Atlanta Hawks sign Joe Smith

Joe Smith has spent the past month being wooed by the Hawks, and Tuesday night all the team’s hard work paid off.

Smith signed a one-year deal Tuesday for the veteran’s minimum salary, approximately $1.3 million, rounding out the team’s frontcourt rotation with the veteran big man they’ve searched for all summer.

“When you’re a free agent, that’s key,” Smith said by phone Tuesday evening. “How a team recruits you and what they do to try and get you in their organization says a lot about them. The last month or so the Hawks have been coming hard at me, and that shows how much they wanted me down here and what they think I can bring to this situation.”

A 6-foot-10, 225-pound power forward, the Hawks will be Smith’s 10th NBA team. The No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 draft, Smith finished last season with Cleveland, the team that ended the Hawks’ season in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Smith saw action in 13 playoff games for the Cavaliers, averaging 5.5 points and 3.7 rebounds. For the season, he averaged 6.5 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting nearly 50 percent (.496) from the floor.

Smith’s 14 years in the NBA give him experience and perspective that many of his new, and much younger, teammates will find valuable.

“Joe’s acquisition provides us with a solid complement to our frontcourt,” Hawks general manager Rick Sund said in a statement released by the team. “Not only does he bring years of experience to our team, but his versatility gives our coaching staff a player who can play multiple positions and an individual who will provide tremendous leadership in the locker room.”

At this stage of his career, Smith knows that his veteran leadership is a large part of his appeal.

“Being around different teams and different situations and players, all types of players,” Smith said, “I understand what it takes to be successful and consistent in this league. That’s the main thing right now for this team is putting together some consistent basketball for as much of the 82 games of the season as we can. The more consistent we can be the better we can be.”

Smith’s final decision came down to the Hawks and Cavaliers. And while his recent history with the Cavs made that option a viable one, the non-stop contact from Zaza Pachulia and the full-court press from the Hawks’ coaching and front-office staffs won him over in the end.

“Ultimately, it boiled down to the best role and best situation for me,” Smith said. “I think this was a perfect fit. We have a lot of young talent and a lot of guys that can go out on any given night and play well. But you still need a veteran on that team when things are going wrong that can be that voice.

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Are they still only fourth best in NBA’s East

This week’s signing of Smith concluded the Hawks’ significant moves this off-season. Here’s my question for you: What should the expectation be?

Everybody ahead of them in the East (Cleveland, Boston, Orlando) also got better. So did some teams behind them, though probably not enough to crack the top four. Should we expect coach Mike Woodson, who will be entering the final year of his contract, to win more than one playoff series next season?

Here’s a quick recap of the top four teams in the East, with last year’s record and playoff results in parenthesis).

♦ CLEVELAND (66-16, lost to Orlando in conference finals): After being stunned by the Magic, they’ve surrounded LeBron James with significant help: Shaquille O’Neal, whose minutes presumably will be limited during the regular season so he’s stronger for the playoffs; forward Jamario Moon (from Miami) and forward Leon Powe (from Boston). They also re-signed Anderson Varajao.

♦ BOSTON (62-20, lost to Orlando in conference semis): The good news for Hawks fans is the Celtics signed Shelden Williams. But they’ve added Rasheed Wallace and re-signed Glen “Big Baby” Davis to a team that still might have been the NBA’s best last season, if not for the late-season knee injury to Kevin Garnett.

♦ ORLANDO (59-23, lost to Los Angeles in NBA finals): Atlanta’s Dwight Howard and the Magic were a blast to watch in the playoffs, particularly against the overhyped Cavaliers. Now they’ve added power forward Brandon Bass from Dallas, matched Dallas’s offer sheet to keep center Marcin Gortat and then there’s the big move – adding guard Vince Carter to play alongside Jameer Nelson. Carter hasn’t been a part of a lot of team success in his career so that will be interesting to watch. But if it works, it’ll be huge. Orlando also added a solid power forward off the bench, Ryan Anderson from New Jersey.

♦ ATLANTA (47-35): In addition to adding Crawford, Smith and Teague, and keeping Bibby, Williams and Pachulia, the Hawks traded away Speedy Claxton and Acie Law. There might be some addition by subtraction there.

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Former Piston Joe Smith joins Hawks

Smith signed for the veteran's minimum of $1.3 million as one the NBA's youngest teams added some veteran leadership.

"The last month or so the Hawks have been coming hard at me," Smith told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "and that shows how much they wanted me down here and what they think I can bring to this situation."

A 6-foot-10, 225-pound power forward, the Hawks will be Smith's 10th NBA team -- he played for the Pistons in the 2000-01 season. The No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 draft, Smith finished last season with Cleveland.

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Teams Overreacting?

In this edition of the NBA PM: Are teams overreacting to international bumps and bruises?...Delfino deal official…Aldridge extension coming soon…Youth still love hoops…Upcoming HOOPSWORLD chats.
Injury Overreaction? Earlier this summer San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker tweaked an ankle playing for Team France. While French doctors agreed it was just a mild sprain, the Spurs asked Parker to return to the States so their own doctors could see the injury and make their own decisions. After that review they agreed with the French doctors and Parker returned to Europe.
Last weekend Portland Trail Blazers small forward Nicolas Batum – also playing for Team France – injured his shoulder. French doctors decided he just needed a little rest, but the Blazers asked Batum to return to Portland so their own doctors could look him over. In the end they determined it was a shoulder contusion and allowed him to return to Europe as well.
Both teams have good reason to be worried. Besides the fact teams have a lot of financial obligations tied up in these players, they have other reasons as well. The Spurs were burned last season by Manu Ginobili's decision to play in the Olympics despite not being fully recovered from an ankle injury, and the decision really cost Ginobili most of the season.
Batum injured that shoulder earlier in the season with the Blazers, but it turned out this new contusion was completely unrelated.
But really, what's the deal here? Why so much mistrust? Do the NBA teams think the national teams are trying to pull one over on them and not disclose the true nature of a serious injury to the player or to the NBA team? Or do they not trust the players themselves to tell the NBA team the truth? Or do they not think the other doctors are qualified enough to give accurate diagnoses that would give the player the right information to avoid a possibly more serious injury?
It really doesn't matter what the answer is there – it points to the fact the NBA teams want to be in complete control of their assets.
The Dallas Mavericks also decided earlier this summer to not allow Dirk Nowitzki to play for the German national team. Nowitzki and the German representatives accepted the decision, but the unsaid implication from both is they would rather have him playing.
Is this fair to the players and the national teams? In a sense the NBA teams should have control, since the players' contracts are guaranteed. If Parker can't play this year, the Spurs are out their starting point guard and serious chunk of change, for example. National teams have purchased insurance on their NBA players in the past for big tournaments, like the Olympics or World Championships, which helps slightly.
Perhaps the deeper item to address here is will it always be this way? Are NBA teams going to simply get more and more controlling? Or is there a way to get around it? If the contracts weren't guaranteed like in the NFL that would probably solve the issue from an NBA point of view (few players would risk injury playing internationally), but morally that doesn't seem like the right answer either.
Is there a solution here – one that doesn't involve players like Parker and Batum having to fly from Europe to the States and back in a short span of time for what turns out to be nothing? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and start the conversation. For our international readers, it would be illuminating to hear your perspectives as well.
Delfino-Johnson Trade Official: The trade of Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukic from the Toronto Raptors to the Milwaukee Bucks for Sonny Weems and Amir Johnson is now official. Here is the press release from the Raptors:

