NBA Capsules: Marion to Mavs, Stackhouse to Griz in complex deal
DALLAS - The way Jerry Stackhouse's contract was structured, the Dallas Mavericks knew they could parlay him into a key player for next season. As it turned out, a lot of teams benefited.
The Mavericks, Raptors, Grizzlies and Magic combined in a massive swap Thursday that included eight players, a draft pick and stacks of cash. The deal sent Shawn Marion to Dallas, Stackhouse to Memphis and helped seal the transaction that moved Hedo Turkoglu from Orlando to Toronto.
Among the other pieces: Forward Kris Humphries, center Nathan Jawai and cash went from Toronto to Dallas; guard Greg Buckner moves from Memphis to Dallas; and swingmen Antoine Wright and Devean George go from Dallas to Toronto.
Memphis also received a second-round pick and cash from Toronto and cash from Dallas. The Mavericks and Raptors both also sent cash to Orlando.
The Magic were going to lose Turkoglu anyway. After Orlando acquired Vince Carter, Turkoglu opted out of his contract and became a free agent. He'd already decided to go to Toronto, but turning his departure into a sign-and-trade glued together the rest of this complex puzzle.
"So many things were going on that I was like, ‘Just sit back and wait until it happens,'" Marion said. "I'm just happy to come to Dallas."
The Mavs are no strangers to convoluted, multi-team deals, but this one was still taxing. Team owner Mark Cuban posted on his Twitter feed late Wednesday: "Its been a long day of looking at spreadsheets, reading NBA cap rules and rubbing my eyes."
It was worth the effort: Dallas gets Marion, a four-time All-Star nicknamed "The Matrix" for his do-it-all game, in hopes that he'll be a great complement to a starting lineup featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Josh Howard.
Although Howard and Marion have similar skills, Marion said, "I think we can mesh fine. I'm a basketball player. I've played a little bit of every (position) before."
Marion is especially looking forward to playing with Kidd, having done so at the start of his career in Phoenix. The two already had spoken twice as of Thursday afternoon. Marion said he's also talked to sixth man Jason Terry, a friend since college.
"With J-Kidd running the show, he's definitely going to be spreading the wealth," Marion said.
Marion was a matchup nightmare during his heyday with the Suns - too big for Howard, too quick for Nowitzki. For his career, he's averaged 17.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.83 steals and 1.31 blocks per game.
Yet Marion is also 31 and headed to his fourth team since February 2008, having bounced from Phoenix to Miami to Toronto. He's also coming off a season in which he had his fewest points, rebounds, blocks and steals since his rookie season.
But this change is different. He's arriving at the start of the season and on a team with legitimate hopes for a deep playoff run. He also has the security of a new contract, which means he doesn't have to think about whether he might be traded again.
"At the end of the day, everybody wants security," Marion said. "If you can get security and get a great home at the same time, why not?"
Stackhouse was enticing for his numbers - contract numbers, that is.
Although Stackhouse is due more than $7 million next season, he can be bought out for only $2 million. That's likely the amount of cash Memphis received for the 34-year-old swingman. The former scoring star played only 10 games last season because of injuries, but will soon be able to cut a deal with any team.
Buckner, who has played in Dallas twice before, has a similar contract. So he's likely to be dealt again or bought out.
Humphries' best season was 2007-08, when he averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds. Last season, he was down to 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds before breaking his right leg in January. The 6-foot-10, 280-pound Jawai is an Australian who played just six games last season as a rookie.
The Mavs also are close to re-signing Kidd (awaiting paperwork) and likely adding 25-year-old center Marcin Gortat (more paperwork, including an offer sheet that Orlando is not expected to match). They also want to keep their own free agents, Brandon Bass and James Singleton.
All told, Marion believes Dallas will keep pace with the Lakers, Spurs and the rest of the tough Western Conference.
"With our talent and depth, why not?" he said. "It's the ultimate goal. You've got to have that in your aspirations."
Rockets assistant to interview for T-Wolves
HOUSTON — Houston Rockets assistant Elston Turner says he will interview to be head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Turner said he was contacted Monday by David Kahn, president of basketball operations for the Timberwolves, about the vacancy.
"You always feel privileged to get these kinds of opportunities," Turner said in an interview with KRIV-TV in Houston. "It's an opportunity like I had last year with Phoenix. It's a chance to see what they are talking about and see if the situation fits."
Turner was a candidate for the Phoenix Suns job last year. He has also worked as an assistant in Sacramento and Portland.
He said the interview will take place in Las Vegas, where he is coaching the Rockets summer league team.
Raptors confirm acquisition of forward Turkoglu
TORONTO - The Toronto Raptors got their top offseason target — thanks to some help from Chris Bosh — finalizing the acquisition of Hedo Turkoglu on Thursday.
