Nets Land Blatche

[Orient Express]

Blatche to Nets apparently. Oh well:

Brooklyn Nets reach deal with Andray Blatche -- source - ESPN New York

[Kager]

I am so happy I can't feel my arms.....

[Guapo]

Now that Scott Layden is in the Spurs front office, there has apparently been some talk that Memet Okur may be on the short list. Okur has been on the TWolves' radar, but has thus far refused to take the vet minimum. That could change or another team like the Spurs could make a move. Would he help against Dwight Howard and Gasol?

Mehmet Okur still on the Timberwolves radar | NBA | Sportando

[SilverSpur]

Then again, Popovich and his love of undersized forwards could be thinking Josh Howard. The same guy who said no last year.

Josh Howard is likely the top NBA free agent still unsigned this summer, but the veteran forward has several teams looking to acquire his services and the latest rumors have Charlotte as the front-runner to sign the 32-year-old.

[alh1020]

Given the right motivation, a guy like Okur might provide some valuable front line experience with rebounding and 3-point shooting. But his playing time and effectiveness haven’t been that much to impress since the ’09-10 season and given that, I wouldn’t wander far from the vet minimum. And at 33 now, I think his best years are behind him. Signing him might provide Okur with the platform for his last hurrah. However, with Scott Layden, we should have a person having the where with all on what the Jazz are really looking for in return to part with one of their big guys ----- Derrick Favors, Al Jefferson, Enes Kanter or Paul Milsap

[MichaelWi101]

In all reality RC and Pop did their due diligence and maybe even talked with Blatche's agent, but unless the Spurs were the 'only' offer on the table, there was no way he was going to come to SA.

He's a young, immature, East Coast kid. If 'any' of the Eastern conference teams had made an offer he was going to take it and lets face it, it's far more glamorous to be on a team in NYC (even if it is Brooklyn) in a shiny new arena where one of the owners is a rap star than it is to come to what some call 'a sleepy little town' and play for a team that requires you not only be a grown up but that you also act like one.

I doubt that John Lucas would tell Avery any more than he told RC and I doubt that RC and Pop could have done anything different to get him to come be a Spur. Let's not delude ourselves to think that somehow the front office 'blew this', they didn't, they never had a chance.

[Jose_TheGenius]

Originally Posted by MichaelWi101

I doubt that John Lucas would tell Avery any more than he told RC and I doubt that RC and Pop could have done anything different to get him to come be a Spur. Let's not delude ourselves to think that somehow the front office 'blew this', they didn't, they never had a chance.

the Nets and the Spurs are in different situations, so i think they may have. the Nets (who in reality have no expectations) may have told Blatche he's going to get a good chunk of time (maybe even a starting job) to prove himself while Pop may have gone the Karl Malone 2005 pitch of "we'd like to have you, but we can't guarantee you'd get a starting job or minutes" and for a young guy like Blatche, he may not want to prove his worth to the best of his abilities on a team looking to contend.

either way, this isn't a huge loss. if Blatche was our key to a title, then we're in a horrible situation.

[MichaelWi101]

According to some reports I've read, the Nets didn't promise him anything other than a chance to make the team. And now word is leaking that he's talking with Miami....

And I agree Jose, this isn't that big a loss to the Spurs, and somebody with his record isn't going to want to play for someone like Pop who'll hold him accountable. People have already wondered if he'll be able to play for Avery.

I'll be surprised if he's even in the league in the next 2-3 years.