Yardbarker: Andris Biedrins

Sasha Vujacic to Europe?

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:21:28 -0500

Latest reports are saying that Los Angeles Laker Sasha Vujacic is strongly considering a jump over the pond to play in Europe next year. Vujacic averaged almost 9 points per game during the Lakers' regular season run to their first NBA Finals since the days of Shaq. Vujacic, however, is probably best known for his tantrums and the self-given nickname, "The Machine."....[continued]

WARRIORS BIEDRINS gets offer....from EUROPEAN TEAM

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:07:00 -0500

BIEDRINS STAYYY!!!!!! WARRIOR NATION IS WITH YOU!! Andris Biedrins, according to a source close to the fifth-year lefty, is drawing interest from several teams in Europe. Biedrins, a native Latvian, is even drawing interest from Russian teams. European teams only allow a certain number of foreign players on the roster. But Biedrins is a domestic player, which gives him more options overseas. The source said teams are willing to sign Biedrins for three, four or even five years, with the salary exceeding an average of $10 million. With Europe's currency packing more value than the dollar these days, a contract averaging 7 million Euro would convert to more than $11 million U.S. -- Contra Costa Times

Mississippi Bullet re-ups with Warriors

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:17:28 -0500

Golden State Warriors PG Monta Ellis signed a six-year, $67M contract with the Dubs. After the Warriors let Baron walk, there was little doubt that Monta would remain in the Bay; however, with a franchise that has such a storied history of ineptitude, you never know. A few days ago Monta's friend told me that both sides were close, with the Warriors offering $65M and Monta wanting $70M, and that a deal would happen soon. Looks like they split it down the middle, and now the Warriors have the new face of the franchise moving forward. If Monta had walked, and it was rumored that the Grizzlies wanted him, it would have been very tough to man-up and cheer for Golden State next year. Stack Jack will line up at the #2 slot, and of course he'll continue to let 'em fly from deep with that ice-cold lazy-man shooting style. Corey Maggette will be the team's small forward. The four and five spots are TBD. Al Harrington, Kelenna Azubuike and Biedrins are all in the mix. The team just matched the offer sheet offered by the Clippers to Azubuike, and although it's rumored Biedrins might bounce to Europe, and join Josh Childress and Brandon Jennings, my guess is that he'll remain in the Bay. If he leaves, it's not the end of the world. He's good but not great, and the team needs more muscle anyway. Golden State is not going to find its true power guy in the form of Biedrins. The team probably won't make the playoffs next year, but don't expect too much of a drop. They probably will finish top 10 in the West, and chances are they'll be good enough to have made the playoffs in the East.

Friday Morning NBA Headlines

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:30:44 -0500

Warriors re-sign Monta Ellis but may lose Andris Biedrins to Europe Continuing the trend of NBA players to Europe, Lakers G Sasha Vujacic is prepared to leave the team for more money in Slovenia The Nuggets add depth with PF Chris Anderson and SG Dahntay Jones Mavs owner Mark Cuban still wants to buy the Cubs For specific links, check out the NBA DraftNation page

Warriors' Biedrins to follow Josh Childress to Europe?

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:37:49 -0500

Apparently some teams in Russia are willing to give him 10 million a year which is more than the Dubs are offering. I'm guessing his agent is just using this as leverage to get more money. My prediction is to the warriors for 60 million over 6 years. They will pay up since they can't afford to lose him.

Bye bye Biedrins?

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:28:12 -0500

there seems to be talks between the pistons and the warriors. the talks include a trade of biedrins for billups. the warriors dont really want to let him go but they are offering al harrington. that deals makes more sense than letting go biedrins who has a bright future ahead of him. and billups could be a good bak up for monte. dont really think billups could be a starter for the warriors kinda play. but his experience could help all the developing warrior players. but knowing nellie, anything could happen.

Without Baron, will Monta be the PG?

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:20:13 -0500

Now that the whole Baron Davis, Elton Brand saga has finally been decided, it is important to look at the remaining players on the Warriors' roster to see what the team will have to deal with. Monta Ellis will probably be moved to the starting PG position, and this raises some questions. Can Monta still look for his shot and score at a high level while running the team? Most of the roster doesn't need a PG to set up their offensive game, with the exception of Andris Biedrins but he gets all his points off of boards and hustle anyway. Marco Belinelli is playing well this summer and there are a few young players trying to make the roster that could help out, one of them being former Duke starter DeMarcus Nelson.

