McDyess on his way to Motor City
Antonio McDyess has accepted the Detroit Pistons’ four-year, $23 million contract offer, a source told the Associated Press on Monday.
The NBA champion Pistons will be able to sign the 6-foot-9 forward on Wednesday when a two-week player movement moratorium expires. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a fifth year is included in the deal but it is not guaranteed.
McDyess has averaged 16.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks during his eight-year career, which has been plagued by injuries since the 2000-01 season.
He played 42 games last season — 24 in Phoenix and 18 with New York — and averaged 6.9 points and 6.1 rebounds.
McDyess played just 10 games for Denver during the 2001-02 season — one season after averaging 20.8 points and 12.1 rebounds — and missed all of the 2002-03 season with knee problems.
He will likely fill the void left by reserve center Mehmet Okur, a restricted free agent who has agreed to sign with the Utah Jazz.
Detroit is not expected to match the offer to Okur because its top priority is signing Rasheed Wallace, who helped the Pistons knock off the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
Cavs make one-year offer to Boozer
Making a last-ditch effort to retain Carlos Boozer, the Cleveland Cavaliers have offered him a one-year contract worth about $5 million amid reports he will part ways with his agent, the AP has learned.
The power forward’s reputation has taken a beating over the past week after he stunned Cleveland by agreeing to a $68 million offer from the Utah Jazz. Days earlier, the Cavs declined to exercise a $695,000 option on Boozer’s contract — thereby making him a free agent — in the belief he would accept a 6-year, $41 million deal to remain in Cleveland.
But the move backfired when Boozer reneged on a verbal understanding with the Cavs and decided to take $27 million more from Utah.
Boozer’s decision has been heavily criticized around the NBA, with agents and team executives saying it has undermined the mutual trust many of them have for one another.
If Boozer accepts the Cavs’ new offer, which was confirmed to the AP by a source close to the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity, he would put himself in position to be eligible next summer for an even larger contract than the ones Utah and Cleveland have offered.
Boozer and his agent, Rob Pelinka, did not return phone calls Monday.
Buss hopes to speak to Bryant
Lakers owner Jerry Buss has not spoken to Kobe Bryant since the NBA Finals, and he still has no idea — despite the departure of coach Phil Jackson and the impending trade of Shaquille O’Neal — whether Bryant will re-sign.
“I would like to talk to him in the next day or two. I’ve asked to arrange a phone call with his agent,” Buss said in a telephone interview from Italy, where he plans to remain for another three weeks.
By the time Buss returns, his franchise could be a shell of the team that lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals last month.
The Lakers hope to learn in the next day or so whether Bryant plans to accept their seven-year, $130 million contract offer or sign with another team.
The Los Angeles Clippers have been mentioned as Bryant’s most likely alternate destination.
“I think he’s interviewed various teams, I just wanted to get my two cents in there — hopefully as the last one he talks to. Maybe it will be more effective,” Buss said.
The Lakers’ decisions to part ways with Jackson and trade O’Neal to Miami have been seen as attempts to placate Bryant, the 25-year-old superstar whose relationships with his fellow superstar and coach deteriorated over the years.
But Buss insisted Bryant was not the driving force behind those moves.
Van Gundy, Pfund get extensions
With the Miami Heat on the verge of acquiring Shaquille O’Neal, the team signed coach Stan Van Gundy to a multiyear extension.
General manager Randy Pfund also received an extension.
The trade for O’Neal could become official Wednesday when the NBA’s two-week player movement moratorium ends. He’s expected to join the Heat in exchange for Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, Caron Butler and a first-round draft pick.
Van Gundy, who took over when Pat Riley stepped down last October, led the Heat to their first postseason berth in three years.
“Randy and Stan are two of the most loyal, competent and reliable men at their positions in the NBA,” Riley said. “I look forward to continue working closely with them to help bring a championship to Miami.”
Van Gundy joined the Heat in 1995 and spent eight seasons as an assistant to Riley. Pfund has been with the Heat the past nine seasons.
Around the league
The Portland Trail Blazers signed first-round draft pick Sebastian Telfair. The 6-foot, 19-year-old guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., was selected with the 13th pick in the NBA draft. Telfair was a McDonald’s All-American player in 2004… . The Atlanta Hawks signed their two first-round draft picks — forwards Josh Childress and Josh Smith. Childress, the sixth overall pick in the draft last month, was an All-America last season at Stanford as a junior. The 6-9 Smith, the No. 17 overall pick, played last season at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.