Thunder sign free agent G Ollie
August 1, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed free agent guard KevinOllie(notes).
The 36-year-old Ollie has appeared in 637 games over 12 seasons spread over11 different teams. He has averaged 3.8 points, 2.3 assists and 1.6 rebounds.
Last season, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 4.0 points, 2.3 assists and 1.5rebounds in 50 games, including 21 starts, with the Timberwolves.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti announced Ollie’s contract Saturday.Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Presti says Ollie brings experience, leadership and professionalism to theteam as it develops its roster on and off the floor.
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Lakers waive Chinese G Sun Yue
August 1, 2009
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP)—The Los Angeles Lakers have waived guard Sun Yue(notes), theChinese national team star who won an NBA championship ring during one quietseason with the club.
The move was announced Friday.
Sun played 10 games with the Lakers, scoring six points in 28 minutes. Healso played two stints in the D-League, but struggled to find a regular role inLos Angeles.
The Lakers, who drafted Sun in 2007, held a $736,000 option on Sun for nextseason. He was waived the same day Lamar Odom(notes) agreed to a multiyear deal toreturn to the club.
“With the talent level and depth of our roster, the situation simplydoesn’t provide an opportunity for Sun Yue to get the chance to play that hedeserves,” general manager Mitch Kupchak said.
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Odom wants multiple titles with Lakers
August 1, 2009
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP)—Even when Lamar Odom(notes) wasn’t talking to the Lakers,even when Dwyane Wade(notes) was blowing up his phone during the longest July of Odom’sbasketball life, the Los Angeles forward couldn’t honestly imagine goinganywhere else.
Just a few weeks after winning his first NBA title, the Lakers’ mostsought-after free agent wasn’t about to lose the thrill by starting over. Afteragreeing to a four-year contract to stay with the Lakers, he’s expecting to feelit again—and perhaps again and again and again.
“I guess basketball-wise, I feel complete,” Odom said during a formalsigning ceremony Friday at the Lakers’ training complex. “I want to feel itagain.”
“It’s kind of an overwhelming feeling,” he added. “I get goose bumps whenI think about it, and as long as I continue to play professional basketball, Iwant to always feel that. The way I feel during the summer, I always want tofeel that. If we can win six, seven, eight, nine, 10 championships in a row, Iwant to experience that.”
With Odom’s return, the Lakers will hit training camp in two months withtheir 15th championship team largely intact. Swingman Trevor Ariza(notes) is the onlybig departure, and he was replaced by Ron Artest(notes), a friend and competitor toOdom since both were precocious preteens playing ball in various New York Cityleagues.
Even while Odom wasn’t under contract with the Lakers in early July, he wasrecruiting Artest to sign with Los Angeles for most of the same reasons Odomeventually agreed to return.
Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar … AP – Jul 31, 6:37 pm EDT
“I spoke to Ron two days before he signed, and I told him how important Ithink it is for him to come here,” Odom said. “Because I know how hard heworks, he needs to experience basketball at its best, at the highest level, andhe needs to become a Laker. Two days after that, he signed.”
After a cooling-off period between the team and Odom’s representation endedlast weekend, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak apparently ended up signingOdom for an offer worth slightly less than his initial offer. After spendingmonths cautioning fans to understand the realities of the NBA salary cap andluxury tax, Kupchak and owner Jerry Buss mostly managed to keep a good thingtogether.
“Three or four months ago, I didn’t think it could be possible that wecould basically bring this team back in whole,” Kupchak said. “Lamar had awonderful season that ended on the best possible note you could have, and Lamarhad a lot of options. … Here it is, July 31, and we have brought backeverybody that we wanted to bring back.”
Odom called the negotiations “a tedious time,” but he didn’t lack forattention from Miami, Portland and Dallas. He acknowledged that the Heat,particularly Wade and president Pat Riley, “were aggressive.”
“Their offer was gracious, but this is where I want to play basketball,”Odom said.
Odom’s worth to the Lakers has always been obvious, but his willingness toembrace a reserve role during their title run made him even more valuable. Hewas Los Angeles’ third-leading postseason scorer with 12.3 points—hitting morethan 51 percent of his 3-point shots—and 9.1 rebounds despite starting justfive games.
Although Odom said he could have enjoyed returning to Miami, he justcouldn’t see a reason to leave Los Angeles, his home for nine of his 10 NBAseasons with either the Clippers or their better-pedigreed roommates at StaplesCenter.
“I didn’t want my kids to have to change schools—just the littlethings,” Odom said. “I’m comfortable here. I’ve been here since I was 19 yearsold. I’m proud to be playing for what I think is the most popular brand insports.”
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Clippers waive G Mike Taylor
August 1, 2009
LOS ANGELES (AP)—The Los Angeles Clippers have waived guard Mike Taylor(notes).
Taylor played in 51 games for the Clippers last season, making five startsand averaging 5.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 15.1 minutes.
The first-year player was drafted by Portland on June 26, 2008, and thentraded to the Clippers for a 2009 second-round draft pick.
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