Childress in play?
(Former) Hawks swingman Josh Childress appears to be in play for the second straight summer as a restricted free agent. He's in Milwaukee today visiting the Bucks.
HAWKSVILLE - From Athens to Milwaukee and back to Atlanta, the name Josh Childress is being tossed around in every direction these days.
Childress is in Milwaukee today visiting the Bucks with his agent, Jim Tanner.
What that means for the Hawks is that they might get a do-over with Childress, a restricted free agent again this summer as he was last summer.
Last summer they lost him as an asset when he chose to sign with Greek power Olympiakos (for $20 million post taxes). What the Hawks didn’t lose was the right of first refusal on Childress if he decided to return to the NBA this summer.
And two of my spies have made it clear that were Childress to receive any sort of “reasonable” NBA offer (the $5.6 million mid-level exception or below), the Hawks would match it before Childress finished signing his name on the offer sheet (the aim, however, is to work out a sign-and-trade deal to appease both sides since Childress has made clear his desire to play elsewhere, per a source).
Still, no player on the free agent market has more intriguing options than Childress. He has until July 15 to decide if he wants to return to the NBA (he’d have to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract with Olympiakos). So he has a window now that allows him to gauge his current value around the NBA while also holding on to the safety net that is his lucrative contract with Olympiakos.
Childress was in Atlanta last Sunday to meet with the Hawks’ brass and made clear that he would do his due diligence in evaluating his NBA options before deciding whether to return to Greece or not. It’s smart business yet again on the part of Childress, who had drawn interest from a number of other teams (Lakers, Clippers, Cavaliers and Spurs are included in that list, according to my league spies) curious to explore the potential of him making an return to the league now as opposed to at the end of his contract with Olympiakos.
“It’s a tough free agent market right now,” a former player now working as an analyst told me by phone Thursday morning. “I can’t imagine [Childress] could do better financially than he would by going back to Greece. But you never know what might go on in free agency, so he’s wise to explore his options.”
MOSTLY QUIET ON THE FREE AGENT FRONT: Things are quiet where the Hawks’ other free agent targets are concerned. Neither Zaza Pachulia nor Marvin Williams is scheduled to visit anywhere as of right now.
Plenty of teams are interested, from what I’m hearing, but no face-to-face meetings have been set up as of yet. Williams is a restricted free agent, so it’s expected that his summer will last a little longer. Pachulia’s summer could heat up rather quickly if one of the big man dominoes on the summer circuit (Rasheed Wallace, Marcin Gortat, etc.) were to commit to a new team.
Several sources inform me that the Hawks have moved into the “common ground” phase of their talks with Mike Bibby’s camp. Nothing has been announced yet, but those sources insist that a deal is closer to getting done than people might think. I’ll be curious to see how things progress through the July 4th weekend and into early next week, when the salary cap numbers come out on the 8th.
Rumors are flying around about what teams are doing. It’s almost too difficult to keep up with it all, since there are so many different outlets reporting (fact and fiction). But my man Adrian Wojnarowski from Yahoo! Sports does as good as job as anyone at keeping his finger on the pulse of what’s happening out there. Check out his latest buzz.
RECESSION? WHAT RECESSION?: While most of us working class folk are struggling to make ends meet during these tough economic time, there is a segment of the population that’s doing just fine. Check out some of the NBA players on Sports Illustrated’s list of top “ballers” in sports.
Steve Francis should be your new hero, since he clocked $20 million last year without playing a single second of basketball. How’d that song from the 90s go, “I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller.” Dang skippy!
NORTH OF THE BORDER: Both Cousin Doug up in Toronto and my man Ken Berger of CBSSPORTS.com are reporting that David Lee has become the object of the Toronto Raptors’ affection now that it appears Hedo Turkoglu could be headed to Portland.
Turkoglu agreeing to a deal could open the floodgates for guys like Williams, especially, considering Charlie Villanueva’s deal with Detroit (5-years, $35-$40 sounds reasonable, though it raises some issues for the Pistons, per my man David Aldridge of TNT) has already set a benchmark for players of that ilk.
Stay tuned folks. There’s no telling where this free agent roller coaster goes next.
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642 comments Add your comment
glw
July 4th, 2009
11:33 am
Hoops,
Yeah i was figuring if we did all those, it would be 75 million range, but you are right, if Childress accepts the QO, someone would have to be moved. I prefer Marvin over Chillz, but the more I think about it, since we added Crawford’s offense, Chills would be a better fit (assuming he would play here) with the other guys. I dont have a problem with doing a sign and trade, and definitely would want to get Green and/or Hickson back. But Im sorry, there’s no way I want to give them a player the quality of Marvin or Chillz and help them get closer to the championship.