Ric Bucher said something stupid today

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:59:13 -0500

So I'm watching SportsCenter this morning and they're talking about all the NBA happenings, and the SC guy (I forget his name) asked Ric Bucher about the five-year, $72.5 million contract that Andrew Bogut signed. Bucher makes a good point that it's probably a big number for Bogut - I estimated his value at $12.0 M - $12.5 M per season - and that the other GMs around the league are likely angry at John Hammond for skewing the pay scale for big men. He mentioned restricted free agents Emeka Okafor and Andris Biedrins as two guys that will probably look at the contract that Bogut signed and think they deserve something similar... (Read the rest of the post after the jump.)

What are these guys worth? (Part 1)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:40:23 -0500

You know you've made a fair deal is when both parties think they got screwed. It's that time of year again. Restricted free agents from the class of 2004 (Emeka Okafor, Luol Deng, Josh Smith, etc.) are being wooed by teams that are hoping to make them an offer that their current team won't match. Likewise, players from the class of 2005 (Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Andrew Bogut, etc.) can negotiate extensions with their respective teams that will keep them off the free agent market for the foreseeable future. These negotiations are a battle of will and expectations. The player's job (via his agent) is usually to squeeze as much money out of the team as he can. The team's job is to sign the player to a contract that is a good value for the team. Naturally, the player's camp brings up all the positives about the player while the franchise has to balance this with the player's negatives to try to convince the agent (or the player) that they aren't worth what they're asking. Teams that repeatedly bow to players' demands are sure to find themselves in salary cap hell before too long. So in an effort to predict a market value for these players, I am going to take a look at their total value – performance (John Hollinger's Player Efficiency Rating), age and potential – and try to come up with a yearly salary that fits with what other players of their caliber are making. I'll list comparable players and their average salaries over the spans of their current contracts. Let's start with the class of 2004. These players are free to sign offer sheets from other teams, but their current team can (and usally do) match those offers. These are players that unsuccessfully negotiated extensions last summer, and since many NBA teams are reluctant to extend an offer to a restricted free agent, most of these players are likely to play out the final year of their rookie contract and become unrestricted free agents next summer. Dwight Howard, Devin Harris, Al Jefferson and Kevin Martin took care of their extensions last year, while Beno Udrih just recently re-signed with the Kings. Here are the other big names, in their original draft order… (Read the rest after the jump.)

5 Reasons why Baron & Brand will be Clippers

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:57:32 -0500

I don't have any inside info, but I can feel it: Baron & Brand are going to be teaming up for the L.A. Clippers next season. In a surprise move, both Baron Davis and Elton Brand opted out of their contracts on Monday, making both superstars unrestricted free agents. I was shocked when I first heard the news, but now it's all starting to make sense. Move over Kobe: the Clippers have a new dynamic duo. Why do I think so? Let me count the ways...

Exciting Time To Be A Clipper Fan? Weird

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:15:49 -0500

With the free agency period officially underway, the Clippers find themselves in a tidy little spot to potentially make moves in the West. *COUGH* Baron Davis? *COUGH*

Elton Brand Opts Out of Contract

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:39:31 -0500

A comcastsportsnet.com article today stated that Clippers' star Elton Brand has to opt out of his contract before the Sixers can attempt to sign him. Let the attempting begin. According to ESPN.com, "Elton Brand said on Monday that he is opting out of the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, but that he hopes to re-sign with the team." "We're opting out," Brand said. "It definitely doesn't mean I'm leaving the Clippers. We're trying to work it out. My intention is to stay." That may be true. Brand may want to stay in LA. But he may also just be saying what he is expected to say. Regardless of whether he wants to stay with the Clippers or not, by opting out he has announced that he is unhappy with his current contract or situation, which leaves an opening for the Sixers to slip in and lure him to Philly. And that appears to be just what Sixers' GM Ed Stefanski plans to do. According to the comcastsportsnet.com article, If he does opt out and sign with the Sixers, his wallet would take a hit next year (the Sixers can only offer him $11 million for 2008-09), but Stefanski and co. could offer substantially more in the years to follow to sweeten the pot. He could also possibly be had via a trade if he doesn't opt out. That being said, there are a lot of things that have to happen for Brand to end up here, but the possibility is absolutely there. If not Brand, then the Sixers have several other players to go after, as they are $11 million under the cap next season, more than almost any other team in the league. Those players include: Josh Smith (Atlanta), Corey Maggette (LA Clippers), Andris Biedrins (Golden State), Ameka Okafor (Charlotte), J.R. Smith (Denver), Gilbert Arenas (Washington), Luol Deng (Chicago). For more on the free agent market and the holes the Sixers' are looking to fill, check out my article on the matter. Continue to check back for more on the Sixers' free agency moves.

