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Would Kobe bolt to the Clips next summer?
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Tuesday, October 28
Despite the escalating rhetoric in the Shaq-Kobe civil war, don't expect the Lakers to go out and trade Kobe any time soon. With Kobe's rape trial still pending, his value is as low as it will ever be -- unless the Blazers are interested.
GM Mitch Kupchak said that he didn't receive one call on Monday from a GM interested in trading for Kobe.
"They know better," Kupchak told the L.A. Times.
Still, the Times reported that one of Kobe's representatives was recently overheard telling Clips coach Mike Dunleavy, "Save that cap space."
Kobe a Clipper? It does make some sense. First, he wouldn't have to worry about Donald Sterling bringing in another player to steal the spotlight.
Two, it would make for some serious drama when the teams played each other four times a year in the Staples Center.
Finally, the Clips are one of the few teams that would have the cash to re-sign him. With a few creative moves this summer, the team could get around $12 million under the cap
That would still be a $2.5 million pay cut. But if things are really that bad with Phil and the Lakers . . .
Around the League
Desmond Mason became just the second player from the draft class of 2000 to sign a multi-year extension with his team. Mason reportedly signed a three-year extension worth $21.7 million. Mason will make $6.429 million next year, $7.233 million in 2005 and $8.037 million in 2006.
Mason"Going through the whole process of negotiation was a little stressful," Mason told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It goes back and forth, back and forth. But we came to a compromise and I think it was fair for both sides. In Seattle, we talked about being there for a long time and they told me they wanted myself and Rashard and Vladimir and some of those guys to be the core for that team in the future. But they made their changes and things happened and things changed.
"We had talked for about a year straight with Howard Schultz and Rick Sund and all those guys about what the future holds. I had talks with both of those guys about the future and then they make a trade. There's no hard feelings anymore. I'm here and we got the deal done and me and my wife will be here for a while."
The Celtics decided to pick up Kedrick Brown's fourth-year option on Monday. Then he found out that coach Jim O'Brien had named him the starter at small forward for opening night.
Brown"It's a big day for me," said Brown. "I was worrying about it a little bit, since everybody started talking about it. Now I just have to go out there and play ball."
The Nets picked up their options on Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins on Monday as well. The Bulls picked up their options on Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry on Monday. The Suns locked up Joe Johnson, and the Sixers' in a surprise move decided to keep Samuel Dalmbert around for another season.
Rockets forward Eddie Griffin, Cavs center DeSagana Diop, Nuggets swingman Rodney White, Magic center Steven Hunter, Hornets forward Kirk Haston, Raptors forward Michael Bradley and Nets guard Brandon Armstrong are the only players left from the draft class of 2001 who still haven't had their options picked up.
One league source told Insider on Friday that it's still very likely that the Rockets will pick up Griffin. However, after his latest brush with the law, the Rockets must be seriously rethinking that.
"We're concerned with him and his actions and his behavior, and we want what's best for him," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy told the Houston Chronicle. "But we also have a team to look after, so all those factors enter into the decision making. It's up to Eddie as far as his actions. But it's up to our organization to determine if he's doing what we think (he should)."
Hunter, Haston and Armstrong have no real chance of getting their options picked up.
The deadline for teams to pick up their fourth year option is Friday.
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Tuesday, October 28
Despite the escalating rhetoric in the Shaq-Kobe civil war, don't expect the Lakers to go out and trade Kobe any time soon. With Kobe's rape trial still pending, his value is as low as it will ever be -- unless the Blazers are interested.
GM Mitch Kupchak said that he didn't receive one call on Monday from a GM interested in trading for Kobe.
"They know better," Kupchak told the L.A. Times.
Still, the Times reported that one of Kobe's representatives was recently overheard telling Clips coach Mike Dunleavy, "Save that cap space."
Kobe a Clipper? It does make some sense. First, he wouldn't have to worry about Donald Sterling bringing in another player to steal the spotlight.
Two, it would make for some serious drama when the teams played each other four times a year in the Staples Center.
Finally, the Clips are one of the few teams that would have the cash to re-sign him. With a few creative moves this summer, the team could get around $12 million under the cap
That would still be a $2.5 million pay cut. But if things are really that bad with Phil and the Lakers . . .
Around the League
Desmond Mason became just the second player from the draft class of 2000 to sign a multi-year extension with his team. Mason reportedly signed a three-year extension worth $21.7 million. Mason will make $6.429 million next year, $7.233 million in 2005 and $8.037 million in 2006.
Mason"Going through the whole process of negotiation was a little stressful," Mason told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It goes back and forth, back and forth. But we came to a compromise and I think it was fair for both sides. In Seattle, we talked about being there for a long time and they told me they wanted myself and Rashard and Vladimir and some of those guys to be the core for that team in the future. But they made their changes and things happened and things changed.
"We had talked for about a year straight with Howard Schultz and Rick Sund and all those guys about what the future holds. I had talks with both of those guys about the future and then they make a trade. There's no hard feelings anymore. I'm here and we got the deal done and me and my wife will be here for a while."
The Celtics decided to pick up Kedrick Brown's fourth-year option on Monday. Then he found out that coach Jim O'Brien had named him the starter at small forward for opening night.
Brown"It's a big day for me," said Brown. "I was worrying about it a little bit, since everybody started talking about it. Now I just have to go out there and play ball."
The Nets picked up their options on Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins on Monday as well. The Bulls picked up their options on Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry on Monday. The Suns locked up Joe Johnson, and the Sixers' in a surprise move decided to keep Samuel Dalmbert around for another season.
Rockets forward Eddie Griffin, Cavs center DeSagana Diop, Nuggets swingman Rodney White, Magic center Steven Hunter, Hornets forward Kirk Haston, Raptors forward Michael Bradley and Nets guard Brandon Armstrong are the only players left from the draft class of 2001 who still haven't had their options picked up.
One league source told Insider on Friday that it's still very likely that the Rockets will pick up Griffin. However, after his latest brush with the law, the Rockets must be seriously rethinking that.
"We're concerned with him and his actions and his behavior, and we want what's best for him," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy told the Houston Chronicle. "But we also have a team to look after, so all those factors enter into the decision making. It's up to Eddie as far as his actions. But it's up to our organization to determine if he's doing what we think (he should)."
Hunter, Haston and Armstrong have no real chance of getting their options picked up.
The deadline for teams to pick up their fourth year option is Friday.