UGA
July 4th, 2009
11:34 am
Per ESPN: Bibby signing a 3 year deal!!
On the bottom line on SC.
KevinA
July 4th, 2009
11:34 am
KevinA,
You really think Chills is better than Crawford? Really??
That would depend on what we sign him for. Chills is much better at shot selection. He shoots a much higher shooting percentage. He is much younger. A better defender and better rebounder. If Crawford plays pass first I think hes has better skills to drive and kick. History says he is a high volume shooter with problems finishing around the basket. History indicates he is a fair passer, not a good one.
For the money I would keep sign Chills/Flip and trade Crawford. Two for the price of one.
Hoops
July 4th, 2009
11:35 am
niremetal,
I can’t really disagree with you. Do you think Chills may want to come back so bad that he would accept the QO this year so he could be a UFA next summer? That’s his way out from under the Hawks.
Hoops
July 4th, 2009
11:40 am
glw,
I thought about that also. Getting Marvin would really set Cleveland up for a serious run. But sending them Chills would also. Maybe we look elsewhere?
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
11:43 am
UGA,
It says “according to the Philly Inquirer.” Near as I can tell, this is the source they’re talking about:
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20090704_76ers__offer_to_Bibby_was_for_1_year.html
The story says “Bibby, paid about $15 million last season, plans to re-sign with Atlanta for three years, according to an NBA source.”
As always, ESPN makes the deal sound more done than it actually is…
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
11:44 am
……YAYFULLNESS!!!! Now for Flip, Zaza, Solo, and Channing Frye!!!
come on now….it’s been reported all over the place that Childrsss DOESN’T want to be here…. Marvin is better anyway.
Melvin
July 4th, 2009
11:48 am
Who’s gonna win their 5th ring first (or at all), Shaq, Kobe(that includes Fisher) or Duncan???
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
11:49 am
Nire, I had read that article, and then checked ESPN.com…..seems like I got my hopes up and was duped. DAMN YOU ESPN!!!!
Clyde
July 4th, 2009
11:50 am
Ray the FIRE WOODY movement has more followers than your blog. lol. I won’t stop until the job is done.
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
11:51 am
Hoops,
I highly doubt that the Hawks will re-tender Chills next summer, unless we get JJ to sign an extension this summer. Chills and his agents probably realize that, and I doubt he’ll take the $6M paycut that would come with accepting the qualifying offer instead of playing in Greece for the year.
Hawksfanatic
July 4th, 2009
11:52 am
Hoops, I have no idea where you came up with Teague’s salary, but it is more than likely incorrect. Per standard practices and procedures, Teague will more than likely be signed to 120% of the Rookie Scale. That puts him at $1,373,880.
http://www.nbpa.org/cba_exhibits/exhibitB.php
UGA
July 4th, 2009
11:52 am
From what we’ve read and Sekou, he’s going to sign…………..
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
11:55 am
Well, yeah, but nothing is set in stone though…..
I bet Sund already has worked out a deal With Zaza…..
KevinA
July 4th, 2009
11:56 am
niremetal, Is it possible to trade Crawford. What are the NBA rules about trading a player just traded. Any special problems with Crawford?
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
11:57 am
Ariose,
Ha! Probably true.
glw
July 4th, 2009
11:59 am
Hoops,
not sure if there are many more options out there. Only the teams that are really close (Orlando, Cleveland, LA, Boston) are willing to break the bank to sign free agents. And other than the opportunity to win a championship why would they sign a deal starting at mid level money. Marvin will make 7 million just by signing the tender, so why take less unless its a chance for a championship. I think Marvin will follow the Ben Gordon plan, hope for a big year and cash in next year.
Hoops
July 4th, 2009
11:59 am
Hoopsworld is reporting that D. Anderson is heading for the Hawks! If we can sign Zaza, it looks like the other big may be D. Anderson!
Hoops
July 4th, 2009
12:04 pm
My bad. The report on D. Anderson is from Hoopshype.
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
12:06 pm
KevinA,
We can trade Crawford by himself or with draft picks, but we can’t package him with other players until 2 months after we traded for him (ie until late August)
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
12:06 pm
I wouldn’t give David Andersen the whle MLE….Sund is going back to his old ways. DID he noe see david Andersen perfom against team USA in the Olympics? Complete no-show. He also came off the bench for Austrailia. I don’t think he’s going to be a big factor over here, but whatever…..I hope i’m worng.
