??The countdown to the Patrick Mahomes II era in Kansas City began the moment the Chiefs traded up to select the strong-armed quarterback in
the first round of last year’s draft.Officially
Carlton Davis Youth Jersey , it is down to about six weeks.Practically, it has already reached zero.The Chiefs agreed to trade veteran quarterback Alex
Smith to the Washington Redskins late Monday, a deal that will become official
with the start of the new league year on March 14. In doing so, the Chiefs made
a bold statement that they’re ready for Mahomes, a prolific passer during his
college days at Texas Tech, to assume the starting job for the foreseeable
future.Mahomes dazzled coach Andy Reid and his staff during training camp,
making the kinds of downfield throws that Smith could never accomplish. And when
he made his regular-season debut in Week 17, when the Chiefs were already
assured of the AFC West title and the No. 4 seed in the playoffs, he not only
played well but returned in the fourth quarter to lead the winning drive against
the Broncos.It was the kind of performance ??and the kind of moxie ??that made
Reid draw comparisons to another of his prot?g?s from his days with the Packers:
Brett Favre.Those are big shoes to fill. Then again, so are the ones Smith is
leaving behind.For all the angst he caused fans by going 1-4 in the playoffs,
Smith succeeded in stabilizing a franchise that had been turning over
quarterbacks for years. He went 50-26 as a starter and made a couple of Pro Bowl
appearances, setting a slew of franchise records in the process.“Alex, you are
the definition of a true leader and your professionalism helped me grow as a
player,” Chiefs offensive guard Laurence Duvernay-Tardif said in a statement
posted to .“Can’t say enough about the type of friend and teammate Alex Smith
has been since getting to Kansas City,” Chiefs fullback Anthony Sherman
said
Mike Hughes Vikings Jersey , adding “the Sherman family will miss the Smith family.”Yet the Chiefs knew they were going to move on from Smith in part
because of the hefty price tag that came with the final year of his contract.
And his strong performance last season made Smith a hot commodity with at least
five teams along with the Redskins.That bidding war, even this early in the
offseason, drove up the Chiefs’ asking price.They wound up solving more than one
problem in the trade with Washington: The Chiefs, drained of draft picks by
previous trades, got a third-round choice in April; they acquired Kendall
Fuller, one of the league’s top slot cornerbacks and a potential starter on the
outside opposite Marcus Peters; and they freed up nearly $16 million in salary
cap space to make additional moves in free agency.Kansas City now has a pick in
the second round and two in the third, along with selections in the later
rounds, which could be used to address other pressing issues on defense.Fuller
certainly addressed one of them. He was a first-round talent who dropped to the
third round coming out of Virginia Tech because of injury concerns, yet has
played to a first-round grade ??and stayed healthy ??during his first two
seasons with in the league. Scot McCloughan, the former Redskins general manager
who drafted him in 2016, said on shortly after news of the trade broke: “I would
never have traded Kendall. He can play inside and outside, he’s high character,
young and a football player.”He’s also a bargain. Fuller will count $647,500
against the salary cap in 2018 and $750,000 the next season
Rashaan Evans Youth Jersey , giving the Chiefs a starting-caliber cornerback at a discount rate.The Chiefs are expected to free up additional cap space by
restructuring or moving on from some of their veterans, such as linebackers
Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson. That in turn gives them some financial
flexibility to sign some of their young stars to long-term deals ??Peters and
wide receiver Tyreek Hill, for example ??or pursue help for their shortcomings
in free agency.They could still use help in the defensive backfield, linebacker
and pass rush remains an issue, the offensive line needs additional depth and
the wide receiver corps could use another target.Now that the Chiefs have found
a trade partner for Smith, the work in those areas begins.
DeMarcus Cousins will be ready to play at some point this season.
And when he is, the two-time defending NBA champions will be waiting.
Adding a fifth All-Star to their already glitzy lineup, the Golden State Warriors have come to terms with Cousins on a one-year, $5.3 million deal – not
the biggest money move on Day 2 of the NBA free agency period, but the most
intriguing. The low-risk, high-reward deal was confirmed by two people who spoke
to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because nothing can yet be
signed.
”5 All-Stars on 1 team…. wow,” Charlotte’s Frank Kaminsky wrote on Twitter.
