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Top 10 Sophmores

1. Kevin Durant, Thunder I'm not expecting Durant's scoring numbers to jump nearly as much as his overall efficiency and productivity. Yes, he could average close to 25 points per game -- which would be impressive -- but doing so while rebounding better, defending with more purpose and getting more buckets inside the paint will establish Durant as a true future star. Building on this past April's play would be a good start. 2. Al Horford, Hawks As a basketball player, Horford looks like he's 22 going on 30. Showing polish and poise, he shocked nobody when he averaged a double-double against the Celtics in the playoffs. And he still can improve a great deal as a scorer. Late touches in the shot clock could be in store for him this season, and an improved jumper means he can space the floor better for Atlanta's slashers. 3. Luis Scola, Rockets No team showed more heart and grit than Houston did in its six-game series against Utah. And Scola was a big factor in that effort. His numbers never tell the whole story; he truly is one of the game's best "team guys" -- his spirit infects those around him. However, his playing time could be affected if Houston goes small and plays Ron Artest inside. 4. Al Thornton, Clippers With the Clippers' roster changes and injuries, Thornton might give Durant a run for the sophomore scoring title. He progressed nicely last season and has the three tools I love to see in players -- shooting skill, terrific athleticism and a huge motor that he uses every night. However, he does need to drive more and take fewer jump shots. 5. Rodney Stuckey, Pistons This might be too high on the list for a non-starter, but Stuckey performed so well in the playoffs and summer league that he should see major minutes on a team that needs young legs. He can help the Pistons on both sides of the court but needs to add consistency to his perimeter jumper to reach the next level of his development. 6.Thaddeus Young, 76ers Young's athleticism and feel for the game are so much fun to watch; he's truly a natural out on the court. Moving to the small-forward spot full time will force him to be more focused on what made him so good last season -- mixing his inside game alongside his perimeter one. He took 54 percent of his shots near the rim and should aim for a 50-50 balance again this season. 7. Mike Conley, Grizzlies Going into the offseason, Conley knew he had to improve his jumper to be a more balanced offensive player. Indications are that he indeed has gotten better as a shooter, although there is little doubt he will have to prove it over and over again as the season begins. Conley's overall effectiveness should be greatly enhanced this season as a full-time starter. He teams with O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay to form an incredibly active perimeter trio. 8. Carl Landry, Rockets Landry likely would be higher on this list were it not for the glut of talent around him in the Rockets' frontcourt. He's a do-it-all type of scorer, and despite being labeled as "undersized" for his position, he attempted to dunk on 26 percent of his field goal attempts. (Dwight Howard was at 30 percent.) Landry also personifies -- alongside fellow soph Scola -- a unique brand of incredible toughness within 6 feet of the rim on both sides of the ball. 9. Jeff Green, Thunder The Thunder might see improvement only if Green makes a big jump in production. He settled for far too many outside shots last season with too few makes (similar to Durant). But he finished the season strong and occasionally dominated Orlando's summer league in July. The talent is there. He'd be better served by focusing on defense and rebounding, though, where he has the ability and agility to be excellent. 1 0.Julian Wright, Hornets As I stated at the end of last season, no rookie improved more during the season than Wright. He's not someone who is going to put up huge numbers, maybe ever, but his presence is felt nonetheless. And if Wright somehow can provide more production as a scorer/rebounder and on defense, he could be the catalyst (along with James Posey) the Hornets need to push through into the Finals

Top 10 Rookies

1. Greg Oden, Trail Blazers Oden has played just OK in the preseason, which is to be expected due to his long layoff and the type of knee surgery he's coming back from. But if the NBA's Most Improved Player award was based on in-season play as opposed to play from one season to the next, I think Oden would be the favorite. When his mind and body catch up to the speed of the game, he should be a monster every night. 2. Michael Beasley, Heat Scoring has always been easy for Beasley, and I suspect it always will be. He has the best combination of feel, skills and body in this rookie class. As his effort and awareness on defense grow, so, too, will his minutes. He's the favorite for Rookie of the Year, without a doubt. 3. Marc Gasol, Grizzlies A stat stuffer, Gasol should get as many starts as any rookie playing in the frontcourt. He can score inside and rebound. He has quick hands and an active mind. I also love his passing ability and craftiness on defense. His experience playing high-level basketball in Spain is an advantage, too. 4. O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies Of all the rookies who are expected to play a lot of minutes this season, I think Mayo will experience the biggest roller-coaster ride. He is a dynamic player on both sides of the court, but because he relies so much on his jumper on offense, he will surely endure some very low points totals to go along with some huge scoring nights. If he learns to change speeds better and earns more trips to the free-throw line, he'll jump a level from very good to great. 5. Kevin Love, Timberwolves Love was acquired by the Wolves based more on talent and less on fit, so it's going to take time to create a good situation for him in Minnesota, which is loaded with beefy inside players. His strong hands will enable him to grab rebounds and score effectively inside. However, he has not been much of an enforcer, defensively. Still, I like his upside on D, where he can learn to use his excellent feel -- and, hopefully, a soon-to-be-leaner body -- to cover ground more quickly. 6. Derrick Rose, Bulls The logjam at the guard position in Chicago suggests that, in the short term, Rose might not see huge minutes. But he has shown improvement at handling ball screens (on offense), and his body control on at-the-rim finishes is already at a high level. He looks to score more than I expected, but should be very effective in that role. He can really be a punishing point guard due to his size and strength. 7. Rudy Fernandez, Trail Blazers In just his second NBA preseason game, Fernandez tallied 15 points, five rebounds, seven assists, six steals and six turnovers. Assuming he comes off the bench this season, that's the definition of an energy guy. And with Martell Webster out for an extended period of time, Fernandez has the chance to play a lot more, and maybe even start. He is a do-it-all type of pro that will be a difference-maker on offense and defense. 8. Russell Westbrook, Thunder Westbrook figures to get serious playing time right away, despite a far-from-ready offensive game. He was drafted because of his defensive talents and his ability to complement Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. And because he's a winner. Although he will suffer through some real struggles, especially as a shooter, the Thunder want him to develop into a future starter, so playing time is mandatory. 9. Eric Gordon, Clippers The Clippers will utilize this scoring dynamo off the bench. He looks similar to Ben Gordon, not just in size and position but in how he can impact games. While he often looks to shoot -- he is far from knowledgeable about the term "good shot" -- it is his slashing talent that could earn him a future Sixth Man Award. He is tough to stay in front of, and has the strength to finish at the rim amid contact. 10. Brook Lopez, Nets Lopez has the game to make an impact on several fronts. He has shown he can rebound in this league, and has always been a scorer. He has also made some plays on defense in the preseason. With New Jersey's questionable frontcourt (due to injuries and such), Lopez may earn solid time off the bench

