Hornets sign Posey to 4-year, $25M deal

[BAMAPHIN 22]

James Posey has won NBA championships with two teams. The New Orleans Hornets hope to be his third.


Posey, a 6-foot-8 forward who last season helped the Boston Celtics win their first title since 1986, agreed Wednesday to a four-year, $25 million contract with New Orleans, agent Mark Bartelstein said.


Posey also was part of the Miami Heat's championship squad in 2005-06. His record of playing a prominent reserve role on title-winning squads made him a top free-agent target for the Hornets, who are coming off their best season in franchise history and looking to contend for a first championship of their own.

The Celtics hoped to keep Posey, a 31-year-old veteran who has a reputation as a strong defender and who was periodically assigned to guard LeBron James and Kobe Bryant during the postseason.

Posey struggled with the decision, knowing that joining All-Stars Chris Paul and David West in New Orleans would mean leaving behind Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in Boston, where as recently as Tuesday Posey was signing copies of the Celtics' championship DVD for fans. "It was a really tough decision for him," Bartelstein said. "Boston was an incredible experience for him every way you look at it. If he was going to leave Boston, he wanted to make sure it was for a team that would compete for a championship immediately and the Hornets certainly are in that world."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8350772?MSNHPHMA

[Boston]

I think he is just seeking rings to be honest, wish Boston coulda kept him though he is great on sooo many levels.

[PressCoverage]

Originally Posted by Boston

I think he is just seeking rings to be honest, wish Boston coulda kept him though he is great on sooo many levels.

actually, with a contract like that for a somewhat limited player, yet vital player, he's seeking duckets, to be honest... i would do the exact same thing, and he's very smart... he's cashing in...

[Ferretsquig]

Posey has been looking for this payday for a couple years now. Its probably his last real contract so he took the longest deal he could find.

Nothing wrong with that......I still can't get over the fact that Riley let him walk for nothing. The Heat could of locked him up for far less than 25 mil.

[dreday]

Just makes the western conf that much tougher...Of course until he starts his decline.

[SpurzN703]

Originally Posted by dreday

Just makes the western conf that much tougher...Of course until he starts his decline.

Meanwhile the Spurs are just sitting back doing jack, like always

[ChambersWI]

Originally Posted by SpurzN703

Meanwhile the Spurs are just sitting back doing jack, like always

they signed Roger Mason (decent bench player), and plan on giving George Hill, and either James Gist and.or Malik Hairston extensive PT.