Indeed, that is the case for the Warriors, who will be adding Cousins to a lineup that includes All-Stars Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry
Hayden Hurst Youth Jersey , Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, as well as a former NBA Finals MVP in Andre Iguodala.
The Warriors, predictably, were thrilled by a move that gives them a player who averaged 25.2 points last season before getting hurt and has averaged 21.5
points and 11 rebounds for his career.
”The 3rd splash Brother,” Curry tweeted.
The rest of the league, they didn’t seem so thrilled.
Philadelphia’s Richaun Holmes mused on Twitter if the NBA could veto the signing, much in the way then-Commissioner David Stern blocked a Chris Paul
trade to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011. And New York’s Enes Kanter couldn’t
resist poking some fun at the league’s current commissioner.
”Adam Silver has agreed to a Mid Level Extension with the Golden State, league sources tell ME,” Kanter wrote.
The Warriors lost center JaVale McGee to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday as part of the flurry of moves on Day 1 of free agency, and it
took general manager Bob Myers less than a full day to replace McGee with
Cousins.
The Lakers kept the moves going Monday, adding Rajon Rondo – once a playoff rival of James, and now someone who will be giving him the ball.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed to AP that Rondo had agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Lakers for $9 million. Like Cousins,
Rondo was part of the New Orleans Pelicans last season. To help replace the
Cousins void, the Pelicans agreed to a two-year deal worth about $18 million
with former Lakers big man Julius Randle, who will now pair with his fellow
Kentucky product Anthony Davis in the New Orleans frontcourt.
So in less than 24 hours
Authentic Joe Mixon Jersey , not only did the Lakers lure James out of Cleveland, but they added two players who were longtime antagonists in his annual quest to
win the Eastern Conference, first by agreeing to a deal with Lance Stephenson on
Sunday night and then moving Monday to convince Rondo to join what will be his
sixth different NBA franchise.
James is back on vacation while the Lakers are busy building a roster around him.
”For him, it’s just business as usual,” former Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant said of James during a Monday appearance on ESPN’s ”The Jump.” ”He’ll come to
work. He’ll work hard every single day. I’m really excited for our young
players, because they get a chance to watch him work up close and so I think
that speeds up their learning curve. … I think it’s just important for `Bron
just to be himself and continue doing what he’s been doing.”
After just over $1 billion in new contracts were agreed upon starting late Saturday night and through the official first day of free agency Sunday – with
James going to the Lakers, Durant staying in Golden State, Chris Paul staying in
Houston and Paul George staying in Oklahoma City, among other news – the dollar
figures cooled off a bit for Day 2.
The intrigue didn’t stop, especially when the Warriors landed Cousins – basically with the money that Durant didn’t take by structuring his deal as a
two-year deal with an option year.
”Got to Love the NBA,” Orlando’s Wesley Iwundu tweeted.
Also Monday, Derrick Favors agreed on a $36 million, two-year deal to stay with the Utah Jazz. Upon hearing that news, his teammates Donovan Mitchell and
Rudy Gobert reacted by quickly posting similar requests on Twitter – that being
that Favors finally grabs a dinner check.
He can do that now, and then some.
JJ Redick is back with the Philadelphia 76ers
Cheap M.J. Stewart Jersey , agreeing to a one-year deal worth about $12 million. Redick averaged 17.1 points and shot 42 percent from 3-point range last
season with Philadelphia, when he made $23 million.
With James out of the Eastern Conference, Philadelphia believes it can make a run at getting to the NBA Finals. So does Boston – which, coincidentally, gave
away the No. 9 jersey that Rondo used to wear there Monday by completing the
long-expected signing of Brad Wanamaker, a guard who comes to Boston after
spending the last seven seasons in Europe.
Wanamaker played his college ball at Pitt, and is coming off being selected MVP of this year’s Turkish League finals.
Anthony Tolliver changed teams again, this time going back to one of his former stops – Minnesota, which will sign him to a one-year deal worth $5.75
million. Tolliver has played for nine different franchises, and spent last
season with Detroit.
The Pistons added Jose Calderon, who will reunite with his former coach Dwane Casey. Calderon signed a one-year deal for the veteran minimum of about $2.4
million. Calderon was with James in Cleveland last season.
So he’s leaving Cleveland – and so is the massive banner showing James and bearing the phrase ”We Are All Witnesses.” The 10-story banner in downtown
Cleveland is scheduled .