U.S. finishes romp through pool field; Aussies next

BEIJING -- The U.S. Olympic team put away Dirk Nowitzki and Germany in a hurry. Next up: the only team so far these Americans couldn't blow out. After destroying Germany 106-57 on Monday, the Americans (5-0) move on to a quarterfinal matchup Wednesday against Australia, the team that's provided them with their toughest test in China. The U.S. led by only seven points midway through the fourth quarter of an 87-76 exhibition victory in Shanghai two weeks ago over an Australian team that didn't have starting center Andrew Bogut of the Milwaukee Bucks. He was resting a sore right ankle. It's hard to imagine a repeat of that semi-Shanghai surprise with the way the U.S. has played in Beijing. "Nobody is going to beat them. No way, it's just not going to happen," Germany's Chris Kaman said. Dwight Howard scored 22 points and LeBron James had 18, 16 in the first half, Monday as the United States completed an undefeated march through pool play. Not since the Dream Team rumbled through Las Ramblas 16 years ago in Barcelona has a team been this dominant. The Americans won their pool games by 32.2 points and averaged 103 points. "We feel like we're playing very well right now, but you have to keep in mind it's single elimination," Kobe Bryant said. "You can't afford any slip-ups." The only thing they might have to work on is Bryant's dunking. He blew two Monday, but hit three 3-pointers after going only 5-of-24 in the first four games. Bryant finished with 13 points as the Americans shot 55 percent from the floor and tossed in 11 more 3-pointers after making 12 in their last game. With the top seed in their group already clinched, the Americans could have come out flat like Lithuania, which entered Monday as the other unbeaten and was trounced 106-75 by Australia. Instead, they came out and flattened Germany. The Americans scored 3 seconds into the game when Howard batted the tip to James, who threw it ahead to Carmelo Anthony for a layup. That was the start of eight straight U.S. points, and the end of any suspense. Germany missed nine of its first 10 shots, including a blown dunk and a botched putback by Los Angeles Clippers center Kaman. Bryant missed a dunk, too, during that stretch, but Howard and James had consecutive slams to make it 18-3. "Going against Greece and going against Spain, it was really easy to get up for," James said. "And we could have easily came in and had one of those games where we make excuses, but we didn't take a step backwards today and that was good, it was really good." The Americans were scoring so easily, they practically got in each other's way. Chris Paul led a 3-on-1 break and threw an alley-oop that could have gone to either James or Dwyane Wade. James jumped higher and got it to lay it in, then stepped outside to hit his second 3 for a 23-5 bulge. Up 19 after one, the U.S. scored the first eight points of the second to make it 39-12. The lead was 28 after James drilled 3-pointers on consecutive U.S. possessions, and ballooned to 30 for the first time when Howard scored four straight to make it 49-19 with 3 minutes left in the half. Bryant hit the side of the rim on another slam attempt early in the third quarter, so he backed up 20 feet and tossed in back-to-back 3s for a 62-29 cushion. Howard slammed down an alley-oop from Wade right after Nowitzki checked out, turning into an 80-39 bulge with 2:41 remaining in the period. Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks All-Star, scored 14 points for Germany (1-4), which completed a disappointing Olympics. The Germans looked like contenders in a 95-66 rout of Angola in their opener, but then dropped four straight. Kaman, who joined the Germans this summer after getting German citizenship, managed just six