2008 NBA Free Agency Primer

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:10:40 -0500

The NBA free agency period starts on Tuesday, and we know who will be available this summer. Gilbert Arenas, Baron Davis, Elton Brand and Corey Maggette have opted out of the final years of their respective contracts and have become free agents. Shawn Marion, Allen Iverson, Ron Artest and Jermaine O'Neal decided not to opt out. Below is a list of the top 10 unrestricted and top 10 restricted free agents based on total value, which means I'll take into account each player's production, age, upside and estimated asking price. Unrestricted free agents can sign with any team that makes them an offer. Restricted free agents can sign offer sheets from other teams, but their current team has the right to match that offer, which is usually the case. (See the lists after the jump.)

NBA's Top 10 RFAs

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:36:22 -0500

1. Andre Iguodala, Sixers: Iguodala's decision to turn down a $57 million deal last summer is tough to justify. At the time, the Sixers appeared to be the only team with significant cap room; I'm not sure where he thought his next paycheck would come from. He had a great regular season, but a woeful postseason has put his stock back in check. He's coveted by the Grizzlies, but the chances of them prying him away from Philly look very slim. 2. Josh Smith, Hawks: On talent and potential, Smith should be on top of this list. He's a freakish athlete who can score, rebound and block shots. What holds him back is a questionable attitude. Nonetheless it appears the Hawks have to re-sign him. Given the Hawks' ownership woes, Smith is one of the few restricted free agents a team with cap space may try to pluck away -- the same way the Hawks did with Joe Johnson a few years ago. I could see the Sixers making a run at him. 3. Emeka Okafor, Bobcats: Okafor turned down $13 million per season to hit free agency this summer. He's not the best player on this list, but he's the best young center on the market. Still, there's no guarantee he'll get more money from another team. I'm sure the Grizzlies will be interested, but they know the Bobcats will match. I don't see him going anywhere, but a sign-and-trade isn't out of the question here if the negotiations go on too long. 4. Jose Calderon, Raptors: Calderon played at an All-Star level this past season. When T.J. Ford went down with injuries, he became the leader of the Raptors and proved to be the best true point guard on the free-agent market. The Raptors say they'll match any offer for Calderon and I believe them -- especially now that they've agreed to a trade with the Pacers that will ship T.J. Ford to Indiana. As it stands now, he's their only point guard. Still, don't be shocked if the Sixers make a big offer to him. They need a long-term replacement for Andre Miller and I hear Sixers GM Ed Stefanski is a big fan. 5. Luol Deng, Bulls: Everyone loves Deng's talent, but so do the Bulls. At least they used to. Injuries and a poor season have hurt his value around the league. Still, it's hard to see the Bulls not matching any offer Deng gets next summer. He declined a $57.5 million extension in October, so if he makes more than that he'll come out ahead. It will be interesting to see if the budget-conscious Bulls will take advantage of the market conditions and offer him much less. 6. Andris Biedrins, Warriors: Biedrins didn't get the lucrative contract offer that several others did. He was looking for something in the five-year, $50 million range and got an offer that was reportedly substantially lower. Biedrins falls a little bit into the Anderson Varejao category -- energetic big man whose stats don't tell the whole story in terms of on-court contributions. Given that he continues to improve and he's only 21 years old, it's hard to believe the Warriors wouldn't match an offer. 7. Monta Ellis, Warriors: He's young and he can score. But his restricted status is going to hurt him. No team has the money to offer him more than the midlevel, and he probably feels as though he's worth considerably more than that. He's a player who may be better off taking the one-year tender from the Warriors so that he can be an unrestricted free agent in 2009. 8. Josh Childress, Hawks: Childress doesn't get nearly the respect or hype of many of his teammates in Atlanta, but he's been a devastatingly effective sixth man and who might still be expendable given all of Atlanta's wing talent. He probably can't get more than a midlevel deal on this market, but he'd be a bargain at that price. 9. Ben Gordon, Bulls: Of all the players who turned down lucrative contract extensions last summer, Gordon made the most mind-boggling decision. He turned down a five-year, $50 million deal that seemed above market value on a down season. For him to recoup that money this summer seems almost impossible … and now that the Bulls have added Larry Hughes to the mix, it's no longer clear where Gordon fits into the picture. There isn't a huge market for undersized 2-guards with streaky jump shots. Gordon is most likely to be the top restricted free agent not to have his offer matched, but he's going to struggle to get a huge offer from anyone. Gordon may be better off taking the Bulls' one-year tender offer. 10. Nenad Krstic, Nets: Before his knee injury last season, Krstic looked like he'd be locked up by the Nets. Now the uncertainty over his health could hurt his value. Philadelphia is one team to watch for. Sixers GM Ed Stefanski was a fan while he was back in New Jersey. A sign-and-trade is another possibility for the Nets.

Top Free Agents of '08

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:45:39 -0500

ESPN's Chad Ford ranks his top NBA free agents for the summer.