F.A. SIGNING: Charlie V is in

[RegicideGreg]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4301111

Sources: Gordon, Villanueva to Pistons


ESPN.com news services

The Detroit Pistons made the biggest early splash in free agency on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva.
Former Bulls guard Gordon will receive a five-year, $55 million deal, sources told ESPN.com's Chris Broussard. He rejected deals from Chicago in excess of $50 million each of the past two seasons.
The Associated Press reported that the Pistons signed former Bucks forward Villanueva.
Free agents can't officially sign with new teams until July 8.
Gordon led the Bulls in scoring each of the past four seasons. He averaged 20.4 points per game on 45.5 percent shooting last year. For his career, he has a 21.3 points per game average.
Villanueva, the seventh overall pick by Toronto in 2006 who has played all three of his NBA season with the Bucks, also agreed to a five-year deal. His contract is worth at least $35 million, according to the AP.
Chris Broussard covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine.

[jturbo]

OK, this ball is a roll'en!

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

So if we continue the UCONN trend...


Jake Voskuhl should be next.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

What's odd is that no other team has signed a FA yet.

[Glenn]

So if we continue the UCONN trend...


Jake Voskuhl should be next.

Then we trade Rip.

[Glenn]

What's odd is that no other team has signed a FA yet.

KING

[Kstat]

This would be more akin to Joe's usual mode of finding a hungry young player on the verge that other teams cast off.

He's getting paid a little more than what Joe gave Big Ben and Chauncey, but the similarities are there.

[RegicideGreg]

I can't wait for Alopecia wig night at the palace.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

35 million...his agent did a nice job...I didn't think he'd get that much

I was thinking 30 at the most, but...this is the NBA

[Mr. Oobir]

That's about what he was expected to sign for, right? Seems fair to me.

Assuming each year results in the standard ~10% raise, his first year is worth around $5.8 million. These two signings have now eaten about $15 million in cap room.

Will $3-4 million be enough flexibility for some of the speculated big-man trades (Okafor/Kaman/Amare)?