The Toronto Raptors announced Tuesday they have acquired forward Amir Johnson and guard-forward Sonny Weems from the Milwaukee Bucks for guard-forward Carlos Delfino and guard Roko Ukic. The Raptors facilitated a sign and trade with Delfino. 
"After drafting DeMar DeRozan and trading for Marco Belinelli, Hedo Turkoglu and Antoine Wright, Carlos made it clear he would prefer to play elsewhere if he were to return to the NBA," said Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. "There were limited sign and trade scenarios available, but acquiring Amir Johnson in this deal gives us another long, talented young big man whose best basketball is ahead of him."
Johnson, 6-foot-9, 210 pounds, spent his previous four seasons in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons. Last season, Johnson appeared in a career high-tying 62 games, with a career-best 24 starts, and led the Pistons in field goal percentage at .595. He had a career-high 14 rebounds, with 10 points and three blocks in a career-best 38 minutes versus Sacramento on January 2, 2009 and a season-high 12 points, with 13 rebounds and three blocks in 32 minutes versus New York on November 26, 2008.
Johnson averaged 3.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.97 blocks in a career-high 14.7 minutes in the 2008-09 season. In 24 games as a starter, he averaged 4.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.04 blocks in 19.6 minutes. He recorded 17 games with two or more blocks shots.
The 22-year-old was selected out of Westchester (Los Angeles) High School by the Pistons in the second round of the 2005 Draft.
Weems, 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, was originally drafted by Chicago in the second round of the 2008 Draft. The University of Arkansas product was dealt to Denver on draft night. Weems played in 12 games with the Nuggets as a rookie, averaging 1.6 points and 4.6 minutes.
Weems also appeared in 21 games with the Colorado 14ers of the D-League, averaging 20.5 points (17th in the league), 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 28.2 minutes. He led the 14ers to the D-League championship, averaging 22.8 points in the postseason.
Delfino played in Russia last season after seeing action in 82 games with the Raptors in the 2007-08 campaign. He averaged 9.0 points and 4.4 rebounds for Toronto. Ukic made his NBA debut last season following six seasons overseas. He averaged 4.2 points, 2.1 assists and 12.4 minutes in 72 games.

Aldridge Extension Talks Ongoing: The Portland Trail Blazers are more than ready to check off the next item of their 2009 Summer Checklist: working out an extension with power forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
"We're ready," Trail Blazers President Larry Miller told The Columbian. "We'd do it right now if we could."
All-Star guard Brandon Roy, he of the recent five-year maximum extension himself, also wants his buddy from the draft class of 2006.
"…now it's time to get LaMarcus signed, because I think he's a huge part of what we're trying to do," Roy said. "I think he's a future all-star for years to come."
Roy's extension – and Aldridge's once it's worked out (and it will be) – will kick in for the 2010-11 season. Such an extension also makes them poison pill players (Toronto's Andrea Bargnani is in this group as well). All this means is that if the player were to be traded during 2009-10 – while under the last year of his rookie scale contract – his trade value would be the average of all the dollars left on his contract. Given the fact the teams want to lock these young players up, it's unlikely that even becomes an issue.
Aldridge's agent, Arn Tellem, is currently on vacation, but when he returns it's likely this gets wrapped up quickly.
Hoops Still Number One Among Youth: This probably isn't a huge surprise, but according to Jon Show of the Sports Business Journal basketball is still the top team sport among American youth.
According to survey by the Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association 26.2 million kids played basketball in 2008, far ahead of baseball (15 million) and outdoor soccer (14.2 million).
Again, it's not a surprise. Of the top team sports basketball is the only one you can practice by yourself efficiently and become better. One can work on a jump shot for hours; it's not quite as easy to practice shooting goals in soccer (all that ball chasing) and when you throw ground balls off the garage door there is a legitimate chance of getting yelled at by your parents (not that I would know or anything). With hoops as long as you can scrounge up a ball and find a neighborhood hoop you are good for hours.
But there is reason to worry. While some sports – lacrosse, paintball, and cheerleading – are rapidly growing, the numbers of youth participating in team sports is down overall.
"It's worrisome to all of us in youth sports," said Jon Butler, executive director of Pop Warner. "I think it's an ominous sign."
The cause of this is attributed mainly to the growth of the video game industry and poor physical education programs in schools, but also to the fact Americans have become more sedentary as a whole.
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A Place to Come Home To: Allen Iverson's Odyssey

Allen Iverson has been called many things in his NBA tenure. A fierce competitor. A dynamo. Flashy. Stubborn. He's been called selfish, and he's been called a team player. He's been called MVP and the Answer. He's been voted onto nine All-Star teams - playing for the east and the west.

fan-favorites sitting by and waiting for a team to pick him up. At this point in the off-season nearly all the "big name" free agents have signed new contracts.

Shawn Marion, Richard Jefferson, Ben Gordon, Rasheed Wallace - they've each found new teams to take them in, teams that wanted them.

Yet Allen Iverson remains at home, playing parent instead of getting ready to play ball with a new team.

In an interview on NBA.com, AI suggests that all he's looking for is a team that wants him. Like these other free agents, he wants a chance to play and do what he does best and, in the best case scenario, he wants a chance to win a championship. In the interview, Iverson says nothing to Eric Snow about a big contract. Instead he focuses on the idea that he was born to play basketball and that is all he is interested in.

So, if that's his attitude, why hasn't he found a team? Why hasn't a team found him?

The reasons are probably not as simple as the sports reporters have suggested so far. His unwillingness to come of the bench at the end of the season and in the playoffs last year in DetroitCleveland and LeBron James. Plus, Iverson's role with the team from the start was as a starter.

The circumstances for the former MVP have changed. Joining a new team now will offer a new role, by necessity, and that may include a sixth man position for Iverson. I don't see any evidence to suggest that he wouldn't accept such a role. And if he were the sixth man on a team like, say, Portland, where there is a real shot at going deep into the playoffs, who would think he'd say no?
  is commonly cited as proof of his ornery attitude. But that team was just barely a playoff team. They had almost no chance of making their way out of the first round against
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Allen Iverson Lists His Options: Knicks, Heat, Bobcats

Is Allen Iverson the best August free agent of this decade? Most pantheon players get scooped up by the middle of July -- the cusp of August, if there's an unreasonable contract demand or Bird rights drama. But here's one of the 50 greatest players of all time, a man who was traded for Chauncey Billups less than a year ago, sitting in the cut, waiting for a team to come calling.

And A.I. wants to make sure you know he's waiting. Heck, he wants teams to know he's waiting. Three teams, specifically, as outlined in a tweet this morning: the New York Knicks, the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Bobcats.

Iverson has been attached to Miami (need) and Charlotte (relationships). But the Knicks might be the smoothest transfer. Madison Square Garden embraced Zach Randolph! The Knicks would sell enough Iverson jerseys to cover Eddy Curry's salary. A.I. might not be the right player for Mike D'Antoni's system, or for the development of Danilo Gallinari or Jordan Hill. But the Knicks need a rental who can score (unless we're ready for Al Harrington to contend for the scoring crown) and Iverson needs a proper farewell tour. Do this!