Clippers reach terms with free-agent guard Williams

The Los Angeles Clippers made arrangements Thursday to bring in yet another new player by reaching terms with free-agent point guard Jason Williams. Williams Williams' agent, Bob Myers, told ESPN.com that the 32-year-old -- who spent the past three seasons with the Miami Heat and who started at point guard for Miami's title-winning team in 2006 -- has signed with the Clippers. Financial terms were not immediately available, but NBA front-office sources said Williams is receiving a one-year contract. "We are excited to add Jason to our squad," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said in a statement. "He brings added veteran leadership and playoff experience to our backcourt." In 679 regular-season games, Williams has averaged 11.4 points, 6.3 assists and 2.4 rebounds while playing for three different teams. He has appeared in 53 playoff games, averaging 9.8 points, 3.7 assists and 2.2 rebounds. Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor called Williams "a terrific ball handler with great passing ability and court vision." Williams ranked eighth in the league last season with a 3.37 assists-per-turnover ratio, and 12th with a 0.91 steals-per-turnover ratio. He was drafted by Sacramento in 1998 following his junior year at the University of Florida and was named to the 1999 NBA All-Rookie Team after he averaged 12.8 points and 6.0 assists. He has averaged scoring in double figures and at least five assists a game in eight of his 10 years in the league. Williams moved to Memphis before the 2001-02 season and over the following four years became the Grizzlies' career leader in assists and 3-point attempts. He joined the Heat before the 2005-06 season. Williams will thus become the 10th new player acquired by the Clippers in the wake of a disastrous 23-59 season, which was followed by Elton Brand's free-agent defection to the Philadelphia 76ers. Los Angeles native Baron Davis headlines the group of newcomers, which also includes center Marcus Camby, Williams' former Miami teammate Ricky Davis, first-round draft pick Eric Gordon, veteran forward Brian Skinner and sharpshooter Steve Novak, whom L.A. landed Wednesday in a trade with the Houston Rockets. Williams is the third point guard to join the Clippers this summer, along with Davis and Jason Hart, who was acquired from the Utah Jazz in a July 23 trade for Brevin Knight. The addition of Williams -- who recently attracted serious interest from Israeli giant Maccabi Tel-Aviv before Maccabi signed Orlando Magic free agent Carlos Arroyo -- all but ensures that the Clippers will not re-sign point guard Shaun Livingston. L.A. renounced its free-agent rights to the injury-plagued Livingston on July 9 to help create the requisite salary-cap space to officially sign Davis to his five-year, $65 million contract, but the Clippers did have the option of trying to re-sign him.

Schedule highlights: Season opens with champs versus King James

The NBA's 2008-09 schedule is out ... and you know what that means. An equally anticipated document has to go with it: ESPN.com's first rundown of must-see games for the coming season to immediately input into your electronic calendar of choice. Oct. 28: Opening Night An earlier-than-usual launch to the season starts with a tasty TNT doubleheader, leading off with the new champs from Boston hosting LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers on ring night and capped by Greg Oden's long-awaited NBA debut in Blazers at Lakers. Oct. 29: Opening Night (continued) Elton Brand makes his 76ers debut in the same game that Jermaine O'Neal makes his official Raptors debut: Toronto at Philadelphia. Furtherm ore:Michael Beasley makes his pro debut at Madison Square Garden (along with Dwyane Wade's official return from injury) in Heat at Knicks, Ron Artest makes his Rockets debut in Memphis at Houston, and Oklahoma City makes its debut as a full-time NBA city with a visit from the Milwaukee Bucks. And ... ESPN dishes its own doubleheader doozy: Phoenix at San Antonio to renew year after year of recent playoff pleasantries, followed by Lakers at Clippers in a fitting bow for the Clips' new Angeleno point guard: Baron Davis. Oct. 30: Houston at Dallas (TNT) The Mavericks are one of two teams (along with Charlotte) that must wait until Thursday for their opening game, giving Mavs fans more time to fret that the Rockets' acquisition of Ron Artest reduces Dallas to the third-best team in Texas. Oct. 31: San Antonio at Portland (ESPN) The best of the Halloween fare, at least in NBA terms, is unquestionably Oden matching up with Tim Duncan. Nov. 1: Washington at Detroit (NBA TV) The league is still sorting out its full 96-game NBA TV schedule, but Wizards-Pistons has been confirmed as the opener of NBA TV's maiden doubleheader, which concludes with a Portland-at-Phoenix nightcap. [+] EnlargeJesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images If Yao can stay healthy, this could be a preview of the 2009 Finals. Nov. 4: Boston at Houston You don't have to wait long for a look at the NBA's reigning threesome of doom (Garnett, Pierce and Allen) throwing down against the new trio on the block (McGrady, Yao and Artest). P.S. How much playing time will the twins get in Phoenix at New Jersey ... also known as Robin Lopez at Brook Lopez? Nov. 5: Charlotte at New York Larry Brown returns to Madison Square Garden with his (latest) new team. We'll spare you the dates on Larry's returns to Denver, New Jersey, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Indiana, Philly and Detroit. Nov. 6: Houston at Portland (TNT) Yao Ming and Oden go toe-to-toe for the first time. Health permitting, of course. Nov. 9: Houston at L.A. Lakers The denizens of Lakerland who so badly wanted to see Artest in purple and gold will get their first dose of torture early. In L.A.'s first Sunday home game of the season, actually. Nov. 10: Portland at Orlando Oden will have lined up against Shaquille O'Neal (Nov. 1), Yao and Dwight Howard in a span of 10 days by the time he gets through this one. Health permitting, of course. Nov. 12: Atlanta at Boston Are the Hawks and Celtics rivals now because of what happened in the first round of the playoffs? Better question: Shouldn't Olympiacos be required to swing through Atlanta as part of the usual October spree of exhibition games against top European clubs? Nov. 13: Dallas at Chicago (TNT) Mavs owner Mark Cuban could know by this point whether he has won the race to buy the Cubs, which would make this somewhat of a home game for him and certainly spice up his relationship with Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, since Reinsdorf owns the White Sox. Nov. 14: Detroit at L.A. Lakers (ESPN) What sort of reception awaits Kwame Brown at Staples Center? Just a hunch: If history is any guide, Kwame needn't expect (or want) any mention of a cake. On the undercard: Kareem Rush's Philadelphia 76ers visit brother Brandon Rush's Indiana Pacers. Nov. 18: Cleveland at New Jersey LeBron and Jay-Z! In the same building! Exactly one week before LeBron goes to MSG to hang with Spike Lee and the Knicks! Cavs fans will want to avoid online consumption of the New York tabloids for a good few days before Thanksgiving. Nov. 20: L.A. Lakers at Phoenix (TNT) Kobe, tell me how many times do you think you and Shaq will be asked about recent rapping exploits? Detroit at Boston, incidentally, isn't exactly a bland appetizer for TNT. Nov. 21: Boston at Minnesota A hamstring strain prevented KG from playing in his first visit to 'Sota as an ex-Wolf last February. Hard to see him missing two in row, though. In Philadelphia, meanwhile, Baron and Elton will be in the same building for the first time since they did not end up on the same team as so many of us expected. And over in Oklahoma City, New Orleans is in town to play the OKC TBAs for the first time, which makes

