Knicks to be Patient with Lin Contract?

What is the market value for point guard Jeremy Lin? Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald can’t wait to find out now that Lin officially has his early Bird rights after the NBA dropped its appeal last night.

According to people familiar with the Knicks’ strategy, Grunwald will be patient in the Lin negotiations and allow the market to set Lin’s price tag. Because Grunwald can match any offer, he can sit back and wait.

Lin becomes a free agent tomorrow at 12:01 a.m. and Grunwald can offer him a maximum four-year deal starting at $5.5 million with 7 percent raises — a package worth $24.5 million.

Don’t expect it. Grunwald will see if Lin gets an offer in that neighborhood as the first full-fledged, free-agent period since the lockout plays itself out.

via Marc Berman of the New York Post

Source: Garnett Returning to Celtics

Kevin Garnett is staying with the Celtics. The Herald has learned this morning that Garnett has informed the club he will be back.

The 36-year-old considered retirement, but ultimately decided to return for an 18th NBA season — and more.

According to an NBA source and a source close to Garnett, the sides are working out the details of a deal that will be for at least two years and could possibly include a third.

“The decision came down to whether KG wanted to keep playing,” said one source. “And once he decided that he did, it was going to be Boston. He wasn’t going to leave Doc (River) and those guys and play anywhere else.”

via Boston Herald

Suns won’t Offer Nash 3-Year Deal?

The Suns’ interest in retaining (Steve) Nash does not come at all costs, setting up a possible parting where both sides can shrug and say they tried to stay together. The Suns do not appear willing to meet his wish for a three-year deal, which Toronto and Brooklyn would do. They also are expected to be millions away from the eight-figure annual salaries he will get elsewhere, including with his former team and best buddy Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas. The Mavericks would likely limit an offer to a one-year deal, reserving next year’s space to pursue center Dwight Howard.

Nash earned $11.7 million last season as an All-Star point guard who finished second in the NBA in assists for a team that missed the playoffs. He will command close to that annually, although the Suns do not seem prepared to approach that. The Suns’ negotiations to retain Grant Hill (twice) and Channing Frye in recent years started with low initial offers before Managing Partner Robert Sarver stepped in late with above-market offers.

via Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic

Williams wants Gordon, Rivers Together

(Austin) Rivers said he would be comfortable playing either point guard or shooting guard.

(Monty) Williams likes the idea of restricted free agent Eric Gordon — whom the Hornets expect to re-sign — and Rivers playing in the back court together at times, giving New Orleans two players in the backcourt who can create their own shots from either the perimeter or on the drive.

Rivers is also eager to see how the presence of (Anthony) Davis helps him and fellow Hornets guards run the pick-and-roll offense.

“I’ve been thinking about it all the time. … I can throw the ball basically anywhere and those long arms can go and catch it and dunk it,” Rivers said. “It’s going to be cool. I know Eric is probably grinning, too, and Jarrett Jack and (Greivis) Vasquez — all these guys.”

Rivers said he hoped he would get to play for Williams in New Orleans, and so did his family. Williams became friends with Doc Rivers when they were teammates with the New York Knicks in the 1994-95 season. They spent part of a second season together in San Antonio. Rivers was later Williams’ coach in Orlando for three seasons.

Raptors Extend Offers to Weems, Bayless

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday they have extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents guard Jerryd Bayless and guard-forward Sonny Weems. Per team policy, financial details were not disclosed.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its rights of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent it must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal in favour of the NBA team for which the player last played.

Celtics May Offer Bass for O.J. Mayo

The Boston Celtics came close to trading for Memphis’ O.J. Mayo just before March’s trading deadline, and it appears their interest remains just as strong now.

A league source said the C’s continue to be enamored with the 6-foot-5 shooting guard, and are considering making another run at him.

The source said no deal is imminent, but it appears the Celtics are willing to offer up Brandon Bass via a sign and trade.

Bass, who opted out of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, would have to agree to such a deal.

via A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com

Six Kentucky Players Drafted; Sets Record

Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (New Orleans Hornets) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Charlotte Bobcats) went 1-2 in the 2012 NBA draft, marking the first time in the common draft era that college teammates were selected with the first two picks.

Overall, Kentucky had six players (Terrence Jones, Marquis Teague, Doron Lamb, Darius Miller, Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist) drafted in the first two rounds, a high for any school in the first two rounds in the common draft era.