Corey Brewer bought out (updates) Celtics interested

[j804]

I don't see how Dallas is that big a threat for Brewer. They're in the same boat as Boston.

Dallas has the incentive of money.  Brewer hasn't earned a huge contract in his career yet, so an extra $1 million or so could be a huge difference maker.

Win win he is a Laker killer afterall 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TGeaSXxcmw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[footey]

I think it unlikely we get Brewer. But Murphy was the crown jewel, so I am okay with this.

[fairweatherfan]

I'd really like Brewer here - another body to throw at LeBron/Wade/Kobe/(maybe) Rose would be very useful.  Brewer is arguably a better defender than TA was and we'd definitely find room for him.

But yeah, I don't know how likely it is especially if Dallas can offer more $

[KevinGamble]

I don't see how Dallas is that big a threat for Brewer. They're in the same boat as Boston.

Dallas has the incentive of money.  Brewer hasn't earned a huge contract in his career yet, so an extra $1 million or so could be a huge difference maker.

Win win he is a Laker killer afterall 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TGeaSXxcmw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

J804, TP!

I too would love to see us get him.  I wonder if part of the appeal would be as a test run for a future contract, because I think he would be a great piece to keep down the road as well.  He could get a look at a champion team and see if he likes working with Doc and company.  I hope so.

[Mencius]

I'd say the Bulls are front runners for Brewer.  They've got 2.9 million they can offer him, and the possibility of starting.  They're presently starting Bogans, who sucks.

[Lucky17]

I'd say the Bulls are front runners for Brewer.  They've got 2.9 million they can offer him, and the possibility of starting.  They're presently starting Bogans, who sucks.

They have no interest. It's been reported that they could have had him via trade before the deadline, and passed.

[Greenbean]

I'd say the Bulls are front runners for Brewer.  They've got 2.9 million they can offer him, and the possibility of starting.  They're presently starting Bogans, who sucks.

They have no interest. It's been reported that they could have had him via trade before the deadline, and passed.

Just because they could have gotten him in a trade (where they give up assets), doesnt mean they dont want him without giving up assets.

[Lucky17]

True.

But again, they have Bogans and Ronnie Brewer, both of whom duplicate what Corey Brewer offers. They also have Korver, and still appear to be getting Rasual Butler.

Why would the Bulls add a 6th wing?

[snively]

I'd say the Bulls are front runners for Brewer.  They've got 2.9 million they can offer him, and the possibility of starting.  They're presently starting Bogans, who sucks.

Please, Chicago, sign and start Corey Brewer.  Because you don't need a competent offensive player at that 2-guard spot, you don't already have a non-shooting, athletic Brewer signed long-term and Corey would be just the piece that weak defense of yours needs to put you over the top.

[Lucky17]

Did not realize this: the Knicks also waived Kelenna Azubuike.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nba/news/story?id=6171374

If he were 100% healthy, I'd be interested in Buike. Then again, if he were 100% healthy, I doubt he'd have been cut.

[StartOrien]

San Antonio seems to be me the logical fit for Brewer. They certainly have a need for him, guaranteed minutes, and they're obviously a contender. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't see him coming here.

[Chris]

True.

But again, they have Bogans and Ronnie Brewer, both of whom duplicate what Corey Brewer offers. They also have Korver, and still appear to be getting Rasual Butler.

Why would the Bulls add a 6th wing?

Yeah, he doesn't make much sense for the Bulls.  I could see him go to Dallas, where they really are short on legit SGs.  

[BballTim]

  While I wouldn't mind getting Brewer, keep in mind that he was bought out by a playoff team, not an also-ran team like the Clips or the Nets. If he was good enough to start on a contender then he wouldn't be available.

[Lucky17]

  While I wouldn't mind getting Brewer, keep in mind that he was bought out by a playoff team, not an also-ran team like the Clips or the Nets. If he was good enough to start on a contender then he wouldn't be available.

But that playoff team is coached by Mike D'Antoni, who doesn't value defensive players.

[droponov]

  While I wouldn't mind getting Brewer, keep in mind that he was bought out by a playoff team, not an also-ran team like the Clips or the Nets. If he was good enough to start on a contender then he wouldn't be available.

The Knicks are clueless. Once upon a time Bruce Bowen had to find a job in the Belgian league.

This a good article on Brewer:
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/25595/the-knicks-could-use-a-good-geek

I agree with most of it, but especially this part:

Smart teams, I'd wager, have been watching Corey Brewer for a long time for this exact reason.

And what they have been seeing is a defensive show. Once you clue in to the guy, it's glaringly obvious that no one on the court is defending like him. He's narrow, long, strong, quick and feisty -- which is a perfect set of attributes to fight over a screen. He has great hands. He goads non-shooters into shooting, and keeps great shooters from making a catch. He talks constantly on defense -- he's not only in the right place, but he knows where everybody else is supposed to be, too.

If we lived in a world where defense was valued as much as offense, YouTube would be filled with highlights of Brewer making things unusually tough for Manu Ginobili, Kevin Durant, Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and others.

I can hear what the Knicks are thinking: In Mike D'Antoni's offense, they need to space the floor, they need to give their playing time to shooters. Even here, just looking at his career 31 percent 3-point field goal percentage is not enough. His 384 career 3 attempts include dozens of end-of-quarter heaves. He might lead the league in those. And there's reason to suspect he has the potential to punish defenses that leave him alone: Last year, even with all those Hail Marys, he had a strech of months shooting better than 40 percent from downtown, setting a Minnesota franchise record most consecutive games with a made 3, and prompting John Hollinger to call Brewer perhaps the most improved NBA shooter ever.

The entire time he's also (like his Gator teammates Al Horford and Joakim Noah, with whom he won two national titles, and lost just one tournament game of any kind in three years) relentlessly cheery and supportive of his teammates, racing all over the place to deliver high-fives and to pick up fallen teammates. He has stayed upbeat while being the injured and forgotten benchwarmer on a terrible team. In other words, there's no reason to suspect he'd be a threat to any team's chemistry.

There are NBA teams that have really embraced advanced statistical analysis. The list is long, and is headed by the likes of Houston, Dallas, Boston, Cleveland, San Antonio and Oklahoma City. If the Knicks were among them, I can't imagine they'd have let Brewer go. And now that he's free to sign with a team really values him, I'll make two predictions: Brewer will sign with a team that is sophisticated in its use of stats, and over the next couple of years, he will make that team better.