That's all justification, but there's news in this too: Iverson is willing put his own rep on the line to make sure he has a job soon. For a cat who has been portrayed as everything wrong with basketball for more than a decade now, the humility is a bit striking, and frankly a bit heart-heaving. Even if it comes in 140-character doses.
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Allen Iverson: A.I. waiting for offers from MIA, CHA and NY

Allen Iverson recently wrote on Twitter that he's waiting for offers from the Bobcats, Heat and Knicks.
It's not entirely clear how interested those teams are in A.I. -- particularly the Knicks, whom he might be citing to gain precious leverage in negotiations. Another recent 'tweet' said "my back is fine now...When you see me again you will think that I am fresh out of Georgetown!" Despite all his baggage, fantasy owners shouldn't write off A.I. just yet.
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Iverson waiting for Knicks' call

Allen Iverson used his Twitter page to say he's planning to continue his NBA career and is waiting for a call from the Knicks.
Iverson wrote, "If you think that I am just going away-Think again! I am getting ready for the NBA season. Waiting for the call. Charlotte, Miami, NY."
On July 31, "Multiple [Knicks] sources said there is 'no interest whatsoever' in free agent" Iverson.

However, with another guard (Jason Kidd, Grant Hill, Jason Williams, Ramon Sessions) not yet signed, the Knicks still have an opening, one Iverson seems willing to fill.
"I have had a year to get ready, my back is fine now don't worry. When you see me again you will think that I am fresh out of Georgetown!" he wrote.
"I have heard all of the doubters, but they should know that I will not be broken and I will remain true to my fans. I spoke with my manager ... the other day and told him that I am again a student of the game. I am studying video and breaking down film. I want to be the ... best that I can be. One doesn't plan to fail, they fail to plan. I am planning for my comeback. Plan to hear from me daily on Twitter.com."

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Iverson Talks About Knicks, Heat and Bobcats

At some point this summer, my capacity for Allen Iverson sturm und drang has up and walked out that door in the side of my head. So we'll play this one straight. The trendsetting, league-wrecking, inspirational, offensively adept guard has no team. Rumors had stagnated, and Iverson's prospects for next season had been looking increasingly bleak. He has a Twitter, but it had been dormant for weeks.

Then, a flurry of activity, including this most straightforward of twits:

If you think that I am just going away-Think again! I am getting ready for the NBA season. Waiting for the call. Charlotte, Miami, NY ... Getting in shape, running, lifting and thinking about which team that I will help compete for a championship! Whoever gets me will be happy ... I have had a year to get ready, my back is fine now don't worry. When you see me again you will think that I am fresh out of Georgetown!

So there you have it. In humble, stripped-down, matter-of-fact terms, we hear it's Charlotte, Miami or New York. Worth noting, too, that all "AI to Europe" speculation has come in the form of, well, people like me. It's been a possibility; to some, an inevitability. But he's never received an overseas offer that struck anyone as more than perfunctory, which suggests Iverson's still planning to stick in out in the NBA.

Cold, objective, without any tortured-ness, here's what we've got: Miami, to back up or share the backcourt with Wade in a transitional year. Could keep team buzzing and be fun for Wade. Could the team get that much worse? With Wade, could they not make the playoffs? Charlotte, back next to Larry Brown's bosom, playing who-knows-what position, bringing in attendance and proving his mettle with little exposure or pressure. The Knicks would be the kind of coup that Iverson and that franchise so desperately need. But it could end up destroying them both.

Okay, hyperbole alert on that last one. The Knicks seems like too much of a gamble for all involved. Charlotte is like going back to live at home, but in the basement. Miami makes more and more sense, in part because the Heat needs to do something. Anything. If Wade wants to play with Iverson, at least it's a distraction—good or bad—for next season as 2010 approaches. Consider it a cheaper version of bringing in Shaq, except with no presumption that AI will save the day.

We may not be on the verge of an Allen Iverson renaissance, but if he's back, it'll be with a strange mix of humility and "being my own man." That might be the gimmick he needs to get the job he wants, but it's also the logical next step—or chess move—for him prolonging his career in an ever-shifting league.
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Allen Iverson off Miami Heat's radar?

The addition of Quentin Richardson(notes) to the Miami Heat last week apparently has dimmed the prospects significantly of Allen Iverson(notes) joining the club, according to the Miami Herald.
Not only is there not enough cash to go around to everybody, there probably aren't enough shots to be distributed either that would have everyone feeling happy.
Dwyane Wade(notes) is apparently feeling really great about the addition. He and Richardson are pals and enjoy playing together.
So while Iverson is out, the team still may add Flip Murray(notes) or Jamaal Tinsley(notes) for the veteran's minimum salary.

Source: Miami Herald

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Will Bruce Bowen Play Next Season?

There's a loophole in the NBA's trading rules that goes something like this: one team will include a player in a deal -- usually a guy who's older, can still play a bit, but won't command a ton of attention on the open market -- only to see that player waived by his new team, and be signed a month later by the team that dealt him in the first place.

(Don't believe me? Just hop into your DeLorean and ask Brent Barry about it back in 2008.)

Many observers wondered if that's exactly what San Antonio was planning to do with Bruce Bowen, after he was included in the deal with Milwaukee that brought Richard Jefferson to town. But according to Gregg Popovich, it's not likely that Bowen will be back as a member of the Spurs next season.

Bruce Bowen ... went to Milwaukee in the Jefferson trade. The Bucks waived him at the end of July and he is a free agent. Might he be part of another Spurs run, albeit in a subordinate role?

"I've given him no such indication,'' Popovich said. "He might come back with the right team in the right situation, but it's probably not going to be San Antonio."

If Bowen won't be back in San Antonio, the question becomes, will he be back at all? While it's of course possible, it seems like a longshot at this point.

A season ago, Bowen's minutes and production dipped precipitously from his averages over the previous nine.

In the seven seasons before 2008-09, Bowen started every single game he appeared in. Last season? He played in 80 games, but started just 10. In the eight seasons before this last one, Bowen averaged over 30 minutes a game in those appearances. In 2008-09? His minutes dropped to just under 19 per game.

If you're Bowen's agent and are trying to secure him a spot as a tag-a-long on a title-contending team, you could tout his three-point shooting percentage of a season ago, which was over 42 percent, and was his highest since the 2002-03 campaign. But let's be honest -- despite the recent success rate, no one's signing Bowen solely as a deep threat for a team looking to make a multi-round run into the post-season.

The reality is that what once made Bowen a desirable roster addition -- his dirty/aggressive defensive play against the league's elite scorers -- is a talent that, at 38 years old, the man simply no longer possesses.

Sure, it's possible that a team like the Celtics might add him late in the season as they did with veterans Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore last year, or Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown during their 2008 title run. But unless someone can find some value in adding him to the roster, it's quite possible that Bruce Bowen might find himself without an NBA home next season.

Tags: brent+barry, BrentBarry, bruce+bowen, BruceBowen, Gregg+Popovich, GreggPopovich, richard+jefferson, RichardJefferson

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Could deeper Spurs be best in the West?