Cats' Boykins latest NBA player to bolt for Europe, signs $3.5 million deal

After a decade in the NBA, Earl Boykins has joined the growing legion of veteran role players unable to resist the lure of European riches. Boykins' Cleveland-based agent, Mark Termini, announced Tuesday that Boykins has signed a one-year contract with Italy's Virtus Bologna. The deal, according to Termini, is worth more than $3.5 million for the 2008-09 season, which would make the 5-foot-5 guard Italy's highest-paid player. Boykins Since free agency began July 1, Boykins is the ninth player who worked in the NBA last season to bypass the tight free-agent market for role players at home and head overseas. Yet he's just the third -- following Josh Childress and Carlos Arroyo -- who played almost exclusively in the NBA before considering interest from abroad. Childress spurned a five-year offer worth an estimated $33 million from the Atlanta Hawks to sign a three-year deal worth at least $20 million from Greek power Olympiacos. With the Orlando Magic signing Anthony Johnson as Jameer Nelson's new backup, Arroyo on Monday chose to sign a three-year deal with Israeli giants Maccabi Tel-Aviv that will pay him $2.5 million net per season, with Maccabi covering Arroyo's taxes. Childress and Arroyo both have an escape provision in their contracts which enables them to return to the NBA after each of the next two seasons if they choose. All of the other players to sign with European clubs in recent weeks -- Serbia's Nenad Krstic, Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro and Jorge Garbajosa, Argentina's Carlos Delfino and Slovenia's Bostjan Nachbar and Primoz Brezec -- played for top-level teams in Europe before coming to the NBA. Boykins had a breakout season offensively in 2006-07, averaging nearly 15 points per game for Denver and Milwaukee. But an equally limited free-agent market for rotation players in the summer of 2007 -- after he opted out of the final year of his contract, worth $3 million, with the Bucks -- prompted Boykins, 32, to wait until late January before signing with the Charlotte Bobcats. Boykins wound up playing in 36 games for the Bobcats, but he averaged just 5.1 points and shot below 40 percent from the floor (.355) for the first time since establishing himself as a full-time NBA player with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2001-02. According to Termini and co-agent Andy Bountogianis, Boykins' deal includes income from Bologna's sponsorship and marketing arms, which is not an option for NBA players because of salary-cap restrictions.

Barry signs with Houston, is third family member to play for Rockets

HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets signed free agent Brent Barry to a two-year contract on Thursday, making him the third member of the family to join the franchise. Barry The 6-foot-7 Barry played 31 games with San Antonio last season and shot 43 percent (48-for-112) from 3-point range. A 13-year veteran, Barry will play for his sixth NBA team after stints with the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Seattle SuperSonics and the Spurs. Barry's father, Rick, spent two seasons with the Rockets (1978-80) and his older brother, Jon, played for the team from 2004-06. Barry, 36, was a member of San Antonio's championship teams, in the 2004-05 and 2006-07 seasons. Among active players, Barry ranks eighth in career 3-point field goal percentage (.407) and sixth in career 3-pointers made (1,346). Barry won the NBA slam dunk contest in 1996. He was the league's most accurate 3-point shooter in 2000-01, making 48 percent (109-of-229).

