Sources: Clips, swingman Azubuike agree to multiyear offer sheet

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>LAS VEGAS -- The Los Angeles Clippers have identified the latest target in their recovery from the free-agent loss of Elton Brand by agreeing to terms on an offer sheet with restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike of the Golden State Warriors.

Kelenna Azuibuike

Azubuike

NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that the Clippers have extended a multiyear offer using their estimated $3 million in salary-cap space left over after completing a trade Tuesday with the Denver Nuggets to acquire center Marcus Camby as their primary Brand replacement.

The Warriors will have seven days to match the offer when the deal is completed, but the Clippers would appear to have a good chance of emerging from that wait with Azubuike. Although the England-born swingman was beginning to blossom under coach Don Nelson in Oakland, Golden State has Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson ahead of Azubuike in Nelson's rotation as well as 2007 first-round pick Marco Belinelli.

"Kelenna is a guy who's worked his way up," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said by telephone from Las Vegas, where the Clippers have a summer league team. "He's very athletic, he's a good shooter, a good defender and a good all-around kid."

Azubuike is still developing after just two seasons in the league but has shown flashes of the ability to score from the wing that the Clippers need after Maggette signed a five-year deal worth an estimated $50 million with Golden State last week.

"He can play some [shooting guard], he can play some [small forward]," Dunleavy said.

Going to Los Angeles would reunite Azubuike with new Clippers guard Baron Davis after they spent the bulk of the past two seasons together with the Warriors.

Golden State, meanwhile, will learn Friday whether it can finally add Los Angeles Lakers restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf to its roster. The Lakers are widely expected not to match the Warriors' four-year, $17 million offer sheet to the energetic power forward with promising center Andrew Bynum scheduled to rejoin the team in training camp and partner with Pau Gasol on L.A.'s front line.</div>

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3494107



I heard Tim Roye on KNBR saying todaythat he's almost certain GS will match the offer. I really hope so -- I am a huge Azu fan. At times the last 2 years he's been the most solid and dependable player on the floor for Nellie. Just never makes mistakes, plays within the flow, and he's ripped and loves to rebound for his position.

I hope we keep him.

 

I hope we match. We need a third SG/SF. If Mags gets hurt our list of possible small forwards becomes real small. There's Sjax, Harrington (who we might need for other positions), and Randolph (who may not be ready for real 82 nba games). Unless there's an equally good option, I think we need Azu for some continuity, glue, and the fact he still has considerable upside. Azu could have been a lottery pick and I think he could play like one. I swear if Sjax does something dumb-ass, then I want Azu!

 

$3M per year is a lot, but I think they should. They still need someone off the bench at the SG/SF positions and Azu can cover both of those. I don't think Randolph will play much this year and he's too big for SG anyway. Of course we don't know if Mullin is done doing things, either. If he manages to acquire let's say Hinrich or Crittenton or whoever, Azu may be needed less. I still have a hard time believing Harrington is going to be there starting at PF on opening day, so I wouldn't be surprised if more moves are coming.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HiRez @ Jul 17 2008, 11:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>$3M per year is a lot, but I think they should. They still need someone off the bench at the SG/SF positions and Azu can cover both of those. I don't think Randolph will play much this year and he's too big for SG anyway. Of course we don't know if Mullin is done doing things, either. If he manages to acquire let's say Hinrich or Crittenton or whoever, Azu may be needed less. I still have a hard time believing Harrington is going to be there starting at PF on opening day, so I wouldn't be surprised if more moves are coming.</div>

Amen! Now that we're committed let's stop being cheap. 3 mil ain't nothing for a guy that could give an all-around game and some important minutes especially defending Kobe!

 

Yeah, I think Azu would basically back-up the SG position, and in some cases even start there as well. It would also be interesting to see how he "emerges" without Baron there. Azu is a class act and one of his greatest strengths, IMO, is his level-headed understanding of the game. He's just plain solid. He's a coach's dream in that regard.

But let's not forget, he (like CJ Watson after him) absolutely SCORCHED the D-League and had fun doing it.

In 12 games during the 2006-2007 D-League season with the Fort Worth Flyers, Azibuike averaged 26 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals, while shooting a sizzling 51% FG and 49% 3ptFG. And his 3ptFG wasn't a fluke -- he averaged 2.7 makes on 5.5 attempts per game. Dude can hoop.