A few San Antonio thoughts:
* Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had some interesting things to say to Peter May of the Boston Globe, discussing everything from Bruce Bowen's possible retirement to the team's offseason moves.
* Popovich on Bowen, the longtime Spurs forward traded to Milwaukee in the Richard Jefferson deal (the Bucks then waived him): "He might come back with the right team in the right situation, but it's probably not going to be San Antonio."
* That makes sense, as Bowen is 38 and while he's still a potential contributor, he wouldn't get many minutes with Jefferson, Roger Mason, Michael Finley and, of course, Manu Ginobili in front of him.
* There have been reports Boston was interested in Bowen, but he did not feel the same. Washington is said to be another possibility, as is Atlanta.
* Popovich on new addition Antonio McDyess: "He's Kurt Thomas, but a better scorer."
* Seriously, is there a more perfect veteran find for this team than McDyess? With his professionalism and team-first attitude, he makes the ultimate Spur.
* The Spurs' starting lineup will look something like this: C Tim Duncan; PF McDyess; SF Jefferson; SG Mason; PG Tony Parker.
* Off the bench will be Ginobili at shooting guard, Finley at small forward, Matt Bonner at power forward, George Hill at point guard and veteran Theo Ratliff at center.
* Popovich is also high on rookie power forward DeJuan Blair. "He's going to play right off the bat for us," Popovich told May. "He can rebound. I'm not going to teach him how to shoot threes. We know what he can do."
* Popovich also called Jefferson "a grown up" who is a great fit personality-wise. "He has a great sense of humor. You can coach him and he can respectfully talk back to you. Timmy enjoys him."
* Finally, Popovich indicated he thinks the Lakers are still the West's best team, but he likes what the Spurs have done. "If we had come to training camp with the same group we had at the end of last year, everyone would have gone into major depression," he told May. "I would have been saying, ‘follow me,' and turned around to find nobody there. It was time to change the music and I think we've done that."
* Personally, I think the Spurs and the Lakers are neck-in-neck, with neither clearly superior to the other. If I absolutely, positively had to give anyone an edge, it would be the Spurs. But I reserve the right change my mind on a daily basis.
FREE AGENCY NOTES
* Training camp is only a little more than a month away. Some unrestricted free agents who can help your team: Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Flip Murray, Keith Bogans, Rob Kurz, Luther Head, Rashad McCants, Melvin Ely, Ime Udoka, Brevin Knight.
* Interestingly, both Stephen Graham (Indiana) and Joey Graham (Toronto) are unrestricted free agents. Wonder if this is the first time in history a pair of twins have been free agents during the same summer (and still unsigned)?
* Marbury is still on the Wizards' radar, but not much gets done in August, as this is the one month a lot of general managers kick back, relax and take a vacation.
* Murray is said to be another possibility with the Wizards. He could also end up in Los Angeles with the Clippers.
* Anyone know what's going on with Steve Francis these days?
* While the summer of 2010 is The Year of LeBron James (as well as Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh), there are a lot quality people who will either be or can choose to be unrestricted free agents who rarely get mentioned. Among them: Manu Ginobili, Amare Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Shaquille O'Neal and Paul Pierce.
* Also, Utah forward Carlos Boozer will be available and would be perfect for a team seeking a borderline All-Star who constantly has one eye on the door.
* Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal and Derek Fisher also come off the books in 2010. But it's doubtful any will be starting material by then.
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Top Five NBA Offseason Moves

1. Richard Jefferson to San Antonio
With an aging team that suffered from numerous injuries last season, the San Antonio Spurs knew it was time to make a major move.  As such, when the Milwaukee Bucks were willing to give up Richard Jefferson for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabricio Oberto, it didn't take R.C. Buford and Gregg Popovich long to the pull the trigger on the trade.
Jefferson isn't an elite NBA player, but he is a very good one.  He's also a player who should fit very nicely into San Antonio's culture.  He knows how to play off of other players and is willing to defend.
On paper the move has pushed the Spurs right back to front of the class in the Western Conference.  If everyone stays healthy it's not unreasonable to believe San Antonio could secure the number one seed, and even if the Spurs suffer another injury like the one that happened last season to Manu Ginobili, they now have the ability to hold the fort down until they get healthy.
Popovich has been known to value health and vitality over winning the number one seed.  Regardless of where the Spurs finish the regular season, though, it's likely they will very much be in the championship conversation. 
Oh, and let's not forget that San Antonio also added veteran Antonio McDyess in a separate transaction this summer.  Expect the Spurs to be loaded for bear come next April.
2. Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland
Yes, Shaquille O'Neal is now 37 years of age.  However, he was also an All-Star last season in Phoenix with the Suns.  And considering the Cavs only had to give up spare parts in Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, the move was a very good one for Cleveland.  Moreover, Shaq's $20 million a year salary comes off the books after this season, so it's not like Cleveland has tied itself to any kind of long-term relationship with O'Neal should the move fizzle.
Like any roster shuffle, there's no guarantee of success as it often takes time for a team to achieve chemistry after making a major move.  With O'Neal, the learning curve has historically been a little steeper initially during the first couple of months.  However, the payoff has been huge down the road as O'Neal has led three teams to The Finals in his career, including the Miami HEAT during his second year with the club.
There was little risk involved with this move besides ensuring the Cavs pay a bundle of luxury tax in July of 2010.  The best case scenario is the Cavs are better than last year -- perhaps winning it all -- and that helps convince LeBron James to stay in Cleveland.  The Cavs had to make some kind of major splash this summer and acquiring O'Neal was just that.
3. Ron Artest and Lamar Odom in Los Angeles.
Trevor Ariza played an important role last season for the Lakers.  As such, his agent thought he would be able to command $8-10 million on the open market.
As it turned out, not so much.
When Ariza's agent David Lee attempted to play hardball, the Lakers called his bluff.  Ariza jumped ship for Houston.  Fortunately for the Lakers, Plan B involved bringing former Rocket Ron Artest to L.A.  As it turned out, the Lakers wasted no time making that a reality.  
Sure, there is always a chance Artest will be a distraction.  Given Phil Jackson's track record, though, that seems like a long shot at best.
All things considered, Artest is a better all-around basketball player than Ariza.  Furthermore, since the Lakers were also able to bring back Lamar Odom (even though it took longer than it should have) the Lakers are actually a more talented team than they were a season ago.  That's a scary proposition for the rest of the Association.
4. Rasheed Wallace to Boston
The Boston Celtics would have been a viable contender last season had superstar power forward Kevin Garnett stayed healthy.  Heck, even without him the Celtics still made it to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
With Garnett expected to be 100 percent (or very close to it) next season, the Celtics added a veteran in the form of Rasheed Wallace who could be just what it takes to push Boston to the top of the mountain again.  That is, of course, if Sheed can keep his wits about him and not get tossed out of too many ballgames.  Much like Artest in Los Angeles though, the Celtics have the infrastructure already in place to handle Wallace's antics.
Many people forget just how good Wallace can be when he's locked in.  Simply put, he can dominate at both ends of the court, but given the fact he's due to turn 35 years old in September Wallace likely won't dominate for long stretches.  Thing is, the C's don't need him to.  All they need him to do is be a factor on both ends, something he is certainly still capable of doing.
Whether the Celtics win it all next season or not, you can be certain of one thing: the Celtics now have the most emotional and intense frontline in the NBA.
5. Randy Foye and Mike Miller to the Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards took advantage of the Minnesota Timberwolves desire to rebuild by obtaining veterans Randy Foye and Mike Miller for a relatively cheap price, giving up the number five overall pick in last June's draft as well as Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, and Oleksiy Pecherov.  Had the Wizards kept the number five pick, the team would have inherited a guaranteed contract with no guarantee of immediate production.  By acquiring Foye and Miller, the Wizards have become one of the most intriguing teams in the NBA heading into next season.
Not only did the Wizards obtain the veteran presence, sharp-shooting, and underrated passing of Miller, but Washington also got a talented and still relatively young combo guard in Foye.  Foye and Gilbert Arenas will likely see some minutes together next season.  And while Wizards fans don't want to even ponder the thought, Foye also provides some insurance should Arenas have a setback returning from his second straight injury plagued season.
It could be argued that the Wizards are now one of the deepest team's in the NBA.  Giving up three players who were below average performers off the bench for two that will likely provide much more substantial contributions was a virtual no-brainer.
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San Antonio Spurs Analysis - Odds to Win NBA Title Shortening

