Jason Kidd talked to Dirk Nowitzki on Wednesday to inform him the duo that had teamed for an NBA championship would be together for three more years. Then, something happened. "I went out to play golf and I just didn't feel right," Kidd said Friday. "I talked to my wife and to Jeff [Schwartz, his agent] and they both said, if you don't feel comfortable, don't do it.'" So Kidd didn't. Sometimes, change is the most comfortable thing a person can do. Kidd said his switch on Thursday came with the blessing of Nowitzki and, largely, because the New York Knicks offered him a chance to further his legacy. If anybody can mold that group of talented but disconnected individuals into a team, it might just be Kidd. "I changed my mind, and Dirk understood," Kidd said. "When we talked, he said to go to New York."
Source: Dirk to Kidd "Go to New York"
Miami Heat president Pat Riley was able to get Ray Allen at a discount, convincing him to take half has much money as he was offered by the Boston Celtics.
If the Heat want to land their next free-agent target, veteran center Marcus Camby, Riley is going have to make the same sale or likely lose out to the New York Knicks.
Camby's starting point for salary, sources said, is $3 million per season on a multiyear deal. The only way for the Heat to make that work is a sign-and-trade with the Houston Rockets, who own Camby's rights. The Rockets, however, are interested in a sign-and-trade with the Knicks but not with the Heat, sources told ESPN.com.
The Knicks, sources said, have had discussions with the Rockets about Camby and the Dallas Mavericks about a sign-and-trade for free agent Jason Kidd, who agreed to join the Knicks earlier this week. The Knicks are hoping to make a sign-and-trade deal for one of them and use their $3.09 mid-level exception to sign the other.
Camby was scheduled to meet with the Heat on Saturday and the Knicks on Sunday. If Riley cannot swing a sign-and-trade with Houston, the best he can offer Camby is the veteran's minimum of about $1.4 million, less than half of what the Knicks could offer via a sign-and-trade or the mid-level.
Camby, who averaged 4.9 points and 9.0 rebounds in 59 games with the Portland Trail Blazers and Rockets last season, has other suitors, including the San Antonio Spurs. The Knicks, however, have made him a priority.
The Heat are scheduled to host veteran power forward Rashard Lewis on Sunday, who recently was bought out by the New Orleans Hornets. With Allen set to take the Heat's mid-level exception when he signs after July 11, Lewis is facing the same option in Miami as Camby.
The best the Heat can offer is the $1.4 million veteran's minimum. Lewis is not eligible for a sign-and-trade.
Source: Sources: Knicks Ahead Of Heat In Camby Chase
Darren Wolfson of ESPN Radio affiliate 1500ESPN Twin Cities reports that the Timberwolves are still hot after restricted free agent Nicolas Batum and that the only way to ensure he ends up in Minneapolis is via sign-and-trade.
According to the source, the way to get Batum here is still via a sign-and-trade. David Kahn, the Wolves' president of basketball operations, will continue to talk with the Portland Trail Blazers throughout the weekend.
One scenario involves a three-way trade with Philadelphia. Andre Iguodala would go to Portland, Derrick Williams would go as part of a package to the Sixers and Batum would come to Minnesota. So far, Portland is balking.
It may not matter who or what the Timberwolves or any other third party is offering up, because General Manager Neil Olshey told Batum and his agent, Bouna Ndiaye, that he plans on keeping this 23-year-old Frenchman in the red, black, and white, according to The Oregonian's Jason Quick.
"We appreciated the face-to-face meeting to get our message across," Olshey said. "And that message was that we intend to match any offer and we will not facilitate any sign-and-trade scenarios."
For the record, Williams averaged 8.8 points, on .412 shooting from the field, and 4.7 rebounds in 21.5 minutes of action per game during his rookie season. On the other hand, Iguodala, in his eighth NBA season (all with the 76ers), put up 12.4 points, on .454 shooting from the floor, 6.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.7 steals in 35.6 minutes per night. Coincidentally enough, both players came to the NBA via the University of Arizona.
Source: Three-Way Trade Could Land Andre Iguodala In Portland
LAS VEGAS -- There are plenty of skeptics who believe that because of Derrick Rose's knee injury, the Chicago Bulls have suddenly fallen from the ranks of the championship caliber teams in the NBA. Kobe Bryant isn't among them.
"Why wouldn't I?" Bryant said after Team USA's first practice Friday afternoon. "You look at what they did without Rose in the lineup, you plug him into that mix what are they going to look like? No question (they still are.)"
One of the reasons Bryant is so confident the Bulls can continue to win without Rose is because of his old friend Tom Thibodeau. Bryant worked out with Thibodeau in Philadelphia while he was a teenager and Thibodeau was an NBA assistant. He knows the veteran coach will find a way to squeeze the most out of his team.
