NBA's Friday Roundup

By: Tyler Ward

Since LeBron James announced that he would be going to Miami last night, there has been a slew of free agents to find new teams. There were more today, but some of them didn't really need an entire post, so here's today's roundup

July 9, 2010

- New York Knicks sign PG Raymond Felton (Terms have not yet been disclosed)

After losing out in the Lebron Sweepstakes last night, the Knicks announced today that they would sign ex-Bobcat, Raymond Felton, to a deal. The years have not been determined, but Felton will start out making $7 million in his first season.

This year's free agent class has turned out to be pretty slim at the point guard position. Felton was one of the top free agents this summer, and he finally was taken off the market. The Knicks are also thin at the point. Before the Felton signing, they only had one point guard under contract, which was last year's draft choice, Toney Douglas. Felton immediately adds depth to arguably the most important position on the court, especially for the Knicks. They have received horrible production from point guards in the past, like Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, and Chris Duhon.

New York is also trying to round out their roster, as a good portion of their team are free agents right now. They have been busy the last two days, while acquiring Felton and trading their lone All-Star selection last season, David Lee, to the Warriors for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, and Kelenna Azubuike. They also signed ex-Sun, Amare Stoudemire, to a contract that was finalized yesterday. With these five players added to the team, the Knicks now have ten players under contract next season (however, this does exclude their 3 2nd round selection in this year's draft). They are more than likely not done making deals this offseason, as they have tried to get rid of Eddy Curry's expiring contract.

The Knicks will probably tab Felton as the starter for this season. The ex-UNC star was taken 5th overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the Charlotte Bobcats. He really wasn't an impact player for Charlotte, but he provided quality minutes for his team. He spent five seasons with the Bobcats, starting in 369 of the 399 games he played. In his Bobcats tenure, Felton averaged 13.3 points and 6.4 assists.

- The Charlotte Bobcats sign F Tyrus Thomas to a 5 year/$40 million contract

Tyrus Thomas is venturing back to Charlotte, after signing a 5 year deal worth $40 million deal today. Thomas had drawn interest from the New Jersey Nets, and if the Nets had signed him to an offer sheet, Charlotte would have had 7 days to match it. But, they did not have to go through this phase as Thomas re-signed earlier today. Now, the Nets will try to lure Udonis Haslem to their city, but the Heat are also trying to re-sign him.

He will more than likely be the Bobcats' starting power forward this year, alongside ex-Bull, Tyson Chandler. Chandler, however, decided not to opt out of the final year of his contact and there have been many trade rumors surrounding him. 

By some, Thomas is considered to be too small to be a power forward, standing at 6'9". He may not be able to bang with the bigger bodies in the East, like Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, and Amare Stoudemire. 

Thomas, who went to LSU, was selected 4th overall in the 2006 draft and spent his entire career in Chicago before being dealt earlier this year. He was traded to Charlotte from Chicago in February for Ronald "Flip" Murray, Acie Law, and a future 1st round pick. Thomas played in 25 games for the Bobcats last season, and along the way, averaged 10.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He helped Charlotte make a late regular season push and make their first playoff appearance in Bobcats history (swept by Orlando in 1st round, 4-0).
 He has career averages of 8 points and 5.2 rebounds.

- The Chicago Bulls sign SG Kyle Korver to a 3-year/$15 million contract

Sharpshooter Kyle Korver will join his former teammate, Carlos Boozer, in Chicago. It was reported earlier that Korver signed with Chicago for a three year deal.

Korver immediately adds shooting to a team that anything but great last season. For most of the season, the Bulls had to rely on backup point guard, Kirk Hinrich, to be the deep threat beyond the arc. Hinrich made the most threes on the team with 104, shot an incompetent .371. Luol Deng was the team's best three point shooter, in order of shooting percentage (38.6 %). Last year, Korver shot a league-leading 53.6%, beating second-place finisher, Mike Miller, by over 5% (Miller shot .486 to be exact). Korver, stastically, had the best three point percentage ever in NBA history. Ex-Bull Steve Kerr previously held the record at 52.4% in the 1994-95 season.

The Bulls really needed three point shooting after Ben Gordon left for Detroit before the 2009-10 season. Korver can definitely fill that void, as he is an expert three point shooter. For his career, Korver barely beats out Gordon in career three point percentage, 41% to 40.4%.

Korver was chosen 51st overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2003 draft. He spent a little over four seasons with the Sixers, before being traded with a 1st round pick to the Utah Jazz for Gordan Giricek. He spent the rest of his career there before going to Chicago. 

This is a very good deal for Chicago as they addressed a position that they desperately needed. 

- Spurs sign F Tiago Splitter to a contract (terms have not yet been disclosed)

San Antonio finally came to terms with forward, Tiago Splitter. The Spurs drafted Splitter 28th overall in the 2007 NBA draft, and he has played for a Spanish SCB League, Saski Baskonia, for the past two seasons. Saski Baskonia won the league championship, while taking home the Spanish League Finals MVP award. 

Splitter has not played in the NBA since 2007 because the Spanish League has been able to offer eight times the rookie contract that the NBA would have allowed.

The addition of Splitter to San Antonio this year helps them out significantly because the Spurs players are getting older and older as the days go on. Tim Duncan, arguably the best player in franchise history, turned 34 this year while Manu Ginobili will turn 33 later this month. Tony Parker, 28, is in the prime of his career and could very well leave San Antonio after this upcoming season, as he wants a max contract.

However, Splitter is almost seven feet tall, but he hasn't really dominated in Euroleague games. I have a feeling that he will be a "newer" version of Atlanta's Zaza Pachulia - really tall, but just cant score enough or grab a significant amount of rebounds.

Tiago Splitter's Euroleague Stats, Last 3 Years:

2007-08: Tau Ceramica - 25 Games, 14 PPG, 5 RPG, 1.1 APG

2008-09: Tau Ceramica - 17 Games, 14 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.6 APG

2009-10: Caja Laboral - 16 Games, 13 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.8 APG

Other Signings:

- San Antonio signs PF Matt Bonner to a contract

- Los Angeles Clippers sign PF Brian Cook to a 2-year/$2.3 million contract