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
12:07 pm
Hoops,can you post the link?
KevinA
July 4th, 2009
12:07 pm
“player development” and “natural progression.”
Is it possibe Woody thinks his team on the floor is young enough? Don’t we consider Josh, Al, ZaZa, Marvin/Chills all in development? To take minutes away from them would slow down their pace of improvement?
When it comes to developed players like JJ and Bibby you could argue Acie should have had a few of their minutes. I think Flip played so well he chose to play what was working.
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
12:08 pm
Good catch, Hoops.
Here’s the link, though the article is in Spanish:
http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/gen/20090704/53738392519/noticia/andersen-con-un-pie-en-la-nba.html
Can you say “Ah crap?” This is exactly what we needed. A big man who can’t play D…
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
12:09 pm
Ariose,
I don’t think Andersen counts against our MLE since he’s our own draft pick…
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
12:12 pm
http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/gen/20090704/53738392519/noticia/andersen-con-un-pie-en-la-nba.html
It’s in spanish lol…I know a little…..but You shold probably run it through Google translator lol.
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
12:14 pm
lol….. Beaten to the punch hehehe….
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
12:14 pm
I can read Spanish fairly well, and the gist of the article is that Andersen apparently played pretty weell in the Euro Final Four, which drew the attention of NBA scouts and GMs. It also says that the Hawks are concerned about losing Zaza as a free agent, and that San Antonio is apparently one of the teams interested in him. It says the Hawks will offer him a deal similar to the one he currently has in Europe – about 2 million Euros per year (which is about $2.8M).
At that price, hell – go for it.
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
12:15 pm
That’s great if he doesn’t cout against the MLE!!!!
We can still sign a good big and maybe Flip too.
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
12:18 pm
Here we go….
Regal FC Barcelona, after the signing of the agreement and Pete Mickeal with Boniface Ndong had practically outlined the plan for next season, could receive in the coming days a blow. Several sources with knowledge of the international market, David Andersen was about to leave the club to play for Barça in the NBA. The Australian pivot has two more years of contract with Regal FC Barcelona, but you can break the engagement if you offer an NBA team before July 15. It appears that Andersen calling at Atlanta Hawks, the team that won their rights in the 2002 draft (No. 37 of the second round).
The Australian has never hidden his dream is to stop playing in the NBA someday, but until now the Hawks have never decided to make an offer or transfer its rights to another team. When Andersen and began to think that Europe could never move, the thing seems to have changed this year. His great performance in the Euroleague Final Four, where they met a large number of general managers and scouts from the NBA, and his great end of season have raised his prestige on the other side of the Atlantic. Moreover, the Hawks have a lot to lose pivot numbers patchouli Georgian Zaza, who has just become a free agent and interested teams, including San Antonio. The arrival of Andersen allow Atlanta to its low cover without having to pull the house out the window.
Andersen said a few months ago and that money should not be a problem to fulfill his dream of playing in the NBA and was ready to make the jump if the Hawks offered him a contract similar to what is getting on the boat (about two million euros). The player is these days holiday in his native Australia.
World Deportivo managed to contact yesterday with the representative of the pivot, Kenny Grant, but he refused to confirm or deny the news. “David is an option, as has every summer, to break his contract if it receives an offer from the NBA before July 15. I can not say any more,” said the officer.
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
12:20 pm
Niice…We should defenetly do that.
Melvin
July 4th, 2009
12:21 pm
Ok, I cut and paste the David Andersen article to the Worldlingo translation website and here’s what it returned…
The Regal FC Barcelona, that after the draftee of Pete Mickeal and the agreement with Boniface Ndong practically had well formed its group of the next season, could receive in the next days a hard blow. According to diverse sources with knowledge of the international market, David Andersen is on the verge of letting the club azulgrana to play in NBA. Pívot Australian has two years more of contract with the Regal Barça, but it can break the commitment if it presents/displays a supply of an equipment of NBA before the 15 of July. Everything aims at that Andersen will saturate in Atlanta Hawks, the equipment that took control of its rights in draft of 2002 (nº 37 of the second round).
The Australian never has hidden who its dream is to end up playing someday in NBA, but until now the Hawks never they had been decided to present/display a supply to him or to transfer its rights to another equipment. When Andersen already began to think that she could never move of Europe, the thing seems to have changed east year. Their great performance in Four End of the Euroliga, where managers and ojeadores of NBA met to a great number of general, and their great end of season has elevated their prestige to the other side of the Atlantic. In addition, the Hawks has many numbers to lose to pívot Georgian Zaza Pachulia, that finishes turning free agent and interests to diverse equipment, among them San Antonio. The arrival of Andersen would allow Atlanta to cover its loss without having to throw the house by the window.
