2012 NBA Draft and Offseason Blog

Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
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2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - July 6



The Phoenix Suns trade PG Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers for 2013-, 2015 first-round picks and 2013-, 2014 second-round picks

When Ramon Sessions opted out of the final year of his contract, it became clear that the Lakers were sorely needing an upgrade at the point guard position. Besides Deron Williams, Steve Nash was the hottest name out there, and he ultimately chose to stay out West rather than sign with the Knicks, Raptors, or Mavericks, which were all reportedly expressing interest in the crafty distributor.

The 38-year-old Nash agreed to a 3-year, $27 million sign-and-trade deal that benefits both sides. Kobe Bryant finally gets a playmaking point guard who is a proven distributor, but can also score when needed. The Lakers bigs, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, should be thrilled to have a passer like Nash join the fray. It will be interesting how to see how Bryant handles playing off the ball a lot more, but he will certainly still get his touches.

As for the Suns, they add four future picks to assist in their post-Nash makeover. Even though both first-rounders will likely be in the mid-late twenties, it provides Phoenix with some valuable assets and is better than losing Nash via free agency and getting nothing in return.

The Phoenix Suns sign PG Goran Dragic to 4-year, $34 million deal and SF Michael Beasley to 3-year, $18 million deal

With Nash leaving the desert, Phoenix ponied up a lot of cash to re-acquire one-time Sun Goran Dragic. Call it "interesting" or "poor general managerial skills," but this is the same Dragic who the Suns dealt to the Rockets along with a first-round pick for Aaron Brooks. Now, Phoenix is paying $8.5 million per year to bring Dragic back while Brooks temporarily remains on the roster as a restricted free agent. Whoops. Dragic had a breakout season last year and will take over for Nash at the point while first-round pick Kendall Marshall likely serves as the backup.



Adding Beasley provides the team with a needed wing scorer to bring off the bench. If Eric Gordon ends up on the Suns, they will have tremendously increased their ability to score the basketball when you add in Jared Dudley to the equation as well.






The Toronto Raptors acquire PG Kyle Lowry from the Houston Rockets for F Gary Forbes and 2013 protected first-round pick

Lowry was reportedly an unhappy camper in Houston and didn't see eye-to-eye with head coach Kevin McHale. Therefore, GM Daryl Morey dealt Lowry even though the team had just lost Dragic to free agency. The first-round pick gives the Suns another asset for the future; something Morey loves to collect. However, the trade leaves the Rockets incredibly thin at the point guard position ...



The Houston Rockets sign PG Jeremy Lin to 4-year offer sheet worth $28.8 million

... that is until they signed Linsanity to a four-year offer sheet in an attempt to pluck him away from the Knicks. The deal is reportedly worth $10.2 million over first two years then spikes to $9.3 million in each of final two seasons, which is rather amazing considering the former Harvard standout was a nobody just seven months ago. New York does have three days to match this offer and has repeatedly said that it would do just that with any deal Lin signed since he is a restricted free agent. If Houston loses out on Lin, the team goes back to step No. 1 in its search for a point guard.



The New York Knicks agree to sign PG Jason Kidd; terms undisclosed

Kidd decided to spurn an offer to stay with the Mavericks and will instead join the Knicks. Despite the tank creeping closer and closer to empty, he will bring a veteran presence to New York, which the team failed to get from Baron Davis and Mike Bibby last season. The ideal situation is Kidd mentoring Lin for a season or two while also helping jell the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Kidd is not the same player he was of a few years ago, but if he can play his role, he will certainly be an asset in the Big Apple.

The Los Angeles Clippers re-sign G Chauncey Billups to 1-year, $4.3 million deal and sign SG Jamal Crawford to 4-year, $21-25 million

With Nick Young, Randy Foye, and Billups free agents, the Clippers were searching for depth and talent on the wing. Re-signing Billups, who only played twenty games in L.A. last season before suffering a season-ending injury, is a smart move. After all, he is a proven winner and capable of playing off the ball or running the point, which the Clippers don't really need him to do since Chris Paul and Eric Bledsoe are more than capable of shouldering that load.

