Staff report
Last week reports surfaced that the Cleveland Cavaliers extended a contract offer to free agent forward Leon Powe.
Reportedly, the offer is still on the table, but with Powe ahead of schedule in his recovery from a torn ACL, it is not a surprise that no word from his camp has come yet about the Cavs’ offer.
Other offers are likely to surface for Powe, who would fill a valuable role as a reserve big man for many playoff teams, including the Orlando Magic or his most recent team Boston.
The trio of Boston, Cleveland and Orlando have reportedly been the three teams with the most interest in Powe, but it would not be a surprise if other teams got in the mix before the summer is over.
The Cavs have their bi-annual still available, which gives them approximately $2 million to offer a free agent. Aside from Powe, the Cavs have shown moderate interest in bringing forward Joe Smith back for another season.
Here is a look at other free agents still out there and the rumors that have most recently been attached to them:
• Ben Wallace — Reports out of Detroit on Friday indicated that “Big Ben” had agreed to a one-year deal with the Detroit Pistons. The deal would be worth the veteran’s minimum of $1.3 million. The report says that Wallace could sign the deal early next week.
• Marvin Williams — Friday reports said that the forward had re-signed with the Atlanta Hawks on a multi-year deal. The contract length of five years was worth up to $37.5 million, with incentives that could boost the deal up to $43 million.
• Jerry Stackhouse — The veteran guard that was once known for his explosive scoring abilities, has most recently been linked to the New York Knicks. The former All-Star is rumored to have a workout with the Knicks next week. Stackhouse is available for the veteran’s minimum for one year.
• Ramon Sessions — The guard had a breakout season for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2008-09 and has been linked to the Knicks for much of the summer. However, contract talks have stalled multiple times. Sessions is rumored to be seeking a five-year, $32 million maximum mid-level deal that could hurt the Knicks’ cap space for 2010. While the talks have stalled, the Knicks have since flirted elsewhere with Stackhouse and former Sacramento Kings point guard Jason Williams.
• Jamaal Tinsley — Another point guard that the Knicks have shown interest in. Tinsley was practically banished by the Indiana Pacers last year because of disciplinary reasons, but recently reached a settlement with the team. Another team that has been linked to be interested in Tinsley are the Miami Heat.
• Allen Iverson — The off-season probably has not been as smooth for Iverson as him and his agent once thought. After a sub-par 2008-09 season for a Detroit Pistons team that fell short of recent expectations, the contract talks have consequently been slow this summer. Teams that reportedly remain interested in potentially signing the former MVP are the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat. An interesting report last week said that the European basketball team Olympiakos offered Iverson a contract worth $10 million.
• Nate Robinson — The Knicks’ offensive threat has also reportedly received a $10 million contract offer from Olympiakos, which is the same team that signed Josh Childress away from the Atlanta Hawks last season. The Knicks have an interest in bringing Robinson back, but are also attempting to re-sign David Lee, while also keeping as much cap space for 2010 possible.
• Linas Kleiza — The sharp-shooting forward was once on the Cavs’ radar, but the interest seems to have thinned a little since the signing of Jamario Moon and the contract offer to Powe. Once again, the Euroleague’s Olympiakos enters the picture for Kleiza, who is currently trying to decide between the Denver Nuggets’ $2.7 million qualifying offer and the bid by Olympiakos. Waiting to see what happens are the Toronto Raptors.
• Glen Davis — Boston’s young forward is a restricted free agent, but has been frustrated by the lack of progress in contract talks. Davis’ initial hopes were to sign a mid-level exception ($5.8 million), but the Celtics have yet to make a formal contract offer.