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| All-Star was No. 1 pick in 2000 NBA Draft
Nuggets Acquire Kenyon Martin
DENVER, July 15 -- The Denver Nuggets have acquired All-Star forward Kenyon Martin in a sign-and-trade deal with the New Jersey Nets, team General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe announced today.
In exchange for Martin, the Nuggets sent three future first-round draft choices to the Nets. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
"We are overjoyed to be adding a player of Kenyon’s ability," said Vandeweghe. "He is truly one of the elite power forwards in this league and will be an asset to our team and the Denver community. This deal could not have been made without the support and commitment from our tremendous owner, Mr. Stan Kroenke."
Martin, 6-9, 234, averaged 16.7 ppg, a career-high 9.5 rpg, a career-high 1.46 spg and 1.26 bpg in 65 games for the Nets last season. In 11 postseason games, he upped his averages to 19.1 ppg and 11.0 rpg. He also earned his first All-Star Game selection.
The former first overall pick of the 2000 NBA Draft has spent all four of his NBA seasons with New Jersey, averaging 15.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.36 bpg and 1.28 spg in 283 contests. In 51 playoff games, he has averaged 18.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.37 bpg and 1.29 spg.
 
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| Rasheed gets $57-million deal
Five-year contract with forward could be announced today
July 22, 2004
BY HELENE ST. JAMES
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
It's finally done.
The Pistons have agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent Rasheed Wallace.
Though the signature is still missing, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday "everything is done." The deal is worth $57 million over five years. An official announcement could come as soon as today or Friday.
Joe Dumars, the team's president of basketball operations, announced last Thursday that the two sides were within spitting distance. Dumars could not be reached Wednesday, and Wallace's agent, Bill Strickland, did not return a phone call.
Wallace joined the Pistons in mid-February and proved to be the crucial element that turned the Pistons into NBA champions four months later. His offensive and defensive versatility in the frontcourt, together with Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince, made it difficult for opponents to score and defend. He became an instant favorite with fans, who whooped and cheered and held up signs touting the two Wallaces.
For Rasheed Wallace, coming to the Pistons was like being granted a second career. During seven-plus seasons with Portland he got into legal trouble and was perceived as an underachieving NBA superstar, racking up technical fouls and suspensions. This past season, his $17-million salary, coupled with his impending freedom, made him so unattractive to the Trail Blazers that they traded him to Atlanta. He played only one game for the Hawks and was traded to the Pistons on Feb. 19.
In Detroit, Wallace's role was to be part of a team, not its leader. He blended in among budding stars like Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups, and developed immediate chemistry with Ben Wallace. And if all that wasn't enough, Rasheed Wallace got to play for a coach, Larry Brown, who adored him for being a fierce big man -- and for being a fellow North Carolina Tar Heel.
Wallace, who will turn 30 on Sept. 17, averaged 13.7 points and seven rebounds during 22 regular-season games with Detroit, and averaged 13 points and 7.8 rebounds in 23 playoff games, which culminated with a championship victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. Though Wallace wouldn't divulge his thoughts on his future immediately after winning the title June 15, there never was much danger he'd go elsewhere.
Here he'll be a short plane ride from his mother, Jackie Wallace, who lives in Durham, N.C. He's near his hometown of Philadelphia, where he runs a summer camp for kids. He'll stay in the Eastern Conference, which, despite the Pistons' championship run and Miami's addition of Shaquille O'Neal, is still considered softer than the West. He'll see a lot more of close friends like Jermaine O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers.
NOTEBOOK: The Pistons signed forward Ronald Dupree to a multiyear deal. Financial terms were not disclosed. Dupree, 23, played 47 games with the Chicago Bulls last season after the Pistons released him just before the season started. | | |
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July 1 - The Houston Rockets welcomed three of their newest players - Tracy McGrady, Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines - at a public press conference Wednesday at Toyota Center. Juwan Howard, who was unable to make Wednesday's event, arrived in Houston and held a media session on Thursday. "Coming into a situation where (the Rockets) are already a playoff team and want to go farther in the playoffs, I'm honored at this opportunity," Howard said. | | |
| Cavaliers Acquire Eric Snow from Sixers for Brown and Ollie
CLEVELAND, July 20 – The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired guard Eric Snow from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for forward Kedrick Brown and guard Kevin Ollie, Cavaliers President and General Manager of Basketball Operations Jim Paxson announced today. The deal is contingent upon all players passing physicals.
