dabods, Rick. Looks like Wolves and Sixers are on the verge of a trade.

[jn]

The Mpls paper is running a story that the Sixers and Wolves are talking about a swap of Rodney Carney, Cal Booth and a future #1 from the Sixers for unnamed Wolves plus about 3 million in cap space for the Sixers. 

[rickortreat]

Yep, it is intended to make room to try to sign Elton Brand to a deal in Philly.  We'll find out more tomorrow when teams can start signing free agents.

The Sixers need to make some moves this summer to improve the talent level on the roster.  If Brand is healthy I think he'd be the best fit out of all the available free agents.  Sixers biggest need is a low-post scorer. There is also talk of Josh Smith from Atlanta, but I'm not sure he can give the Sixers what they need.

Minnesota is collecting first round draft picks, and the one from the Sixers helped.

Carney is an incredible athlete, but has a lot of room for improvement both mentally and with his shooting.  Booth is a stiff, but the Sixers are paying his salary, so it's a freebie for the T-wolves.

[Derek Bodner]

Sounds like it's the Jazz first round pick.  Isn't too big.

Carney has some potential if he can get his shot selection in control.  He moves his feet extremely well defensively, and has a decent set shot when he gets his feet set under him.  His handle is pretty bad, and he tends to take too many out of control shots.  If he can accept being a role player, he can be very successful as a defender, getting his offensive touches in transition and as a spot up shooter. 

[jemagee]

Minnesota is collecting first round draft picks, and the one from the Sixers helped.

Well it helps in the way that it gives kevin mchale more chances to embarass himself?

Seriously, Glenn Taylor HAS to fire that guy?

[Lurker]

And collecting picks outside the lottery helps how?

[westkoast]

Heard on the radio this morning that Brand is gone and so is Corey Magette.  Corey went up to GS and Brand is on his way to Philly.

[rickortreat]

Says in the Philly paper that they have a verbal agreement with Elton Brand.

This is about the best move that Philly could hope for, IMO.  Putting Brand on the front line with Dalembert gives them a formidable line-up and makes Thad Young a perfect fit for the other forward spot.

Some of the Sixers rookies from last year will probably be axed to make room for the new pick and Brand.  So another trade may be possible.  Sixers could use another guard, and another small forward.

I'm not sure how far up this pushes the Sixers, but I'd say they're a legitimate playoff team now with Brand.  Igoudala will be more effective at the 2 spot than the 3, even though he can play both.  Miller will now have a legit target on the inside, and Dalembert can set screens and roll to the basket.

[westkoast]

Says in the Philly paper that they have a verbal agreement with Elton Brand.

This is about the best move that Philly could hope for, IMO.  Putting Brand on the front line with Dalembert gives them a formidable line-up and makes Thad Young a perfect fit for the other forward spot.

Some of the Sixers rookies from last year will probably be axed to make room for the new pick and Brand.  So another trade may be possible.  Sixers could use another guard, and another small forward.

I'm not sure how far up this pushes the Sixers, but I'd say they're a legitimate playoff team now with Brand.  Igoudala will be more effective at the 2 spot than the 3, even though he can play both.  Miller will now have a legit target on the inside, and Dalembert can set screens and roll to the basket.

If Brand can return to form and bounce back, watch out in the Atlantic.  I think this is an EXCELLENT move for Philly.  I am looking forward to seeing this Brand/Igs inside outside punch in the coming season.  Talk about being good to be a Philly fan.  Last year they had a great season and really showed the potential this squad has.  Now to go out and get Brand?  Time to load up Office Space and change 'damn it feels good to be a gangsta' to 'damn it feels good to be a philly fan'

This totally threw me off though.  Over the last 2 months the guys at KLAC AM 570 have talked to Elgin Baylor many times.  Each time he said that Brand had told the organization he wants to return.  Getting Elton to return was one of two major things outlined for the Clippers this off season.  Brand was even quoted in the LA Times as saying the same thing after one of the games towards the end of the year.    Not to mention Baron Davis is going to be coming down to LA so I wonder why he jumped ship?  Davis and Brand together in LA could have been great for the organization and great for both BD and EB.

[Skandery]

This totally threw me off though.  Over the last 2 months the guys at KLAC AM 570 have talked to Elgin Baylor many times.

Two words westkoast.  David Falk.

I think this is an EXCELLENT move for Philly.

This is an excellent move.  Thad at 3 and Iguodala at the 2 while Green, L. Williams (if the 6ers can keep him), and Evans soak up the bench minutes makes for an extremely athletic team while having the ace in the hole for the half court offense.  One thing is missing though, outside shooting.  Which they had in Kyle Korver but had to give up in order to clear the space to land a guy like Elton Brand.  Ironic sort of.  Even so, good outside shooters ready to join a contendor shouldn't be that hard to find for Philly now. 


