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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With A Revamped Cavaliers Roster, Can LeBron and Co Win 66 Plus Games?

et's be honest here.
LeBron James carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to an incredible and historic 66 win '08-'09 NBA season.
Assembled with practically "no-namers" on his teams roster, LBJ managed to end the season (as MVP) with not just the best record in the entire league, but as the leading favorites heading into the postseason.
With not much reliance and expectancy on his fellow teammates throughout the Eastern Conference Finals, James insisted on showing the world what he was legitimately capable of producing, averaging an absurd 38.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 8.0 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 1.2 BPG.
Once the King and his surrounding pawns went down in five games to the Orlando Magic, the Cleveland organization did not hesitate to revitalize what looked to be just a medicore team on paper.
After dealing for the Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, the Cavaliers decided that the big fella was just not enough to sway James to stay in Cleveland after the upcoming season.
GM Danny Ferry continued the offseason rampage, signing Toronto's swingman Anthony Parker, Miami's versatile forward Jamario Moon, a re-singing of the 6'11" Brazilian Anderson Varejao, and the most recent two-year signing of Boston's Leon Powe.
After winning 66 games last season with a roster that consisted of nothing more than LeBron James, Mo Williams, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the Cavaliers can confident ally boast that they have succeeded significantly this offseason.
With Parker, Moon, and Powe (when he returns from injury in January) officially apart of LeBron's vision, each athlete will inevitably make a major upgrade both offensively and defensively to this Cavaliers team.
For Cavs fans, the ultimate question remains, can LeBron and Co win 66 plus games next season?
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NBA Betting News - Cleveland Cavaliers sign forward Powe Odds

NBA Betting News - Cleveland Cavaliers sign forward Powe Odds - The Cleveland Cavaliers are not stopping for anything on their quest to win the 2009-10 NBA Championship. On Tuesday, the Cavaliers signed Leon Powe to a two year contract. Bet on 2010 NBA Odds.  
With the signing, the Cavaliers not only strengthen their frontcourt but also weaken the frontcourt of their chief opponent, the Boston Celtics.  
In total, the Cavaliers have added Shaquille O’Neal, Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon and Powe to a team that won a franchise record 66 games. They could very well break the Chicago Bulls record for regular season wins this year. Hoops Betting News: Cavaliers Sign Powe. Bet on 2010 NBA Odds.  
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Can Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers do it again?

With the problems LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers faced against Orlando now solved by their league leading offseason signings, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers can head into the '09-'10 NBA season with as much enthusiasm as the top contending organizations in the league.
LeBron James carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to an incredible and historic 66 win in the '08-'09 NBA season, despite practically "no-namers" on his team's roster. With their revamped squad, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers should be able to do it again.

After dealing for the Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, the Cavaliers decided that the big fella was just not enough to sway James to stay in Cleveland after the upcoming season. GM Danny Ferry continued the offseason rampage (after Shaquille O'Neal) signing Toronto's swingman Anthony Parker, Miami's versatile forward Jamario Moon, a re-singing of the 6'11" Brazilian Anderson Varejao, and the most recent two-year signing of Boston's Leon Powe.

Suffice it to say, LeBron James can carry the Cleveland Cavaliers to an incredible and historic 66 win again in the 2009-2010 season.
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