Daniels to sign with Wizards

[LPKingsFan]

From espn.com

Washington continues to fortify void left by Hughes

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com



The Seattle SuperSonics suffered another free-agent defection Tuesday night when guard Antonio Daniels reached a verbal agreement with the Washington Wizards on a five-year contract worth an estimated $30 million.

Daniels was also a prime target of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Tony Dutt, Daniels' Houston-based agent, said Daniels will join the Wizards as soon as the moratorium on free-agent signings is lifted Friday, which the league has scheduled as the first day free agents can sign new contracts.

"The more we talked with Washington, we just felt very comfortable," Dutt said. "When Larry Hughes went to Cleveland, it just became a perfect fit for Antonio."

Daniels will join Caron Butler as the Wizards' two-pronged answer to the loss of Hughes, who is coming off a breakout season. Team officials are forbidden from commenting on the signing until the moratorium is lifted, but NBA front-office sources indicate Washington was drawn to Daniels for his playoff experience, athleticism and defensive skills.

Butler will be acquired from the Lakers in a sign-and-trade featuring Kwame Brown after the moratorium is lifted. The teams verbally agreed to the deal last week, but the Lakers have also been pursuing Daniels hard by offering the 6-foot-4 guard a similar five-year deal.

New coach Phil Jackson, whose fondness for long-limbed guards is well-known, had been hoping to pair Daniels in the Lakers' backcourt with Kobe Bryant.

Daniels thus becomes the third prominent member of Seattle's 52-30 team to leave the club this month. The Sonics quickly reached a verbal agreement to retain leading scorer Ray Allen, but coach Nate McMillan (Portland) and center Jerome James (New York) have since departed.

Daniels averaged 11.2 points and 4.1 assists for the Sonics last season, but proved even more effective in the playoffs when he joined Allen and Luke Ridnour in a three-guard attack. The ability of all three to handle the ball, penetrate and create offense on the perimeter enabled Seattle, though short-handed, to stretch eventual champion San Antonio to six games in the second round. Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here. Also, click here to send a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.

 

[LPKingsFan]

I guess Washington is making out OK with Butler and Daniels filling out their backcourt with Hughes out. But who will fill the massive void left with the departure of Kwame!?!

 

[Fillmoe]

I guess Washington is making out OK with Butler and Daniels filling out their backcourt with Hughes out. But who will fill the massive void left with the departure of Kwame!?!

massive whole left by kwame? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA thats the funniest thing ive heard..... makes me wonder whose gonna fill the massive whole on our team left by michael bradley... HAHAHAHAHA

 

[LPKingsFan]

massive whole left by kwame? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA thats the funniest thing ive heard..... makes me wonder whose gonna fill the massive whole on our team left by michael bradley... HAHAHAHAHA

Maybe I should have left the smiley

 

[VF21]

Maybe I should have left the smiley

I would like to think there are a few statements that shouldn't require the use of a smiley.

 

[funkykingston]

A bit of a strange signing IMO.

Daniels had said he was looking for a starting job. Either he relented on that issue in favor of the security of a five year deal (he IS 30 after all) or else the Wizards are going to start him at the point and move Arenas to the 2.

I guess that would allow Butler to play his more natural SF position than have to start at SG but a lineup of Daniels, Arenas, Butler, Jamison and Haywood is a little undersized and will have some trouble on the boards. Hughes averaged more rebounds per game than Butler last season as it is anyway. With Butler at the 3 and Arenas at the 2 it will make that an even bigger problem.

I like Antonio Daniels but this doesn't seem like the best fit to me. If Cleveland had the money, I could see him working out well with the Cavs. The Lakers also would have been a much better team for him. Considering that this is almost assuredly his last NBA contract, I can't really fault the guy for taking the biggest offer, but we'll see how it works out on the court.

 

[SacTownKid]

A bit of a strange signing IMO.

Daniels had said he was looking for a starting job. Either he relented on that issue in favor of the security of a five year deal (he IS 30 after all) or else the Wizards are going to start him at the point and move Arenas to the 2.

I guess that would allow Butler to play his more natural SF position than have to start at SG but a lineup of Daniels, Arenas, Butler, Jamison and Haywood is a little undersized and will have some trouble on the boards. Hughes averaged more rebounds per game than Butler last season as it is anyway. With Butler at the 3 and Arenas at the 2 it will make that an even bigger problem.

I like Antonio Daniels but this doesn't seem like the best fit to me. If Cleveland had the money, I could see him working out well with the Cavs. The Lakers also would have been a much better team for him. Considering that this is almost assuredly his last NBA contract, I can't really fault the guy for taking the biggest offer, but we'll see how it works out on the court.

That would be a fast Suns type team! Very interesting.

 

[funkykingston]

That would be a fast Suns type team!

True, and like the Suns, they will have problems defensively. Daniels is a pretty good defender at the point, but Arenas and Butler are inconsistent defensively. Arenas CAN be a good defender, but going from being a pretty big point guard to a pretty small shooting guard could be tough from a defensive standpoint.

Unlike the Suns, the Wizards lack consistent outside shooting. Of course, Hughes has always been very streaky (and a little too trigger happy) from outside, so it isn't as if they've gotten worse in this area during the offseason.

Still, I like the Wizards and I'll be rooting for them when they don't play the Kings. I've always had a soft spot for Fast Eddie (I think he got a raw deal when the Kings fired him) and I'd like to see his team do well.

If they can stay healthy, I think they have some interesting pieces on their bench as well. No studs, but I like Blake, Hayes, Jeffries and Thomas. Blatche was a reasonable gamble in the 2nd round. Not a contender, but they've got enough talent to be a playoff team and perhaps to challenge for home court advantage in the East.

