Friday, July 2, 2010

7/2: Free Agency Hilarity, Brazil goes down, etc.

Hola... NBA stuff first...
  • Paul Pierce re-ups with Boston for 4 years, 61 million... that's about what I thought he'd get, and his opt-out (tipped off by Doc Rivers' re-upping) was purely a grab at a longer deal... ho-hum here
  • Rudy Gay re-signs with Memphis for 5 years, 81 million... this one threw most people for a loop because it was long-rumored that he was absolutely gone... I think they surprised most people offering this big a number, and he jumped at it... it's overpaying for him, but not hilariously so in this market...
  • I'm not going to comment on the reported Joe Johnson 6 year/119 million deal until it's done... for my own sanity... just know it's a catastrophe
  • Dreadful lower-level deal #1 - Amir Johnson - 5 years/34 million from Toronto... 7 million a year for a guy who has done the equivalent of nothing (short of fouling out alot)... seems about right
  • Dreadful lower-level deal #2 - Darko Milicic - 4 years/20 million from Minny... David Kahn is the man... the day after signing Euro big man Nikola Pekovic to a 3 year/13 million deal (which most people actually liked), Kahn went to the well and gave Darko 5 per.. who was he bidding against? That's the real question I have... I've been a Darko supporter compared to most, but I can't imagine anyone else giving him this number...
  • Dreadful lower-level deal #3 - Drew Gooden - 5 years/32 million from Milwaukee - huh?!? This one isn't the worst of these 3 deals (in fact it's probably the best somehow), but it struck me as terrible nonetheless.. Gooden is a semi-productive rebounder and he can make a mid-range jumper... but I'd rather have a guy like Udonis Haslem, and over $6 million per seems outlandish...
  • Channing Frye re-ups with Phoenix for 5 years/30 million... now here's a reasonable contract... just think of it this way... who's a more effective player in their system? Frye in Phoenix or Amir Johnson in Toronto? How bout Frye or Gooden? I choose Frye and it's not close... yes, he's not worth 6 million per to any other team, but he showed in Phoenix that he's a great fit, and while it's not exactly a bargain, it's not dreadful either
  • John Salmons reportedly agrees to stay in Milwaukee... this one isn't "done" but 5 years/40 million seems to be the number... with the 4 deals I just talked about? seems like a bargain... the only issue? They just dealt for Corey Maggette, which everyone presumed was the Salmons replacement... I'm not sure you need Maggette/Salmons/Ilyasova/Delfino and they drafted Darington Hobson for good measure... seems like a log-jam
  • Notice I didn't mention Lebron/Wade/Bosh/Amare.. there are mini-stories on them (Amare's basic removal from the equation in Phoenix, etc.) but nothing done...
Elsewhere...
  • Brazil goes down to the Netherlands... with the help of an own goal at the 53 minute mark, Netherlands advances and the favored Brazilians go home... pretty shocking result
  • Phil Jackson returning to LA... "one more year" he says... at any rate, he should be there.. and I can't see a scenario outside of Lebron and Bosh both going to Chicago that would make me think they aren't the favorite
  • The Arizona Diamondbacks fire manager AJ Hinch and their GM Josh Byrnes... pretty strong play, but they have been pretty woeful (31-48), and alot of people thought they'd be better... the interim manager? Kirk Gibson... of fist-pump fame
  • Bengie Molina traded to the Rangers... the Teagarden/Saltalamacchia/Ramirez/Treanor experiment is over... tragic
  • Chase Utley has surgery and will miss 8 weeks... time to extend the lead Braves fans... if that doesn't happen, I'd worry

What to watch for...
  • Ghana/Uruguay - 2:30 ESPN
  • Cubs/Reds - 2:20 WGN - Dempster/Arroyo
  • Braves/Marlins - 7:30 Peachtree TV - Medlen/Johnson - Not exactly a matchup the Braves love when considering Josh Johnson may be the best pitcher in the NL right now... but Medlen's been good
Enjoy...

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