The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard-forward Mickael Pietrus (MY-kel PEET-rus), General Manager Otis Smith announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.
“Mickael brings versatility and athleticism to our roster,” said Smith.  “He is a solid defender who will fit in very well with our team.  We are excited to add Mickael and feel he can help us reach our ultimate goal.”
Pietrus (6”6”, 215, 2/7/82) played in 66 games (16 starts) last season with Golden State, averaging 7.2 ppg., 3.7 rpg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 20.0 minpg.  He also shot .361 (66-183) from three-point range.  Pietrus scored in double figures 22 times, including a season-high 23 points on Feb. 29 vs. Philadelphia, and recorded three double-doubles.
Selected in the first round (11th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft by Golden State, Pietrus has appeared in 310 career NBA regular season games, all with the Warriors, averaging 8.6 ppg. and 3.4 rpg. in 21.0 minpg.  He has also played in 11 career playoff games, averaging 6.0 ppg. and 3.8 rpg. in 19.0 minpg.
Prior to competing in the NBA, Pietrus played professionally in France for four seasons with Pau Orthez (PO OR-tez), making his pro debut at the age of 17.  He played in 130 career games in both the French Pro-A League and the Euroleague, he averaged 8.6 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and 1.7 apg.  Pietrus played for the French National Team at the 2006 FIBA World Championships.

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent forward Corey Maggette to a contract, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.
Maggette, 28, appeared in 70 games (65 starts) last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.01 steals in 35.7 minutes per contest.  He ranked 11th in the NBA in scoring, fourth in free throws made and sixth in free throws attempted, while shooting 45.8% (458-1,000 FG) from the field, 38.4% (78-203 3FG) from three-point range and 81.2% (553-681 FT) from the line.  Maggette, who established a new career high in three-point percentage last season, scored 30-or-more points eight times and tallied 20-or-more points 43 times – including in 38 of his final 44 games played.
“We are really excited to add a player of Corey’s ability to our team,” said Mullin.  “He’s been one of the most productive players in our league for the last several years and provides us with additional versatility and veteran leadership.”
A nine-year NBA veteran who has spent the last eight seasons with the Clippers, Maggette owns career averages of 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 29.1 minutes in 589 games with Orlando and Los Angeles.  The 6′6” 225-pound Maggette, who has averaged more than 20 points per game and led the Clippers in scoring three times in the last five seasons, had his finest NBA campaign in 2004-05, establishing career highs in scoring (22.2 ppg), rebounding (6.0 rpg) and assists (3.4 apg).  A career 81.9% shooter from the free throw line, the Duke University product has shot better than 80% from the stripe in each of the last seven seasons, while also ranking in the NBA’s top-five in free throws made and top-10 in free throws attempted in four of the last five seasons.
Maggette will wear uniform #50.

The Golden State Warriors have signed restricted free agent forward Ronny Turiaf to an offer sheet, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the offer sheet were not announced.  Under the rules of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, the Los Angeles Lakers have seven days (through Thursday, July 17) to match the Warriors’ offer.
Turiaf, 25, appeared in 78 games (21 starts) last season with the Lakers, averaging 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.38 blocks in 18.7 minutes per contest.  In the 35 contests in which he played 20-or-more minutes last season, he averaged 10.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.14 blocks.
A native of the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Turiaf ranked fifth in the NBA in blocked shots per 48 minutes played (3.56) and ranked 22nd in the league in blocked shots overall despite limited playing time.
A three-year NBA veteran, Turiaf owns career averages of 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.13 blocks and 15.6 minutes in 173 regular-season games with the Lakers.  The 6′10” 250-pound graduate of Gonzaga University has shot 50.4% (350-695 FG) from the field and 70.3% (244-347 FT) from the free throw line during his career.

The  National  Basketball  Association today announced  that  the  Salary  Cap  for  the  2008-09 season will be $58.680 million.   The  new  Cap  goes  into  effect  immediately  as  the league’s “moratorium  period”  has ended and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.
The  tax level for the 2008-09 season has been set at $71.150 million.  Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $71.150 million.
The  mid-level  exception  is $5.585 million for the 2008-09 season and the minimum  team  salary,  which  is  set at 75% of the Salary Cap, is $44.010 million.
For  the 2007-08 season, the Salary Cap was set at $55.630 million, the tax level was $67.865 million and the mid-level exception was $5.356 million.

