NBA Transactions (rumored and otherwise)

Since the action has already begun, thought it would be a good idea to check in on the announced moves so far.

The NETS traded Coach Jason Kidd for two 2nd round draft picks (2015, 2019) and hired Lionel Hollins today.  Just between you and me, I'm not even sure what it is an NBA coach actually does; football, baseball, even NCAA basketball are coach's games, lots of hands-on stuff.  But the NBA?  I dunno, fiery speeches, heart-to-heart talks, some x' and o's (the on-court and ego-love kind)?  Yeah, that doesn't really seem like so much.  And, well, I guess the Nets valued Jason Kidd's contribution to two 2nd round draft picks, so I guess they agree with me.  But gotta love the fact that this whole brouhaha supposedly arose because Kidd was jealous of the big money deal for first time coaches Steve Kerr and Derek Fisher and the Nets just gave Kidd's replacement waaaaaaay more than they were paying him.  Ha!  I betcha dollar the Nets trade both those picks for 'cash considerations'.

WIZARDS re-signed Morcin Gortat to 5 yr/$60m.  I like Gortat, he fit nicely with the Wizards last year, a team that didn't get going til the end of the year.  I didn't think they'd be able to afford Gortat and Ariza, I thought Gortat the more irreplaceable of the two, so I think they did well for themselves here.  Does Gortat have 5 years left in him?  Maybe.  But $12m per is a reasonable figure.  (Word is maybe they can have Ariza too, so do you bring them both back to see if this lineup can grow together or do you mix it up just for the sheer sake of mixing?)

PACERS sign CJ Miles for 4yrs/$18m (or thereabouts).  Miles is fine for them, a nice piece of the bench.  Supposedly they've offered Lance Stephenson 5yrs/$44m, which is more than I thought they'd be willing to spend.  But adding Miles suggests they've got more than I realized.  They also added Damjan Rudez, a European prospect (no idea who he is, sorry). The problem with the Pacers is they're just not as good as the Heat and they have very little roster flexibility.  So they've got to hope that whatever Miami does it creates some weird mismatch the Pacers can exploit.  I'm not guessing that's gonna happen but unless the Pacers pull off a trade (I don't see it) then adding Miles off the bench is as much upgrading as the Pacers can achieve.  Well, if the Bulls can't make a move at least the Pacers should be runner-up in the East again.

Rumor is the WARRIORS have signed Shaun Livingston to the mid-level exception, which I think would be around $5m per year; haven't seen the details yet so I don't know the length.  Is this a move to replace some production lost if Klay Thompson gets shipped out?  It certainly seems like more than an adequate improvement on Steve Blake coming off the bench, but Blake didn't actually play much so what will Livingston do?  I like Livingston and I think he fits the vibe of Golden State but with Klay and Harrison Barnes still around what is Livingston's role?  I think I've hinted enough at the answer: Klay and Barnes are getting traded.  In that case I think Steph Curry and Livingston can play together, a pair of combo guards available for kick-outs.  But none of that other stuff has happened....yet.  With Love and without Thompson and Barnes, I think I really like the addition of Livingston and whatever the years are the price is affordable.  (Maybe a series of option years built in?  I don't think there's a limit on years for an MLE but the price is a strictly graduated affair with no room for bonuses)

CAVS signed Kyrie Irving to a 5-year extension because...well, I mean....what else were they gonna do?  They're not gonna trade him, he wouldn't sign for less money, so there you have it.  Good move, Irving is not perfect but he's a baller and he's played his options well.  You gots to pay him because he's in his gots-to-get-paid year.  (The truly talented ones understand how this stuff works)

The MAGIC sign Ben Gordon to 2 yrs/$9m after waiving Jameer Nelson and Doron Lamb.  I can see shipping out Afflalo for Evan Fournier on draft night, I can see letting go of Nelson after drafting Elfrid Peyton, I thought Lamb was cheap enough to keep but they've got enough good youth to develop.  But Gordon?  Man, this guy was overrated in his prime--and that was years ago!  I don't get this one at all.  I just don't see what Gordon provides.  The money's not huge, fine, he's affordable but I think even at that price point they could've done better then Gordon.  I just don't see what he provides: he's not gonna start or play big minutes, he's a notorious crabby locker room guy, he's been MIA that last coupla years on the court.  I don't get it.

RAPTORS traded John Salmons and a 2015 2nd round pick to the HAWKS for Lou Williams and the rights to Lucas Nogueira.  A minimal deal, they just swapped an expiring contract and a so-so prospect, the upside is entirely within the organization.  Maybe Salmons gives the Hawks a little more size, maybe Williams gives the Raptors a a reliable backup or maybe they see something in Nogueira that the Hawks thought could be replaced by the #50 pick in next summer's draft.  I dunno.  None of these guys mean enough to me at this point to see their impact though I suspect Williams gets more playing time than Salmons (and don't be surprised to see the Raptors trade Nogueira down the line).

PISTONS declined the option of Chauncey Billups.  Yeah they did.  Why they gave him a 2year deal in the first place was bonkers--and they actually tried to play him at the beginning of last year!  Dios mio.  I liked the Pistons bringing in Josh Smith but I thought trading Knight for Jennings was a mistake and I thought bringing back Billups as anything other than an assistant coach was just silly.  Well, apparently Stan Van didn't even want Chauncey as an asst.

SPURS sign Patty Mills to (something like) 3yrs/$12m.  Good for the Spurs.  I thought the Spurs would bring back Boris Diaw but let Mills go, just figured he was up for a bigger raise than they'd be willing to pay and he'd be off.  Now the buzz is they're after Pau but they still gotta bring back Diaw.  They already stomped everyone, but pay off the little guys and add Pau Gasol?  Throw in a potato and you got yourself a stew!

CELTICS bring back Avery Bradley for 4yrs/$32m.  I gotta admit: I didn't watch the Celtics much this year--only so much Khris Humphries a man can take.  So this deal surprises me.  My gut feeling is that $8m per is too much for Bradley, especially since they just drafted Young and Smart.  Do they really need four more years of Bradley if they have those prospects waiting?  I'm guessing they'd love to trade Rondo but who wants him?

RAPTORS re-sign Kyle Lowry for 4yrs/$48m.  The sinking feeling that all the free agent talk is just some bluster before nothing happens is even sharper now since I assumed Lowry was out of there. I thought Lowry was probably the biggest piece out there in the free agent world but if he's heading back to Toronto then most of the pieces on the chessboard are probably staying put.

Rumors du jour: Cavs to max Gordon Hayward (I think Jazz would match), Pau to OKC (not bad, but Pau to the Spurs would be even juicier), Cavs/Nets are talking of a Jarret Jack for Marcus Thornton swap (the Nets are just trying to look busy and the Cavs are off-loading salary), Twitter-verse is calling the amnesty of Carlos Boozer a 'done deal' (and the internet is ALWAYS right!), Clippers are courting Ed Davis (eh, not the star power move they're probably looking for but I dunno, I guess he fits for them), Wizards are after Sefelosha (Sef did not look good in the playoffs last year, not sure what the Wizards are seeing in him), Josh Howard on the Pelicans summer league roster (wow, forgot about that guy, isn't he too old for the summer league?).