Andersen already aimed months ago that the money did not have to be a problem so that its dream was fulfilled to play in NBA and that it was arranged to give the jump if the Hawks offered a contract to him similar to which is receiving in the Barça (about two million euros). The player is these days of vacations in his native Australia.
Sport world managed to contact yesterday with the representative of pívot, Kenny Grant, but this one did not want to confirm nor to deny the news. “David has an option, since she has had it every summer, to break its contract if she receives a supply of NBA before the 15 of July. I cannot say nothing else “, pointed the agent.
Melvin
July 4th, 2009
12:22 pm
Dang, Ariose you are too fast. I should have know you was going to post the link. Sorry for the double post….
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
12:22 pm
*offered, not will offer. Wow.
KevinA
July 4th, 2009
12:23 pm
Arose – tks for the good work
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
12:23 pm
Lol at Google’s translation algorithm:
Moreover, the Hawks have a lot to lose pivot numbers patchouli Georgian Zaza
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
12:25 pm
LOL….
macaroni tony
July 4th, 2009
12:26 pm
I hope that we can keep ZaZa and get Anderson with along with Bibby coming back then we’ll be eight deep. S & T JC for another veteran player and we can remain in the fourth place.
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
12:26 pm
Oh man…the Wizards are apparently trying to sign Marbury.
The brain cell count of the Wiz brass just keeps dropping. That would give them 9 players under contract at the 1, 2, and 3.
Melvin
July 4th, 2009
12:27 pm
Nire,
Google Translator, can you say broken english. I think their intent was good…lol
Hoops
July 4th, 2009
12:28 pm
It looks like Zaza, Anderson, and Morris to back up Horford! I still think we can get either Millsaps or Varejao with our MLE. What do you think niremetal?
Are we signing Anderson with our Bi-Annual?
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
12:34 pm
If we bring Andersen over and re-sign Zaza, my guess is that we’ll play Andersen at the 4. If that’s the case and if we re-sign Bibby and Marvin, I think we’d be done in the FA market, because our roster would already look like this:
PG: Bibby, Teague
SG: JJ, Crawford
SF: Marvin, Evans
PF: Smoove, Andersen
C: Horford, Zaza, RandMo
Not really room for another rotation player. That’s a 9- or 10-deep squad. BUT that assumes we re-sign Zaza, which is a big if. If we do indeed bring over Andersen and re-sign Zaza, my guess is that we’re done unless we make a trade (which is entirely possible). If we don’t, then maybe we go after a McDyess/Millsap/etc
Andersen will qualify as a drafted rookie, so I don’t think we’ll need to burn any of our mid-level or bi-annual to get him.
Ariose
July 4th, 2009
12:35 pm
yeah the wiz are pretty dumb. Nobody is trading Guards for premium bigs these days. Theres just not enough quality bigs available right now.
Melvin
July 4th, 2009
12:35 pm
Like Niremetal said, signing David Andersen wouldn’t count against our MLE b/c he’s the Hawks draft pick. So they still have both MLE and BI-Annual available.
Crawford, Bibby, Marvin, ZaZa and Andersen would be a good summer for Sund.
Add Chills and another big (Bass, Frye, McDyess, Theo) to the above and that would be a great summer for Sund….
KevinA
July 4th, 2009
12:36 pm
Solo is in need for a summer of “natural progression.” Al needs to stay healthy. I guess we say good bye to Rando. Any one have a link to Anderson’s numbers and story?
KevinA
July 4th, 2009
12:47 pm
MLE and BI-Annual – these exceptions do not count toward cap or lux tax? Just salary?
niremetal
July 4th, 2009
12:52 pm
KevinA,
The exceptions allow us to 1 or more sign players up to a limited amount of dollars (~$5.7M using the MLE or $1.8M using the bi-annual) despite the fact that we’re over the cap. Once we sign players using those exceptions, though, those players’ salaries will count against both our cap and our luxury tax threshold.
KevinA
July 4th, 2009
1:05 pm
niremetal – Thanks I assume this is how those other teams ended up spending so much money.
Hoops
July 4th, 2009
1:13 pm
niremetal,
I’m very proud of you! You went against your own rule and listed a possible line up for the Hawks before the actual team was announced. You are really getting into this blogging!!!
Vol_In_Ohio
July 4th, 2009
1:29 pm
Now that Hedo is going to sign with Toronto, it looks like they have to let some FA’s go, at least from what I’ve read. Is there anyone there worth signing?