"He's a great coach," Bryant said. "I felt like the Bulls did a fantastic job this season in terms of kind of holding the fort down while he was out. You're missing such a big part of your team (without Rose), but I felt like Thibs did a great job of putting guys in a position to be successful and they really held it down for as long as they could, man. It's a shame they couldn't get out of that (first) round, but with Derrick back it's really going to improve them, obviously."
In the short term, Bryant knows he and his USA teammates are going to struggle without Rose. He believes that in the long term, the Bulls are going to be fine, though.
"Just the way he plays," Bryant said of Rose. "Everybody here has to bring their individual games to the table and it elevates us a whole by doing that and his penetration, his shooting ability which has improved tremendously, his defensive speed, his ability to get in the passing lanes, create extra possessions for us, those are all things that we'll miss."
Bryant's optimism regarding the Bulls' future was shared by other stars around the league.
"Definitely," Thunder guard Russell Westbrook said. "They've got the pieces. When he's healthy, he can do a lot of great things for his teammates. They still have the same team, I don't think they made any moves to my knowledge, but I think they'll be good."
Westbrook, a good friend of Rose's, said he had spoken to the former MVP recently.
"I talked to him a little bit," Westbrook said. "He's doing well ... Chicago don't got to worry, buddy."
That's the impression Westbrook's teammate, Kevin Durant has as well. While he hasn't spoken to Rose since his injury, he too is convinced the Bulls are still in pretty good shape.
"Yeah, a lot of people are counting them out because of D. Rose's injury," Durant acknowledged. "But Thibodeau is an unbelievable coach, they have an unbelievable system, they're defense is great and they play together."
Source: Bryant: "Bulls are still contenders"
Allen, tired of being offered as trade bait by Danny Ainge in each of the last two years, was also being offered trade security by the Celtics, either in the form of a trade kicker or a no trade clause.
But according to a league source, Allen’s request from the Celtics went beyond the pale - reportedly a demand for a three-year, $27 million contract. The Celtics, according to the source, were in the process of attempting to talk Allen down from $9 million to $6 million per year.
Source: Boston Herald: Ray Allen demanded 27 million from Celtics
Orlando, FLA. -
Local 6 Sports Director David Pingalore learned Friday night from NBA sources that the Orlando Magic are "very close" to trading center Dwight Howard.
Pingalore's sources, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the proceedings, were not ready to name the team that the Magic were tradingHoward to at this time. One source told Pingalore they were "very confident that a deal is close tobeing done." The parameters of trades can be discussed now, but they can't become official until Wednesday under NBA rules.
The sources believe that the Brooklyn Nets are out of the mix to land Howard.
The sources could not stress enough that a deal is close to being finalized and that the Magic will meet Howard'strade request to play elsewhere next season.
Brooklyn had been Howard's first choice from December, when he first asked to be traded. Howard said he will notsign an extension after this season with any team other than the Nets. The all-star center's preferred destination has been limited to just one team since the traderequest that he reiterated to new Magic GM Rob Hennigan last Friday in Los Angeles.
Pingalore's sources believe that the Los Angeles Lakers are very much in play for Howard. The Lakers reached an agreement for a sign-and-trade deal for two-time MVP point guard Steve Nash on Wednesday. A deal for Howard could result in the Lakers shipping center Andrew Bynum or power forward Pau Gasol to Orlando.
Lakers star guard Kobe Bryant was asked about Howard on Friday during a Team USA media
session in Las Vegas. "I want what's best for him,'' Bryant said. "I want him to do what he
feels is best for him, what's going to make him happy."
Kobe added after being asked about the Lakers recent roster moves, "I don't know
if we're done yet."
Source: Reportedly Orlando Magic are "very close" to Howard trade.
LAS VEGAS -- When Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose tore his ACL in the first playoff game of the postseason on April 28 against the Philadelphia 76ers, it didn't just end his hopes at a championship this season -- it ended his dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal for Team USA as well.
Rose, the starting point guard for the USA team that won the 2010 World Championships in Turkey, was expected to play a major role for Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski as the Americans prepared for the London Olympics. Now, Rose will be forced to watch the Olympics on television as he continues to rehab from his knee injury. His would-be Olympic teammates feel terrible about his situation.
"I feel so bad for him, man," Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant said after Team USA's first practice Friday afternoon. "An unfortunate injury; I wish it never happened to him. I wish he could be here with us, but it's given us more motivation to try and win it for him. We know that he belongs here, along with a few other guys as well ... hopefully, we get it done for him."