Clippers' Gordon injures hamstring, done with summer league

LAS VEGAS -- The Los Angeles Clippers confirmed on Sunday that lottery pick Eric Gordon will miss the remainder of the NBA Summer League on the campus of UNLV with a strained left hamstring. Gordon Gordon, who has shown some nice flashes in two games despite his struggles from perimeter, suffered the strain Saturday in a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. The injury, while not believed to be serious, rules out what looked to be one of the better individual duels in Vegas this summer: Gordon's scheduled showdown Wednesday night with O.J. Mayo of the Memphis Grizzlies. Drafted No. 7 overall last month out of Indiana, Gordon has missed 19-of-28 shots from the field in two games but has relied on his strength, body control and confidence to get to the free-throw line 21 times (making 16) in just under 60 minutes of court time, enabling him to average 19 points along with 6.5 rebounds. Clippers summer league coach Kim Hughes has been primarily playing Gordon as a shooting guard, a position in which he is likely to be deployed most as a rookie alongside Baron Davis. "I think once [Gordon] figures it out, he'll understand that he doesn't have to take the first available shot," Hughes told NBA.com. "When he uses the picks a little bit more, we'll send the ball to him weak side and he won't have to shoot the ball so quickly. I think he's got a good feel for the game, I think he can break his own guy down one-on-one and I think in transition he can be a monster."

Maggette signs contract with Golden State

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors acquired free agent Corey Maggette on Thursday, signing away the Los Angeles Clippers' scoring leader. While the team would not comment on terms of the contract, a person with knowledge of the deal previously told The Associated Press that Maggette would be signed for five years at around $50 million. Maggette The6-foot-6 swingman is expected to be a good fit for Warriors' coach Don Nelson's frenetic, fast-paced style of play. The 28-year-old former Duke star appeared in 70 games last season with the Clippers and averaged 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.01 steals in 35.7 minutes per contest. Maggette trades teams with Baron Davis, who left the Warriors last week to sign with the Clippers. Davis opted out of a $17 million deal for next season to accept a smaller salary to play in his hometown with Elton Brand and perhaps Maggette. However, Brand signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday and now Maggette is a Warrior. Landing Maggette was not necessarily easy for the Warriors. He reportedly received interest from five other teams, including reigning NBA champions Boston, as well as San Antonio. But the Warriors were able to offer a longer-term deal and more money after Davis' departure cleared cap room for the team. Maggette is expected to fill voids left by the departure of swingman Mickael Pietrus to Orlando, and the loss of forward Matt Barnes, whom Nelson said won't be back. "He's been one of the most productive players in our league for the last several years and provides us with additional versatility and veteran leadership," said the Warriors' top basketball executive, Chris Mullin. Veterans Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington are the only regulars currently under contract, but Mullin has said the team will sign high-scoring guard Monta Ellis and center Andris Biedrins -- both restricted free agents -- at any price, hopefully to long-term deals

Ranking the best available free agents

At midnight Wednesday, NBA free agents finally could change teams. As you might have noticed, there already has been plenty of action. Baron Davis stunned us by agreeing to a five-year, $65 million deal with the Clippers. Then, Elton Brand one-upped his buddy by bolting the Clippers for a five-year deal with the Sixers. Then, Corey Maggette bolted the Clippers for the Warriors, agreeing to a five-year deal worth about $50 million. Also, Chris Duhon is leaving the Bulls for the Knicks, DeSagana Diop is saying goodbye to New Jersey and returning to Dallas, Mickael Pietrus is jumping from the Warriors to the Magic, and James Jones is leaving Portland for Miami. So much for the sleepy, uneventful free-agency period we predicted. Only a handful of free agents have agreed to re-sign with their teams. Gilbert Arenas agreed to a huge six-year, $111 million deal with the Wizards. Jose Calderon quickly agreed to re-up with the Raptors. And Beno Udrih agreed to a five-year, $33 million deal to remain with the Kings. It's the restricted free agents who have struggled to get deals done. Though the Hawks' Josh Smith has earned some interest, it's been uncomfortably quiet for a number of restricted free agents, such as Emeka Okafor and Luol Deng. Teams are hesitant to offer big deals to restricted free agents because once the player signs an offer sheet, his former team has seven days to match -- which thus ties up cap space for a week. However, with all of the top unrestricted free agents off the market, the focus should shift to the restricted free agents. Now that Brand is leaving the Clippers, Los Angeles becomes one team flush with cash to spend on free agents. Even with Baron Davis' deal in the books, the Clippers should have $13.8 million to spend given the new $58.68 million salary cap number. The Warriors also have significant room, even after signing Maggette. Assuming the Warriors keep restricted free agents Andris Biedrins and Monta Ellis, the team should have roughly $9 million to $10 million of cap room to spend, depending on Maggette's starting salary. The Grizzlies got under the cap by trading away Pau Gasol for expiring contracts at the trade deadline. But Memphis GM Chris Wallace has been sending signals that the team might not spend its estimated $14.5 million in cap room this summer. The Grizzlies are hinting that they will wait until the summer of 2009, when they'll have more cap room. Meanwhile, the Sixers will use virtually all of their cap space on signing Brand. Here's a look at who's left on the market: Group I: Restricted free agents Only six first-round draft picks from the 2004 draft were signed to extensions last fall. That means some serious young talent is available this summer. These players' restricted status makes it likely they'll stay with their current teams, but at least they'll be in play: Smith1 .Josh Smith, Hawks: Smith has been the hottest restricted free agent, drawing interest from the Sixers, Clippers and Warriors. He's a freakish athlete who can score, rebound and block shots. What holds him back is his questionable attitude. Right now, only two teams, the Clippers and Grizzlies, are far enough under the cap to give Smith an offer sheet big enough to potentially scare the Hawks. Given Atlanta's messy ownership situation, would the Hawks match a huge offer from L.A. or Memphis? That's the big question right now. 2. Andre Iguodala, Sixers: Iguodala's decision to turn down a $57 million deal last summer is tough to justify. At the time, the Sixers appeared to be the only team with significant cap room; I'm not sure where he thought his next paycheck would come from. Now that Elton Brand's on board, expect the Sixers to do everything possible to lock him up. Okafor3. Emeka Okafor, Bobcats: Okafor turned down $13 million per season to hit free agency this summer. He's not the best player on this list, but he's the best young center on the market and one of the few guys in the league who's a lock to average a double-double. It sounds as if the Bobcats are open to a sign-and-trade if the right deal were to come along. 4. Luol Deng, Bulls: Everyone loves Deng's talent, including the Bulls. At least they used to. Injuries and a poor season have hurt his value around the league. Still, it's hard to see the Bulls not matching any offer Deng gets next summer. He declined a $57.5 million extension in October, so if he makes more than that, he'll come out ahead. It will be interesting to see whether the budget-conscious Bulls will take advantage of the market conditions and offer him much less. Biedrins 5.Andris Biedrins, Warriors: Biedrins didn't get the lucrative contract offer that several others did. He was looking for something in the five-year, $50 million range but got an offer that reportedly was substantially

