March 2011 Basketball Wiretap

Raptors Extend Qualifying Offer To Weems

Jun 30, 2011 9:22 PM

The Raptors extended a qualifying offer to Sonny Weems this week, which will make him a restricted free agent.

Weems made $854,389 during the 10-11 season. The qualifying offer is worth just more than $1.067 million. 

National Post

Tags: Sonny Weems, Toronto Raptors, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Dalembert Likely To Receive Interest From Kings, Knicks, Raptors, Heat, Rockets

Jun 30, 2011 9:01 PM

Samuel Dalembert will be a free agent this offseason and the Kings are hoping to re-sign the center.

Dalembert is also expected to receive interest from the Knicks, Heat, Raptors and Rockets.

Dalembert was acquired during the 2010 offseason from the 76ers.

Sam Amick/SI.com (via Twitter)

Tags: Samuel Dalembert, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Eddie House Exercises Option With Heat For 11-12

Jun 30, 2011 7:47 PM

Eddie House has exercised his option clause with the Miami Heat for the 11-12 season.

House is now under contract for $1.4 million.

ESPN

Tags: Eddie House, Miami Heat, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Official Signing, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA Misc Official Transaction

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Shannon Brown Opts For Free Agency

Jun 30, 2011 7:17 PM

Shannon Brown informed the team Thursday that he was exercising his option to terminate the final year of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent.

Brown and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, said this was the best time for the 6-foot-4 guard to test the free-agent market, even though the NBA is about to impose a lockout and no one knows what the future collective bargaining agreement will be.

Brown had to let the Lakers know of his decision by Thursday's deadline.

"We made the best decision for me and everybody around me," Brown said in a telephone interview. "It's an interesting time to do this because of the lockout, but I think this is the best thing for me to do right now."

Broderick Turner/Los Angeles Times

Tags: Shannon Brown, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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Pistons CEO Ousted By New Ownership

Jun 30, 2011 7:15 PM

The first major change to Palace Sports & Entertainment's business affairs under the ownership of Tom Gores came down today: President and CEO Alan Ostfield was relieved of his duties.

“We have made some changes as part of an overall realignment of the business side of the organization,” Platinum Equity representatives Phil Norment and Bob Wentworth said in a joint release. “We appreciate Alan’s contributions, but have decided to move in another direction. The search for a president of business operations will be completed as quickly as possible. PS&E is also looking to expand its sales force and is in the process of hiring additional sales representatives.”

Norment and Wentworth are partners in Platinum Equity, the Los Angeles-based private equity firm founded by Gores. They are based in Boston but will handle PS&E affairs until a hire is made.

Vince Ellis/Detroit Free Press

Tags: Detroit Pistons, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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Amundson Exercises Player Option For 11-12 With Warriors

Jun 30, 2011 7:06 PM

Golden State Warriors forward Lou Amundson has notified the team that he is exercising the player option on his contract for the 2011-12 season, the team announced today.

Amundson, 28, appeared in 46 games for the Warriors last season, averaging 4.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in a career-high 15.0 minutes per contest. Overall during his five-year NBA career, the 6’9” forward has averaged 4.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 228 regular-season games with Utah, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Golden State.

Press Release

Tags: Lou Amundson, Golden State Warriors, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA Misc Official Transaction

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Bucks Exercise Options On Jennings, Sanders

Jun 30, 2011 5:02 PM

The Milwaukee Bucks have exercised the fourth-year contract option on guard Brandon Jennings (6-1, 169) and the third-year contract option on forward Larry Sanders (6-11, 235), General Manager John Hammond announced on Wednesday.

Jennings, 21, appeared in 63 games (61 starts) last season, averaging a career-high 16.2 points with 4.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 34.4 minutes per contest. He recorded his first career triple-double (20 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds) in a 98-88 win over Charlotte on October 30, making him one of just two NBA players (Elgin Baylor) to score 50+ points in a game and have a triple-double in their first 100 NBA games. In his two NBA seasons, Jennings has played in 145 games (143 starts), averaging 15.8 points, 5.3 assists and 3.6 rebounds.

Sanders, 22, played in 60 games (12 starts) last season, averaging 4.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 14.5 minutes per game. He recorded multiple blocks in 20 games and in just his 13th NBA game, had eight blocks to go along with 14 points and a career-high 10 rebounds against Denver on December 1. His eight blocks tied for the second-highest single game total in the 2010-11 season. Sanders ranked fifth (3.96) in the NBA in blocked shots per 48 minutes (58 or more games played).

