NBA - Sports Rumors

The Boston Celtics are pressing Rasheed Wallace(notes) — for a decision, according to the Boston Globe.

The Globe reported that Ray Allen(notes), Kevin Garnett(notes), and Paul Pierce(notes) joined president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and managing partner Wyc Grousbeck for a three-hour meeting with Wallace in Detroit yesterday, the Celtics offering a contract using their midlevel exception. But Wallace is apparently in no hurry to respond, preferring to weigh approaches from Charlotte, Cleveland, Orlando, and San Antonio, according to an NBA source.

Bill Strickland, Wallace's agent, said in a text message that it was a "very good meeting; some contractual terms discussed, nothing agreed to.''

Strickland added Wallace will be "meeting with a few more teams next week.''

Wallace is coming off a five-year contract with the Pistons, earning $13.68 million last season. The teams courting Wallace would be offering the midlevel exception, worth between $5.6 million and $5.8 million. So, Wallace's choice will be based on other factors, and the Celtics believe they have an advantage because of the forward's relationship with Garnett and the team's good chance to compete for a championship, the Globe reported.

Source: Boston.com

All-Star guard Allen Iverson(notes) has through representatives told the Grizzlies he would like to play in Memphis, an NBA source told the Memphis Commerical Appeal Thursday.

The high-scoring veteran is a free agent for the first time in his professional career. Iverson, 34, reportedly has only had mild discussions with the Miami Heat since the free agency period began Wednesday. There were also internet reports Thursday that the Chicago Bulls have interest in Iverson.

The Grizzlies had no comment about Iverson's inquiry.

While no deal is imminent and conversations have been only exploratory, Griz brass are said to be weighing the pros and cons of adding Iverson to the team's youth movement, according to the Commercial Appeal.

Iverson would certainly have to take a major pay cut from the $21 million he earned last season with Detroit. It is believed that the Griz would only entertain Iverson at what they'd deem a reasonable price, and if the 13-year veteran agreed to play off the bench.

Those criteria would seem to make Iverson and the Grizzlies a bad fit.

Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal

Shaquille O'Neal(notes) arrived in Cleveland uttering his new motto: "Win a Ring for the King.''

According to the New York Daily News, Shaq wasn't in Cleveland five minutes when he dropped his desire for an extension Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.

The Daily News wrote: It's always been about the dough for O'Neal and he didn't hide his desire to get two more years after this one. That would take him through his 40th birthday.

"I've been in it for 17 years but I've missed three years because of injury,'' he said of his storied NBA career. "If you do the math, I've still got three years left. You got that? I've got three years left in my career," he said. "I have a lot left. There's only four or five good centers in the league and I'm in that number.''

Source: New York Daily News

Is playing in New York, rather than in Dallas, worth $12 million? Jason Kidd(notes) will have to decide if it is.

According to the New York Daily News, that is approximately the difference in the three-year offers Kidd received from the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks. A person close to the veteran point guard told the New York Daily News that the Knicks presented Kidd with a three-year contract worth approximately $18 million Saturday. The Mavs offered Kidd a three-year contract worth between $25 million and $30 million.

Kidd could take at least one more week to make a decision. Signings do not become official until this coming Wednesday. Mavs owner Mark Cuban is optimistic that Kidd will re-sign with Dallas, accoring to the Daily News.

The Knicks, who entertained Kidd on Wednesday, showed their commitment by offering three years. They originally planned to offer Kidd a one- or two-year contract but added a third year in order to stay competitive with Dallas.

Source: New York Daily News

Eddie House(notes) decided Tuesday against free agency and will remain with the Boston Celtics next season, according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein.

According to the Boston Globe, House, who could have exercised a player option and declared for free agency Wednesday, has one year remaining on a contract worth $2.86 million.

"Eddie is staying in the contract,'' Bartelstein said. "It was a tough decision. But, when it was all said and done, Eddie loved his time in Boston, he feels like he is on a championship contender, he really enjoys playing with his teammates and playing for Doc [Rivers], and the fans have been great to him. He'll stay at least one more year and he can go into free agency next year, if he wants. But he has a comfort zone there; he's enjoyed the experience, and he didn't want to walk away from it.

