NBA Rumors Round-Up
NBA Rumors: Glen Davis Joining Clippers
Updated18 mins ago on April 25, 2024
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Glen Davis has given Clippers word he is signing, a source told Yahoo.
As I wrote in this space yesterday, shortly after buyout talks started between Davis and the Magic’s front office told his Orlando teammates that he would join the Clippers. It appears he went with his gut despite the fact that the Nets intensified their pursuit in recent days.
Davis will sign with the Clippers tonight, once he has officially cleared waivers and become an unrestricted free agent. Joining the Clippers gives him a shot at making a deep postseason run on a contender, since L.A. has emerged as one of the NBA’s elite teams in the Western Conference this season.
Davis will reunite with Doc Rivers in L.A. after playing for the head coach on the Celtics. The two men go way back and they won a championship together back in 2008. Davis will play a reserve role for the Clippers, adding another talented player to the team’s already strong second unit.
This season with the Magic, the 28-year-old forward was averaging 12.1 points and 6.3 rebounds. He had a number of big games this year, including a 33-point game in December and three 20-point games.
The Knicks are mulling whether to use one of their two roster spots on power forward Ike Diogu, who impressed the team during training camp but was released, according to an NBA source.
The Knicks will have two open spots when Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih’s buyouts become official Monday. Diogu is in the D-League with Bakersfield, averaging 16.2 points and 8.2 rebounds. He showed rebounding ability and a mid-range jumper for the Knicks during the preseason.
It makes sense that the Knicks have considered signing Diogu, since he was a member of the team during training camp and the preseason. He would give them another big body to bolster the frontcourt and he has played well in the D-League this season.
Later in the article, Berman points out that New York has also considered signing a proven veteran who has been bought out such as Ben Gordon, Antawn Jamison or Earl Clark. Danny Granger could also be an option for the Knicks, if he is bought out of his contract by the 76ers.
“Because of the luxury-tax penalties and the fact owner James Dolan is already paying 17 players this season, the Knicks may only sign one player,” Berman writes.
The Knicks are currently 21-35, which puts them in 11th place in the Eastern Conference.
Figuring out how much to leave on the table from his current deal which has two years and $20.2 million remaining after this season, would not be easy.
Even if it were, Wallace says he would still stick it out with the Green team.
“My mom said never complain about the situation you’re in,” Wallace told CSNNE.com. “You can’t control it. It’s nothing I can do about it. I just have to take it in stride and move forward. My focus is on helping these guys become better players, help them build, help them understand what it takes to have a successful career in the NBA.”
“That ain’t my thing,” Wallace said when asked about buyouts. “My thing is wherever I’m at, I’m gonna play and make the best of the situation and hopefully something changes or something. If not, I’m satisfied with the situation that I’m in.”
Don’t expect to see Gerald Wallace’s name added to the list of bought out players. Judging from the quotes above, Wallace will remain with the Celtics rather than negotiating a buyout to bolt for greener pastures.
While Wallace is saying all of the right things about not wanting to complain and making the best of his situation, money definitely plays a role in his decision as well. Fans often wonder why their favorite team won’t buyout an overpaid player who isn’t contributing in order to open a roster spot, but the process isn’t that simple. In order to get a buyout, players often have to leave money on the table in order to come to an agreement with their team.
For a lot of players, that’s not easy, especially for someone like Wallace who is 31 years old and declining, which means it’s unlikely that he’ll get another big payday before he retires. Players have to decide what is more important to them: getting a big paycheck or playing for a winning team. That’s not an easy decision for a lot of players, but it’s something that must be considered during buyout season.