With Brand out of picture, Warriors reach verbal agreement with Maggette

What next for the two teams that tried and failed to secure an agreement with this summer's No. 1 free agent? The Golden State Warriors quietly pulled out of the Elton Brand chase Tuesday afternoon once they realized that Brand was going to Philadelphia if he was going anywhere, quickly moved on to new targets and reached a faster-than-expected verbal agreement to sign someone else from the Los Angeles Clippers: Corey Maggette. Although Golden State still has a huge hole at point guard after also losing Baron Davis to the Clippers, sources said that the Warriors are also preparing to sign Los Angeles Lakers restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf to a four-year offer sheet in the $4 million-a-year range, which the Lakers would have seven days to match. The Clippers, meanwhile, are expected to meet face-to-face as early as Wednesday with Atlanta Hawks restricted free agent Josh Smith, who was already in Los Angeles as of Tuesday. It's believed that a hard run at Smith and another restricted free agent -- Charlotte Bobcats center Emeka Okafor -- are at the top of L.A.'s priority list as it seeks to fill the holes created by the departures of Brand and Maggette. If the Clippers wind up signing Smith or Okafor to an offer sheet, as with Turiaf, their respective teams would have seven days to match. NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that Maggette decided against waiting to see if the Clippers would keep Brand or lose him to the 76ers -- with the latter theoretically creating an opportunity to stay with the Clippers -- to jump at a five-year offer from the Warriors worth a reported $50 million. The Warriors, Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies are the only teams with salary-cap space to spend on free agents above the mid-level exception, which the league announced early Wednesday to be worth $5.585 million next season. Philadelphia was on that list as well before reaching a verbal agreement Tuesday to sign Brand away from the Clippers. Maggette had drawn strong interest from several top contenders who are over the cap and only had the mid-level exception to offer -- including Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando, Utah and most notably San Antonio -- but was intent on holding out to try to sign with a team that had cap room. Maggette averaged 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists last season for the Clippers, then opted out of a contract that would have paid him $7 million next season. Golden State initially responded to the loss of Davis by offering Brand a five-year deal worth an estimated $90 million, but the Warriors never came as close to luring Brand away from L.A. as the Sixers. The Warriors also lost swingman Mickael Pietrus to Orlando on Tuesday and will now try to integrate Maggette with veterans Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington and two prized restricted free agents they expect to re-sign comfortably: Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins.