In late June of this year the San Antonio Spurs acquired Richard Jefferson and their odds to win the 2010 NBA title have been shortening ever since.  Immediately following the Lakers winning the NBA title a couple months ago, the San Antonio Spurs were a bit of an afterthought in the NBA futures market, at least 3rd behind the Lakers and Nuggets to win the Western Conference title next season.  However, in recent weeks they have found favor with odds setters and sports bettors alike and depending on which sportsbook you visit, the Spurs are now either 3rd, 4th, or 5th to win next year's NBA title.
Part of the reason why the odds have been shortening (there are others) on the Spurs is because they acquired veteran Richard Jefferson in late June.
Jefferson looked like a shaky gamble a few seasons ago as he only played in 33 games in 2004-05 and then only played in 55 games in 2006-07.  But since those seasons Jefferson has certainly proven that he is reliable to stay healthy as in the past two seasons he has not missed a start.
Last year with Milwaukee, Jefferson averaged 19.6 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game, while almost playing 36 minutes per.
Our recommendation remains with the Los Angeles Lakers to win next year's championship.  Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson have a bottomless appetite for NBA rings and the way the Lakers have reloaded by signing Ron Artest and by re-signing Lamar Odom shows that 'one in row' isn't enough.  However with the Spurs not backing down, the question is: what odds are worth calling them to win the NBA title?
At the lower end of the range you'll find the Spurs at +900 (9/1) with a few sites, like bet365 for example.  At that price picking the Spurs are basically a 'push' or maybe it has a little bit of value. To get a real price on San Antonio, go to Coral and pick the Spurs to win the 2010 NBA title at a price of +1200 (12/1).
This is a team whose odds could shorten significantly after the regular season gets underway making now the time to bet on them.
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No let-up in remaking of the Raptors

As the Toronto Raptors marched toward a disappointing 33-win season last year, the club's president and general manager, Bryan Colangelo, repeatedly defended the roster.
But in the months that have followed the finish to that forgettable season, Colangelo's actions have betrayed his comments. He has obliterated that roster, with his latest move coming yesterday.
League sources confirmed that the Raptors have acquired athletic big man Amir Johnson and swingman Sonny Weems from Milwaukee. In exchange, the Bucks will receive Carlos Delfino, a restricted free agent whose rights belonged to Toronto, and point guard Roko Ukic.
The deal cannot officially be completed until next week at the earliest because of contractual details and the never-simple machinations of the league's collective bargaining agreement.
Since the deal brings two new players to Toronto while sending out just one -- Delfino, who played in Russia last year but was not on the Raptors' roster since the sides could not come to an agreement on a contract -- the Raptors are now up to 15 players, the maximum allowed on an NBA roster.
And if Colangelo remains quiet until training camp kicks off in late September in Ottawa, he will have certainly deserved the break. His level of activity makes this off-season one of the most eventful in team history.
Of the 15 players who ended last year on the Raptors' roster, only six remain: starters Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, and Jose Calderon, along with spare parts Quincy Douby, Patrick O'Bryant and Marcus Banks. Of the 10 players who figure to get regular minutes for the Raptors this year, seven of them were not on the team last season.
For now, neither Johnson nor Weems figures to be in that group, although Johnson could put himself in the mix for playing time with an impressive training camp. Johnson, a 22-year-old forward who entered the 2005 NBA Draft out of high school, could never make an impact in three years with Detroit, despite being given a shot last year.
However, his athleticism should fit in with the Raptors' desire to run the floor. Weems, who spent last season in the Denver organization, seems to be a typical throw-in piece in this case.
While the Raptors and Delfino likely did not have much of a future together, giving up on Ukic is something of a gamble for the club. At times last season, Ukic, 24, looked both confident and capable as Calderon's backup. At others, he looked lost. But with the addition of Jarrett Jack in the off-season, Ukic lost his spot in the rotation.
With the deal, the Raptors will have more flexibility following the season. Ukic has a player option for the 2010-11 season, while Delfino is expected to sign a two-year deal with a team option for a third in Milwaukee. Johnson and Weems will combine to make about US$4.4-million next year, but both will come off the books at that point.
And with the league's revenues expected to fall because of the recession, the salary cap and luxury tax should do the same. Colangelo has made several long-term commitments this summer, so every penny saved will help.
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Fantasy Basketball Breaking News

The Toronto Star reports that the Raptors are finalizing a deal that will send Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukic to the Bucks for Amir Johnson and Sonny Weems.
Milwaukee's acquisition of Hakim Warrick may have made Johnson expendable, and with Richard Jefferson gone and Michael Redd recovering from major surgery they could use some depth on the wings. If the deal goes through, Delfino (who is currently playing in Russia) would need to sign at least a two-year contract.
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Raptors about to add Amir Johnson; Bucks land Roko Ukic

This has to be a steal of sorts for the Toronto Raptors. 
I understand the fascination with Roko Ukic(notes). Tall point guards will always sway basketball junkies, even as we watch types like Ukic or Jeryl Sasser stink it up more than they star it up. When he's on, Ukic is truly lovely to watch. But he's rarely on. And he's 25. And you need a power forward. A center, too.
The Raptors are about to acquire both, in Amir Johnson(notes). They'll also pick up Sonny Weems(notes) for under a million bucks, in a sign-and-trade deal with the Milwaukee Bucks that will land the Bucks Ukic and Carlos Delfino(notes). The deal apparently goes down as soon as Delfino jets into North America to put pen to paper on a new deal with Toronto, inking for two years (with a team option for three) and immediately seeing his rights shipped to Milwaukee.
The big name here really is Ukic; but let's face it, he's barely an NBA player. It hardly matters if you're a rookie or veteran — when you have a single-digit PER at age 24, you're just not cut from the cloth saved for starters. Or even rotation players. And he turned 25 during the offseason. Don't bank on a breakout, Milwaukee.
Delfino is different. He's not a starter, but he's a solid rotation wing helper who will probably be inked to a rather modest salary. Solid production for a cheap-o price. Not bad, by any stretch.
But Toronto still wins this. Johnson can play, he can block shots and finish and work well at two positions. He's also on the last year of a contract that can be shopped, further aiding in Toronto's attempts to make nice for Chris Bosh(notes) next summer. Weems is a toss-in whose stats in 55 minutes played last season were pretty awful, but his D-League work was mighty fine, and he could sop up minutes at a more efficient rate than Ukic.
It's not that Milwaukee made a bad deal, here. It's just that Toronto made a very good one. Johnson and newly-acquired Reggie Evans(notes) will provide carom insurance that is badly needed on a team full of long rebound-creators, and as promising as Ukic looked at times, his bottom line just wasn't worth Toronto's time.
The deal doesn't exactly guarantee 45 wins for either club, but it's always nice to see sound moves created during the dog days of the offseason.
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Raptors trade Delfino to Bucks

