Hooped Up

All of a sudden Corey Magettte is the prettiest girl at the high school dance.  The latest team looking to court the swingman is the San Antonio Spurs.  My question is, why don’t the Clippers just become apart of the NBDL farm system.  I know Baron Davis is on board but, this club is always hemorrhaging young talent over and over again.  

Two seasons after the Spurs unsuccessfully tried to trade for Corey Maggette, they appear to be trying to recruit him. According to two NBA sources, one in the Western Conference and one in the East, the Spurs are preparing to make an offer to Maggette, who became an unrestricted free agent Tuesday when he opted out of the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

The San Antonio Express-News

The Clippers lured away the Warriors best player.

Now Golden State is hoping to return the favor.

Flush with cap space after Davis’ sudden exit, the Warriors have offered free agent Elton Brand a five-year deal worth between $85 and $90 million, according to league source.

Brand, like Davis, opted out of the final year of his contract just before Monday’s deadline, giving up a guaranteed $16.4 million for next season

SF Gate

Bulls backup point guard Chris Duhon, during a visit to the Knicks’ Westchester campus on Day 1 of free agency yesterday, met with coach Mike D’Antoni and was offered a two-year contract believed to be more than $7 million, according to league sources.

Duhon was mulling the offer last night and could accept as soon as today.

The Knicks have proclaimed they do not want to go beyond two years on any signing so as not to compromise their chances of getting under the salary cap in 2010. That amount is a good chunk of the annual $5.5 million mid-level exception.

New York Post

On the first day of free agency in the NBA, the world champion Celtics, according to an NBA source, made contract offers to both Posey and Maggette. Since Boston, at most, has a mid-level exception available (expected to be about $5.8 million), it would seem doubtful they could land both players. Boston is also scheduled have New Orleans center Chris Andersen in for a visit today.

“I called [Posey] and just talked to him and told him how much we wanted him back,” Ainge said. “I told his agent and we had a conversation. So we’re still having conversations. After James, yeah, I called a lot of guys just to say that we had interest. But I can’t discuss names.”

Maggette, however, confirmed yesterday he was one of those names.

“I was very surprised they called. They just came off a championship,” said Maggette in a phone interview.

Boston Globe

Smith’s remarkable fourth season included averages of 17.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.5 steals. Coming out of Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. in 2004, he originally committed to Indiana University before becoming the No. 17 pick in the 2004 draft. And he won’t turn 23 until December. All that is why the 76ers, who have about $11.5 million in salary-cap space available, have invited Smith and his representatives to visit today. He and agents Brian Dyke and Wallace Prowther visited yesterday with the Hawks and newly minted general manager Rick Sund, who has said repeatedly that ownership plans to match any offers made to Smith and his restricted free-agent teammate, Josh Childress, the No. 6 overall pick in ‘04.

Philadelphia Daily News

Well…That was easy.  Baron Davis is Stales center bound just hours into free agency.

Baron Davis? Are you kidding me?One of the toughest point guards in a point-guard league, bought for $65 million by a team desperately in need of a point guard?One of the coolest Los Angeles kids, with connections from hellholes to Hollywood, returning home in hip glasses and a nasty crossover?A former UCLA Bruin, who knows Magic Johnson as well as he knows the Eight Clap, coming back to hang out with Adam Sandler?Baron Davis? To the Clippers? 

LA Times

Straight outta, Canberra, Australia Emily Scott is an Australian commercial, lingerie and glamour model.  In February 2007, Scott was announced as “Sexiest Aussie Babe” by FHM Australia after a readers` poll. In fact she is so sexy that dingos would not eat her babies.

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There is no doubt that James Posey was a difference maker off the bench for the Boston Celtics in the Finals.  Now he wants to be paid that way and the Celtics really want him back.  It’s safe to say that Posey can go right ahead and pre-order those extra green and white mouth pieces anytime now.

For the NBA champion Celtics, free agency begins today with James Posey as the primary focus. Most other personnel matters will be handled after Posey’s situation is settled. One move was made last night when the franchise failed to make Tony Allen a qualifying offer, thus making the guard an unrestricted free agent, according to his agent, Mike Higgins. The arrival of draft picks J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker definitely hurt Allen’s chances to return to Boston. 

Boston Globe 

B-Diddy might still be in California when the NBA season starts according to the Washington Post.  LA’s other team the Clippers, are interested in acquiring the former all-star and California native. 

The word on the street is that Baron Davis, a Los Angeles native, has a deal in place with the Clippers where he would join forces with Elton Brand. According to my sources, Arenas will likely remain a Wizard but the question is whether he will take less than the max in order to help the team remain under the luxury tax threshold (expected to be around $71 million) and help Ernie Grunfeld make more moves.

Washington Post 

In the wee hours of the morning — or the reasonable hours of the morning in Spain — the Raptors reached an agreement with point guard Jose Calderon, a restricted free agent. The source of that news: Calderon himself.

“Early this morning, through my agents, I reached a preliminary agreement with the Toronto Raptors,” Calderon said on his Web site. “I want to thank [president and general manager] Bryan Colangelo, [assistant general manager] Maurizio Gherardini, [head coach] Sam Mitchell and all of the Raptors family for the confidence that they have placed in me. I am sure that together we are going to achieve big things in the future.”

The free agency negotiation period started Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. ET. Players, however, cannot officially sign their deals until July 9. However, players are free to talk about the completion of deals, even if teams are wary of doing so.

National Post