Goran Dragic
Suns guard Goran Dragic has clarified recent comments made to a Greek journalist about leaving the NBA to return to Europe.
“This news is not correct, because I made a statement that I want to end my basketball career in Europe. So this is a big misunderstanding of the Greek (journalist),” Dragic wrote in an e-mail to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
“In this moment I’m very happy in the NBA and I’m not going to Europe! I am a member of the Phoenix Suns, and my desire is to stay in Phoenix for many years!”
Real GM
none
Luis Amundson
Free-agent forward Louis Amundson remains on the market, but sources are reporting that may change soon.
The Hornets, Pacers and Warriors are known to have interest in Amundson and he is nearing a decision, according to a source.
There is also an unidentified fourth team in the mix.
Real GM
none
Hedo Turkoglu
The Suns are closing in on acquiring Hedo Turkoglu in a trade with Toronto.
Phoenix would send Leandro Barbosa and Dwayne Jones to the Raptors for Turkoglu.
The Raptors would then move Jones and the traded player exception acquired in the Chris Bosh trade for Boris Diaw.
The Suns must use $6.5 million of the trade exception from the Knicks in the Amare Stoudemire trade to acquire Childress from Atlanta.
Real GM
none
Amare Stoudemire
The New York Knicks reached an agreement in principle Monday with free agent Amare Stoudemire after receiving assurances it would not be an impediment to their pursuit of LeBron James.
The All-Star forward will receive a five-year, $99.7 million contract that will reunite him with coach Mike D’Antoni.
Stoudemire’s agent, Happy Walters, said last week there was a “structure of an offer on the table,” but no actual offer was put forth by the Knicks until they met with Stoudemire at Madison Square Garden on Monday afternoon. The deal cannot be signed until Thursday.
ESPN.com
none
Leandro Barbosa
The Celtics are exploring a few trade scenarios as avenues to improve the team this offseason.
League sources claim that Boston has expressed trade interest in Phoenix’s Leandro Barbosa and Portland’s Rudy Fernandez.
There have been reports that the Celtics could use Rasheed Wallace’s contract as trade bait, assuming he makes the final decision to retire.
Real GM
none
Channing Frye
Channing Frye agreed to re-sign with the Suns for five years and $30 million, $8 million more than the Suns expected to pay.
Amare Stoudemire has yet to get the five-year offer from the Suns he wants, making a league source call a return to Phoenix “highly unlikely.”
He met two hours late Wednesday with Miami, and his agent said he received a better offer from another team Thursday and plans to go to New York for a meeting Monday with the Knicks.
Inside Hoops
none
Amare Stoudemire
Amare Stoudemire will not be returning to Phoenix and is leaning towards signing with the New York Knicks, according to a source close to the power forward.
The source says that the Suns “came in too low” with their offer and stressed that the Knicks are the new frontrunner to land Stoudemire’s services. While no offer has been made, the two sides have begun talks.
HoopsWorld
none
David Lee
If the Suns are unable to retain Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix owner Robert Sarver will make a run at David Lee.
Lee could command a five-year contract worth around $60 million.
If the Suns do sign Lee, it would likely come at the expense of renouncing Channing Frye.
Real GM
none
Alvin Gentry
The Suns have picked up the team option on the contract of coach Alvin Gentry for the 2011-12 season.
“He obviously did a phenomenal job,” Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver said of Gentry. “What I was most impressed with was his willingness and ability to make adjustments during the playoffs. It really separated him as an excellent coach.”
Gentry finished fifth in the voting for the Coach of the Year award this season.
Real GM
one
Amare Stoudemire
Any hope of the Phoenix Suns re-signing Amare Stoudemire has vanished, according to a report.
A source says that Stoudemire, who will choose not to opt into a contract that would pay him around $17 million next year to stay in Arizona, is not even considering re-signing a long-term deal at this point: “He is done,” the source said. “He’s gone.”
The final nail in the coffin was the stepping down of general manager Steve Kerr, who Stoudemire’s agent had begun conversations with. “Kerr wanted a little raise, (owner Robert) Sarver wanted him to take a pay cut,” one source told revealed. “There’s no other way to spin it.”
Yahoo Sports
none
