The Rest of the NBA

[WEST is GOD]

It's verbal since they can't sign officially until the 22nd, but they agreed to a sign and trade, but if the sign and trade doesn't go through then the Nets will just sign him normally.

[PhillyGirl]

Larry leaves another team with a bad taste in everyone's mouths.

Brown says goodbye to Detroit with bitterness

By David Aldridge

Inquirer Staff Writer

The saga of Larry Brown and the Detroit Pistons ended yesterday with Brown's accepting a buyout of the remaining three years of his contract and more than $18 million in salary.

The agreement will allow Brown to coach in the NBA next season. But it was barely civil in nature, with the Pistons releasing two tersely worded statements late yesterday, one declaring that Brown had been "relieved" of his coaching duties by team president Joe Dumars, the other being a two-sentence avowal from Dumars thanking Brown for his two years with the team - and not mentioning the NBA championship Brown helped bring the Pistons in 2004.

The agreement made the dispute about whether Brown had been fired - as the team's release suggested - or had agreed to a buyout a moot point, but the bad blood remained. Brown's representative, Joe Glass, strongly disputed any notion that Brown voluntarily stepped aside.

"I can understand English," Glass said by telephone. "If a person says, 'I want to coach,' and the team says, 'We don't want you to coach,' tell me what the interpretation is. I'm not trying to put anybody in any position other than what the facts are."

But a source with knowledge of the negotiations said that the Pistons did not tell Brown they were firing him, and that discussions between the sides turned to talk of a buyout only after Brown had told the team he would not resign his coaching position and accept a front-office job.

"If it were a straight firing, there would be no need for a buyout," the source said.

The Pistons already are moving toward hiring ex-Minnesota Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders as coach. Saunders turned down several offers, including proposals from Portland and Milwaukee, as he waited to see what would happen in Detroit with a veteran-laden team that is a title contender right now.

Glass said the Pistons broached the subject of Brown's dismissal in "the last day or so," surprising the 64-year-old coach, who believed he would be asked back provided he could assure management he would be able to coach a full season. And Glass said he was disturbed by media reports that claimed Brown wanted to leave Detroit.

"Today, I tried to get away from the picture of these so-called anonymous, knowledgeable sources that are picturing Larry as manipulating his way to get fired," Glass said. "He did no such manipulation."

Glass said Brown had not made up his mind about what he wanted to do next season.

"We have to get over this interlude and then let him sit back and evaluate the situation for his family and himself," Glass said.

Many around the league believe the New York Knicks will offer Brown, a Long Island native, their head coaching job. But Glass said Brown is distraught over the way his tenure in Detroit ended.

"He's as disappointed as you would be if your employer said they didn't want your services anymore, especially if you won the Pulitzer Prize," Glass said. "Larry won the Pulitzer Prize in basketball."

PS....ESPN says its a given that Brown ends up in NY.

[BigEd76]

Ronny Turiaf needs open-heart surgery, may never play in the NBA 

[PhillyGirl]

Ronny Turiaf needs open-heart surgery, may never play in the NBA 

Just about to post this....he might be a Laker, but best of luck to him. Really sad.

[Mad-Lad]

Bobby Jackson just got traded to the Grizzlies, while Bonzi Wells heads to Sacramento.

Greg Ostertag goes from the Grizzles to Utah for Kirk Snyder.

[BigEd76]

The Jazz needed more white guys, so they traded 1 of their only black ones to get Ostertag back... 

[Drunkmasterflex]

What exactly did Utah get in that trade?

[BigEd76]

Ostertag....that's it

Sacramento got Bonzi, and Memphis got Bobby Jackson, Kirk Snyder, Curtis Borchardt and Raul Lopez....


Meanwhile, Keyon Dooling left Miami and signed with Orlando.  Hope you like the bench, Jameer!

[WEST is GOD]

I don't get why the Jazz traded Snyder and got Osterag. It can't be correct. It's like the Sixers trading Iguodala to get Mutombo back.

Why give up on a promising young player for an old big man who can no longer play? It's not like Snyder was strapping them cap-wise. They are in a good cap situation anyway.

[Larry]

Sloan hates Snyder.

[Drunkmasterflex]

Sloan hates Snyder.

[Ali G] Is it cuz he's black? [Ali G]

[PhillyGirl]

According to the sports websites all over....Larry Traitor should have a deal with the Knicks done by today.

[BigEd76]

1 year, $60M 

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

1 year, $60M 

Say WHAT?

[BigEd76]

The contract is 5 years, $50M-$60M.  He'll be there 1 year and quit...