The Chicago Bulls could be a landing place for free agent guard Aaron Brooks as the two sides are showing mutual interest, reports Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago.
Brooks would become the latest in a long line of backup point guards to roll through Chicago during the Tom Thibodeau era, joining C.J. Watson, John Lucas, Nate Robinson and D.J. Augustin. Most likely, he would fill a similar role off the bench, backing up Derrick Rose and creating offense for the second unit.
A member of the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets last season, Brooks averaged nine points and 3.2 assists over 72 games. He was traded midseason to Denver in exchange for Jordan Hamilton.
In 2010, Brooks was named the league's Most Improved Player after averaging 19.6 points and 5.3 assists during a breakout season with Houston. He quickly lost his starting gig the next year, however, and has struggled to establish himself anywhere since then.
76ers not interested in Eric Bledsoe
A return to the Phoenix Suns seems likely for Eric Bledsoe, not simply because he played well there last season but also due to a lack of suitors. Most teams can't afford to offer Bledsoe more than the Suns can, and one of the few teams that does have the money -- the Philadelphia 76ers -- reportedly doesn't have any interest.
That's not particularly surprising, because while the 76ers have $23 million in salary cap space remaining, they've shown little interest in committing it to long-term deals. Flexibility remains the name of the game for Philadelphia GM Sam Hinkie, and signing Bledsoe would likely require a max-level four-year offer or a sign-and-trade with the Suns.
That's something the Milwaukee Bucks might be interested in, but not the Sixers. Most likely, Hinkie will sign some reasonable one-year deals to reach the salary floor while maintaining cap space for the future.
Pelicans to re-sign Darius Miller
In addition to adding Jimmer Fredette, the New Orleans Pelicans also re-signed guard Darius Miller on Friday, reports John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. A second-round pick by New Orleans in 2012, Miller hit free agency this summer after the team opted not to extend him a qualifying offer in June.
A 6'8 forward out of Kentucky, Miller appeared in 97 games with New Orleans over the past two seasons, averaging 3.3 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. He'll likely continue to be used in the same capacity going forward, giving the team depth on the wings behind Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi.
Terms of the deal haven't been announced, so it'll be interesting to see whether the Pelicans saved any money relative to the $1.15 million qualifying offer they declined to extend.
Hornets to re-sign Jannero Pargo
The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to re-sign veteran guard Jannero Pargo, as his agents announced via Twitter on Friday. Terms of the deal are unclear, but it's likely a one-year deal worth the veteran's minimum for the longtime journeyman.
Pargo played 29 games for Charlotte last season, averaging 4.7 points and 1.8 assists per game. Known primarily for his shooting ability, he shot 40 percent from three-point range last season and is a 36 percent career shooter from beyond the arc.
The 34-year-old is likely happy to have some stability given how much he's bounced around during his career. Since making his NBA debut in 2002, Pargo has played for the Lakers, Raptors, Bulls, Hawks, Wizards, Bobcats (now Hornets) and Hornets (now Pelicans).
Ekpe Udoh wants to sign with contender
Free agent center Ekpe Udoh wants to sign on with a contender for next season, reports Sam Amick of USA Today.
Udoh was reportedly close to signing with the Los Angeles Clippers this week before the team agreed to a deal with Glen Davis. Now the Clippers no longer need Udoh for their frontcourt, crossing one possible suitor off the list of options.
A return to the Milwaukee Bucks seems unlikely after the team declined to extend him a qualifying offer earlier this offseason, allowing him to hit unrestricted free agency. The Bucks also have a pretty busy frontcourt with Larry Sanders, John Henson, Jabari Parker and Ersan Ilyasova already in house, making Udoh fairly redundant. Most likely, Udoh will eventually find a good team willing to take a flier on the 6'10 big man.
Bulls officially sign Nikola Mirotic
The three-year, $17 million contract between the Chicago Bulls and European big man Nikola Mirotic has been made official, the team announced Friday.
GM Gar Forman welcomed Mirotic to the team via press release:
"We feel Nikola will be a great addition to our frontcourt where he he’ll be able to space the floor with his outstanding shooting ability," said Bulls General Manager Gar Forman. "We’ve known Nikola for several years and we are confident he will be a great fit for our team both on and off the court. He’s a player with great potential."
A first-round pick by the Bulls in the 2011 draft, Mirotic has spent the past few years starring for Real Madrid in Spain while awaiting the opportunity to make the NBA leap. The circumstances finally were right this offseason as his buyout with Real Madrid dropped to a reasonable level, allowing him to get out of his contract overseas to head to Chicago.
A 6'10 big man with shooting ability, Mirotic should help shore up a frontcourt that already features Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson and Pau Gasol. At 23 years old, he's been considered one of the top players in Europe for years.