Cap Situations: Houston

Houston Rockets Salaries

Alright, we’ll split the contracts into two sections, above and below $5 million, let’s start with the above $5 million crowd.

• Tracy McGrady – $22.48 million
• Yao Ming – $16.38 million
• Shane Battier – $6.86 million

These three contracts combine to make $45.72 million.

Shane Battier and Yao Ming both have two years left on their contracts, although Yao Ming does hold an early termination option on his deal. Tracy McGrady is an expiring contract.

Cap Situations: Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors Salaries

Alright, we’ll split the contracts into two sections, above and below $5 million, let’s start with the above $5 million crowd.

• Monta Ellis – $11 million
• Andris Biedrins – $9 million
• Corey Maggette – $8.94 million
• Stephen Jackson – $7.65 million
• Speedy Claxton – $5.21 million

These five contracts combine to make $41.8 million.

Cap Situations: Charlotte

Charlotte Bobcats Salaries

Alright, we’ll split the contracts into two sections, above and below $5 million, let’s start with the above $5 million crowd.

• Emeka Okafor – $10.5 million
• Gerald Wallace – $9.5 million
• Boris Diaw – $9 million
• Vladamir Radmanovic – $6.47 million
• Nazr Mohammed – $6.47 million
• DeSagana Diop – $6.03 million
• Raja Bell – $5.25 million

These seven contracts combine to make $53.22 million.

Tskitishvili’s Tryout

This is an old report, from two weeks ago, from the Memphis Commercial:

Former highly touted NBA lottery pick Nikoloz Tskitishvili’s response was concise when a Grizzlies free-agent camp came to his attention.

“Why not?” said the 7-foot Georgian forward.

The feeling was mutual.

I came across this article awhile back but I didn’t get around to pointing it out until now. I found it very interesting to hear Skita’s name once again, and find out what he’s been up to over the last few years.

The Grizzlies explained their camp

Why does taking a look at Tskitishvili make sense for the Grizzlies?

The answer is simple.

“We figured why not take a shot?” Griz general manager Chris Wallace said after watching the session in FedExForum. “Maybe there’s something there.”

Top Free Agents: Guards

Also check out the top free agents list for wings and big men

This post will look at point guards and combo guards. Out and out shooting guards will be on the wings list, which will be out tomorrow.

Top 10 Unrestricted Guards

#1 Andre Miller — Signed with the Blazers for $22 million over 3 years. Final year is a team option.

The 33 year old guard is coming off an excellent season that saw him average 16.3ppg, 6.5apg, and 4.5rpg. He was one of the two best players on a Phily squad that made the playoffs and pushed the Eastern Conference Champs, the Orlando Magic, to six games.

Miller is looking for his last big payday. It’s unclear how much that deal will be worth though. His best chance at getting a contract significantly above the MLE will be by resigning with his own team, the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers are the frontrunner to sign Miller. It’s hard to see any of the other teams who are below the cap, making a hard push to sign him, so it could easily be a limited market place for Miller.

Kevin Garnett Update

Danny Ainge gave an interview recently on WEII and touched on Kevin Garnett and how his recovery was going.

Here is an excerpt from the WEII interview transcript:

Kevin, it was amazing. His entire countenance over the last six weeks of the season, he was just kind of down and grumpy and uncomfortable. I think he felt pressure to try to come back and he had all this pain in his knee.

Right after the surgery – I mean three days after the surgery – a smile on his face, he can bend his knee all the way. He can straighten it out all the way. He just went back to the West Coast the other day. Before he left, I saw him doing full weight workouts. He was doing squats – one-legged squats, two-legged squats – he was doing most of his whole routine again. His spirit is returned: his enthusiasm for the upcoming season, his hope.

Sterling Veto’s Zach Randolph Trade

Zach Posting Up Emeka

The Memphis Commercial has the story

The Grizzlies had agreed in principle to acquire power forward Zach Randolph on Thursday night but Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling later nixed the trade, according to two NBA sources.

How did it fall apart

During the NBA Draft, executives from both teams hammered out a package with Randolph and Darko Milicic as the key pieces. Griz guard Greg Buckner would also have been included in the transaction.

The Griz ended up dealing Milicic to the New York Knicks for swingman Quentin Richardson after they waited on a final answer from the Clippers and received a “no.”

Pacers Decline Daniels’ Option

Great news today for Pacers fans, here’s the story

The Indiana Pacers will not pick up Marquis Daniels’ $7.5-million team option, a person with knowledge of the situation said today.

Daniels averaged 13.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 54 games last season.

The report notes that the Pacers may try to resign Daniels in free agency

The Pacers could re-sign Daniels to a multi-year contract at a lower annual salary during the free agency period.

I think there’s a strong chance that the Pacers look to do this.

2009 Teams With Cap Concerns: Orlando

This post is an update to the previous Magic cap concerns article. A new post was written to take into account the acquisition of Vince Carter and to assess how that changes things for Orlando.

Orlando Magic Salaries

Let’s start off by looking at who is currently on Orlando’s’ books for next season.

Here are the contracts over five million dollars

• Dwight Howard – $15.2 million
• Vince Carter – $16.12 million
• Rashard Lewis – $18.01 million
• Jameer Nelson – $7.7 million
• Mickael Pietrus – $5.3 million

That totals $62.33 million for five players.

Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson all have four years remaining on their contracts. Pietrus has three years with the final year being a player option. Their new addition, Vince Carter, has three years left on his contract with the final year only being partially guaranteed.

NBA Draft — Live Blogging

Note: I don’t watch college basketball, all opinions offered on prospects here is from second hand information. With that in mind, let’s get down to business.

Pre-Draft Buzz

Two trades

(1) Vince Carter to the Orlando Magic

Terrifying, absolutely terrifying. Unbelievable addition from Orlando, big time ballsy play from Otis Smith.

Good cap orientated move from the New Jersey Nets.

(2) Portland send Sergio Rodriguez and the #38 pick to Sacramento for the #31 pick.