Minnesota Timberwolves Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale
today announced the team has re-signed restricted free-agent forward Ryan Gomes.
Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We’re really happy to have re-signed Ryan. He was one of our most
consistent performers last year, and one of our top priorities this offseason
was keeping him in a Wolves uniform,” McHale said. “Ryan is the
consummate professional and a great asset to our organization both on the court
and in the community.”
The Timberwolves acquired Gomes on July 31, 2007 in a trade with Boston. In his
lone season with Minnesota, the 6-7, 250-pound forward averaged career highs
with 12.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, including a career-high 35-point
effort against Golden State on Jan. 21. For the first time in his career, Gomes
appeared in all 82 games for the Wolves, starting 74 (including the final 58
contests). Originally selected by Boston with the 50th overall pick (second
round) in the 2005 NBA Draft, Gomes has appeared in 216 NBA games, posting
career averages of 11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
InsideHoops.com says: Gomes is a good fill-in-the-blanks forward to bring off a
bench. The man works hard and is a smart player.

The Oklahoman (Mike Baldwin) reports on a team’s 82-game regular season
schedule: “Four games against division opponents. Four games against six
out-of-division conference opponents. Three games against the remaining four
conference teams. Two games against teams in the opposing conference. A
five-year rotation determines which out-of-division conference teams are played
only three times.”

The Los Angeles Clippers today signed veteran free agent swingman Ricky Davis
to a multi-year contract, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball
Operations Elgin Baylor.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not
announced.
Carrying career averages of 14.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 31.1
minutes, Davis tallied 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 82 games
played for the Miami Heat during the 2007-08 season.  The 6-foot-7-inch Iowa
product also connected on 420-971 FG (.433), 135-333 3FG (.405) and 155-197 FT
(.787) on the year.
“We believe he will be a good addition,” Clippers Vice President of
Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor said. “His versatility and ability to shoot
from the outside will spread the floor and help our low post players.”
Davis turned in his most productive NBA season in 2002-03 with the Cleveland
Cavaliers, averaging 20.6 points, 5.5 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 79 games
played.
Davis was originally selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round (21st
overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft, after one season at Iowa where he tallied 15.0
points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

July 27: It would be a real shame if the Hawks and Josh Smith are unable to
work out a long-term contract and instead wind up having to sign-and-trade him,
especially after the team made the playoffs last season. Not that qualifying for
the postseason is hard when playing in the Eastern conference. Myself, a few
other InsideHoops.com guys, Chuck Nevitt, JR Rider and Leon Smith could probably
pull it off. Still, the Hawks are fun to watch, show promise to get a bit
better, and have a squad that’s decent to cheer for. Losing Josh Childress
to a faraway overseas land hurts, but if a bench guy or two steps up a bit and
shows some improvement, he’ll only be missed a little. His afro, on the
other hand, will be tougher to replace.
Anyway, imagine if a team like the Celtics were able to land Smith. If that
happened I’d imagine they’d use him as a super-sixth man. They have
championship chemistry in the starting lineup and shouldn’t mess with
that. Imagine Smith getting 28-32 bench minutes on a 60-win Boston squad. Sweet,
huh?
I’m just tossing Boston out there for the fun of it. Obviously every team
in the league would love to have Smith, and he’d start for almost all of
them.
Aside from being good and still young, Smith is also extremely exciting to
watch. He sells tickets. The Hawks need to keep him, even if it means
overspending a little.

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have re-signed guard Tony
Allen.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Allen, a 6′4”, 213lb guard, has spent his entire four year career with
the Celtics after being drafted with the 25th overall pick in the 2004 NBA
Draft.  The former Oklahoma State Cowboy recorded career highs in minutes
(1373), assists (114) and points (494) in 75 games last season as he worked to
return from his January 2007 knee injury.  Allen posted averages of 6.6 points
and 2.2 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game during the 2007-08 campaign.  In his
11 starts last season Allen averaged 9.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and
1.45 steals in 29.2 minutes per game including a 16 point performance in a
110-91 victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles on December 31, 2007.  The
Celtics had a 9-2 record in games that Allen started last season.  Allen has
posted career averages of 7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.01 steals in 236 career
games.

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have re-signed guard Eddie
House. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.
“I am excited to have Eddie back this year,” said Danny Ainge, the
Celtics’ Executive Director of Basketball Operations/General Manager.
“Everyone knows how big Eddie was for us in the Finals this year, and we think
Eddie will continue to be a key contributor as we work to win Banner 18.”
House, a 6′1”, 175lb sharp-shooting guard, shot 39 percent from
three-point range last season, including 41.2 percent during the NBA Finals,
during which he scored nine points in the second half of the Celtics’
record-setting Game 4 comeback win in Los Angeles on June 12th. In his eighth
year in the league, Eddie scored in double figures 23 times last season while
averaging less than one turnover per game.

The Boston Globe (Marc Spears) reports: The Celtics agreed to terms with
guards Eddie House and Tony Allen to return, general manager Danny Ainge
announced today. Both will get two-year contracts (though House’s second
year is a player option, according to an NBA source). House’s deal was
made using a portion of the team’s $5.5 million mid-level exception.
According to the source, House will make $2.7 million next season and $2.9
million the year after if he excercises his option.
InsideHoops.com reaction: Good move by the Celtics. Both players are worth
signing. Still, the team does need to replace James Posey, who was like a
combination of Robert Horry (clutch shots in the playoffs) and Bruce Bowen (good
defense on key swingmen) when it mattered most.
Though, hats off to Paul Pierce for guarding Kobe in the Finals about as well
as Posey did.

SI (Ian Thompson) reports: Darius Miles is trying to become the first player
to return from an injury that was deemed to be “career-ending” by
the NBA. If he were to sign a new contract and play in 10 or more games this
season, his $9 million salary would go back on Portland’s books — though
his return would not affect the Trail Blazers as badly as has been advertised.
Miles underwent microfracture surgery to repair his right knee in November 2006.
He hasn’t played since, and he was released by the Blazers in April after
the “career-ending” judgment was made by an independent medical
examiner appointed by the NBA and the players’ union. In recent weeks,
Miles has had workouts — ranging from two hours to less than 30 minutes —
with the Nets, Celtics, Suns and Mavericks, all of whom controlled the terms
while asking Miles to compete against other players.

The Boston Herald reports: According to an NBA source, free agent forward
James Posey has agreed to a four-year contract with the New Orleans Hornets. The
Celtics had been offering three years at the full mid-level exception.
InsideHoops.com says: This hurts Boston. Posey was their best role player, by
far. He exceeded all expectations, especially when it counted most. The Hornets
still need more pieces to push them to the top but Posey is a very good
addition. Hopefully he stays hungry despite getting his contract.

The Dallas Morning News (Eddie Sefko) reports:  Fundamentals were never
ingrained in Gerald Green because he could always get by on his outrageous
physical talent. Carlisle said Green jumps higher than any player he’s
ever seen and that he’s also a good outside shooter. But Green has never
learned to translate his physical gifts into great defense or ball-handling
ability. “I just didn’t take advantage of my opportunities,”
Green said. “I blame myself, nobody else. … I’m a new guy and
ready to get after it.” Green averaged better than 10 points with Boston
in his second NBA season, which is partly why he was included in the trade that
brought Kevin Garnett (and a championship) to Boston.  A struggling Green was
traded to Houston, which cut him after one game.