 

This offseason has been the let's see what the Clippers and Golden State do kind.
It's entertaining.

Anyway, I don't think that GS will match. Someone made the point that Nelson does bring out the best of some of his players when we really don't expect it and whoever else the Warriors do have left, I think Nelson will do it again. Last year, it was Barnes. I just remembered he played alot of minutes and he helped scorch Dallas in the playoffs, but this year he didn't do the same.

I say Azu is in LA next year.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Run BJM @ Jul 18 2008, 01:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Here's Steinmentz' thoughts:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The Warriors will have seven days to determine whether or not to match the Clippers’ multiyear offer for a reported $3 million per season to swingman Kelenna Azubuike.

That’s ample time to take stock of Azubuike’s game, where it might heading and whether or not it’s worth it to give him what many are assuming to be a three-year deal at $9-ish or $10 mill.

Me, on the other hand, am taking only seven minutes to make the call: I would not match that kind of offer for Azubuike. I like Azubuike and respect the impact he’s made in his year and a half in the league, but …

? $3, $3.5, $4 million, whatever, that’s not chump change, particularly when you need every red cent to make sure you can re-sign the players you HAVE to re-sign. And …

? Because players such as Azubuike, with all due respect, are the most common to find at the pro level.

Azubuike was called up from the D-League last season and ended up contributing sporadically to the Warriors’ success. But I’m not convinced he can get any better in this system at this time, and that’s why I’d have to say no can do.

Some see Azubuike as a borderline starter, but I see him as a borderline rotation player. While $3 million is pretty reasonable, it isn’t for the Warriors right now. Azubuike might be worth that kind of money to the Clippers _ and clearly he is _ but he’s just another guy lingering on the perimeter to the Warriors.

Any way you cut it, Monta Ellis, Marco Belinelli (if everyone is telling the truth), Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson have a lot of minutes locked up at the shooting guard and small forward next season.

The other thing about Azubuike is he doesn’t do anything exceptionally well. He’s a good rebounder for his size and solid spot-up shooter. But he’s not a good defender, only an average ballhandler, not much of a creator and an OK foul shooter.

Throughout his coaching career, Don Nelson always has found players such as Azubuike, guys who fit nicely into his system, and he ends up getting something out of them. Off the top of my head I’m thinking a Vincent Askew, Tom Tolbert or even Matt Barnes.

I guarantee you Nelson believes he can find someone as useful as Azubuike and at a much lower price, too. He’s done it since he began coaching three decades ago.

Azubuike has turned into a nice player and a nice story: From undrafted to on the verge of a multimillion dollar deal. He’s earned it.

But just because Azubuike deserves it doesn’t mean the Warriors have to be the ones to pay it.</div>
http://www.examiner.com/x-441-Golden-State-Warriors-Examiner

I tend to agree with him here too. At first I saw that Azu signed a 3 year 9-10 mil offer sheet and I thought it was a very reasonable price (which it is) and it should be a no brainer to match. Now that I've thought about it though I probably wouldn't. Assuming Turiaf signs then we'll have something like 4 mil left in cap, matching Azu would take up most of that cap room that we could and IMO should be using on a backup PG.

In addition, we have Monta, Jack, Maggette, and Belinelli under contract and supposed to be regular rotation players. Theres not a lot of minutes left there at SG/SF (plus you could probably pencil in Al and maybe Randolph at some SF). Our biggest need is a backup PG, looking at the aforementioned players it looks like we could use another defensive minded backcourt player there- factoring these criteria I think it makes more sense to go after Delonte West/Dooling who can play PG, SG, and have good defense.

I do think Azu is worth 3 mil a year but just not for us. We've committed to 4 SG/SF guys already who will get a ton of minutes. Also as Steinmentz points out swingmen are a dime a dozen. As solid as Azu is Nellie will easily be able to find another guy on a minimum contract to fill up the few mpg left over from S-Jax/Mags/Beli/Monta (when he plays SG). 3 mil for a backup SG isn't the most financially intelligent decision, especially when you have another backup SG already and can probably find serviceable SGs in the D League. I may be in the minority here but I'd rather use that money on a defensive minded combo guard who serves two purposes that the current 4 guys I just mentioned struggle with- helping Monta with PG duties and defense.

