Free-agency deal making begins with a billion-dollar bang
The first day of NBA free agency Saturday came with an opening flurry that saw Stephen Curry get a $201 million deal from NBA champion Golden State and Blake Griffin take about $175 million to stay with the Los Angeles Clippers.
J.J. Redick agreed to a $23 million, one-year deal with Philadelphia. David West is going back to the Warriors on a veteran’s minimum worth $2.3 million. Detroit got some insurance at point guard, agreeing with Langston Galloway on a three-year deal.
But all that was overshadowed by Curry’s deal — the biggest contract in NBA history.
Nearly $1 billion in deals was agreed to on the first day of this year’s free-agency period.
Contracts can be signed starting Thursday.
In other major freeagent news Saturday:
• Jrue Holiday agreed to return to New Orleans for $126 million over five years, with incentives potentially pushing that to $150 million.
• Patty Mills is returning to San Antonio for four years at $50 million and Jeff Teague agreed with Minnesota on a three-year, $57 million deal.
• Gordon Hayward was greeted by Heat players for his free-agent visit, along with a banner outside AmericanAirlines Arena showing him in a Heat uniform.
• The Pelicans were talking with Nick Young and Ty Lawson.
Pacers name Buchanan GM
Indiana president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard hired Chad Buchanan as the Pacers’ general manager.
Buchanan replaces Pritchard, who moved up when Larry Bird left in May. Bird will work with the team as a consultant.
Odds and ends
Forward Joe Ingles has agreed to a four-year contract to remain with Jazz. ESPN reported the deal is worth $52 million. … The 76ers agreed to a one-year, $11 million contract with forward Amir Johnson. … Michael Carter-Williams has agreed to a one-year deal with the Hornets. … The Cavaliers agreed to a $2.3 million contract with Jose Calderon to back up All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. … The Grizzlies signed forward Wayne Selden Jr. to a multi-year contract and also signed undrafted guard Kobi Simmons. … The Bulls have agreed to a four-year, $32 million contract with forward Cristiano Felicio. … Forward John Collins, the 19th overall pick, has signed a rookie contract with Atlanta. … Indiana’s Georges Niang was knocked out of the Pacers’ Orlando Summer League opener against the Magic in the opening minutes with a left knee injury after he took an awkward fall over teammate Trey McKinney-Jones. The preliminary diagnosis on Niang was a sprain. In other games, Okaro White led all scorers with 20 for Miami, and Heat first-round pick Bam Adebayo added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Ding Yanyuhang, the MVP of the Chinese Basketball Association, started for Dallas and scored eight in the Mavericks’ 80-75 win over New York. Vincent Hunter scored 21 as Oklahoma City topped Detroit 92-91. Henry Ellenson had 21 and first-round pick Luke Kennard had 16 points with 4 three-pointers for the Pistons.
From wire reports