The New York Knicks added an ex-All Star and a new backcourt tandem, the Miami Heat gave $200 million in contracts to two players, Gary Payton stayed with Seattle and Charles Barkley said the NBA killed his proposed trade.
Business was brisk in the NBA free agent market Sunday with a flurry of signings. Agreements were reached in several other cases, and bargaining was taking place all around the league.The Knicks decided to spend their $9.2 million in salary cap room on point guard Chris Childs and shooting guard Allan Houston. New York also completed a trade for Larry Johnson, sending Anthony Mason and Brad Lohaus to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Heat reportedly agreed to a seven-year, $98 million deal with free agent forward Juwan Howard and agreed to terms with Alonzo Mourning on a seven-year contract worth $105 million.
David Falk, the agent for Howard, Mourning and several other high-profile free agents, did not return several phone calls.
Payton agreed to a seven-year, $85 million contract with the SuperSonics, the team he led to the NBA Finals last year. The Heat were the last team to have a shot at Payton after the Knicks, Hornets, Rockets and Bucks dropped out, but they lost out when Seattle increased its offer. The signing was to be announced Monday.
"Gary wanted to do everything possible to stay in Seattle. His heart was there, and they moved real well to keep him," agent Aaron Goodwin said.
Barkley told NBC Sports that the NBA had quashed a proposed three-team trade because the teams involved had violated the moratorium on negotiations that expired last Thursday.
"One of my agents said the league wouldn't let the deal go through because too much tampering had been involved," Barkley said. "I think that's gutless on the part of the NBA because everybody has tampered. To hold me hostage because they're trying to prove a point is unfair."
Barkley expected to be traded to Houston in a three-team deal that would have sent Robert Horry and Sam Cassell to Denver and Dikembe Mutombo to Phoenix.
Mutombo is a free agent, however, and may be able to get a better offer than the $8.5-$9 million annually that the Suns would have paid him. The Atlanta Hawks were believed to be offering close to $10 million annually for seven years, and Detroit was in on the bidding as well.Atlanta and Detroit also were rumored to be talking to the Suns about a trade for Barkley.
The Lakers, who have offered about $95 million over seven years to Shaquille O'Neal, lost a chance to sign Dale Davis as they waited for O'Neal to make up his mind between Los Angeles and Orlando.
"The financial package will be incredible, so it's not something we're dwelling on," said O'Neal's agent, Leonard Armato. "The main factors are the likelihood of a championship and the feeling Shaq has about the city. Orlando wants us to explore the options, then they'll put their best foot forward."
Davis, told the Lakers wanted to wait for O'Neal, chose to re-sign with Indiana for seven years and $42 million, sources said. Indiana also reached agreement with Antonio Davis, who will re-sign for $38.5 million over seven years.
Indiana was said to have the best shot at re-signing Reggie Miller, who has drawn interest from the Lakers and Pistons.
Miller had expressed a preference for playing in New York and the Knicks were ready to make an offer Saturday, but they signed Houston after he accepted their offer Saturday morning.
That left Detroit without a shooting guard, and the Pistons were pursuing Hersey Hawkins of the Sonics.
The Knicks had to renounce their rights to Derek Harper, and Miami was in the running to sign him. Heat point guard Tim Hardaway was said to be close to reaching a deal with the Rockets.
The Knicks beat out seven other teams for Childs, who played for the New Jersey Nets last season. Miami, Detroit, Utah and Washington were among the other teams making offers, agent Steve Kauffman said.
Childs signed for $24 million over six years, and Houston got $56 million for seven years. Childs will replace Harper and Houston is expected to move into New York's starting lineup in place of John Starks, whose long-term contract makes him almost untradeable.
The Knicks may be forced to trade backup shooting guard Hubert Davis and ask Starks to come off the bench.