Category: Fantasy Basketball (Page 228 of 274)

      Bobcats sign Okafor for $72 million

      July 29, 2008 /

      I estimated Emeka Okafor’s value to be $12-$12.5 million per season, and apparently the Bobcats agree.

      The Charlotte Bobcats have agreed in principle on a six-year contract worth at least $72 million with restricted free agent Emeka Okafor.

      The agreement with Okafor by far represents Charlotte’s biggest expenditure on one player as the club readies for its fifth season. Okafor turned down a five-year deal with a similar $12 million annual average before last season, preferring to wait for restricted free agency.

      Okafor averaged 13.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks last season in 33.2 minutes per game but never clicked with coach Sam Vincent, who was fired by team president and former teammate Michael Jordan after just one season. Okafor has already played for Brown on the 2004 U.S. Olympic team and has generated plenty of praise from the bench veteran lately.

      An annual salary of $12 million would be in line with the contract extension 2005’s No. 1 overall pick Andrew Bogut received from the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this month. Bogut signed a five-year deal for $60 million with hard-to-reach incentives that, if realized, could take the overall worth of the contract past $70 million.

      Bogut and Okafor have very similar PERs, but Bogut is a true center while Okafor is more of a defensive-minded power forward type. I’d rather have Bogut because he’s a legitimate threat in the post and a terrific passer. Both players averaged 1.7 blocks per game.

      The Bobcats didn’t overpay for Okafor, so it looks like a good deal for both sides.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Warriors lock up Andris Biedrins for six years, $63 million

      July 28, 2008 /

      The Warriors followed up the Monta Ellis signing by locking up their center, Andris Biedrins, for six years at the tune of $63 million.

      Biedrins’ agent, Bill Duffy, confirmed the player’s verbal agreement with the Warriors on Sunday night, saying: “I am so ecstatic for this young man, who came to a new country as an 18-year-old and has worked diligently to improve his game and assimilate to the NBA. He is committed to the Warriors and will continue to improve and help stabilize this team for the next six years.”

      At first glance, this might seem like a lot for Biedrins, who averaged just 10.5 points and 9.8 rebounds last season. I estimated his value at $8-$9 million per season, but I had a feeling he’s sign for over $10 million per season. On a minute by minute basis, he is the seventh most productive center according to John Hollinger’s PER. The other great thing about him is his age. At 22, he still has a lot of room for growth. He has improved his numbers each season, and if he can develop some sort of offensive game in the post, this will turn out to be a good signing for the Warriors.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Lakers overspend on Sasha Vujacic

      July 25, 2008 /

      I estimated sharpshooter Sasha Vujacic’s value at $3.0 to $3.5 million per season, but the Lakers apparently think he’s worth more, so they inked him to a three-year contract worth $15 million.

      The Lakers original offer was three years, $12 million, a deal worth $4 million per season.

      Vujacic and his representatives rejected the offer and instead threatened to accept an offer from a European team.

      But Vujacic, who had planned to take a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Europe on Friday, never left Los Angeles.

      Vujacic, 24, and his representatives actually sought a four-year, $24 million deal, but the Lakers weren’t willing to go that long or that high.

      Vujacic had been looking for a deal similar to those of Jason Kapono (4 years, $24 million from Toronto), James Posey (4 years, $25 million from New Orleans) and Mickael Pietrus (4 years, $25.1 million from Orlando).

      Had Vujacic played well against the Spurs or the Celtics in the playoffs, maybe he would have been worth $5 million a season, but he shot 30% against San Antonio and 39% against Boston, and was absolutely shredded by Ray Allen on defense. This contract isn’t as appalling as the one Luke Walton signed – at least Vujacic can shoot – but it’s pretty close.

      I wonder how much of this was a reaction to the loss of Ronny Turiaf to the Warriors earlier this month.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, NBA Finals, Rumors & Gossip

      Uh-oh… Delonte West considering overseas offer

      July 25, 2008 /

      The Cavs’ Delonte West is considering a two-year, $10 mlllion offer to play in Moscow.

      This time, the overseas revolution of outbidding NBA teams for restricted free agents advances with Dynamo Moscow discussing a two-year, $10 million offer with Delonte West, a source close to West said on Thursday.

      Clearly, Dynamo is a franchise with the resources to be taken seriously. Just a week ago, it lured New Jersey Nets forward Bostjan Nachbar with a three-year, $14.3 million contract.

      Nachbar’s contract turned into a prelude to Atlanta Hawks free agent Josh Childress signing a groundbreaking three-year, $20 million deal with Olympiakos of Greece. So far this summer, four international players with NBA résumés – Jorge Garbajosa, Juan Carlos Navarro, Carlos Delfino and Pops Mensah-Bonsu – have taken substantial offers in Europe.

      It’s not surprising that international players are electing to play overseas, but it’s a fundamental shift in thinking that good, young NBA-quality American players are seriously considering playing internationally.

      So far, the Cavs and West haven’t been able to come to terms. He could sign a one-year qualifying offer of $2.76 million, which would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

      If West is considering a Russian deal worth $10 million over two years, it doesn’t seem like he and the Cavs can be too far apart. Why doesn’t Cleveland just offer him a three- or four-year deal worth $4 to $4.5 million a season and call it a day?

      The bottom line is that the Cavs don’t want to lose West. He was the best player to come out of Cleveland’s deadline deals back in February. He’s a good shooter and he can handle the ball well enough to play point guard alongside LeBron James.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      Warriors re-sign Ellis for six years, $66 million

      July 25, 2008 /

      In my post – “What are these guys worth?” – I estimated Monta Ellis value to be $10.5 to $11.5 million per season. The Warriors just signed him to a six-year deal worth $66 million. Throw in Andrew Bogut’s deal – which was for $12 million per season (I predicted an annual salary of $12.0 to $12.5 million) – and I think I have a pretty good handle on player values. If any NBA teams want to hire me to consult, I’m available.

      I don’t want to break my arm patting myself on the back, so let’s talk about the signing. Ellis is a lightning quick scoring guard who averaged 20.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season. With Baron Davis’ decision to sign with the Clippers, Ellis will be asked to handle the ball more, so we should see his assists rise. There’s a slight chance that the newly-acquired Marcus Williams could start at the point, but he hasn’t shown much in his short career, so I’m guessing that’s a long shot.

      Given all that has happened with the Warriors this offseason – namely, letting Baron Davis go and missing out on Elton Brand – the had to re-sign Ellis, and it’s good to see the former second round pick get an appropriate payday.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

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