Hoops

Aron Baynes signs $4m/1y deal with Boston

Suspect he'll have to get used to the lobster instead of BBQ though. #prayforaron

Boston has the Cheers bar, so you get to drink where everybody knows your name!

You don't need to have lived in either city to know Boston is going to be better lol

Yeah I'd do just abour anything not to live in Detroit too to be honest. Absolute hole.

Agreed. Was just having a dig a Cram as he was worried last month about how much Aron would be getting paid ;)

Let's see....

6.5 million to play for a potential 7-8 seed in the Leastern Conference or 4.3 million to play for a potential conference champion.

I know which one I'd choose. If I were Aron, which I'm not, I'd be thrilled to be playing for the Celtics instead of Detroit.

Having spent significant time in both... Boston is a better city, offers a much better lifestyle and is just an overall better city than Detroit. At the end of the day, what's a million or so after tax? Not a whole lot really. Especially not when he's got more cash than what he knows what to do with the for the remainder of his and his grand children's lives.

what?

Oh good one of the anons that doesn't understand the concept of risk to contribute nothing to the conversation. Well done you.

Cram is very worried about Aron now. Poor guy only got $4milly.

Olgun Uluc:

Sources: Aron Baynes declined offers from the Rockets, Clippers, and Pistons, before signing with the Celtics.

The third year of that deal was a player option for $6.5m that he just opted out of and although $2m is in our eyes a lot to walk away from he's made plenty so far in his career and he gets to showcase himself on an ECF team instead of still being stuck in Detroit.

It wouldn't have been the plan no doubt when he first opted out but this is a pretty good situation to land in at just the expense of $2.2m. Even if he does nothing he will have a lot more interest next year than this year.

Wasn't he on 3-year $20m with Pistons? I'm not sure what he was supposed to be paid on the last year that he opted out, but if it was even split $7m/yr then this would be a massive paycut. Bad strategic move by his agent you'd think.

Its a good situation for him. He's immediately their best true centre so will be able to back up and play alongside Horford and gives them a genuinely good rebounder. Playing for one of the bes5 teams in the conference means he'll get noticed if he does have a big year which will help the next contract.

Left some money on the table when opting out in Detroit which was always a risk (no matter what some people think...) but I think he's landed in a good spot.

I kind of expected Bogut to end up here, so not sure where he might go now.

Basketball Australia have announced the final make up of the 2011 U19 World Championship team that will compete in Chile from 21 – 31 July.

The Gems, 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship Team

Aimie Clydesdale — Victoria/Dandenong
Ashleigh Karaitiana — NSW/Sydney Comets
Rebecca Allen — Victoria Country/Wangaratta
Sara Blicavs — Victoria Metro/AIS
Alex Bunton — ACT/AIS
Rebecca Cole — Victoria/AIS
Madeleine Garrick — Victoria Country/Shepparton
Kerryn Harrington — Victoria Country/Bendigo
Carley Mijovic — Victoria Metro/Dandenong/AIS
Nadeen Payne — Queensland/Townsville
Tayla Roberts — Tasmania/Launceston/AIS
Gretel Tippett — Qld/Gold Coast/Logan

Gems Staff

Cheryl Chambers — Head Coach
Karen Dalton — Assistant Coach
Wayne Pollock — Assistant Coach
Merryn Aldridge — Physiotherapist
Dr Maja Markovic — Doctor
Michele Menso — Team Manager

Gems 2011 World Championship team named