The 6-foot-10 forward with a great shooting touch hit the market when the Orlando Magic acquired Vince Carter from New Jersey. Turkoglu opted out of his contract and was close to a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers last Friday before Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo swooped in.
He got an assist from Bosh, his All-Star forward.
"Little known fact, Chris helped recruit Hedo last Friday," Colangelo said at a news conference. "(I) reached out to Chris, Chris made a phone call and I would believe that would be a very important call for this guy to get when Chris Bosh calls you and says, 'I want you to come play for us and make us better.'"
The pitch worked for Turkoglu, who was already considering Toronto because he liked the city.
"When I heard his voice, I was really happy about it," said Turkoglu, who gets a five-year deal reportedly worth about $53 million. "He's been an All-Star in this league and he's been a dominant player. I was just happy to hear I'm welcome by that type of guy, it's really important. I know he's going to enjoy playing with me and I'm going to enjoy playing with him and other guys, too.
"Hopefully we all have a great year and then he makes his decision to stay here with a great group of guys."
Bosh's future — he can become a free agent next summer — has been in the backdrop of everything the Raptors have done so far this offseason as Colangelo tries to build a team that will convince his four-time All-Star power forward to stay.
"It took some selling, it might have even took some pain, but we found a way to get it done," Colangelo said. "Now we set our sights on making sure that Chris Bosh remains a part of that core as we move forward. And I can tell you with certainty that the moves that have been made, have been met with appreciation and excitement on Chris' part thus far."
Technically, Turkoglu re-signed with the Magic and was traded to Toronto as part of an eight-player, four-team deal. The Raptors also sent Shawn Marion, forward Kris Humphries and center Nathan Jawai to Dallas, and they received swingmen Antoine Wright and Devean George. In addition, Toronto gave Memphis a second-round pick and cash, plus the Raptors gave cash to Orlando.
The Grizzlies also got Jerry Stackhouse from Dallas and sent guard Greg Buckner to the Mavericks.
"This is not common," said Lon Babby, Turkoglu's agent. "It's a credit to this organization and their creativity to find a solution."
Turkoglu, a nine-year NBA veteran from Turkey, helped the Magic reach the NBA finals last season.
Babby said the player and his wife Banu were intrigued by Toronto's ethnic diversity, including a large Turkish community.
Turkoglu averaged 16.8 points and 5.3 rebounds last season, and has averaged 12.3 points and 4.2 rebounds over his career, which included stints with Sacramento and San Antonio before he signed with Orlando as a free agent in 2004.
Turkoglu is a 38.5 percent shooter from 3-point range.
He'll join a team that already has a distinctly international flavor, with Jose Calderon of Spain, Roko Ukic of Croatia, and Andrea Bargnani of Italy, who agreed to a five-year contract extension Wednesday.
Raptors sign first-round pick DeRozan
TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors have signed forward DeMar DeRozan, the No. 9 pick in the draft.
The Raptors didn't announce financial terms Thursday, but DeRozan can earn nearly $2.3 million in the first year of his deal. He is under contract for two years, and Toronto holds team options for the next two seasons.
The 6-foot-7 DeRozan averaged 13.9 points and 5.7 rebounds in his lone season at Southern California. He is expected to play for the Raptors' entry in the Las Vegas summer league.
Blazers GM speaks out about Turkoglu, free agencyPORTLAND, Ore. — After losing out on Hedo Turkoglu, the Portland Trail Blazers are considering Paul Millsap.
Turkoglu, who helped Orlando to the NBA finals, arrived in Portland last week to speak with the Blazers before negotiations were abruptly cut off. He has since been acquired by the Toronto Raptors.
"We got to a point where we both felt comfortable," Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard told reporters on Thursday. "But here's what I do know and that is if it wasn't right for him, then it isn't right for us."
Pritchard said the Blazers are still actively seeking players who could improve the team. Portland is $7.7 million under the salary cap for the 2009-10 season.
He confirmed reports that the Trail Blazers were looking at Utah's Millsap, as well as other players he did not name. Millsap is a restricted free agent, meaning the Jazz would have seven days to match any offer the Blazers might make.
Millsap averaged 13.5 points last season, getting double-doubles in 19 straight games while starting for Boozer, and has career averages of 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds since the Jazz selected him with the No. 47 pick in the 2006 draft.
"We're looking at all our options. We're excited about all the possibilities and maybe they happen tomorrow, maybe they happen in two months, maybe they happen at the trade deadline," Pritchard said.
Pritchard also addressed reports that talks concerning contract extensions for All-Star Brandon Roy and forward LaMarcus Aldridge — who anchor the Blazers — have stalled.
"It's amicable. We plan to make it amicable. More importantly, Brandon and LaMarcus will be here for a long time," he said.
