SAN ANTONIO — Free agent guard Roger Mason signed with the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
The Spurs didn’t disclose terms of the deal, but Mason’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Mason was to sign a two-year contract for “just a little less than” $8 million.
Mason spent the past two seasons with the Washington Wizards. Last season, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged a career-high 9.1 points and 1.7 assists in 80 games.
Mason said Friday he’s happy to be in Texas.
“It seems like they win championships every other year,” Mason said. “Next season’s 08-09 so I guess they’re due, and hopefully I can be a big part of it.”
The Spurs won titles in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Last season they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals.
“You look at the history, these guys are in, I guess I (should) say, we, are in the hunt every year,” Mason said. “Every time you think of San Antonio you think of a title contender.”
Notes
GRIZZLIES: O.J. Mayo’s professional debut featured 15 points, five assists and three steals in Memphis’ 88-75 win over the New Orleans Hornets at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Mayo, a former USC guard who was chosen No. 3 in the draft, scored just two points in the first quarter and finished with eight turnovers overall. Mayo, the highest-drafted player this year participating in the NBA Summer League, had 12 points, two steals and two assists at halftime. He also led with five turnovers and three fouls during the first 20 minutes.
OKLAHOMA CITY: Owners and managers of downtown office space available for lease are vying to land a temporary but potentially lucrative, client — the NBA team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics. The franchise that is moving to Oklahoma City eventually will have regular offices in the Ford Center, once renovations are complete. Meanwhile, the club needs temporary quarters, and principal owner Clay Bennett has said finding that space is a priority. The city will pay for the temporary offices.
MAVERICKS: Dallas re-signed former Texas A&M standout guard Antoine Wright and also signed guard Keith McLeod and forward James Singleton. Terms of the deals weren’t released. Wright played two seasons with New Jersey before he was acquired by the Mavs on Feb. 19 as part of the deal that also brought Jason Kidd to Dallas. McLeod and Singleton have played in the NBA, but most recently played in Europe. TIMBERWOLVES: Minnesota signed first-round draft pick Kevin Love. The UCLA power forward from Lake Oswego, Ore., signed the contract just in time to participate on Minnesota’s Las Vegas summer league team. It was merely a formality thanks to the NBA’s rookie salary scale. Love was the fifth overall pick in last month’s draft and acquired from Memphis in an eight-player trade that sent O.J. Mayo to the Grizzlies. He will make about $2.6 million this season and $2.8 million next year.
RAPTORS: Toronto signed Nathan Jawai, the first indigenous player from Australia to be drafted by an NBA team, to a two-year contract. The 21-year-old was selected in the second round, 41st overall, by the Indiana Pacers in last month’s NBA draft. The Pacers traded his draft rights along with Jermaine O’Neal for point guard T.J. Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic, forward Maceo Baston and the draft rights to center Roy Hibbert. The six-foot-10, 280-pounder earned rookie of the year honors last season in Australia’s National Basketball League, where he averaged 17.7 points and 9.6 rebounds in 30 games for the Cairns Taipans.
NETS: New Jersey reached agreements with free agent forwards Eduardo Najera and Jarvis Hayes. The 6-foot-8 Najera, an eight-year NBA veteran, averaged 5.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 78 games last season for Denver. Hayes played in 82 games for Detroit last season and averaged 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
