Incase nobody saw this coming....Boozer will opt out

[Thunder Dan]

Mr. Greed strikes once more


EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It is time to stop guessing whether Carlos Boozer will opt out of the final season of his contract with the Utah Jazz.
Carlos Boozer

Boozer
Paul Millsap

Millsap
For the first time, Boozer said unequivocally Wednesday night that he will indeed opt out of his contract at the end of the season, foregoing a guaranteed $12.66 million to become an unrestricted free agent.

"I'm opting out. No matter what, I'm going to get a raise regardless," Boozer told ESPN.com. "I am going to opt out, I don't see why I wouldn't, I think it's a very good business decision for me and my family, but I'd also like to see what happens with the Jazz and stay here."

Boozer's statement can only come as welcome news to teammate Paul Millsap, who posted his 13th consecutive double-double in place of Boozer on Wednesday night as Utah came back from an early 22-point deficit to defeat the New Jersey Nets 103-92.

Millsap was the catalyst in a huge fourth-quarter surge for the Jazz as they outscored the Nets 40-23 in the period, Millsap contributing half of his 18 points and half of his 12 rebounds over the final 12 minutes.

With Boozer sidelined the past 15 games by a knee injury (he sounded as though he had a setback Wednesday, experiencing pain after a workout, and planned to have an MRI Thursday) Millsap has unquestionably established himself as the NBA player providing the most bang for the buck.

In a locker room where Andrei Kirilenko is making $15.1 million, Boozer $11.6, Mehmet Okur $8.5 million and Deron Williams $5.07 million -- with a max extension kicking in next season -- Millsap is the lowest-paid player on the team with a salary of $797,581, a result of his signing a three-year deal when he was a rookie, with the third year at the team's option.

Millsap will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, with Utah holding the rights to match any offer. But a big question mark is whether there will be any money to pay Millsap and still keep the Jazz beneath the luxury-tax threshold, which owner Larry Miller has vowed publicly he will never exceed.

Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor told ESPN.com that Miller hasn't been quite so absolute regarding the luxury tax in internal conversations, but the issue could become moot if the Jazz allow Boozer to leave as a free agent, which would allow them to pay Millsap something resembling his fair market value.

Possibly complicating matters to a certain degree is the fact that Millsap reiterated his commitment to being represented by his uncle, Brendrick Simmons, who received a briefing from players' union officials Wednesday on the different scenarios Millsap may face this summer.

Paramount among the concerns of Millsap's camp is whether any team with significant cap space will be willing to tender an offer sheet to Millsap, with the expectation around the league being that Utah will match anything that is not egregiously unreasonable -- especially if the Jazz are far enough under the tax threshold to pay Millsap his fair market value.

Some would argue that Millsap is a $5-6 million player, while others would argue that any player brawnish and brutish enough to accumulate such an impressive streak of double-figure statistical totals is probably worth closer to $10 million annually than $5 million.

Utah will have even more flexibility with Millsap and others if Okur exercises an early termination contract and walks away from the final season of his contract, forsaking $9 million, although Okur and his agent both told ESPN.com that they will wait until the end of the season to assess the NBA landscape and see how many teams have significant cap space to make a play for a player of Okur's caliber. Currently, Atlanta, Memphis, Portland, Miami, Detroit and Oklahoma City are among the teams positioned to have the most cap flecibility.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has been uncharacteristically effusive in his praise for Millsap during Boozer's absence, and O'Connor told ESPN.com on Wednesday: "We intend to keep Paul Millsap. I don't know how much more succinct I can be."

Upon hearing that remark, Millsap replied: "Bit of a relief, knowing your team wants you. I would love to be here, great system, playing with one of the best point guards in the league, it can't get no better."

When he hears of Boozer's plans to opt out, it may get even better. That'll mean the money will be there to pay Millsap and keep Miller under the luxury tax, although it would come at the cost of letting Boozer -- their leading scorer and rebounder -- walk away with Utah getting nothing in return.

Nothing, that is, except for the chance to have the financial flexibility to lock up a rebounding machine who has shown over the past 13 games -- especially in Boston on Monday night when Millsap scored 32 points as Kevin Garnett, according to one Jazz player, kept calling over to teammate Kendrick Perkins: "You take him, Perk."

But if what Boozer was saying Wednesday night comes to fruition, or of the Jazz can find a taker for Kirilenko in a trade -- there's going to be nobody taking Millsap. The Jazz will keep him.

ESPN.com NBA Insider Chris Sheridan has been cov

[Findog]

u mad?

[Thunder Dan]

u mad?

the guy is everything that is wrong with pro sports

[hater]

haha he is just doing what Lebron will be doing soon. gettin a raise

[Thunder Dan]

haha he is just doing what Lebron will be doing soon. gettin a raise

Lebron would be taking a $30,000,000 paycut

[DANILO DRASKOVIC]

Dolla Dolla Bills ya'll

[Matchman]

Nothing, that is, except for the chance to have the financial flexibility to lock up a rebounding machine who has shown over the past 13 games -- especially in Boston on Monday night when Millsap scored 32 points as Kevin Garnett, according to one Jazz player, kept calling over to teammate Kendrick Perkins: "You take him, Perk."