House, 31, averaged 8.5 points off the bench in 81 games last season.

Source: Boston.com

The Detroit Pistons are challenging the Chicago Bulls for the rights to guard Ben Gordon(notes), the Chicago Tribune reported.

According to the Tribune, the Bulls planned to contact Raymond Brothers, Gordon's agent, who has turned down offers of $50 million over five years and $54 million over six years the previous two summers.

Gordon, the Bulls' leading scorer for the last four seasons, never has backed off his publicly stated desire to remain in Chicago. He reiterated that desire to close associates on Tuesday. Similarly, general manager Gar Forman consistently has said the Bulls want to re-sign Gordon, according to the Tribune.

The Tribune reported that the Bulls have roughly $63.9 million worth of contracts committed for the 2009-10 season. This number doesn't include the scaled rookie contracts of draft picks James Johnson(notes) and Taj Gibson(notes), which combine for roughly $2.75 million.

The league office will release the luxury tax threshold on July 8. Most league observers expect that figure to land somewhere near $69 million. Barring a trade, that means the Bulls only would have approximately $2.5 million to offer Gordon in the first year of a multiyear deal if they want to avoid incurring the luxury tax penalty.

It is the reason why Detroit believes it can steal Gordon from the Bulls.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Kobe Bryant(notes) has decided not to participate in the free agent frenzy that begins later Wednesday.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Bryant elected not to terminate the final two years of his contract and was expected to sign a three-year extension sometime this month.

The Times reported Bryant would make a guaranteed $47.8 million over the next two years and could earn another $86 million to $91 million with the extension, depending on NBA salary-cap figures to be determined in 2011.

There was optimism that the sides would reach agreement, one source familiar with the situation calling it "a layup" but declining to speak further about specifics.

The Times reported that under terms of the extension, the earliest Bryant could opt out again would probably be June 2012, three seasons from now. To do that, however, would leave more than $60 million on the table over the last two years.

In other words, Bryant, who has spent his entire 13-year career with the Lakers, might very well retire with them. He will be 31 next month.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericksthe Mavs owner, confirmed to the New York Daily News in an e-mail Tuesday that he planned to meet with guard Jason Kidd(notes) at 12:01 a.m., the official start of the free agent recruiting period. It is believed that the Mavs will offer Kidd a contract starting at $8 million per over two years with an option for a third.

Unless the Knicks negotiate a sign-and-trade with Kidd and Dallas, the club can offer him only its mid-level exception starting at approximately $5.8 million. Knicks president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D'Antoni are hoping to convince Kidd that he can rejuvenate a doormat franchise the same way he did nearly 10 years ago in New Jersey, according to the Daily News.

According to the Daily News, Kidd is intrigued by the possibility of playing and living in New York, which is both good and bad for the Knicks. He would provide leadership, assuming the 36-year-old point guard is committed to the team and not just spending the twilight years of his career enjoying Manhattan.

The Knicks, however, believe the addition of Kidd would bring instant credibility and would strengthen their chances of possibly adding LeBron James(notes) or Dwyane Wade(notes) when the two superstars become free agents in 2010, the Daily News reported.

Source: New York Daily News

The Philadelphia 76ers don't have to do much thinking when it comes to where to begin when the free agency period Wednesday. For the Sixers, it all begins with point guard Andre Miller(notes), the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

"He's the main free agent, an important free agent," said Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski. "Neither of us is going to be at each other's doorstep at 12:01 a.m., but we will talk on July 1. There's no doubt."

After Miller, Stefanski will fill the remaining gaps to form the 2009-2010 roster.

Wednesday is when the Sixers are allowed to contact Miller, an unrestricted free agent, to begin discussions about what it might take - how much money and over how many years - to re-sign the team's 33-year-old starting point guard, the Inquirer reported.

Although teams may begin negotiating with free agents Wednesday, contracts may not be signed until July 8.

Miller, who last season averaged 16.3 points and 6.5 assists, is represented by Andy Miller, who has said his client's No. 1 option is to remain with the Sixers.

Source: Philly.com