Miller, 34, averaged 8.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists last year in 82
games for the Chicago Bulls.
"Obviously, it's been a long time coming," Miller said. "Ever since (head
coach) Rick (Adelman) got here, I've been wanting to come down here. He's my
favorite coach with his whole system...I'm very excited about it."
Miller was a two-time All-Star under Adelman while in Sacramento. He played
five-plus seasons for the Kings before being dealt to the Bulls late in the
2008-09 campaign in a six-player swap.
"We've been looking for somebody to give us strong minutes at the center spot
to pair with Yao Ming for some time," said Rockets general manager Daryl
Morey. "I think Brad is going to be a fan favorite."
The Purdue product originally signed with the Charlotte Hornets as a free
agent in 1998-99 and over 12 NBA seasons holds down career averages of 11.7
points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists while connecting on 48.2 percent of his
shots. He's started 592 of his 793 games played and also logged a brief stint
with Indiana.
<< Manny Ramirez lands on DL again
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Los Angeles Dodgers star outfielder Manny
Ramirez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday due to a calf injury.
Ramirez suffered the injury in the first inning of last Friday's 8-4 loss to
the C
<< Report: Spurs to re-sign Jefferson
San Antonio, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Antonio Spurs are reportedly set to
re-sign free agent forward Richard Jefferson to a long-term contract.
Jefferson opted out of the final year of his contract on June 30 to test the
free agent
<< Miami signs G Jerry
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Dolphins have signed third-round draft
pick guard John Jerry.
The 6-foot-5, 328-pounder was taken 73rd overall out of Ole Miss where he
started 46 of 49 games, including 12 as a freshman, at right
<< Athletics reinstate P Braden from DL
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics reinstated pitcher Dallas
Braden from the 15-day disabled on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old left-hander was placed on the DL on July 3 with tendinitis in
his pitching elbow, with the move retro
<< Gold Pride's Sinclair named WPS Player of Week
Santa Clara, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FC Gold Pride forward Christine Sinclair
was honored as Women's Professional Soccer Player of the Week for Week 14 on
Tuesday.
Sinclair led first-place FC Gold Pride to its third successive win and f
Angels recall O'Sullivan to start against Yankees >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels recalled pitcher Sean
O'Sullivan from Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday to replace the injured Scott
Kazmir in a start against the Yankees.
Kazmir, who was placed on the disabled list
This Week in Auto Racing July 23 - 25 >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NASCAR is in Indianapolis this weekend,
and that means someone will kiss the bricks at the "big" track, while a lot of
beating and banging will go on at the nearby "short" track. The IZOD IndyCar
Series
Kang earns medalist honors at U.S. Girls' Junior >>
Village of Pinehurst, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Danielle Kang struggled to a two-
over 74 on Tuesday, but it was still enough to earn medalist honors at the
U.S. Girls' Junior Championship.
Kang finished 36 holes at three-under 141 at
UIC's Collins announces retirement >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Longtime men's head basketball coach Jimmy
Collins announced his retirement Tuesday after 14 years at the University of
Illinois at Chicago.
The move is effective August 31, 2010 and UIC director o
Thompson trumps Spieth for amateur honors at U.S. Junior >>
Ada, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Curtis Thompson posted a six-under 66 on Tuesday to
earn medalist honors after the second round of stroke play at the U.S. Junior
Amateur Championship.
Thompson finished at 10-under 134 at Egypt Valley Country Clu
FOOTBALL BETTING : Crabtree's base deal: six years, $32 million
Football Betting
In the wake of the news that the 49ers have signed receiver Michael Crabtree after an extended holdout, there has been not a hint of the dollars to be paid to Crabtree.
And since this means that his agent hasn't leaked the numbers, it means that his agent feels no specific motivation to do so.
Possibly because his agent isn't all that thrilled to have his name on the deal.
So the numbers will come from sources other than Crabtree's agent. And we've gotten our mitts into them.
Per a league source, Crabtree has signed a six-year, $32 million contract. (The total includes guaranteed money, base salaries, and the one-time incentive based on achieving minimum playing time.)
The deal also includes $17 million in guaranteed money.
As reported elsewhere, the deal can void to five years based on performance triggers, wiping out a final year base salary of $4 million. But they won't be easily reached.
The source tells us that, in his first four seasons (including 2009), Crabtree must either qualify for two Pro Bowls, or he must qualify for one Pro Bowl in one year and he must participate in 80 percent of the offensive snaps in a separate year in which the team makes the playoffs.
In other words, if in 2010 he qualifies for the Pro Bowl and the team makes the playoffs and he participates in 80 percent of the snaps, he'll still need to make it to the Pro Bowl or achieve the 80-percent/playoffs in another season.
Since the chances of Crabtree making the Pro Bowl or participating in 80 percent of the offensive snaps this year is roughly zero percent, he'll have three years to get it done.
And it won't be easy. Frankly, he'll be hard pressed to make it to one Pro Bowl in three years with the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, the other Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, DeSean Jackson, Johnny Knox, Percy Harvin, Greg Jennings, Roddy White, T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the same conference for sportsbook betting.
So, by all appearances, it's a six-year deal. And at $17 million in guaranteed money, the per-year guarantee is a tepid $2.83 million per year.
There's another problem with the deal -- it has no mid-tier incentive package. Instead, the additional $8 million that Crabtree can earn (pushing the max value to six years, $40 million) requires the kind of unrealistic, mega-star performances that no rookie is likely to ever achieve.
So while the contract paid to Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji covers five years and pays $22.5 million, he has the ability (if he's a solid player) to make up the difference between his base deal and Crabtree's five-year, $28 million haul via the mid-tier incentive package in Raji's deal.
And unless Crabtree meets the performance thresholds necessary to void the sixth year, he'll be stuck under contract for another year at a base salary of only $4 million.
There's one other area of concern with the deal. Crabtree, per the source, received no option bonus. Instead, he has significant money tied to a fairly new device known as a "discretionary salary advance," which unlike an opition bonus is subject to forfeiture if Crabtree decides in a year or two that he wants to hold out for a better deal. (We're also told that the 49ers have included language that would make certain escalators subject to forfeiture, too.)
Meanwhile, the deal falls well short of the mark for which Crabtree and agent Eugene Parker were aiming -- the five-year, $38.25 million contract paid by the Raiders to receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the seventh overall pick in the draft.
Even if Crabtree successfully voids the final year, he'll make more than $2 million per year less on average than Heyward-Bey.
Thus, as we explained earlier in the day, this is a deal that Crabtree could have done in July, which would have given him a much better chance of making a contribution to the 49ers during his rookie year.
So while the final outcome can be described as win-win, the broader view suggests that it's really a lose-lose situation.
NFL Betting Lines
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