Press Release

Tags: Brandon Jennings, Larry Sanders, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Official Signing, NBA Misc Rumor, NBA Misc Official Transaction

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Chandler Expected To Opt For Unrestricted Free Agency

Jun 30, 2011 4:19 PM

Sources told ESPN.com that there has been minimal conversation between the Mavericks and Tyson Chandler about an extension since Dallas won the first championship in franchise history on June 12.

As badly as the Mavericks want the vocal Chandler back to reprise his role as the most impactful frontcourt sidekick Dirk Nowitzki has ever played with, team officials are apparently determined to see exactly how restrictive the new salary-cap rules are after the lockout before trying to re-sign the Team USA big man.

Chandler finished third in the league last season in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting after averaging 10.1 points and 9.4 boards while playing in 74 of 82 games despite concerns about his injury history.

Marc Stein/ESPN.com

Tags: Tyson Chandler, Dallas Mavericks, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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Woodson Optimistic After Second Interview With Pistons

Jun 30, 2011 4:17 PM

Mike Woodson is hoping for a third and final visit to Detroit after interviewing for the Pistons' coaching job a second time this morning.

This time, he met for about two hours with Bob Wentworth and Phil Norment, the Boston-based partners of new team owner Tom Gores at Platinum Equity.

“I thought the meeting went very well," Woodson said.

“They asked me some personal things, and they asked about my coaching background and philosophy. They were kind of getting to know me. Hopefully, I’ll be able to meet Mr. Gores one day.

“I wore my best suit," Woodson joked. “They didn’t really give me a timetable. I don’t know what’s going to happen yet. They said they were going to go away, and I’m sure they’ll talk to Mr. Gores and figure out their next move, I guess. All I can say is that I thought it went well."

Perry A. Farrell/Detroit Free Press

Tags: Detroit Pistons, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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Arenas, Van Gundy Clear The Air

Jun 30, 2011 4:16 PM

GM Otis Smith said after the season that Gilbert Arenas and Stan Van Gundy --- at odds over Arenas' role last season --- needed to work on their "relationship."

Dwight Howard made noise recently when he said Van Gundy didn't always use Arenas correctly, even though Arenas struggled mightily.

Van Gundy said he and Arenas have had a meeting of the minds and cleared the air.

"He talked about what upset him," Van Gundy said. "Gilbert was not as frustrated with his playing time as he was (during the season). It's different once you're out of the heat of battle. He's an intelligent guy. He had a frustration that we didn't play to his strengths.

"I think he had a valid point."

Brian Schmitz/Orlando Sentinel

Tags: Gilbert Arenas, Orlando Magic, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

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Cavaliers Send Hickson To Kings For Casspi, Future First Round Pick

Press Release

Warriors Waive Jeff Adrien

Press Release

Boston Exercises Option On Bradley For 12-13

Press Release

Celtics Extend Qualifying Offer To Jeff Green

Press Release

Nene Opts Out, Becomes Free Agent

Chris Dempsey/Denver Post

Davis Angling For Return To Celtics

Boston Herald

Stephen Jackson Lobbies For Extension With Bucks

Gery Woelfel/Racine Journal Times

Billups Wants Knicks To Build A Cohesive Team

HoopsHype.com

Knicks Extend Qualifying Offer To Derrick Brown

Press Release

Blazers Offically Extend Qualifying Offers To Oden, Mills

Press Release

Blazers Exercise Third-Year Options On Babbitt, Williams

Press Release

Kuester Hired By Lakers As Assistant Coach

Press Release

Woodson Gets Second Interview With Pistons

Vince Ellis/Detroit Free Press

Jazz Exercise Option On C.J. Miles, Favors, Hayward

Brian T. Smith/Salt Lake Tribune

Cavaliers Exercise Third-Year Option On Eyenga

Press Release

Dampier Denies Partying With Mavericks After Finals

Dwain Price/Dallas Morning News

James Jones Opts For Free Agency

Sun-Sentinel

Blazers Will Extend Qualifying Offer To Oden

Marc J. Spears/Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter)

Warriors Exercise Options On Curry, Udoh

Press Release

Bulls Exercise Fourth-Year Option On Gibson

Press Release