Hello and welcome to the Evening News.
As the offseason continues, we’ll keep you updated every night.
What’s happening today?
Bucks and Sanders discussing longterm extension
According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Bucks and Larry Sanders are closing in on a multiyear extension. While terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, indications suggest the contract will exceed $10 million dollars annually.
Sources have told Stein that negotiations are already entering its final stages.
With the losses of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis in free agency, the Bucks are searching for a new identity. Although Sanders is only 24 years old, he has — by default — become the most recognizable player on the team’s roster.
Sanders has made it clear that he wants to stay in Milwaukee longterm:
“I love the city of Milwaukee and I will stay as long as you’ll have me”
— Nappy G. (@LarrySanders) August 8, 2013
Sanders has until October 31 to finalize an extension before he becomes a restricted free agency in the summer of 2014.
Sanders averaged 9.8 points and 9.5 rebounds last season. However, where the 6’11” big man has truly earned his reputation is on the defensive end. Sanders finished second in the league with 2.8 blocks in just 27.3 minutes per game last season. He also finished seventh in the league in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
To get a better understanding of how valuable Sanders is on the defensive end, watch this:
Jeanie Buss believes her father could have convinced Dwight to stay
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reports Jeanie Buss believes her father could have enticed Dwight Howard to re-sign with the Lakers.
“They would’ve probably had a better relationship if my dad hadn’t been sick,” Jeanie Buss said. “When it came time to try to convince Dwight to stay, we lost the best closer in the business in Dr. Buss.” 
Jeanie has expressed disappointment in Howard’s decision to leave for Houston. However, she also believes the Lakers could have handled free agency differently.
“Putting up billboards maybe wasn’t the right thing,” admitted Buss. “But we maybe have to learn to do things differently because Dr. Buss isn’t here anymore. People said [of the billboards], ‘Oh, that’s not the Laker way.’ Well, the Laker way isn’t the same, because Dr. Buss isn’t here.”
While Jeanie is still close with her brother Jim, the two have had several differences of opinion in the last year.
Most notably, Jeanie wanted her fiance, Phil Jackson, to replace Mike Brown as the Lakers’ head coach at the start of the season. Jim and GM Mitch Kupchak decided to hire Mike D’Antoni instead.
