Slam Dunk Central

The “Associated Press” and “ESPN.com” are both reporting that the Philadelphia 76ers will sign free agent forward Elton Brand to a five year contract on Wednesday. The reports are that the deal will for $82 million dollars over the length of the pact. Brand who opted out of the last year of his contract was expected last week to return to his former team the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers got a verbal commitment from former Golden State Warriors point guard Baron Davis that he would sign a multi-year pact. After that news became public, it looked like it would be just a formality before Brand re-signed with Los Angeles.

But Brand reportedly got an offer from Golden State, for more money than the Clippers had offered. Philadelphia came into the picture within the last 24 hours, and freed up the money they needed to complete the deal Tuesday. The Sixers have reached an agreement in principle with the Minnesota Timberwolves that will give them almost $3 million in cap space. Philadelphia will send the T-Wolves center Calvin Booth, forward Rodney Carney, as well as a future first round draft pick. The Sixers will not have to accept any salary back in the deal, hence giving them the cap space.

If the deal is completed, it would make Philadelphia an instant contender in the NBA?Eastern Conference. Adding Brand to a lineup that already has Andre Iguodala, ?Andre Miller, Samuel Dalembert, and one of the most underrated young point guards in Louis Williams will elevate them in the Atlantic Division and in the East. Clubs are not allowed to announce any deals?until after Midnight Eastern time. “ESPN.com” is?quoting one source as saying that the deal is “70-30 Philadelphia.” In the NBA anything can happen, we will update you with any breaking information.??

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The “Associated Press” reported Friday morning that the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves have reached an “agreement in principle” that will result in an eight player trade. Memphis according to the report would get the NBA Draft rights to guard O.J. Mayo, plus veteran Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric, and Greg Buckner. Minnesota would receive the NBA Draft rights to?PF/C Kevin Love, veteran Mike Miller,?Brian Cardinal, and Jason Collins. Mayo was drafted Thursday night by the T-Wolves with the third pick in the draft, Love was taken by the Grizzlies with the fifth selection. Neither team has officially commented on the report.

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“Sports Illustrated.com” NBA beat writer Ian Thomsen is reporting that the Milwaukee Bucks and New Jersey Nets have “agreed in principle” to a trade that would send the Nets Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee in exchange for Yi Jianlian. According to the report Bobby Simmons would also be going to New Jersey in the deal. The Nets after trading veteran point guard Jason Kidd to Dallas in February, are in a rebuilding mode. Jefferson although talented, apparently does not fit into their long term plans. Simmons reportedly has $20.5 million left on his deal which will expire after the 2009-2010 campaign. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Paul all may be available at that time. There has been no official confirmation of the deal from either team at this time.

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The Charlotte Bobcats have been one busy team prior to the draft as according to Mike Cranston of the Associated Press, the team obtained from the Denver Nuggets their #20 pick in exchange for a future, protected first-round pick; the Bobcats, owners of the #9 and #20 picks in the first-round, will be better?equippedto address their needs at center and point guard.? While the Nuggets will have no picks in this year’s draft, they will avoid paying a luxury tax on a guaranteed rookie contract.

The pick that the Nuggets get from the Bobcats depends on several things: if the Bobcats make the playoffs, Denver gets their first-round pick; if the Bobcats miss the playoffs, then Charlotte keeps it.? The pick in question would be protected?by a sliding scale where Charlotte would retain it if it’s in the top 12 in 2010, top 10 in 2011, top 8 in 2012 and top 3 in 2013; the Bobcats get no protection for the pick in 2014.?

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It’s that time of the year when one day before any NBA draft, a flurry of trade activity takes place; this year is no different.? The Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors were players on the trade front as according to Ric Bucher of ESPN The Magazine, the Pacers will send forward Jermaine O’Neal to the Raptors in exchange for T.J. Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic and the Raptors’ #17 pick in Thursday’s draft.? The deal becomes official, contingent on both players passing physicals - which should be a mere formality; the trade, while beneficial for both teams, has risks attached.?

O’Neal played in only 42 games for Indiana last season while having his worst statistical year to date - averaging 13.6 PPG and 6.8 RPG after averaging 19.4 PPG and 9.6 RPG in 2006-2007; Ford, on the other hand, has a history of neck problems which began during the 2004-2005 season while a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.? He missed the entire 2004-2005 season as a result of an injury in February 2004; Ford played 72 games for Milwaukee in the 2005-2006 season before being dealt to Toronto after the season for Charlie Villanueva and cash.?

Ford played 75 games for the Raptors as the team won the Atlantic Division; however, last season found Ford playing in only 13 games with a neck injury.? Nesterovic averaged 7.8 PPG and 4.8 RPG last season while mainly a reserve.? O’Neal takes with him to Toronto a contract in which he is set to make $21 million this season and $23 million in 2009-2010 while Ford takes to Indiana a contract?with 3 years remaining and is worth about $25 million.? With the trade, Indiana will now possess the 11th and 17th picks of the draft while Toronto will sit this draft out.

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Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star forward LeBron James told a Cleveland Sports Talk radio station that he is dedicated to the city of Cleveland Wednesday, and has no desire to play elsewhere. The 23 year old forward who just completed his fifth season in the Association, was on ESPN 850 WKNR promoting his upcoming charity event “King for Kids Bike-A-Thon“.  LBJ told the station, despite the rumors his plans are to stay in Cleveland. James said “I’m dedicated to bringing a championship to this city. I’m bringing a parade to this city. I love this city. I love Northeast Ohio. Right now, I can’t see myself going anywhere else.”

James who saw his team go down to defeat in seven games against eventual NBA Champions the Boston Celtics, said in his post game press conference, that his team had to get better. He addressed the subject with the station. LBJ said that he thinks that the Cavaliers are close to where they need to be. He told the station that the Cavs are one and a half players away. We’re very close. I’m at the point where I only look and work hard in the off-season to play into June. Anything short of that is a failure.”

When asked what Cleveland needs to do in the off-season, he said that it is just a matter of things falling into place. LBJ said “It automatically starts with the guys already on the team getting better as individuals. If personnel changes need to be made, that’s up to the front office. We are going to be good because I’m going to get better and I have faith in my teammates that they are going to do the same.”

The station asked James his opinion on Bucks forward Michael Redd. James responded “I still think about if we could have landed him in free agency a couple of years ago. He’s one of the best shooters we have in our game.” Redd has been the object of rumors regarding a possible trade that would send him from the Milwaukee Bucks to Cleveland.

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The Associated Press reported Tuesday that the Detroit Pistons have fired their head coach Flip Saunders after losing to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Saunders had just completed the third year of a four year deal, all three seasons with Flip at the helm the Pistons had been eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals, to three different teams. Saunders predecessor Larry Brown had led the team to a NBA Championship?and two consecutive trips to the Finals.

Detroit’s President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars said he made the change because it was time for a new voice to lead the team.?Saunders was certainly not the problem with the Pistons, but apparently he was not the solution either. There can be no denying that Saunders is an excellent coach during the regular season. However he has never had similar success in the Post Season whether with Detroit, or in his first stop as coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves. As we have seen in the past, sometimes a coach can take a team to the edge of the mountain top, but for what ever the reason can not hit the peak. A perfect example is the Chicago Bulls, who needed to switch to Phil Jackson from Doug Collins before they won their first ring.? There is no doubt Saunders will be employed again as a coach in the NBA, his record is too good for him to be out for long. Reports say that Pistons assistant Michael Curry appears to be the leading candidate to replace Saunders.

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