BOSTON — Little 5-year-old Rashiyah Wallace sat on her daddy's lap as he talked about joining the Celtics.
He laughed, smiled and joked. Not a single nasty word or stern look.
Fans who have watched Rasheed Wallace lose his cool and pick up technical fouls haven't seen the lighter side of him very often.
"I will go off at times," he said Thursday. "Overall, I'm a pretty good teammate."
That's one reason Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge pursued Wallace, even calling his agent, Bill Strickland, just after midnight on July 1, the start of the free agency period.
"He's completely different than how he's perceived in the public," Ainge said. "You can see how much our guys respect him."
Wallace's wife and two of his sons sat in the audience at his news conference after he signed a three-year contract with Boston after 5 1/2 seasons with the Detroit Pistons, where he won an NBA title in 2004. Now he's part of the Celtics family. New teammates Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen beamed as they sat beside him.
"I know that we're all looking at each other, feeling like teenagers again," Garnett said.
Pierce thinks the addition of the 6-foot-11 Wallace's rebounding, defense and outside shooting enhances the Celtics chances to recapture the NBA championship it won in 2008.
"Every day I try to envision it," he said. "If it goes the way I envision it, it's going to be a great summer next year."
The Big Three talked in the locker room soon after their Game 7 loss to Orlando in the Eastern Conference semifinals and agreed on what the Celtics had to do — make Wallace their top free agent target.
"Rasheed was at the top of the list for all of us," Allen said. "We even talked about it during the year because we knew he was going to be a free agent."
They wanted him so badly that all three flew to Detroit to meet with him last week along with Ainge, coach Doc Rivers and owner Wyc Grousbeck. The presence of the players surprised Wallace. All three already knew him, so they discussed the team's practice facility, schools in the area and other issues that might sway him.
"They clearly are pretty good salesmen," Rivers said.
But Ainge believes the players' visit didn't tip the scales in Boston's favor.
"I think it's because of who these guys are on the court that Rasheed wanted to come here," Ainge said.
Wallace also drew interest from San Antonio, Dallas, Orlando and Cleveland, with the Spurs emerging as the Celtics' prime competition. But he felt Boston was "a good fit" and gave him the best chance to win his second championship.
He wants that so badly that he's even willing to come off the bench after being a starter in his 14 previous seasons. For his career, he's averaged 34 minutes, 15 points and 6.9 rebounds with 1.4 blocks.
"Two minutes, 30 minutes, whatever, as long as I'm contributing to the team for the 'W,' " Wallace said. "If I score a point and we win, hey, it's the sorriest point I've ever scored but we got the win. That beats 100 points and a loss any day."
Wallace figures to get plenty of playing time as the backup to Garnett at power forward and Kendrick Perkins at center. Ainge wants to retain backup forward Glen Davis, a restricted free agent, and remains interested in free agent Grant Hill, although he could stay in Phoenix.
"We're going to have to do more selling there," Rivers said.
Wallace's outside shooting gives opponents another player to double team and should open up shots for point guard Rajon Rondo, the weakest shooter in the starting lineup.
All that, plus a healthy Garnett, makes the Celtics a solid contender for another championship.
Garnett, who missed much of the second half of the season and all of the playoffs with a knee injury, said he's ahead of schedule following surgery. Ainge expects him to be at full strength when the season begins.
When it does, Garnett will have another intense teammate. But who's more intense?
"I would have to say I am," Wallace said as his listeners laughed, "because he can control his emotions. Of course, everyone knows my history as far as technical fouls, but I don't think you can match the intensity that I bring to the floor."
-- Howard Ulman
Reports: Cavaliers, Varejao reach deal
CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Cavaliers and Anderson Varejao reportedly have agreed on a six-year contract that could be worth as much as $50 million.
Agent Dan Fegan told The Plain Dealer late Wednesday that the club and Varejao have agreed on a new contract. The team would not confirm the report Thursday.
General manager Danny Ferry had earlier stated his intent to re-sign the 6-foot-11 Brazilian after Varejao did not exercise his option on a $6.2 million contract for next season, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Known for his hustle, Varejao posted career-highs with 42 starts, 8.6 points per game and a field-goal percentage of .536 last season, when the Cavs won a league-high 66 regular-season games but were eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals by Orlando.
The signing is the second major offseason move by the Cavaliers, who completed a blockbuster trade June 25 to acquire center Shaquille O'Neal from the Phoenix Suns.
The Plain Dealer's report and other online reports of the agreement were attributed to Varejao's agent, Dan Fegan. A telephone message for Fegan on Thursday was not immediately returned.
"Andy wanted to stay in Cleveland," Fegan told the newspaper. "He feels there is unfinished business - to win an NBA championship."
