eight seasons with the Clippers and averaged 17.2 points. .
"Now, we'll just have to go out and find new good players," Dunleavy said.
Last week, with the news of Davis' agreement and what had appeared to be the imminent deal with Brand, the Clippers appeared on the edge of reshaping their organization with a bright eye to the future.
Just as suddenly, the edge became a circle. And the Clippers appear to be turning in it again.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clippers9-2008jul09,0,7626268.story
if clippers get okafor and smith, then BD made a nice move afterall.
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They probably only get one of them and overpay him Lewis style
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they better not get smith...
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Okafor is a nice, underrated big...Not as good as Brand, but he'll bes a good fill-in if he signs. Josh Smith, if they c an land him, could become a more valuable player than Brand in the near future, with a much higher ceiling. The Clippers aren't exactly doomed just yet.
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Okafor is a nice, underrated big...Not as good as Brand, but he'll bes a good fill-in if he signs. Josh Smith, if they c an land him, could become a more valuable player than Brand in the near future, with a much higher ceiling. The Clippers aren't exactly doomed just yet.
Okafor is from Uconn, sons a BEAST
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fuuuuuck if the clippers got josh smith ....that'd be the the FIRST clipper jersey i ever bought.
wow if they land both that wouldn't be bad at all. that'd be a crazy front court and you'd have Bdiddy in the back. clippers would be something serious again.
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^there's no way they got enough cash to sign both
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^there's no way they got enough cash to sign both
Even if they do, Sterling is not known for being a guy who is willing to spend money for a winner
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^there's no way they got enough cash to sign both
Even if they do, Sterling is not known for being a guy who is willing to spend money for a winner
well as an ATL fan, i will DIE if smith leaves lol.
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I doubt Smith leaves. They're just starting to get good.
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smith should head to bean town
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smith should head to bean town
LOL right, so he can play for the MLE
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I doubt Smith leaves. They're just starting to get good.
Of course I also doubted Davis or Brand would leave too...
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^there's no way they got enough cash to sign both
Even if they do, Sterling is not known for being a guy who is willing to spend money for a winner
well as an ATL fan, i will DIE if smith leaves lol.
you and me both lol
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Josh Smith>>Okafor
The Hawks gotta keep this dude, they have such a bright future
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Josh Smith>>Okafor
The Hawks gotta keep this dude, they have such a bright future
The Hawks are gonna match any offer he gets...
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Josh Smith>>Okafor
The Hawks gotta keep this dude, they have such a bright future
The Hawks are gonna match any offer he gets...
good. i enjoy watching them play
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If I'm their agent, I send some whores and cocaine to the Clippers' GM so they make some lucrative offers that will be matched anyways.
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If I was a GM i'd be drooling at prospect of getting Smith, dude's athleticism is just off the charts, but personally, I'd like to see him stay in Atlanta, I really like the team they've been building.
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okafor's the man
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anything ever happen wit dis?
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anything ever happen wit dis?
you'd know by now if it did.
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okafor owns you all
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anything ever happen wit dis?
you'd know by now if it did.
true.
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News about Smith:
Josh Smith is not interested in returning to the Hawks if Mike Woodson is the head coach, according to SI.com
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News about Smith:
Josh Smith is not interested in returning to the Hawks if Mike Woodson is the head coach, according to SI.com
:-X :'(
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^Time to fire Woodson. LOL.
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no they need to keep woodson so the clipps can swoop up smith. like i said i'd rock that clipper's jersey
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no they need to keep woodson so the clipps can swoop up smith. like i said i'd rock that clipper's jersey
Never rock a Clipper jersey...especially if the "rivalry" comes back.