“This was a great opportunity to add veteran leadership to our team,” Paxson said. “Specifically, Eric brings depth to our backcourt, a strong defensive presence and great consistency on the offensive end. He is a natural playmaker and Paul (Silas) and I both agree his playoff experience will prove invaluable in the coming seasons.”
Snow, a nine-year NBA veteran, averaged 10.3 points, 6.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds last season and has averages of 8.1 points, 5.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds for his career. In 2003-04, he ranked in the top 10 in the NBA in three categories, including 5th in total assists (563), 6th in assists per game (6.9) and 7th in assists-to-turnovers ratio (3.01:1). Snow was named to the NBA All Defensive Second Team following the 2002-03 season. The 6-3 guard was selected in the second round (43rd overall) of the 1995 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and immediately traded to Seattle where he played for three seasons before being traded to the Sixers. Snow has appeared in 579 career games with 404 starts. He has appeared in 71 playoff games including the NBA Finals in 1996 and 2001. The Canton, Ohio native finished his career second on Michigan State’s all-time assists list and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. | | |
| Kobe Signs Contract
To Remain With Lakers 
Bryant, who has been a free agent since July 1, opted out of the final year of his previous contract at the conclusion of the 2003-04 season.
"Re-signing Kobe was the top priority for our team going into this off-season, so this obviously is a very happy day for the Lakers and our fans," said Kupchak. "We feel Kobe is the best all-around player in the NBA, and at age 25, still not even in his prime, so signing him to this contract gives us a solid foundation as we work to rebuild our roster and remain a premier team for years to come."
Last season, Bryant averaged 24.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while ranking among league leaders in points (4th/24.0), free throw percentage (18th/.852) and minutes per game (23rd/37.6). Named a starter in the 53rd NBA All-Star game after receiving the second most votes in the Western Conference, Bryant was also selected All-NBA First Team and earned All-NBA Defensive First Team honors as well.
In the final game of the regular season at Portland, Bryant tallied 37 points including a pair of three-pointers, the first sending the game into overtime, the second coming with no time remaining in double-overtime to clinch the victory as well as the Pacific Division Title.
In addition to recording his ninth career triple-double 2/28/04 at Washington with 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, Bryant recorded the 30th 40-plus point game of his career 4/13/04 vs. Golden State. In that contest, Bryant tied a franchise record with 10 free-throws in the final quarter against the Warriors.
Among his accolades, Bryant has earned All-NBA honors in each of the last six seasons (First Team in 2002, 2003 and 2004; Second Team in 2000 and 2001; Third Team in 1999) as well as being named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team in each of the past five seasons (First Team in 2000, 2003 and 2004; Second Team in 2001 and 2002). A starter in each of the last six All-Star Games, Bryant earned MVP honors at the 2002 contest in his hometown of Philadelphia. Named Western Conference Player of the Month on three occasions while earning Western Conference Player of the Week honors nine times, Bryant is also a two-time winner of NBA Player of the Week honors and has one NBA Player of the Month award for December of 2000.
During the 2002-03 campaign, Bryant established a new NBA record with 12 three-pointers in a single game 1/7/03 vs. Seattle while tying an NBA record later that season with eight three-point field goals in a single half 3/28/03 vs. Washington. During the same season, he became only the third player in NBA history to average 40 or more points in a month with a 40.6 ppg average for the month of February.
Originally acquired by the Lakers from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Vlade Divac on July 11, 1996 after being selected by the Hornets with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, Bryant is the youngest player in NBA history to reach the 10,000-point plateau and ranks among Lakers franchise leaders in points (9th/12,215), field goals made (10th/4,317), three point field goals made (3rd/488), free throws made (5th/3,093) and assists (10th/2,390).
In eight seasons with the Lakers, Bryant has posted career averages of 21.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 561 games. | | |
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