Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Brand new home for Elton

Last night, the NBA delivered it's salary cap figure for season 2008-09. The cap itself has been set at $58.68m with the luxury threshold $71.15m. Any team which is already over the salary cap for the season can only offer the league maximum of $5.585m to any perspective free agents.
So, with the salary-cap figure announced, the leagues' moratorium on free agent signings and trades has been lifted.
  • The biggest surprise has been Elton Brand's decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. After sitting out most of last season with a foot injury, Brand didn't play it safe and see out the final year of his contract with the Clippers, he instead opted out and left $16.4m on the table. However, most observers expected Brand to re-sign with LA, especially after his friend, PG Baron Davis, also chose to opt out of the final year of his contract with the Golden State Warriors and agreed a deal with the Clippers.
  • What was shaping up as a promising off-season for the Clippers now looks to have blown up as swingman Corey Maggette has reportedly agreed to join the Golden State Warriors. It was a long shot for Maggette to return to the Clippers anyway, but given Brand's defection, LA probably would have like to have kept the versatile player.
  • In another blow to the Warriors, G/F Mickael Pietrus has verbally agreed to sign with the Orlando Magic. The fact that Pietrus left the Warriors is no great shock, as there had been rumblings that he wasn't happy with his role playing under coach Don Nelson. After belting the Dallas Mavericks from the playoffs two short seasons ago, the Warriors looked poised to become a serious challenger in the ultra-competitive Western Conference but since then they've taken a backwards step.
  • The Toronto Raptors signed SF Hassan Adams to a two-year contract yesterday. Adams played one season in New Jersey during 2006-07 and showed flashes of athleticism. He was shipped out of NJ mainly for financial reasons and averaged 20ppg playing in Italy last season. This signing could be another gem from Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hope Brand breaks a leg. I am getting so tired of these athletes jumping for money and not loyalty. What about LA and all the time they spent having Brands weak ass on the bench. I think Davis, Brand, kaman, and Thorton is much better group then what he is going too. Most of all i feel sorry for Baron because he left for nothing now!!