 

[captain bill]

Why do people keep referring to James leaving as a free-agency loss? It seems pretty good for them to me, especially if they didn't think twice about offering a bigger contract than what Isaih ponied up.

 

[AriesMar27]

i wonder where radmonovic is headed? as long as its not the lakers..... the kings will definitely be better than the sonics next year.....

 

[iheartBrad]

Interesting move...didn't see it coming...the money was obviously right...heh

 

[Bricklayer]

What I find most interesting in this is the Lakers -- apparently they wanted Daniels too and were willing to offer the same starting money, but were unwilling to offer him more than a two year deal. Just as they did with Kwame. The reason? Apparently they are trying to have all their contracts end in two years along with the Brian Grant contract so that they will be in prime position to steal either Yao or Amare. It appears that is their rebuilding plan once more -- need to rebuild in Lakerland? Steal somebody else's superstar.

In the meantime, they are hamstringing themselves, and if Yao and Amare resign with their respective teams (and why would those teams not just drop a max offer on them right now?), then the strategy largely fails. And get this -- with Daniels gone, the Lakers apparently are in contact with Gary Payton again!

 

[AriesMar27]

i will laugh if the dont get anyone... but i bet they will tank that season too to get the number one pick in the draft....

 

[funkykingston]

I'd be shocked if Amare isn't locked up longterm in the next few months.

Yao needs to be re-signed from a marketing standpoint, but truthfully I don't ever see him as a dominant force in the NBA. I don't see him carrying the Rockets OR being the savior of the Lakers should he choose to jump ship. Of course, by that time the Lakers should have a clear view of whether or not Bynum can be a force at the center spot and may not have a need for Yao Ming.

The biggest star that I could see changing teams in a couple years would be LeBron James. I just don't see the roster they've assembled competing for a championship and James could be lured by the bright lights of a big market team with a better chance of winning. Whether that team is Los Angeles I couldn't say.

 

[Bricklayer]

The biggest star that I could see changing teams in a couple years would be LeBron James. I just don't see the roster they've assembled competing for a championship and James could be lured by the bright lights of a big market team with a better chance of winning. Whether that team is Los Angeles I couldn't say.

I agree with that -- hard to tell whether the kid is going to keep his head on straight or not. And wouldn't THAT be an utter and complete disaster in Kingsland. Kobe and LeBron together. good lord.

 

[Freakout]

And get this -- with Daniels gone, the Lakers apparently are in contact with Gary Payton again!

If you noticed it was GP's agent that contacted the Lakers. I doubt LA wants to go down that road again. Still it's comical considering how Gary trashed Phil after he was traded and refused to learn the triangle while he was here.

 

[Venom]

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Amare ended up in LA. Nash will be used up in 2-3 year's time, and when he goes, so do the title hopes of the Suns. Amare is young enough that he doesn't need the extra year on a max deal that the Suns could offer, and the allure of teaming with Kobe and Phil will be strong. Furthermore, he has no compelling reason to sign any max extension in the interim. He knows a max deal is coming from somewhere in 2 years, why not test free agency? In fact, I have now talked myself into it. Amare will be a Laker.

 

[Bricklayer]

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Amare ended up in LA. Nash will be used up in 2-3 year's time, and when he goes, so do the title hopes of the Suns. Amare is young enough that he doesn't need the extra year on a max deal that the Suns could offer, and the allure of teaming with Kobe and Phil will be strong. Furthermore, he has no compelling reason to sign any max extension in the interim. He knows a max deal is coming from somewhere in 2 years, why not test free agency? In fact, I have now talked myself into it. Amare will be a Laker.

The reason to sign now is always the Antonio McDyess/Eddie Curry examples. There's $90 million on the table, what more could you possibly want?

 

[funkykingston]

He knows a max deal is coming from somewhere in 2 years, why not test free agency?

As Brick noted, the fear of injury is the biggest factor.

But also consider that players seem to love playing in Phoenix. And that was even true before their recent upswing. This wouldn't be Milwaukee or Cleveland he'd be leaving. Plus, Stoudamire has given signals that he wants to sign longterm with the Suns.

 

[Venom]

The reason to sign now is always the Antonio McDyess/Eddie Curry examples. There's $90 million on the table, what more could you possibly want?

Those are freak occurences, and he knows the Lakers are going to be courting him. If I were an NBA player, and money being equal, LA would always be my first choice. Buss has proven he will do what it takes to win. That Laker squad could be loaded by the way. If Bynum progresses at all over the next 2 years, he would allow Amare to move to his natural position of PF, where he would ABUSE everybody, including Duncan, and avoid the foul trouble at the other end that he had problems with. Throw in Kobe, Odom, and Phil, and that's one scary squad. Not to mention if Kwame Brown rebounds mentally under Phil(I've used the Horace Grant example before). He has to at least take a look. And Phoenix is a nice city, but it's not LA. Plus, I don't trust the Colangelos. One DUI or nightclub altercation and they'll throw you under the bus. Sometimes its warranted, but more often they throw away talent because of their delicate sensibilities. It won't happen to Amare, but I'd be more concerned that my #2 or #3 guy could be traded on a whim for whatever matching salary the Colangelos can find. In the grand scheme it's not very important, but warrants mentioning.

 

[Dave McNulla]

i like daniels, i just don't think he's that good. he started in vancouver, big deal. he couldn't fill in for derek anderson and the spurs got trounced by the lakers. he lost his starting job to a 19 year old tony parker. he couldn't crack the line up in portland (somewhat understandable). he had to back up sophmore, little luke ridnour. his 11 points are not going to fill in for hughes.