Category: Fantasy Basketball (Page 252 of 274)

In a fairly shocking development, the Atlanta Hawks actually made an attempt to improve themselves by taking on salary.

The Sacramento Kings today acquired forwards Shelden Williams and Lorenzen Wright, guards Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue and a 2008 second round draft pick from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for veteran guard Mike Bibby, it was announced by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.

Wright, Johnson and Lue are in the last year of their contracts, so this is mainly a Bibby for Williams swap. In Bibby, the Hawks acquired a veteran point guard that can lead a group of young and talented players. He’ll likely start alongside Joe Johnson, with Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Al Horford rounding out the lineup. By trading away Shelden Williams, the Hawks have rid themselves of the human reminder of the 2006 draft where they passed on Brandon Roy, Randy Foye and Rudy Gay in order to select the former Blue Devil. Williams is a good defender and rebounder, but the Hawks had to jump at the chance to land Bibby, who can fill a long-standing opening at point guard.

Bibby has been involved in trade rumors for the last year or so with Cleveland being a likely destination. No word on how LeBron is taking the news.

Deaven George is still blocking the Jason Kidd trade.

“I don’t think the trade is going anywhere,” George said, suggesting that the deal could still happen as planned by insisting that he merely wanted to wait for a late-night conference with agent Mark Bartelstein to hear all the details involved before making a binding decision.

“I think it’s right there, but it’s kind of messed up how all the fingers are pointing at me.”

Yeah, Deaven, it’s really messed up. Why would they point fingers at the person holding up the trade?

I am trying to gain a better understanding about the rule that George is envoking – here is what ESPN’s Mark Stein says:

Although Kobe Bryant is the only player in the league with a specific no-trade clause in his contract, league rules dictate that players on a one-year contract — but who also ended last season with the same team and are thus eligible for Early Bird or full Larry Bird free-agent rights at the end of the contract — cannot be traded without their consent. George, who earns $2.4 million this season, is one of 18 such players in the league at present, afforded the right to either approve or veto trades because those Bird rights are lost if they do get traded.

That doesn’t really clear it up, does it?

George is currently starting for the injury-riddled Mavericks and apparently he and his agent like his current situation.

George started against Portland last night and went 0 for 11, failing to score a point in 33 minutes of play. Ouch.

It looks like the Jason Kidd-to-Dallas trade may have hit a snag.

[Devean] George was supposed to be among the players headed to the New Jersey Nets in the megatrade, but he blocked it by not wanting to give up his “early Bird rights,” a provision earned by being in his second year and on his second contract with the Mavericks.

“We’re not trying to hold things up or be difficult, but just like teams make tough decisions all the time – about cutting players or making trades – they do what’s best for their team, and it’s my obligation to do what’s best for Devean,” his agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Wednesday night.

“We don’t feel like it makes sense at this time. He’s starting right now and things are going pretty good.”

It was not immediately clear whether this was just a snag or a deal-breaker.

The only reason George is included in this deal is because he has an expiring contract that will be off the Nets’ books this summer. Now he and his agent want to hold up what would be the third blockbuster deal in as many weeks because he doesn’t want to give up his “early Bird rights” (a provision that allows teams to go over the salary cap to re-sign their own players).

It will be interesting to see how this shakes out. Methinks Mr. Kidd is none too happy with Mr. George at the moment.