For those seeking the trend in NBA free agency this year
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Such was largely the case Tuesday.
Utah kept two of its free agents, agreeing to extensions with Dante Exum (three years, $33 million) and Raul Neto (two years, $4.4 million). Avery Bradley, in a deal that was struck late Monday night, is also staying put – coming to terms with the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year contract worth $25 million.
Most of the other known deals that were made on Day 3 of free agency were all of the short-term variety.
Tyreke Evans got $12 million to spend next season with the Indiana Pacers. Jeff Green agreed to terms on a $2.4 million, one-year deal with Washington – which is expected to seek another one-year pact with Dwight Howard later this month when he finalizes his Brooklyn buyout – and Michael Carter-Williams got a veteran’s minimum deal to play in Houston next season.
All the deals were confirmed to The Associated Press by people familiar with the negotiations, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because the NBA offseason moratorium on signings does not end until Friday.
The Jazz have quietly crossed off many items on their summertime wish list
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Check. Check. And check. The deals with Exum and Neto came one day after Utah agreed to keep Derrick Favors on a two-year, $36 million deal.
Evans will give Indiana’s offense a lift. He’s a proven scorer, someone who expanded his 3-point ability last season when he averaged 19.4 points per game with Memphis.
Green fills a big-man void, after the Wizards traded away starting center Marcin Gortat – the hole that Howard conceivably will fill – and losing backup power forward Mike Scott to free agency. Green, who turns 32 in August, spent last season with the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
Carter-Williams gives Houston some guard depth behind MVP James Harden and Chris Paul, and Houston gives Carter-Williams yet another chance to restart what was a very promising career. He was the NBA’s rookie of the year for Philadelphia in 2013-14 when he averaged 16.7 points per game. But his scoring average has dropped each year since, and the Rockets will be his fifth team in six seasons.
With LeBron James being a very obvious exception – getting four years to leave Cleveland for the Los Angeles Lakers – most of the biggest signings so far have been players staying home. Those include Paul staying with Houston, Nikola Jokic with Denver
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Outside of James, the biggest-money deal that involves someone filing a change-of-address card is Dallas’ $24.1 million agreement with DeAndre Jordan. But even that one falls into the short-term trend, since that’s just for next season.
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AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich in London contributed.
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The Buccaneers wanted defensive end Noah Spence to gain weight this offseason. Mission accomplished.
Spence says he has gone from 228 pounds a year ago — tiny by NFL defensive end standards — to 263 now.
“Today was the heaviest I’ve ever been and I felt great. I was 263 today,” Spence told Jenna Laine of ESPN. “I kind of just started playing with it [in the offseason] to see what works. I felt like if I just don’t stop eating or drinking, I won’t lose weight.”
“Don’t stop eating” pretty much covers Spence’s approach to the offseason. He starts a day with two protein shakes, followed by cream of wheat, french toast and potatoes for breakfast
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http://www.chicagobearsteamonline.com/jordan-howard-jersey , a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with milk for a late snack, and one more protein shake before bed. Add it all up and it’s 9,000 calories.
Spence has been working out and putting on more muscle than fat, and the Bucs hope that he’s ready for a healthy season after missing 10 games last year.
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