Brand new Sixers are instant East challengers

Are the Philadelphia 76ers, as presently constituted, good enough to win the East in the 2008-09 season? Doubtful. But are the Sixers good enough to win a playoff series or two and scare the bejeezus out of Detroit and Boston? You bet. And if they add a shooter and get another year of growth from all their young studs, will they be in position to win the conference in 2010? Absolutely. It's amazing to think this is the same team that dealt Allen Iverson less than two years ago because their prospects had become so grim, and the same squad that fired general manager Billy King last winter in the wake of several awful contracts. The Sixers' turnaround may not seem fast compared to Boston's worst-to-first U-turn, but has been amazingly swift by anyone else's standards. Even without Brand, Philly had rebounded impressively enough from a 5-13 start to take the Pistons to six tough games in the first round of the playoffs this spring. And Philly did this with two gaping, open sores on their roster: power forward and shooting guard. Brand, obviously, fills the power forward slot quite nicely and gives the Sixers the half-court, low-post threat they so obviously needed. Philadelphia's primary option there last season was Reggie Evans, a warrior and a gamer whose low skill level is reflected in his stats: a pedestrian 11.05 player efficiency rating, just 9.0 points per 40 minutes and 43.8 percent shooting. The Sixers also used Thaddeus Young, a teenaged rookie who is going to be unbelievably good but was undersized for the 4 spot at 6-foot-8, 220 pounds, and another, much less impressive rookie in Jason Smith. Now they can replace Evans and Smith with Brand, move Young back to his natural small forward spot, and plug Evans into the backup big man role that he was meant to play. Plus, moving Young to small forward means moving Andre Iguodala to shooting guard, which takes care of the other problem in the Sixers' starting lineup. Willie Green moves to the bench and soaks up the minutes vacated by the trade of Rodney Carney, Louis Williams stays in his sixth-man Microwave role behind Andre Miller at the point, and everybody lives happily ever after. Here's how the math works. Let's be conservative and say Brand isn't quite the player he was before the Achilles injury, and puts up a PER of "only" about 20. (His career PER is 22.7, and not counting his 2007-08 lost season, his lowest mark in L.A. was 21.7.) That's still better than anybody on the Sixers had last season, and nearly doubles the PER of Evans and Smith. My basic rule of thumb is every additional point of PER over 2,000 minutes of play is worth an additional win, meaning replacing the Smith/Evans combo with Brand should be worth nearly 10 wins. If so, that takes the Sixers from 42.5 wins a season ago (their expected wins based on their point differential) to 52 in 2008-09. And 52 wins in the East makes you a pretty strong contender. That, mind you, is without considering any improvement from the rest of the roster. But one has to think the Sixers would have been better in the coming season even without adding Brand. Consider that Young boasted a 16.58 PER as a 19-year-old rookie last season even while playing half his minutes out of position, or that Williams was at 16.71 when he should have been a junior in college, or that Smith can still get better and first-round pick Marreese Speights should provide added frontcourt beef. Conversely, the only key player one could reliably expect to perform worse than last season is Miller, a 32-year-old point guard. Even here, the Sixers are somewhat insured -- he's in his walk year, and Williams is waiting in the wings. If there's a reason the Celtics shouldn't be exactly quaking in their boots quite yet, it's because Philly still has one glaring weakness: outside shooting. Philly was last in 3-point percentage last season and at some point the Sixers need to get a shooter to make defenses pay for double-teaming Brand and collapsing against the drives of Iguodala, Miller and Young. Unfortunately, the Sixers had to trade an ace shooter, Kyle Korver, in order to generate the cap space to bring in Brand. It's a deal they'd do again in a heartbeat, obviously, but it's also somewhat ironic. Fortunately, they're now in position to nab prospective veteran free agents who are looking to join a contender -- a status that was unthinkable nine months ago -- and should be able to pick up a shooter on the cheap at some point between now and the playoffs. Philly also has to do some housekeeping by retaining Iguodala -- a restricted free agent who could become the target of a big-money raid by the Clippers, especially if they're hell-bent on revenge -- and Williams, who is also restricted. But that shouldn't be a major obstacle given their solid cap position and ability to match any offer. Even with poor shooting, the Sixers should ascend into the

Sixers strengthen low post play, sign Brand to five-year deal

PHILADELPHIA -- Elton Brand believed his career would end as an L.A. Story. Forced by an ultimatum Brand would not accept, the would-be movie mogul and two-time NBA All-Star instead opted to take his production east and see his name roll on the credits of Philadelphia's roster. Brand and the 76ers made it official Wednesday on a five-year deal worth $79.795 million, a shrewd move that promptly turned the emerging franchise into Eastern Conference contenders. "I'm prepared to do some big things this year," Brand said. For that kind of commitment, Brand should be ready. Last week, Brand opted out of his contract with the Clippers, but Los Angeles was expected to make a strong push to re-sign him. Instead, he spurned the Clippers once agent David Falk said he was offered a "take it or leave it" contract on June 30. The deal was nearly $20 million less than what Brand signed for in Philadelphia. "My intention was to try and work something out with the Clippers," Brand said. Falk said the greater insult came when he was told that Clippers owner Donald Sterling said he would be happy with the 29-year-old Brand's decision either way. Messages seeking comment left with the Clippers were not immediately returned. Falk also said the Golden State Warriors offered more total money -- about $90 million -- but Brand felt the 76ers were a better fit. Sixers president Ed Stefanski was on the phone with Falk shortly after midnight on July 1 -- the first day teams could begin negotiating with free agents. Philadelphia wanted to land a big man this summer and had Hawks restricted free agent forward Josh Smith in town last week for a visit, but he left without being presented with an offer sheet. Smith will look elsewhere, or possibly stay in Atlanta. The 76ers entered the summer $11 million under the salary cap, but even that wasn't enough to land a franchise-shifting free agent like Brand. Philadelphia was able to swing a deal with Minnesota that sent forward Rodney Carney and a future No. 1 pick to the Timberwolves as part of a trade that cleared an additional $2 million in salary cap space. The trade allowed the Sixers to offer a starting salary in the $14-million range. Brand had $16.4 million left on deal he signed in 2003. AP Photo The Sixers are hoping the addition of Elton Brand, right, will give the team the low post presence it lacked during last season. "All we kept saying was we needed an opportunity, and that opportunity came," Stefanski said. Brand's arrival signals the Sixers are ready to become a threat to contend in the East. He should immediately bolster the frontcourt, and his career numbers of 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds over nine seasons make him one of only four active players to average a double-double. However ,Brand played in only eight games last season because of an Achilles' tendon injury. Brand said Wednesday night he was 100 percent and ready to go. "I won't let anybody down," he said. Brand was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft out of Duke and spent two seasons with the Bulls before he was traded to the Clippers. Brand had tried to leave Los Angeles once before as a restricted free agent. He signed an offer sheet with Miami, but returned to the Clippers once the deal was matched. Brand also founded Gibraltar Films and served as co-producer on a movie that starred Christian Bale. The Sixers had been pointing toward this summer since they traded 2001 NBA MVP Allen Iverson in 2006 and decided to rebuild. They started clearing contracts -- notably last season's trade of Kyle Korver to Utah -- to have enough cash under the cap to pursue a marquee free agent. Once Brand surprisingly rejected the Clippers, the 76ers had their man. Brand joins a Sixers team that is no longer the lottery-bound loser it was a year ago. Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert and the blossoming Thaddeus Young turned the 76ers into a surprise playoff team, even stretching Detroit to six games in a first-round series. Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks had his team playing hard every game and he earned an extension from Stefanski. The Sixers got only 5.2 points out of last season's power forward, Reggie Evans. "I feel even stronger and tougher once I've got Elton Brand behind me," Stefanski said. "I'd have to say, yes, we have closed the gap." Their starting lineup now looks like this: Miller and Iguodala in the backcourt; Young, Brand and Dalembert in the frontcourt. Willie Green, Louis Williams and Evans become the top reserves. The Sixers played an up-tempo style in the second half of last season that helped turn their season around. Stefanski said Brand -- even coming off an injury -- fits in fine with their running game. "This guy can run," Stefanski said. "This is the prototype power forward." Now, Philadelphia has made a move that shows it not only expects to make the playoffs -- it can