The San Francisco Chronicle (Janny Hu) reports on her blog: Flush with cap space after Davis’ sudden exit, the Warriors have offered free agent Elton Brand a five-year deal worth between $85 and $90 million, according to league source. Brand, like Davis, opted out of the final year of his contract just before Monday’s deadline, giving up a guaranteed $16.4 million for next season. At the time, Brand’s agent, David Falk, told reporters that the move was designed to create some cap flexibility for the Clippers to add another top-line player.
InsideHoops.com editor says: I think both Baron and Elton want to be in Los Angeles, to play together but also to further their careers in the movie industry, which can obviously be done easier as long as they are based near Hollywood. On the other hand, if Brand can make an extra $20 million playing for the Warriors, that money goes a long way.

The Contra Costa Times reports: What promised to be a tumultuous offseason for the Warriors was kicked into overdrive Monday when point guard Baron Davis left $17.8 million on the table and opted out of the final year of his contract, becoming an unrestricted free agent and throwing Golden State’s immediate plans into confusion. Davis has maintained for months that he wants to remain a Warrior, and according to one team source was telling teammates last week that he would not opt out, but with mere hours to spare the man most responsible for breaking Golden State’s 12-season playoff drought reversed course dramatically.

The San Francisco Chronicle (Janny Hu) reports: The Warriors can count on having Baron Davis under contract when free agency begins next week. Todd Ramasar, Davis’ agent, said Tuesday that he doesn’t expect his client to opt out of his contract before Monday’s deadline. “It doesn’t seem likely,” Ramasar said. “The market could change anytime, but it’s unlikely.” The decision makes financial sense for Davis, who is due $17.8 million next season, an amount he would not be able to recoup as a free agent. But combined with stalled talks for a contract extension, it also casts his long-term future with the Warriors in doubt.

The AP reports: Kevin Durant set career highs with 42 points and 13 rebounds in his first professional double-double, and Jeff Green added 27 points to help the SuperSonics win what could have been their final game as a Seattle team, beating the Golden State Warriors 126-121 on Wednesday night. A strong season-ending performance by a pair of talented rookies would normally be a bright spot for fans of a lottery-bound team. But with the NBA Board of Governors set to vote later this week to approve the Sonics’ move to Oklahoma City after 41 years in the Emerald City, it’s unclear which fans will benefit… Baron Davis scored 21 points in 39 minutes after mysteriously being benched for the second half of Monday’s loss in Phoenix. Monta Ellis led the way with 24 points, Andris Biedrins had 20 points and 17 rebounds and rookie Marco Belinelli had a career-high 17 points.

The AP reports: While Baron Davis just sat and watched. Fighting off a cold that he said sapped his energy, Amare Stoudemire scored 11 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and Phoenix recovered after blowing a 17-point lead for a 122-116 victory Monday night. The Warriors’ loss clinched the final playoff spot in the West for Denver. Steve Nash nearly had a triple-double with 13 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds as the Suns remained in the midst of a scramble for playoff positioning and a possible home-court advantage in the first round. Stephen Jackson scored 16 of his 23 points in the Warriors’ third-quarter comeback. Monta Ellis added 20 points, Kelenna Azubuike 17 and Andris Biedrins 16… Shaquille O’Neal had 19 points and 15 rebounds for Phoenix, but sat while coach Mike D’Antoni went with a smaller lineup during the decisive late stretch. Barbosa scored 19 and Raja Bell 16.

The Bay Area News Group (Geoff Lepper) reports: For the first time in 175 games since Don Nelson returned the Warriors’ bench, he’ll be coaching a meaningless game. The Warriors’ regular-season finale Wednesday against visiting Seattle was rendered moot Monday after Golden State was eliminated from the playoffs. The faint hopes of a second consecutive playoff berth flickered during a third-quarter run where Golden State scored 15 consecutive points, but in the end, too much of Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire ended the Warriors’ hopes. A 122-116 loss to the Suns on Monday leaves the Warriors (48-33) one game behind the Denver Nuggets (49-32) and destined to lose a tiebreaker even if they catch up with Wednesday’s regular-season finale. The Warriors are guaranteed of being a historical footnote: The winningest team not to make the playoffs since they expanded to 16 teams in 1983-84.