Thunder forward Kevin Durant has come second in the draft and MVP votings, but nobody in the NBA can touch him nowadays when it comes to pitching products - whether it's shoes, video games or soft drinks. He leads our Commercials Rankings and No. 2 (Kobe Bryant) is not even close.
Nike clearly leads the pack in terms of NBA endorsers, but Chinese brands like Li Ning and Peak are emerging powers.
It will be an interesting offseason in Los Angeles following the early exit from the playoffs. Check the news and tweets coming from La-La Land.
Best transaction: Traded guard Speedy Claxton and center Dale Davis to the New Orleans Hornets for guard Baron Davis on February 24, 2005
Worst transaction: Named Mike Montgomery head coach on May 21, 2004
Executive of the Year: Never
TRANSACTIONS:
SEASON 2008-09
March 10 2009 Waived guard Marcus Williams. January 25 2009 Signed forward Jermareo Davidson for the remainder of the season. January 15 2009 Signed forward Jermareo Davidson to a second 10-day contract. January 5 2009 Waived guard DeMarcus Nelson and signed forward Jermareo Davidson to a 10-day contract. December 18 2008 Waived forward Richard Hendrix. November 21 2008 Traded forward Al Harrington to the New York Knicks for guard Jamal Crawford. November 17 2008 Signed guard Stephen Jackson to a contract extension. November 11 2008 Named Larry Harris assistant coach. November 2 2008 Signed forward Rob Kurz. October 31 2008 Exercised the contract options on guard Marco Belinelli and forward Brandan Wright through 2009-10. October 29 2008 Signed head coach Don Nelson to a contract extension. October 27 2008 Waived forward Rob Kurz. October 19 2008 Waived guard Dan Dickau. October 9 2008 Waived guard Dion Dowell and forward Justin Williams. October 1 2008 Signed guard Dan Dickau. September 27 2008 Signed forward Justin Williams. September 12 2008 Waived center Kosta Perovic. September 9 2008 Signed guards DeMarcus Nelson and Dion Dowell and forward Rob Kurz. July 28 2008 Re-signed forward Andris Biedrins. July 25 2008 Signed guard Anthony Morrow. July 24 2008 Re-signed guard Monta Ellis, matched the offered sheet tendered to guard Kelenna Azubuike by the Los Angeles Clippers and signed forward Richard Hendrix. July 22 2008 Traded a conditional first-round pick to the New Jersey Nets for guard Marcus Williams. July 19 2008 Signed forward Ronny Turiaf. July 15 2008 Signed forward Anthony Randolph. July 10 2008 Signed guard Corey Maggette and signed forward Ronny Turiaf to an offer sheet. Draft 2008 Selected forwards Anthony Randolph (14th overall pick) and Richard Hendrix (49th overall pick).
SEASON 2007-08
March 11 2008 Exercised the contract option on head coach Don Nelson through 2008-09. January 29 2008 Waived guard Troy Hudson and signed forward Chris Webber. January 28 2008 Signed guard CJ Watson for the remainder of the season. January 18 2008 Signed guard CJ Watson to a second 10-day contract. January 8 2008 Signed guard CJ Watson to a 10-day contract. January 6 2008 Waived center Didier Ilunga-Mbenga. November 17 2007 Waived forward Stephane Lasme and signed center Didier Ilunga-Mbenga. October 21 2007 Waived guard Tierre Brown and center Pat Burke. October 13 2007 Waived forward Carlos Powell. October 2 2007 Named Sidney Moncrief shooting coach. October 1 2007 Re-signed guard Mickael Pietrus and signed guard Tierre Brown, forward Carlos Powell and center Pat Burke. September 24 2007 Signed guard Troy Hudson. September 20 2007 Waived guard Sarunas Jasikevicius. September 16 2007 Signed head coach Don Nelson to a new contract. August 21 2007 Signed forward Stephane Lasme. August 13 2007 Waived center Adonal Foyle. August 7 2007 Named Pete D'Alessandro assistant coach. August 6 2007 Re-signed forward Matt Barnes. August 3 2007 Signed forward Austin Croshere and center Kosta Perovic. July 17 2007 Re-signed guard Kelenna Azubuike. July 16 2007 Signed guard Marco Belinelli. July 6 2007 Signed forward Brandan Wright. Draft 2007 Selected guard Marco Belinelli (18th overall pick) and forwards Jermareo Davidson (36th overall pick) and Stephane Lasme (46th overall pick). Traded guard Jason Richardson and the draft rights to forward Jermareo Davidson to the Charlotte Bobcats for the draft rights to forward Brandan Wright and cash.