Also worth mentioning since 3 mil a year is very reasonable I don't think its out of the question that we S&T Azu if they find a team that can give us something back for him.
</div>

Agreed on all points. Azu is great, but he no longer fits into this team with the hopeful emergence of Marco, the addition of Maggette, and then there's Sjax and Monta and CJ Watson...that's 5 players who I think will be taking up a lot of minutes at the guard positions.

 

I liked Azibuke in college and was hoping the Wolves would draft him or pick him up as a FA if he wasn't. Oh well. Do you guys expect this to be matched?

 

Darn, I was forgetting about Marco. That does change things. If Marco is your SG backup and IF (big if) you think Randolph is ready to back up Maggette at SF, then yeah, that is a lot of money for Azubuike for probably at most 10-15 minutes per game. I'm figuring about 36 for both Maggette and SJax, that locks up 72 out of 96 available minutes at the SG+SF positions, then figure at least 8 each for Belinelli and Randolph. That's 88 minutes at least (and Marco will probably play more than 8), leaving at most 8 minutes available for Azubuike. And that's not even counting times when Ellis may be at SG, which will probably happen occasionally. Yeah, not really worth $3M+. Well I will be sad to see him go but I think Steinmetz is right, as usual.

 

Steinmetz is my favorite Warriors analyst and one of my favorite sports writers in the business. He's always specific, candid and knowledgeable.

I see where he's coming from here, but I don't particularly agree with him.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Any way you cut it, Monta Ellis, Marco Belinelli (if everyone is telling the truth), Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson have a lot of minutes locked up at the shooting guard and small forward next season.</div>

I thought Monta was playing point. As it stands, if CJ Watson is the only other player who can play point on this team, Monta won't be seeing ANY minutes at SG.

That leaves Marco, Mags and Jack. And if Randolph isn't playing big minutes at SF, then who plays there? Jack and Mags. So basically, unless Randolph plays this year (which I think he definitely will, but it's not a given yet), then you only have two SFs on the team. Who plays the bulk of minutes at SG? Marco?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The other thing about Azubuike is he doesn’t do anything exceptionally well. He’s a good rebounder for his size and solid spot-up shooter. But he’s not a good defender, only an average ballhandler, not much of a creator and an OK foul shooter.</div>

Didn't he do a great job on Kobe last year? He's tough and physical and athletic, especially at the SG position. Plus he doesn't take plays off like Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson.

IMO he's a good ball-handler. He's better than JRich ever was. His first game as a Warrior in 2006 he stole a ball, crossed over and took it the length for a basket. I remember that because I was thinking "Man I wish JRich could do that."

BTW he's a career 74% foul shooter which on this team is prety good.

ANd as far as a creator, Az has natural basketball moves with either hand and, like Maggette, can finish the and-1 in traffic with power. He's a great leaper and has an array of good dunks, too, and he has a great nose around the basket. He can take people off the dribble, too, IMO.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Throughout his coaching career, Don Nelson always has found players such as Azubuike, guys who fit nicely into his system, and he ends up getting something out of them. Off the top of my head I’m thinking a Vincent Askew, Tom Tolbert or even Matt Barnes.</div>

I dunno. I think Steinmetz is downplaying this a bit too much. I think, in Nellie's system, you can never have too many guards, especially at SG if you're playing Monta at PG and have only two legit SF players.

I say keep Az.

 

IMO, 7:3 that we will not match Azu's contract. 3 mils per year is tad overpaying for Azu, and Nelson's system usually allow SGs to shine. So, even if Azu is let go, I am bit confident that we will find his replacement. The bigger problem is that we don't know how Biedrins and Monta's extension will be. Until that's solved and/or we get some PGs, I don't think we will try to match Azu's contract...

 

I think we'll keep him based on wanting to have some tradeable pieces around just in case. Basically we did that with Pietrus, although that backfired pretty bad. It really depends on whether Mullin was looking to sign anyone else, because this would eat most of whatever is left of this year's cap room.

 

No way we lose Azu for nothing. We match that deal or else Mullin is an idiot. Clips and Baron can have My Bad.