NBA Free Agency: Nowitzki remains with Mavericks while Collison, Sefolosha and Kaman sign with new teams
We are now three days into the free agency and the buzz is very much about Carmelo Anthony. On Thursday he met with the Los Angeles Lakers who have reportedly offered him a max contract of four years and $97 million, while the New York Knicks offered Anthony a five-year deal worth $127 million.
The details of both the deals have come out in reports and has many wondering which one of the two teams would Anthony choose. It must not be forgotten that there are three other teams that Anthony has met with this summer the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and the Chicago Bulls. So which team would he choose? According to sources his decision is expected after the weekend.
While Anthony gives his future a thought over the weekend, the rest of the league was busy. Here’s all the signings of re-signings from Day 3:
Dirk Nowitzki signs contract extension with the Dallas Mavericks
There were no eyebrows raised for this headline.
Despite becoming a free agent this off-season, there was no doubt in anybody’s mind, Nowitzki’s included that he would re-sign with the team he has played all his career in the NBA. The team might have been busy on Wednesday making their pitch to Anthony, but they got right to business the next day re-signing their franchise player to a three year deal for $30 million.
At the end of last season he completed a four year $80 million deal with Mavericks, a deal in which he had left money on the table so the franchise could have financial resources to assemble a team which is championship worthy. Nowitzki did it again this time going from $20 million a year in his previous contract to $10 million a year in his most recent contract. The question however is that, will it be enough to help the Mavericks line-up a team that can win an NBA title before he reaches the end of what could be a Hall of Fame career.
Dallas did their make their pitch to Anthony, but it is quite evident that they lack the financial resources to sign him to a max deal. To put it in short, the team is need of a small forward and if they fail to lure Anthony ideally their eyes should firmly be set on Chandler Parsons.
Off-season party continue for the guards
The off-season was very kind to ball handlers across teams through two days and the trend continued on Thursday as two more guards signed lucrative deals with new teams.
Back-up point guard for the Los Angeles Clippers Darren Collison has now signed a $16 million dollar three-year deal with a team from the capital of the state the Sacramento Kings. Collison had opted out of the final year of his contract with the Clippers, one that would pay him $1.9 million . He averaged 11.4 points and 3.7 assists in 25.9 minutes of playing time coming off the bench. Although Doc Rivers, the Clippers Head Coach called Collison the top priority in the off-season, there were no reports of contact between the two parties.
The other guard who signed a contract with a new team on Thursday was Oklahoma City’s Thabo Sefolosha. He came to an agreement with the Atlanta Hawks for a deal worth $12 million over a three-year period. Sefolosha, a predominantly defensive shooting guard averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds with the Thunder this past season. Aged 30, he adds defense to the wings for the Hawks after they traded Lou Williams to the Toronto Raptors in a trade prior to free agency.
Portland Trailblazers grab former Laker Chris Kaman
After a one year stint with the Los Angeles Lakers where he warmed the bench, Chris Kaman a free agent has now signed with the Portland Trailblazers for a 2 year, $10 million deal. Kaman expected more playing time than he received when signed with the Lakers last season after Dwight Howard left the purple and gold franchise for greener pastures in Houston. However, instead of playing aside Pau Gasol in a 2 big men line-up, Kaman was sitting on the benches more as former Lakers Head Coach Mike D’Antoni regularly played a small ball line-up with Gasol at the center.
That being said, Kaman put up big numbers when given the opportunity and strengthens a Portland second unit . Along with young interesting prospect Thomas Robinson, the Blazers can breathe a sigh of relief with a more dependable big men back-up to the starters Robin Lopez and LaMarcus Aldridge.