At NBA-Ink, deals become official.....and a look at the WNBA

There were press conferences galore throughout the NBA yesterday as teams could finally make official their new signings.

• The Philadelphia 76ers gleefully announced the signing of Elton Brand to a five-year $79.795m contract. It was always thought that Brand was going to re-sign with the LA Clippers but according to reports, Brand's agent David Falk was offended by an offer from the Clippers and took his clients' services elsewhere. Falk has a reputation for being a powerful and difficult agent and it certainly appears as though he brokered something out of nothing here.


• The Dallas Mavericks signed former player Desagana Diop to a five-year $31m contract. Unbelievable. Diop is good at clogging up the paint but he doesn't do much else...on his first stint in Dallas he had averages of 2.5ppg and 5.1rpg and it wasn't as though he was inundated with offers either. Dallas owner Mark Cuban is obscenely wealthy and obviously good at making money, but some of his basketball moves are staggeringly dumb.


• Atlanta F Josh Smith doesn't yet have a home. It looks like he'll return to the Hawks although there are suggestions this morning that the LA Clippers are going to try to entice him. They now desperately need another "name" player as their once promising off-season has fallen apart very quickly.


• The Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly offered C Andrew Bogut a five-year $72.5m contract extension. Big Bucks for Boguy. He has been a solid if unspectacular player but Milwaukee are very high on the young Australian. After an awful 2007-08 season, the Bucks apparently made each and every player on their roster available - except for Bogut.


• Now onto the women's game and LA Sparks first overall pick, Candace Parker continues to dominate. She's an absolute certainty for Rookie of the year honours and is a pretty good bet for MVP too. Last night she had 40 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists and added 5 blocked shots for good measure as the Sparks rallied from behind to defeat the Houston Comets, 82-74 in overtime. Two weeks ago, Parker dunked in a game too. If anyone thinks women's basketball is not fun to watch should check out a game these days.