NBA free agency news post LeBron's decision: Chris Bosh re-signs, Linsanity comes to LA streets
While LeBron James has made his decision to return home and sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Carmelo Anthony still seems to be taking his time to make his decision. However, there were many other connected dominoes that took a fall post James’ decision. Some players re-signed with their former teams while some were dealt away on trades.
Here’s the latest free agency news from the league:
Chris Bosh re-signs
Despite numerous rumours in the past week about Chris Bosh considering a move to the Houston Rockets by signing a max deal, Bosh made his decision to re-sign with the Heat a couple of hours after James had made his. According to reports, Bosh has agreed to a five year contract worth 118 million dollars with the franchise who are now in strong pursuit of former players such as guard Dwyane Wade and forward Udonis Haslem.
Bosh, an All-Star last season, averaged 16.2 points on 52% shooting and now faces the possibility of receiving the ball much more in a Heat offense without James. Although the Heat have agreed to terms with Danny Granger and Josh McRoberts, one thing is for certain – there are many roster positions that Heat President Pat Riley is yet to fill.
The Rockets’ moves to trade Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin in order to lure him with a max deal go in vain with the Bosh-Heat deal. However, with their renewed cap space, the Rockets still have the chance to match the Dallas Mavericks’ offer for Chandler Parsons.
Lakers hold on to Nick Young and Jordan Hill
Melo might not have made his decision officially but his inclination to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers seems to be gone. And with their chances to sign him becoming slimmer by the day, the Lakers have started filling up roster spots. In their long list of free agents they have already lost four players to new teams – Steve Blake, Chris Kaman, Jodi Meeks and Kent Bazemore, so the franchise re-signed the two most valuable players of the remaining free agents – Nick Young and Jordan Hill.
According to reports, Hill has signed a two-year deal with the franchise receiving 9 million dollars with a team option on the second year. On the other hand Young signed a four-year deal with the Lakers worth 21.9 million dollars, with a player option for the fourth and final year of the contract.
New city for Vince Carter...
Vince Carter was in the news late Friday night as he had agreed to a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. According to reports, the deal is over a period of three years and worth 12 million dollars. Carter would have loved to stay with the Mavericks in Dallas but the franchise was not ready to give him a higher pay day than the discounted price they acquired him for a few years ago.
Looking for deals elsewhere, Carter with the Grizzlies is now representing the sixth team in his career ranging over 16 season. He shot close to 40% from beyond the arc and found a new scoring touch in a new role for the Mavericks as a sixth man, so much so that he finished sixth in the voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award last seaosn. Memphis, a team which averaged less than five made threes a game, the worst in the league, would welcome the services of veteran Carter given his current touch from beyond the arc.
...And for Kent Bazemore
Meanwhile to no one’s suprise, another former Laker free agent has signed with a new team – Kent Bazemore. Bazemore was acquired by the Lakers during the mid-season trade window via a trade which also brought MarShon Brooks to the franchise, while the team sent Steve Blake to the Golden State Warriors.
Receiving good minutes by the then Lakers Head Coach Mike D’Antoni, Bazmore turned some heads acrosss the league with his play. He averaged 13.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 37.1% from beyond the three point line in 23 games played for the purple and gold franchise.
Although the Lakers showed interest to re-sign him, it was too late, as the 25-year-old has agreed to terms of a deal with the Atlanta Hawks. The contract is said to be for 2 years and is worth a total of 4 million dollars.
The Linsanity trade
There was the only one notable trade which followed LeBron James’ decision on Friday and that included the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers. The trade brings Linsanity to the bright streets of Los Angeles. Not hearing back from Melo has given the Lakers a big hit as they continued to fill roster spots through Friday night.
In exchange for Lin and a 2015 Rockets’ first round pick the Lakers will send cash considerations and rights to an overseas player but no salary. This move was seen as one by the Rockets to make cap space for Bosh, but the franchise was stunned just hours after this trade as Bosh re-signed with the Heat for a max deal.
Lin averaged 12.5 points and 4.1 assists last season with a 44% shooting percentage from long range. A handy distributor and an effective scorer in the back-court, Lin’s play with the Rockets’ second unit was instrumental in the team making it to the Playoffs as the fourth seed with home court advantage.
The Lakers have now successfully filled the three point guard spots with Lin, Steve Nash and Summer League player Kendall Marshall.