That was the sentiment shared throughout the gym. While Rose, who arrived in the Los Angeles area on Monday to continue his rehab, tries to work his way back, player after player empathized with the former MVP's plight.
"Yes, I do," Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said. "But now I can just wish him health and hopefully he's taking his time and not rushing his recovery. He's a fantastic player as we all know, so I just hope he's taking his time and I know he wishes he could be here as we all do (for him), but he's really got to take his time. He's got a long career ahead of himself so hopefully, he won't rush his road back."
Krzyzewski, who said he has left several messages for Rose, wishes the Chicago product could be on the floor with his team.
"Derrick was our starting guard in the World Championships and aside from being one of the top players in the NBA, he's one of the really good guys," the Hall of Fame coach said. "Just that big, strong, athletic guard that you need, especially in international competition. So, hopefully, his recovery is going well."
Durant knows that Rose's presence will be missed, both on and off the floor.
"Just another athletic guard that can mix it up from the one and the two, that can guard full court, that can penetrate and dish," Durant said. "But we got to worry about the guys that we have here. It's tough not having D-Rose here, just having him around, (he's) a great teammate. Playing with him (on) the 2010 team, he sacrificed a lot, he's a team player, ultimate team guy, so humble, a joy to be around. It's unfortunate that he's not here, but we got a lot of guys here that's going to fill the void."
“I definitely feel for him. He was working hard to be a part of this squad, so for him to not be here today, especially with the injury that he has, it saddens a lot of guys here because we know that D-Rose would have been a valuable piece to this team.”
-- Kevin Love on Derrick Rose
Durant, along with Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, were just a few of the guys Rose worked out with in the summer over the past few years. They know it's been tough for Rose to sit and watch.
"I definitely feel for him," Love said. "He was working hard to be a part of this squad, so for him to not be here today, especially with the injury that he has, it saddens a lot of guys here because we know that D-Rose would have been a valuable piece to this team."
Love knows that Rose's void will be tough to fill, but like the rest of his teammates, he remained confident that Team USA could still win gold in London.
"Everything he brings to the table," Love said, when asked what they'd miss without Rose on the roster. "He's an MVP-caliber player year in and year out. He's a heady point guard, he's really explosive, defensively he's great, so he's a guy that can really fill it up and he just kind of fits the mold for Team USA."
While Bryant never has torn an ACL in his knee, a fact he noted by knocking a clenched fist on his head for luck, he feels for the type of rehab Rose is going through, having dealt with plenty of injuries of his own.
"Sure," Bryant said. "I think it was the World Games that were coming up that I had to miss because I had my knee scoped and you miss all the energy that the guys are having, the fun that they're having, the competitiveness in practice and in games and you miss that and you wish you could be a part of it. Hopefully the next time the Olympics rolls around, he'll have his opportunity."
To that point, Team USA chairman Jerry Colangelo said that Rose will have a chance to continue to be a part of the national team as long he wants to.
"Derrick has been a terrific USA basketball guy," Colangelo said. "And depending on his interest, we certainly want to keep him involved as long as he wants to be."
Like the rest of his staff, Colangelo couldn't believe that Rose went down.
"I felt terrible at the time," Colangelo recalled. "Derrick is such a great kid and such a competitor. When you're in world competition and you're representing your country, you want a lot of guys around you in a foxhole that you really can count on. Derrick Rose is one of those guys.
"It was such an unusual injury, it wasn't a collision, it wasn't anything other than, it gave way. Hopefully he can come back and come back better than ever."
Source: Team USA players miss Bulls G Derrick Rose
MIAMI (AP)
Ray Allen will take less money for a chance at another NBA championship.
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Allen told the Miami Heat on Friday night that he intends to accept their contract offer and leave Boston after five seasons, even though the Celtics could pay him about twice as much as the reigning NBA champions will be able to next season. Miami could only offer Allen the mini mid-level, worth about $3 million a year.
Heat owner Micky Arison tweeted the news just after 9:30 p.m., or about 2:30 a.m. Saturday in Europe, where Arison has been for several days.
''I was just woken up with great news,'' Arison wrote. ''Welcome to the family.'' Arison ended the tweet by making mention of Allen's jersey No. 20, and didn't mention the NBA's leading 3-point shooter by name.
A person briefed on details of the decision told The Associated Press that Arison got the word from Heat President Pat Riley, who made Allen the team's top free-agent priority - especially in recent days. Allen, who will be 37 this month, arrived in Miami on Thursday for a visit, went to dinner with Riley, coach Erik Spoelstra, team executive Alonzo Mourning and others Thursday night, then left Friday to presumably decide his future.
Source: G Ray Allen chooses Heat over Celtics, ending Boston's big three era