So the carousel goes round and round.  So does LAC go for Josh Smith with their newfound cap space.  Or in an even more ridiculous, yet somewhat slightly plausible horror story, does Iguodala go to Golden State should they throw most of the 90 million they threw at Brand.  The cycle of greed continues --- Magette talking about going to a champion for the MLE yet snubbing all of them for $50 million from Golden State.

In a move that has gone completely under the radar, I like the signing of Mickael Pietrus for Orlando.  An athletic wing defender who shoots three's, Orlando can now say goodbye to the Keith Bogans era.

And for a draft-related thought.  I really, really, REALLY like Mario Chalmers.  I thought he was the most important player for KU last year, I thought he was the Champion Game MVP, I've been nothing short of impressed everytime I've seen the guy play and thought it was an absolute robbery that Miami got him in the 2nd round.  Low and behold he's making some teams look pretty darn stupid for passing on him in the Orlando Summer League.  After not getting Rose, Miami did INCREDIBLE getting this guy as PG of the future.  For all who may not know who he is, think Rajon Rondo with a 3 point shot.

[Reality]

  The cycle of greed continues --- Magette talking about going to a champion for the MLE yet snubbing all of them for $50 million from Golden State.

In a move that has gone completely under the radar, I like the signing of Mickael Pietrus for Orlando.  An athletic wing defender who shoots three's, Orlando can now say goodbye to the Keith Bogans era.

This article by Henry Abbott in True Hoop sums it up nicely.
What is Corey Maggette
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-33-25/What-is-Corey-Maggette-Worth-.html

[ziggy]

I wonder why he jumped ship?

It is simple, he was going to have to take less money to play for the Clippers.  If that isn't self evident I don't know what is.

[jemagee]

There are a lot of rumors floating around as to why he jumped ship:

1.   He's from the east coast
2.  His mom lives in upstate new york
3.  His wife will give birth soon and prefers to be on the west coast
4.  Falk is taking out revenge for the clippers drafting olowakandi over bibby (like paying olowakandi wasn't enough?)
5.  The clippers told brand "we can't go any higher" in their original offer, and then when the warriors and sixers started making noise, the clippers found 'more' money to pay brand and brand felt betrayed.
6.  David Falk wants to be relevant again.

I like how in professional sports players aren't supposed to maximize their income as much as they can in their much shorter overall career lenghth.

Henry Abbot - your contract is up with ESPN - you can have a 25% base year pay raise, with bumps ever year, for 5 years, guaranteed to work for Fox Sports News OR you can take a 35% pay cut on a shorter contract and maybe win a pulitzer....which one you gonna do henry.

I'm sorry, but professional athleticism is a job and any one who begrudges someone making the most they can from their job (without you know breaking any laws or such) needs to step off their soap box...fans may see it differently, but it's a job

[westkoast]

I wonder why he jumped ship?

It is simple, he was going to have to take less money to play for the Clippers.  If that isn't self evident I don't know what is.

Right but they've (Brand and his agent) known that for a minute now.  This wasn't something that magically came up within the last few days.   Up until a few days ago Brand and the Clippers said multiple times they both wanted to continue to work/play together.  I kid you not they talked to Elgin Baylor about this less then a month ago.  On top of that everyone out here knew Magette was as good as gone....THAT was no surprise.  They were going to have the money to throw at him as soon as some team was dumb enough to take Corey when he still has not understood he is more role player then super star.  Regardless if Baron Davis came along or not.

Jemagee...is it is a job and making the most money you can is obviously a factor.  I don't knock players for doing this.  However I know from first hand experience that a big pay day doesn't mean you will enjoy your job or do well at the next company you are going to.  Sometimes taking a pay cut to work at a good place and get on a big project (in this sense a championship) is a smart idea.....problem is the Clippers have never been known as one of those "companies" heh

[jemagee]

I was referring to the 'cycle of greed' reference to maggette actually...what abbot doesn't seem to mention is that Maggette probably gets more minutes in golden state than he would on a spurs or other title contending team, maybe he wants to play more?

I know that a big pay day doesn't mean you will enjoy your job more, and i nkow money can't buy happines, but it usually can buy you the things that make you happy

[Lurker]

IMO Maggette is all about the benjamins.  Starting a contract at $5.6 mil or $8 mil should be a no brainer...and that fairly describes Maggette.  $50 mil over 5 years versus 12 mil over 2 years - a championship won't replace that kind of dough.

Brand, on the other hand, IMO reneged on a verbal commitment (or in street terms: pulled a Boozer) to return to LA if the Clips got him help.  He even specifically identified Davis as one of the players he wanted the team to acquire.  The team did just that and Brand then left them standing at the altar.  And the money would be about the same in LA as in Philly.