Crawford signed for the full mid-level exception, but there is some confusion as to the released terms. The Los Angeles Times is reporting the contract is a three-year deal worth $15.7 million, but ESPN has it as a four-year deal. Crawford has been one of the top scoring sixth men in the league the past several seasons and will likely be asked to play that role again assuming Billups starts at the two. L.A. didn't really have a big-time bench scorer before signing Crawford, so he will anchor the second unit.



Recent NBA Draft and Offseason Blog Entries:

James Harden Trade Analysis - 10/29
What Will the USA Basketball Team Look Like at 2016 Summer Olympics? - 8/15
Dwight Howard Trade Analysis - 8/10
Restricted 2013 NBA Free Agents - 7/29
Unrestricted 2013 NBA Free Agents - 7/28
2012 NBA Offseason Winners - 7/23
2012 NBA Offseason Losers - 7/21
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/13
Outstanding 2013 NBA Draft Trades - 7/12
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/10
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/6
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/4
Atlanta Hawks' Trades Recap - 7/3
2012 NBA Free Agent Recap - 7/2
2012 NBA Draft Winners - 6/30
2012 NBA Draft Losers - 6/30
NBA Trade Analysis - 6/28
NBA Trade Analysis - 6/27
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Perry Jones - More Risk or Reward? - 6/26
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: John Henson One of NBA Draft's Most Overrated Players - 6/25
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Vanderbilt to See Three Commodores Taken in NBA Draft - 6/22
Wizards-Hornets Trade Analysis - 6/21
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Doron Lamb: Stepping out of Kentucky Shadows into NBA Draft - 6/20
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Can Memphis' Will Barton Sneak into 1st round of 2012 NBA Draft? - 6/19
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Baylor's Quincy Miller Made a Mistake by Entering NBA Draft - 6/16
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Can Duke's Austin Rivers live up to the hype in the NBA? - 6/15
2012 NBA Draft Combine Coverage: Can Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor Be a True NBA Point Guard? - 6/14
2012 NBA Draft Lottery Odds Breakdown - 5/30
2012 NBA Trade Deadline: Winners - 3/19
2012 NBA Trade Deadline: Losers - 3/18
2012 NBA Trade Deadline: Five Players Likely to Be Traded - 3/8
2012 NBA Draft Outstanding Trades - 12/25
NBA Offseason and Draft Blog - Home