The Toronto Raptors have agreed to trade Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukic to Milwaukee in exchange for Amir Johnson and Sonny Weems.
Delfino is a good fit for the Bucks at the small forward position after losing Richard Jefferson in a trade with the Spurs. Delfino played in Russia last season but the Raptors retained his rights. Ukic will also fill a need for the Bucks as Milwaukee have yet to come to terms with Ramon Sessions.
Amir Johnson won't see a lot of minutes in Toronto playing behind the likes of Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, and Reggie Evans. Weems will also see limited time behind rookie DeMar DeRozan
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Toronto reported trading Delfino to Bucks

TORONTO, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The Toronto Raptors reportedly reached a deal Monday to send forward Carlos Delfino to Milwaukee in exchange for forward Amir Johnson. ESPN.com reported the deal will also send Roko Ukic to Milwaukee and guard Sonny Weems from the Bucks to the Raptors. The report said the deal will not be finalized before Tuesday as Delfino must fly from Argentina to sign a contract with the Bucks.
Delfino, a four-year veteran, played in all 82 games last season for Toronto and averaged 9.0 points and 4.4 rebounds. Delfino, who spent his first three seasons with Detroit, averaged 5.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in 262 games.
Johnson, whom Milwaukee acquired from Detroit, has played in 135 games in his three-year career, and averaged of 3.7 points and 3.8 rebounds.
Ukic played in 72 games last season with Toronto, his first in the NBA. Weems, who went to Milwaukee from Denver in July, played in 12 games for the Nuggets last season.

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Breaking News: Toronto Raptors Have Agreed to Send Carlos Delfino to Bucks

It's pretty much official as the Toronto Raptors have agreed to send Swingman Carlos Delfino and Point Guard Roko Ukic to the Milwaukee Bucks for Power Forward/Center Amir Johnson and Shooting Guard Sonny Weems.

Amir Johnson's future is cemented as a Toronto Raptor, as for Sonny Weems, it's not certain what is in mind for him. Johnson, a 6'9", 210 pounder is raw and very skinny for a forward center. Something that both Weems and Johnson have in common, as they are both very raw and thin.
Once again, like many of GM Bryan Colangelo's moves this summer, nobody really saw this trade coming until today. If somebody did they were most likely just naming scenarios.
I've covered a lot of the details in my other articles. So, until this trade is official and on T.V, I can't say much more. Although, I will be back when it is made official which may not be for while.
It's for sure that they have sent Delfino to the Bucks for Amir Johnson. The Roko Ukic-Sonny Weems part is yet to be determined. But, I'm pretty sure they are all being packaged into two boxes one for Toronto and one for Milwaukee.
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Toronto Raptors-Milwaukee Bucks Trade Stalled

So, as I reported before, there is a deal that is in the works that would have Toronto sign swingman Carlos Delfino, then trade him, along with Roko Ukic, to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for forward-center Amir Johnson and shooting guard Sonny Weems.

Now, there are now several possible complications to this trade that if it were to happen would take longer.  The first is that Amir Johnson can not be dealt in a package until August 23, which would delay the deal to next week.
Second, Sonny Weems cannot be dealt in a package until October, pushing the deal all the way to October.  Finally, this would clog up our backcourt more than it is as Weems is a shooting guard.  Our backcourt would look like this:
SF: TurkeyGlue, Wright, DeRozan, Bellinelli
SG: DeRozan, Bellinelli(possibly switch that around), Douby, Jack, Wright, Weems (six altogether)
PG: Calderon, Jack, Douby, Banks
Six shooting guards!  Now, arguably, Wright wouldn't see much time there as he's backing up Turk and Jack is backing up Calderon.  That still equals four, and I still consider Wright and Jack playing at the two sometimes.
There would need to be a trade and one that comes to mind is going to the old, reliable and friendly Memphis Grizzlies, and just straight up giving them Banks and Weems and some money if they get waived by Memphis.
This would be a smart move and could possibly help out Memphis, but, I doubt it.  It saves the Raptors money, though, and it gives Memphis some extra money to utilize somewhere.
Now, don't get all excited because I just made up that trade as a scenario and it isn't close to happening.
Anyway, back to the main concern for fans: are the Raptors putting pressure on other NBA teams that want Delfino by spreading the word about this deal?
Or, is Bryan Colangelo actually going to wait until October to get this deal done?  He could also trade Delfino for Amir and Roko for Weems.  But, I mean I'd rather have Roko than Weems and and I'm sure Colangelo would too. So, I think it will be someone else.
Do you really want to have a finished deal sitting there for months until you can finally make it official?  I wouldn't.
Maybe, Pops's future as a Raptor isn't done after all.
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Bucks acquire Delfino and Ukic, but does it matter?

Now that we've had a few hours to digest the reported four-player trade between the Bucks and Raps, the most obvious question is, "How much does it really matter?"

I don't mean that in a nihilistic sense, just in a practical way--are the Bucks much different in the long or short term?
From a pure talent perspective, the answer would seem to be not really.  I admit to being somewhat seduced by the perpetually unfulfilled promise of Amir Johnson, and that alone made me disappointed to see this deal cross the wires.  The fact that Johnson's deal was expiring while the Bucks are giving Delfino two years guaranteed and a third team option year isn't a plus in my book, but it doesn't affect their cap or tax future all that substantially (assuming you already thought Sessions was a goner).
It's also been encouraging to see more positivity from Raptor fans on Delfino and Ukic than I expected.  But the reality seems to be that while either guy could be a serviceable and potentially even valuable rotation player, there's also a very good reason Bryan Colangelo didn't hesitate to part with them. Delfino had been surplus to requirements last summer and was unlikely to come back with DeMar DeRozan now on board, while Ukic was also kicked to curb after the Jarrett JackAs Kelly Dwyer put it: signing. 

It's not that Milwaukee made a bad deal, here. It's just that Toronto made a very good one. Johnson and newly-acquired Reggie Evans(notes) will provide carom insurance that is badly needed on a team full of long rebound-creators, and as promising as Ukic looked at times, his bottom line just wasn't worth Toronto's time.