SEASON 2006-07
January 17 2007 Traded guard Keith McLeod and forwards Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy and Ike Diogu to the Indiana Pacers for guards Stephen Jackson and Sarunas Jasikevicius and forwards Al Harrington and Josh Powell; signed forward Renaldo Major to a 10-day contract. January 5 2007 Waived guard Anthony Roberson. January 2 2007 Signed guard Kelenna Azubuike. November 20 2006 Waived guard Dajuan Wagner. October 27 2006 Waived forward Chris Taft. October 27 2006 Waived forward Chris Taft. October 26 2006 Waived guard Andre Owens. October 11 2006 Waived forward Dijon Thompson. October 3 2006 Waived guard Devin Brown and exercised the contract options on forwards Andris Biedrins and Ike Diogu through 2007-08. October 2 2006 Signed guard Anthony Roberson and forwards Matt Barnes and Dijon Thompson. September 22 2006 Signed guard Dajuan Wagner. September 14 2006 Named Stephen Silas assistant coach. September 1 2006 Named Larry Riley assistant coach. August 30 2006 Named Don Nelson head coach. August 29 2006 Fired head coach Mike Montgomery. July 14 2006 Waived guard Will Bynum. July 12 2006 Traded guard Derek Fisher to the Utah Jazz for guards Devin Brown, Keith McLeod and Andre Owens. July 7 2006 Signed center Patrick O'Bryant. Draft 2006 Selected centers Patrick O'Bryant (9th overall pick) and Kosta Perovic (38th overall pick).
SEASON 2005-06
April 7 2006 Signed guard Will Bynum for the remainder of the season. March 27 2006 Signed guard Will Bynum to a second 10-day contract. March 17 2006 Signed guard Will Bynum to a 10-day contract. January 5 2006 Waived guard Aaron Miles. October 31 2005 Signed forward Mike Dunleavy to a contract extension. October 27 2005 Waived guard Ray Young, forward Justin Davis and center Deji Akindele. October 17 2005 Waived center Mamadou N'diaye. October 3 2005 Signed center Mamadou N'diaye. September 29 2005 Signed guards Aaron Miles and Ray Young, forward Justin Davis and center Deji Akindele. September 12 2005 Named John MacLeod assistant coach. August 10 2005 Signed guard Monta Ellis. August 4 2005 Signed forward Chris Taft. July 7 2005 Signed forward Ike Diogu. June 30 2005 Waived forward Rodney White and exercised the contract options on guard Mickael Pietrus and Zarko Cabarkapa through 2006-07. Draft 2005 Selected forwards Ike Diogu (9th overall pick) and Chris Taft (42nd overall pick) and guard Monta Ellis (40th overall pick).
SEASON 2004-05
February 24 2005 Traded guard Speedy Claxton, center Dale Davis and cash to the New Orleans Hornets for guard Baron Davis; traded guard Luis Flores, forward Eduardo Najera and a 2007 first-round pick to the Denver Nuggets for forwards Rodney White and Nikoloz Tskitishvili. February 14 2005 Traded forward Clifford Robinson to the New Jersey Nets for two second-round picks in 2005 and 2007. January 3 2005 Traded two second-round picks to the Phoenix Suns for forward Zarko Cabarkapa and waived forward Ansu Sesay. November 1 2004 Signed guard Jason Richardson and forward Troy Murphy to contract extensions and waived guard Matt Carroll. October 28 2004 Waived guard Brandon Armstrong. October 4 2004 Signed guards Matt Carroll and Brandon Armstrong and forward Ansu Sesay. September 24 2004 Exercised the contract option on forward Mike Dunleavy through 2005-06. September 14 2004 Signed guard Luis Flores. September 9 2004 Waived forward Christian Laettner. September 3 2004 Waived forward Popeye Jones. August 24 2004 Re-signed center Erick Dampier and traded him with guard Dan Dickau, center Evan Eschmeyer and the draft rights to guard Steve Logan to the Dallas Mavericks for forwards Eduardo Najera and Christian Laettner, the draft rights to guard Luis Flores and forward Mladen Sekularac, two first-round picks and cash. August 11 2004 Re-signed guard Calbert Cheaney. July 20 2004 Traded guard Nick Van Exel to the Portland Trail Blazers for guard Dan Dickau and center Dale Davis. July 16 2004 Signed guard Derek Fisher. July 14 2004 Re-signed center Adonal Foyle. July 7 2004 Signed forward Andris Biedrins and named Russell Turner assistant coach. June 30 2004 Named Terry Stotts assistant coach. June 28 2004 Named Mario Elie assistant coach. Draft 2004 Selected forward Andris Biedrins (11th overall pick). May 21 2004 Named Mike Montgomery head coach. May 20 2004 Fired head coach Eric Musselman.
Traded guard Jason Richardson and the draft rights to forward Jermareo Davidson to the Charlotte Bobcats for the draft rights to forward Brandan Wright and cash.