Leave a comment Name Comment Verification: click on image to refresh it   A Chris Paul Fan 12-16-2011 12:23 am xxx.xxx.xxx.216 (total posts: 1) 19     20 Chris Paul is a great player, I think he's the best PG in the NBA and capable of making any team into an instant playoff team. That said the Clippers gave up way to much for a player with bad knees who may leave in a two years. If they'd been able to keep Gordon or the draft pick then i'd like the deal a lot more. If Paul stays healthy and long term it'll make it a lot less lopsided. As of now i'd say it's a big win for the Hornets considering that Paul was leaving anyways and this was the best deal they could have gotten. Of course if Eric Gordon realizes that New Orleans is a crappy basketball market and leaves as soon as possible it'll make it much worse for the Hornets. David 12-10-2011 09:40 am xxx.xxx.xxx.159 (total posts: 2) 42     17 Glen Davis was traded to the Magic... Bass was on the Magic and got traded to Boston Yung Rapist Killa 07-09-2011 10:59 am xxx.xxx.xxx.189 (total posts: 1) 23     20 Lebron James trade? John L. 07-07-2011 01:25 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.140 (total posts: 2) 21     22 "I don't quite completely understand. If the team cuts a player, and still has to pay the player's salary, what's the point of it?" So that they don't have to pay the luxury tax for that player. Which is eight figures for the likes of Walton/Haywood/Arenas. John L. 07-07-2011 11:20 am xxx.xxx.xxx.140 (total posts: 2) 24     21 You forgot the most likely - Pau Gasol. The Lakers know they need to make a move, and Gasol wants out. Don't be shocked when he's sent to an Eastern Conference team like Atlanta or Orlando. Dave 07-07-2011 09:23 am xxx.xxx.xxx.159 (total posts: 2) 21     21 I don't quite completely understand. If the team cuts a player, and still has to pay the player's salary, what's the point of it? nycsportzfan 07-07-2011 05:44 am xxx.xxx.xxx.134 (total posts: 1) 25     23 I think it would be wise for the knicks to look into trying to obtain Chris Kaman, and going way of hte Mavericks and builidng like that.. Give em Landry Fields and toney douglas, and then u got Melo, Amare, Kaman, Billups, Shumpert, re-sign Shawne Williams, Turiaf, harrelson, re-sign ant carter, sign Deshawn Stevenson, rautins, and re-sign bill walker..THen u have more money after the season as well.. Kaman Amare Melo Shumpert Billups Shawne Williams(re-signed Turiaf Deshawn Stevenson(sign) Harrelson Ant Carter(re-sign) Rautins Bill Walker(re-sign) jgardner12 07-02-2011 01:21 pm xxx.xxx.xxx6.37 (total posts: 2) 21     21 Ahh did not know that part of the rule, thanks for clearing that up for me. David Kay 07-01-2011 04:51 pm xxx.xxx.xxx5.17 (total posts: 1) 21     21 @jgardner12 The rule in 2005 stated a team cannot re-sign the player they cut... which is why I would be hesitant to cut Johnson especially with Crawford a free agent, suddenly you have no shooting guard. @waltair I believe the fifth year has an option on it, so I should have stated three-years, $21 million guaranteed waltair 06-30-2011 02:56 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.199 (total posts: 3) 21     21 LEFT ON HIS CONTRACT waltair 06-30-2011 02:55 pm xxx.xxx.xxx.199 (total posts: 3) 25     20 outlaw has 4 year 28 mil on his contract jgardner12 06-30-2011 01:01 pm xxx.xxx.xxx6.37 (total posts: 2) 30     21 While I understand staying loyal to your star, the hawks should defiantly use it on Johnson. JJ is a wonderful player and they want him in ATL but seriously the dude isn't worth it. I mean the money he has left is close to the amount that Wade took to stay in Miami.. Again while I understand the predicament a JJ led team isn't going to win anything so might as well admit your mistake of signing him and sign him if possible to a more in line contract.. Walter 06-30-2011 01:24 am xxx.xxx.xxx4.88 (total posts: 10) 22     22 @Dave - Now I do. The only Allen error was in the header, hence it was an editing mistake on my part. David spelled Allan correctly everywhere else. Dave 06-29-2011 04:59 pm xxx.xxx.xxx0.25 (total posts: 1) 21     20 You do know it's spelled A-L-L-A-N, right? Mile High 06-25-2011 11:20 am xxx.xxx.xxx.153 (total posts: 1) 21     21 the reason the Nuggets dealt Felton was because he wants to be a starter, which he will never be in Denver. Ty Lawson is the Franchise guard, and keeping Felton impedes his progress. Therefore, they traded Felton, a rising star with high value, for Miller, who will accept coming off the bench, plus they picked up Hamilton who they were targeting. Pages: 1 2 3 4 56 7

2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 22

2014 NBA Mock Draft - April 25

2013 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings: C | PF | COMBO-F | SF | COMBO-G | SG | PG

2011 NBA Mock Draft - June 23

2011 NBA Mock Draft - Walt's (June 21)

2011 NBA Mock Re-Draft

2010 NBA Mock Re-Draft

2009 NBA Mock Re-Draft

2011 NBA Draft Scouting Reports

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2009 NBA Draft Grades





2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - May 24


2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 22


2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 21


Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - May 20


NFL Picks - Feb. 3