Varejao had interest from several teams, including the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder, and other potential sign-and-trade offers from other teams without salary-cap space. Fegan said several teams were willing to offer Varejao contracts that averaged $10 million per season.
A new Varejao deal is a sign any previous animosity between the player and Cavaliers management is no long an issue. The two sides bickered over a contract in 2007, and Varejao missing the first part of that season in a holdout.
The deal reportedly will keep Varejao's salary cap number to a little more than $7 million for the 2010-11 season, which could help Cleveland's position next summer, when Cavaliers superstar LeBron James potentially could be a free agent.
Clippers sign No. 1 pick Blake Griffin
LOS ANGELES - The Clippers have signed Blake Griffin, the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
The team says Thursday that Griffin's deal was official, and terms were not announced.
The 20-year-old center averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds last season at Oklahoma before leaving two years early to enter the draft.
Griffin is playing on the Clippers' NBA Summer League entry in Las Vegas next week.
Knicks sign rookie guard Toney Douglas
NEW YORK - The New York Knicks have signed guard Toney Douglas, the second of two players they picked up in the first round of the NBA draft.
Douglas was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 29 pick and the Knicks acquired his rights for a future second-round pick and cash. He can earn more than $900,000 as a rookie.
The Knicks said Thursday they expect Douglas, who averaged 21.5 points last season for Florida State, to play for their summer league team in Las Vegas. Douglas was the Atlantic Coast Conference defensive player of the year.
New York still has to sign Jordan Hill, the No. 8 pick.
Phoenix adds Japanese guard to Summer League team
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns have added guard Takuya Kawamura to their roster for the Las Vegas summer league.
The 6-foot-4 Kawamura averaged 20.4 points for Link Tochigi Brex of the Japanese Basketball League last season. In April, he decided not to play for the Japanese national team and instead pursue a spot in the NBA.
Kawamura's teammate Yuta Tabuse is the only Japanese player to play in the NBA. Tabuse was briefly a member of the Suns in the 2004-05 season. Kawamura, 23, had been a member of Japan's national team since 2005.
The Suns entry, coached by Phoenix assistant Dan Majerle, opens its six-game schedule Monday against Dallas.
New Pistons coach is Cavs' John Kuester
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - In his decade running the Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars hasn't been known for showing patience with head coaches. He insists that is about to change.
Moments after introducing Cavaliers assistant John Kuester as Detroit's sixth coach in 10 years, Dumars said Thursday that Kuester "might have the most job security of anyone in the NBA."
"Bless you, Joe," said Kuester with a laugh.
Kuester replaces Michael Curry, who was fired on June 30 after going 39-43 in his first season and being swept by Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs. Detroit had reached the Eastern Conference finals in the previous six seasons under Rick Carlisle, Larry Brown and Flip Saunders.
Detroit has almost completely turned over that roster, with only Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince remaining from the 2003-04 championship team. They added Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon in the first hours of free agency.
"For the last seven years, the criteria for success here has been making the finals," said Dumars, the team's president of basketball operations. "That's not the gun that will be held to John's head. Right now, we're looking to move this franchise back in the right direction."
When Dumars fired Curry, he said he wanted a coach with more experience and there was speculation that veterans like Doug Collins or Avery Johnson would take the reins. Neither situation came together, though Dumars did talk with Johnson about the job.
Kuester has 19 years of NBA experience, including 13 as an assistant with five teams, but hasn't been a pro head coach. He replaced Rick Pitino at Boston University in 1983 and later spent five seasons coaching George Washington.
"I told (Curry) that it wasn't fair to put an inexperienced coach in this position," Dumars said. "I still think that's the case - John has seen a lot more things in his 19 years in the NBA than Michael has had a chance to see."
Kuester was Brown's assistant when the Pistons upset the Lakers in the 2004 finals, and said that experience helped him decide to tackle the rebuilding job in Detroit.
"You never know when an opportunity will come up, but when I was thinking about this, I kept finding signs - a Pistons shirt in my closet and a Pistons name tag in the next room," he said. "I'm coming to a place where there are a lot of people that I know and trust."
Kuester brushed aside any concerns he might have had about being Dumars' obvious third choice.
"My wife told me that I was her sixth choice, and we've been married for 32 years," he joked. "So Joe and I have a real chance."
The Pistons have been known as a defensive team under Dumars, dating back to his days on Chuck Daly's title-winning "Bad Boys" of 1989 and 1990. Kuester said that isn't going to change, despite his stint as Cleveland's offensive coordinator and the addition of two score-first players in Gordon and Villanueva.
"The past year was actually the first time I've ever been entirely focused on offense, and I still understand that defense is what wins championships," he said. "We're going to be a team that grinds it out for 48 minutes, and defense is going to be a huge part of that."
