An AP article by Tim Booth today has some good tid bits that I want to highlight.
While general manager Rick Sund would not comment on the ongoing negotiations with restricted free agent Chris Wilcox, French swingman Mickael Gelebale, last year's second-round pick, was to arrive in Seattle on Tuesday night. Pending a team physical, Gelebale was expected to sign a contract with the Sonics on Wednesday.
The team has already scheduled a news conference.
"It looks pretty promising that's going to get done," Sund said. "Hopefully we get Chris done, too."
Sene has been in Seattle for more than a week, working extensively on fundamentals with Hill and the rest of Seattle's coaching staff.It's been a quick adjustment for Sene, who played last year for Verviers-Pepinster of the Belgium Division I League. He first saw a basketball game on television five or six years ago and didn't take up the game until 2002, when his father pushed him away from being a car mechanic and toward hoops.
"It's hard to go somewhere you don't know, but it's OK," Sene said. "I think I do well in practice every time."
Where Sene begins next season is still being debated and the team hopes to get some answers based on his performance in the summer league. Hill has been impressed with Sene's quick learning and doesn't want him starting the season in the NBA Development League.
"I think selfishly that we can develop Mouhamed right here with us much quicker than anyone else can," Hill said. "Now, when training camp starts, and he's really struggling and there's no way we can use him, then perhaps you do it then. But selfishly, I want him here with us."
It is clear that Sene was signed to be part of the team, and that they are holding out the option of sending him down some time in the future to the NBDL. Also, look at the size of Sene's hands in the photo. They are huge, the basketball looks small in his hands.
Also today, the NBA announced the new Salary Cap numbers ($53.135 million, an increase of $3.6 million from last season.), and it doesn't appear to put any new teams in the running for the services of Chris Wilcox. There are some new outside chances, but no real threats that I see.
The Hawks, Bobcats, Bulls, Clippers, Hornets, Raptors and Jazz are the only teams to have significant salary cap room this summer. For the most part it's all been spent.
• The Bulls spent most of their $17 million in cap room on free agent Ben Wallace, giving him a deal that starts at roughly $14 million per.
• The Clippers spent the majority of their $9 million in cap room re-signing Sam Cassell and signing free agent Tim Thomas.
• The Hornets spent their $17.5 million fortune on free agents Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson.
• The Jazz used all of their $6.5 million in room to re-sign Matt Harpring.
Still, there's some money left to spend.
The Bobcats have been eerily quiet despite the fact that they have more cap room ($25 million) than any team in the league. The Bobcats will have to spend more than $12 million to get to the league minimum salary cap of $39.85 million.
The Hawks are expected to sign Speedy Claxton to a four-year contract but still have roughly $12 million in room if they don't do a sign-and-trade for Al Harrington.
The Raptors are expected to sign a couple Euroleague veterans: Spanish forward Jorge Garbajosa and American swingman Anthony Parker. But that should only take roughly $6 million of the $12.4 million they have under the cap.
Mike James also agreed to terms with the Timberwolves today. Casey will be able to put 4 guards and KG on the floor now!