Sources say Brand will spurn Clippers, sign with 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers have apparently won the Elton Brand free-agent sweepstakes. NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday that Brand has informed the Sixers that he will accept a five-year deal worth an estimated $82 million and spurn what was presumed to be a slam-dunk return to the Los Angeles Clippers to hook up with Clipper-to-be Baron Davis. The Sixers cannot formally sign Brand before midnight, with Wednesday serving as the first day that NBA teams can officially complete signings and trades after the lifting of a leaguewide moratorium which began July 1. But Philadelphia has secured Brand's verbal commitment, sources said, after first reaching an agreement in principle with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a trade that, according to sources, will send Sixers forward Rodney Carney, center Calvin Booth and a future first-round pick to the Wolves without Philadelphia having to take back any salary. The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the Sixers will receive a future second-round pick in return. That trade will shave nearly $3 million off the Sixers' payroll next season and increase what was already substantial salary-cap space, positioning them to sign Brand to a five-year deal believed to be starting in the $14-to-15 million range. Exact figures are expected to be available later Tuesday evening when the league reveals next season's salary-cap figure to its 30 teams and the media. Said one source close to the process: "Elton wants to go East." Another source had described Brand as leaning "70-30" in favor of going to the Sixers and didn't rule out the possibility that the Clippers could still increase their five-year offer beyond the latest estimate of roughly $75 million. The Clippers are also the only team in the running with the ability to offer a no-trade clause to Brand, something that only one other player in the league -- Staples Center co-tenant Kobe Bryant -- has in his contract. Philadelphia 'sshedding of two salaries to set up a major free-agent signing is reminiscent of the move made by Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 1996, when then-Lakers personnel chief Jerry West sent Anthony Peeler and George Lynch to the then-Vancouver Grizzlies, creating the cap space that made it possible for L.A. to sign Shaquille O'Neal away from Orlando. Getting Brand away from the Clippers might not quite have a Shaq-sized impact on the Sixers, but it would be an undeniable coup for Philadelphia on a variety of levels. Brand is the proven power player Philadelphia clearly lacks on an otherwise promising roster that won many admirers as last season progressed. The Sixers extended Detroit to six games in a first-round series more competitive than many anticipated and, if they can formally secure Brand's signature, would be adding a two-time All-Star to veterans Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala, top youngsters Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young, and the considerable wingspan of Samuel Dalembert at center. A move to the East would also come with on- and off-court benefits for Brand, sending him to a conference with far fewer title contenders and moving him closer to his East Coast-based family with Brand and his wife expecting their first child this fall. If Brand indeed goes through with his apparent intent to join the Sixers, such an outcome is bound to be widely branded as a shocker after he and agent David Falk announced last week that Brand was opting out of the final year of his previous contract (worth $16.4 million) to give the Clippers more payroll flexibility to strengthen the team around Brand. Within 24 hours, L.A. responded on the first day of free agency by reaching a verbal agreement with Davis in what easily ranks as the biggest free-agent coup in Clippers history. Brand told ESPN.com on June 30 that his "intention is to stay" with the Clippers, while Falk spoke optimistically of Brand signing a deal to "finish his career with the Clippers" if the team could make another significant personnel acquisition or two. ESPN.com reported late last week that Davis was the player Brand specifically asked Clippers management to chase in June. During the ensuing week, while L.A. has been trying to convince its 29-year-old franchise forward to stay, Brand has also been weighing an offer from the Golden State Warriors believed to be worth more than what the Clippers or Sixers can offer him. After Davis informed the Warriors that he was leaving the Bay Area to sign a five-year deal worth an estimated $65 million with his hometown Clippers, Golden State responded by presenting Brand with a five-year offer worth an estimated $90 million

The Legendary PeterD's Blog

Do you think the Clippers will take over in L.A.? Imagine if Odom and Maggete were still on the Clippers?!