http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~29583~2948202,00.html Lakers tab Daniels Seattle's free-agent guard has several suitors By Ross Siler, Staff Writer On the first day of the NBA's free-agent negotiation period, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak reached out Friday to Seattle SuperSonics guard Antonio Daniels. Agent Tony Dutt said the Lakers were one of 11 teams that called about possibly signing Daniels and likely would be among the three or four teams that turn out to be Daniels' finalists. "He thinks it's a good situation," Dutt said. "Obviously, they've made some changes the last couple of years. I think everybody agrees that's a team that's going to win every season. They've had their struggles but always find a way to right the ship, so to speak.' The front-runner to sign Daniels, 30, appears to be the Cleveland Cavaliers, who could have as much as $28 million to spend on free agents and are looking to replace Jeff McInnis. Daniels grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and played at Bowling Green. With the Lakers over the salary cap for next season, the best they can offer Daniels would be the standard mid-level exception ($4.9 million last season) available to all 30 NBA teams. Their biggest possible deal would be for five years and about $30.5 million. The Lakers also have to decide about signing any player past the 2006-07 season, after which they are positioned to have salary-cap flexibility for the first time since the Shaquille O'Neal trade. Daniels backed up Luke Ridnour last season in Seattle, averaging a career-best 11.2 points and 4.1 assists in 27 minutes per game. At 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, Daniels fits the bill for the type of big guard Phil Jackson prefers for his triangle offense. The NBA's moratorium on free-agent signings ends July 22. The Lakers also will have the so-called $1 million exception available, which was worth $1.6 million last season. Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler@dailynews.com
AD is in demand. He would be more than solid on the Lakers or Cavs. He will get a good deal somewhere. I still would love to see him on the Rockets in some sort of S&T deal, but not for the MLE.
AD is this year's Brent Barry. I thought the tone of this bit was funny Any team willing to pay Daniels more than the MLE is Golden State (Derek Fisher) stupid. He's an attractive role player, but he's worth MLE money at max, and that's pushing it.
With Sura, James and the drafting of Head, I don't have much interest in Daniels unless one of those guys was part of a trade for him. If Head produces anything, AD is just too redundent.
figures...phil loves those type of PG's. i think the rockets will not make a major move at the PG position now that the only PG JVG likes seems to be interested in other teams. sura, james, head, maybe span will have things locked up here. james and head are not starters so i think we will keep sura and trade james. james wesley and spoon for a SG should finish our summer after stro, walker, SAR, or marshall sign for MLE. as for the lakers: mihm-bynum odom-cook-medvedenko butler-jones-walton kobe AD-atkins nice offense/deffense at the 1 (if AD signs) they might be looking to trade a couple of fowards for a SG.
He definitely isn't worth 5yrs/$30MM, if that's what the MLE turns out to be. He's worth 4yrs/$16MM maximum.
It looks like AD is inching closer to the Lakers: http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~29583~2957914,00.html Daniels interested in Lakers: With Larry Hughes opting Friday to leave Washington and sign with Cleveland, Antonio Daniels moved up one spot on the list of unsigned free-agent guards. And one of the teams at the top of Daniels' list of potential destinations will be the Lakers. "It's intriguing to him," agent Tony Dutt said. "He likes the makeup of the team. Obviously, getting Phil back has a lot to do with it. We definitely like that situation." Dutt said Daniels likely will make a decision about where to sign by the end of next week. He has heard from 15 teams, with the strongest interest coming from Cleveland, the Lakers, Miami, Utah and Toronto.
The Kobe Factor -- will it lure FAs to LA, or chase them away? BTW - if Jasevicious (spelling? whatever) signs with Cavs then AD is not heading there.
Cavs arent a good fit for Daniels anymore when they got Hughes. The Cavs now need a good shooting PG that can stretch defenses and that's not really Daniels game. Daniels to the Lakers makes a lot of sense, as stated above, Phil loves those big guards. If I am Daniels I would first listen to Miami though. But I think Miami is more concerned about what's going on with Haslem so Daniels is on the back burner. Utah, Toronto? LOL....yeah whatever. I think the Lakers will be Daniels choice.