Delfino is destined to get some burn simply because he's willing (and occasionally able) to make three pointers, a skill the Bucks are lacking, especially at SF.  Ukic meanwhile seems destined to rack up his fair share of DNPs this year, though the reality is he's also not light years behind Luke Ridnour and Brandon Jennings right now.  And no, that's not a compliment to Ukic so much as a testament to Ridnour's mediocrity and Jennings' youth. 
But while the trade itself might be somewhat shrug-worthy, the more interesting thing is what the deal suggests about everyone else on the Bucks' roster. 
1) Thomas and Warrick made Johnson expendable.   There had been doubt about whether Kurt Thomas would ever suit up for the Bucks, but in the last week the Bucks have made a point of emphasizing Thomas will in fact have a role on the 09/10 Bucks.  Whether he makes it past the trade deadline is another question, but Thomas would seem capable of 10-15 mpg as a backup PF/C, especially in light of the atrocious work they got from their non-Bogut centers last year.  If Thomas gets a chunk of the minutes that Johnson was supposed to get it will probably be a good thing, though I'd still have much preferred to send Thomas north rather than Johnson.
And as Jeremy points out, Warrick's unexpected arrival meant the Bucks had more depth at PF than they originally thought they would.  I never really understood the talk of Warrick playing some SF, and given the Bucks just shipped out a PF in exchange for a guy who can play some SF, I'm guessing the Bucks don't believe it either.
2) The Bucks really don't care about Sessions.  I've been assuming it's true while hoping it wasn't for some time, but the activity of August 17 wasn't encouraging on the Sessions front.  In one fell swoop the Bucks added both a backup point guard and a backup shooting guard, and probably cut into the available dollars they have under the luxury tax to re-sign Sessions as well. 
Because Weems could have been waived for about $550k in savings over the weekend (his $762k deal had just $174k in guarantees), the Bucks effectively shipped out just over $4.1 million in contracts and got back Ukic ($1.35 million) plus whatever Delfino's getting.  So if Delfino gets more than around $2.75 million as a first year salary, then the Bucks will have effectively added 09/10 salary through this deal.  And with Johnson gone it's also less likely the buy out Thomas, which could have saved $1.3 million as well (that's what Thomas would have gotten if he signed for the min elsewhere). 
3) The roster looks to be full.  The Bucks officially have 16 players currently under contract, including the expiring minimum deal of the injured Walter Sharpe.  He's currently the obvious candidate to be waived by the start of the regular season to get the Bucks to the maximum of 15 players, though the Bucks could certainly continue to make deals between now and then.  Aside from that, they don't have much flexibility in the way of non-guaranteed deals...none in fact.  Mark that down as yet another reason Sessions is probably gone.
I think it's usually pointless to carry 15 guaranteed salaries into the regular season when only 9-10 can get legit minutes every night, but at this point it appears that's the direction the Bucks are headed.  Ironically, they seem to have one of the league's best lineups from spots 10-15...but unfortunately that doesn't win you many games.
They could still buy out Thomas or perhaps Francisco Elson, but I'm guessing that's unlikely for the time being with Johnson already gone.  Here's a first swing at the 09/10 opening night depth chart, with the disclaimer that I'll penalize Jennings and Meeks for being youngsters:
PG: Ridnour/Jennings/Ukic
SG: Redd/Bell/Meeks
SF: Mbah a Moute/Delfino/Alexander
PF: Ilyasova/Warrick
C: Bogut/Thomas/Elson/Gadzuric
I honestly don't know how Delfino will shake up the 2/3 rotation, as it's very possible Delfino ends up getting burn at the 2 (more his natural position) and forces Bell or Meeks (sadly) out of the lineup.  And while I'd throw Thomas in as the backup center for now, that's mostly because I'm hoping to see a lot less of Elson and Gadzuric.  Where does Joe Alexander fit in all of this?  Who knows.  He'll still be fighting for minutes at the 3/4 spots, and with the lack of proven players at those positions he'll certainly get a chance to play--it's just a question of whether he can take advantage of it.
The Enigma of Carlos Delfino
As I mentioned in the initial post on this trade earlier today, Delfino was drafted and later signed by the Pistons during John Hammond's time as Joe Dumars' top deputy, so this would seem to have Hammond's fingerprints all over it.  In fact, when Hammond was first mentioned as a candidate for the Bucks' GM gig over a year ago, one of the first Google results I found on him was an April 2004 chat from Pistons.com where he discussed Delfino's development in Italy.  

Carlos is having a great season for his team in Italy. In fact as we speak, he is in Tel Aviv, Israel preparing to play in the European Final Four. We feel he will be a great fit with our team next year. The reason for saying this is that we think he can do two things, play backup two-guard, and play backup small forward to Tayshaun Prince. He is a tough competitor, he has a very good feel for the game, and knows how to play the game. For those reasons we are looking forward to having him next season.

Delfino was first discovered before the 2003 draft by Tony Ronzone, then the Pistons' director of international scouting. He passed along video of Delfino to Hammond and Dumars, who both loved his game and targeted him with their 25th overall selection in the '03 draft--23 picks after they notoriously selected Darko Milicic.  However, Delfino was unable to get out of his contract with Bologna, delaying his entry into the NBA by a season.  In three years in Detroit he eventually became a regular reserve, but never became the kind of player who could seriously challenge Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince for playing time.
His opportunities increased in 2007 when he was dealt to the Raptors for '09 and '11 second rounders, though it wasn't a breakout campaign per se.  Like his final year in Detroit, Delfino played in all 82 games, rebounded exceptionally well for a swingman, and was a fairly low-efficiency scorer (.397/.382/..744 for a 52.5% true shooting percentage).   His rebounding was probably the thing that surprised me most, as eyeballing his stats you wouldn't notice the fact that his rebound rates in 06/07 (11.5%) and 07/08 (11.0%) placed him in the top five among SGs and top 10 or so among SFs.  
As his highlight reel attests, he has the strength and athleticism to get up and finish around the rim, but his numbers also show he's not particularly effective around the bucket (.497 fg% in 07/08 on "inside" shots).  For a purportedly solid defender, Delfino's on/off and opponent stats are also a bit worrying. The Raps were better offensively and defensively with Delfino on the bench in 07/08, and his opponents put up notably better numbers in most categories.  Not encouraging.
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Sources: Bucks to acquire Delfino

The Toronto Raptors are on the brink of swinging another trade in perhaps the most active offseason in franchise history.

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Monday that the Raptors have agreed in principle to a sign-and-trade deal that will send swingman Carlos Delfino and guard Roko Ukic to the Milwaukee Bucks for power forward Amir Johnson and guard Sonny Weems.

Delfino

ESPN.com reported earlier Monday that the Raptors and Bucks were in talks on a deal headlined by Delfino and Johnson. One source said the deal could not be finalized before Tuesday because Delfino must fly from Argentina to formally sign the contract, which is expected to be a three-year deal with the Bucks holding a team option in Year 3.

The Raptors retained Delfino's rights while he played in Russia last season, giving them the ability to sign-and-trade him. Delfino prefers to return to the NBA as opposed to staying in Europe, but Toronto has acquired three other players this summer who play at shooting guard or small forward: Marco Belinelli, Antoine Wright and lottery pick DeMar DeRozan.

Johnson was acquired by Milwaukee in late June as part of the three-team swap with San Antonio and Detroit that routed Richard Jefferson to the Spurs, and he was briefly projected as the Bucks' new starter at power forward after Charlie Villanueva left in free agency to sign with Detroit.

But Milwaukee was able to sign Hakim Warrick to a one-year, $3 million deal earlier this month after the Grizzlies unexpectedly withdrew their qualifying offer to Warrick, turning the restricted free agent into an unrestricted free agent.

The deal signals that the Bucks consider fortifying their depth at shooting guard and small forward -- which Delfino would address -- as more vital than keeping Johnson.

Striking a Delfino deal would enable Toronto to add to a large contingent of newcomers that already features Hedo Turkoglu, Jarrett Jack and Reggie Evans in addition to Belinelli, Wright and DeRozan. 

Turkoglu arrived via sign-and-trade, Evans and Belinelli joined Toronto in separate trades and the Raptors signed former No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani to a five-year, $50 million contract extension early in free agency.

Johnson, 22, was drafted by Detroit out of high school with the 56th overall pick in 2005, when Bucks general manager John Hammond was still working with the Pistons as Joe Dumars' top front-office aide.
The power forward is entering the final season ($3.9 million) of a three-year, $11 million contract extension he received from the Pistons in the summer of 2007 despite barely playing in his first two seasons as a pro on a veteran-laden team.
Johnson started 24 games last season and averaged 3.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 14.7 minutes per game. In summer league play in Las Vegas with the Bucks, Johnson averaged 10.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as Milwaukee posted a 4-1 record.
Delfino, 26, has averaged 5.8 points and 17.1 minutes per game in four NBA seasons before joining the Russian team BC Khimki last summer.
His only season in Toronto in 2007-08 was Delfino's best season in the NBA, as he averaged 9.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game.
In speaking to Toronto-based reporters last week, Raptors president Bryan Colangelo conceded that the likelihood of re-signing Delfino had diminished after the drafting of DeRozan and the trade for Belinelli, and acknowledged that a sign-and-trade was a possibility.
"The likelihood that he's going to sign here is less," Colangelo said then of Delfino. "Not only is he going to be leaving some money on the table in Europe, but one of the things that was attractive about coming here was that he'd have ample opportunity to play and maybe start. And that doesn't appear to be as open now."

After a disappointing 33-49 season in 2008-09 that included the February trade of Jermaine O'NealMiami Heat, Toronto has reshaped its roster aggressively this summer partly in hopes of persuading 2010 free agent-to-be Chris Bosh to re-sign with the Raptors. -- its marquee offseason acquisition a year ago -- to the

Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

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Raptors deal Delfino, Ukic to Bucks: reports

The Toronto Raptors have agreed to a four-player trade that sends Carlos Delfino and guard Roko Ukic to the Milwaukee Bucks, according to multiple reports.
Toronto will receive a pair of young players — forward Amir Johnson and guard Sonny Weems.
Delfino, who turns 27 on Aug. 29, played in Russia last season after signing a three-year deal with the club Khimki Moscow Region. The Raptors retained his NBA rights, and there was talk he'd possibly return.
In 2007-08, his only season with Toronto, Delfino averaged 9.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game off the bench.
Ukic, 24, scored 4.2 points as a reserve point guard for the Raptors last season.
Johnson, 22, averaged 3.5 points while serving mostly as a reserve for the Detroit Pistons in his fourth NBA season after jumping straight from high school. He was part of a three-team deal in July that landed Milwaukee's Richard Jefferson in San Antonio.
Weems, 23, was good for 1.6 points in 12 games as a Denver Nuggets rookie.
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Report: Bucks deal Amir Johnson

MILWAUKEE — So long, Amir Johnson.
The power forward’s days in Milwaukee were numbered - at 55, to be precise.
In a sign-and-trade deal worked out between the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors, Johnson and guard Sonny Weems will head to Toronto, while Milwaukee will receive small forward Carlos Delfino and guard Roko Ukic, a team source confirmed Monday.

The 6-foot-6-inch Delfino is the key man in the trade for the Bucks, a player who can provide depth at small forward, still a major concern after the departure of veteran Richard Jefferson in a June 23 trade. That was the same deal that netted Johnson from the Detroit Pistons.
But the 6-9 Johnson became more expendable in the Bucks’ thinking after they signed free agent Hakim Warrick to a one-year, $3 million deal earlier this month. Warrick will have a chance to gain a starting spot at power forward.
The Bucks also are encouraged by the development of young power forward Ersan Ilyasova, who signed a three-year deal earlier this summer, and they have veteran Kurt Thomas to provide depth at power forward and center.
Delfino’s contract is expected to be a three-year deal, according to sources. Johnson is scheduled to make $3.66 million next season in the final year of a three-year contract he signed with Detroit in the summer of 2007.
Delfino, who will turn 27 later this month, is quite familiar to Bucks general manager John Hammond, who was in the Detroit front office when the Pistons drafted him in the first round (25th overall) in 2003.
Delfino played three seasons in Detroit before being traded to the Raptors for a pair of second-round draft picks in the summer of 2007.
In one season with Toronto, Delfino averaged 9.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists while playing in all 82 games during the 2007-’08 season. He also averaged 8.6 points as Toronto lost a five-game playoff series to Orlando.
Toronto retained his NBA rights, but he played last season for BC Khimki in Russia. The global financial crisis put Khimki and several other Russian teams in serious difficulty, and Delfino had his European contract bought out, sources indicated.
The Raptors were seeking to deal Delfino after obtaining forward Hedo Turkoglu via a sign-and-trade during the current off-season, drafting small forward DeMar DeRozan and adding wing players Marco Belinelli and Antoine Wright.
Delfino has played for various Argentine youth national teams and also was a member of Argentina’s gold-medal winning team at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
When the Bucks open training camp in late September, they will have second-year players Joe Alexander and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute in the mix at the small forward spot, along with Delfino.
Michael Redd, Charlie Bell and rookie Jodie Meeks are the primary players at the shooting guard position.
Ukic, a 24-year-old from Croatia, averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 assists for Toronto in his rookie year last season. Ukic averaged 12.4 minutes while appearing in 72 games as a backup to Raptors point guard Jose Calderon.

(c) 2009, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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Reports: Amir Johnson dealt to Toronto

Multiple media outlets citing unnamed sources reported Monday that Toronto has agreed to a sign-and-trade deal that will send swingman Carlos Delfino (another former Piston) and guard Roko Ukic to the Milwaukee Bucks for Johnson and guard Sonny Weems.

ESPN.com reported the Raptors and Bucks were in talks on a deal headlined by Delfino and Johnson. One source said the deal could not be finalized before today because Delfino must fly from Argentina to sign the contract -- expected to be a three-year deal, with the Bucks holding a team option in the third year.

The Raptors retained Delfino's rights while he played in Russia last season, which gives them the ability to sign and trade him. Delfino prefers to return to the NBA as opposed to staying in Europe, but Toronto acquired three other players this summer who play shooting guard or small forward: Marco Belinelli, Antoine Wright and lottery pick DeMar DeRozan.

Johnson was acquired by Milwaukee in June as part of the three-team swap with San Antonio and Detroit that routed Richard Jefferson to the Spurs. Johnson was briefly projected as the Bucks' new starter at power forward after Charlie Villanueva left in free agency to sign with Detroit.

But Milwaukee was able to sign Hakim Warrick after the Grizzlies unexpectedly withdrew their qualifying offer, turning the restricted free agent into an unrestricted free agent.

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