But if what Boozer was saying Wednesday night comes to fruition, or of the Jazz can find a taker for Kirilenko in a trade -- there's going to be nobody taking Millsap. The Jazz will keep him.

ESPN.com NBA Insider Chris Sheridan has been cov
:lmao

[eisfeld]

Well, the Jazz aren't going to be among the elite teams with or without Boozer, and with Millsap showing what he can do I actually think it's a good move for the Franchise. Boozer on the other hand could end up being frustrated. There are not many teams out there who can afford a max contract in the upcoming off-season and some might want to keep their cap space for 2010. He might end up with the Thunder or the Grizzlies or the most likely scenario imho ending up elsewhere via a sign and trade for some talent + expiring contracts. Nevertheless, the chances he will end up on a winning team are heavily reduced with this decision.

[Thunder Dan]

Well, the Jazz aren't going to be among the elite teams with or without Boozer, and with Millsap showing what he can do I actually think it's a good move for the Franchise. Boozer on the other hand could end up being frustrated. There are not many teams out there who can afford a max contract in the upcoming off-season and some might want to keep their cap space for 2010. He might end up with the Thunder or the Grizzlies or the most likely scenario imho ending up elsewhere via a sign and trade for some talent + expiring contracts. Nevertheless, the chances he will end up on a winning team are heavily reduced with this decision.

He would rather get paid than play on a winner. He lied his way out of Cleveland with a chance to play with Lebron so he could get paid in Utah while they rebuilt into nothing more than a decent team.

Hate on the Cavs all you want, if they had Boozer and James they would be a very very tough team. But Boozer lied. He is scum. He is proof that some players don't care about winning, only getting paid. They don't care if you spend $150 on tickets in hopes of seeing your team win, they only care about their share of the proceeds. You might be upset that your team lost, but guys like Boozer don't care, they only care about one thing

[eisfeld]

Very true but actually I like the Cavs the way they are (well despite Varejao of course) and I don't think they would be better than now. They might have reached their full potential earlier, but overall I think this Cavs team is better than one with Boozer.

[balli]

Get the fuck out Boozer and don't let the door hit you on the way, ya soft fucking loser.

[Thunder Dan]

I hope the Euro league offers him so he can get the fuck out of America

[JoeTait75]

Very true but actually I like the Cavs the way they are (well despite Varejao of course) and I don't think they would be better than now. They might have reached their full potential earlier, but overall I think this Cavs team is better than one with Boozer.

Certainly better defensively, but we could use a guy who can score down low and off the pick-and-roll like Boozer can.

I don't know if it's all about the money to Boozer. I think there's a part of him that chafes at being the second banana on a team. He didn't want that role in Cleveland, and he doesn't appear to want it in Utah behind Deron Williams. Obviously he (and CeCe) want to be paid, but he wants to be The Man, too, and he couldn't be the man in Cleveland or Utah.

Then again, Utah can still sign him for more than anyone else, so maybe he'll stay- if they want him to, that is.

[TDMVPDPOY]

doubt any american team is going to fork out any big contracts untill 2010...im sure most of the owners have there pockets drained also during these hard economic times....

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Well, the Jazz aren't going to be among the elite teams with or without Boozer, and with Millsap showing what he can do I actually think it's a good move for the Franchise. Boozer on the other hand could end up being frustrated. There are not many teams out there who can afford a max contract in the upcoming off-season and some might want to keep their cap space for 2010. He might end up with the Thunder or the Grizzlies or the most likely scenario imho ending up elsewhere via a sign and trade for some talent + expiring contracts. Nevertheless, the chances he will end up on a winning team are heavily reduced with this decision.

That's why the timing is so odd to me. Damn near every team is thinking 2010 in their budget considerations. Plenty of teams are going to go after Lebron, Bosh, etc, and there's going to be some disapointed team out there with cap space to burn. Why not be the guy to capitalize on that when they've got money to burn? Maybe he thinks he'll be "The Big Name" in the '09 free agent market, I guess. I just think there will be more money to be had from more teams in a position to spend big when they don't win the Lebron Sweepstakes.

[Thunder Dan]

The 2010 offseason has a name (which I refer to use because I will not be sold into the media hype)

But, 2009 will be..... The Summer of Boozer!

It will be the equivalent of going to a Rolling Stones concert and having the Jonas Brothers open up for them

[xtremesteven33]

Let the trade talks begin.....

[Spur-Addict]

Booze is a disappointment, I didn't like him at Duke, and when he disappeared against L.A in the playoffs I lost respect for him. Every team needs a legit post presence so teams will be calling.

BooZe gets lost in trees, whereas Milsap moves the trees out of the way. When it's time to get dirty I want someone who moves trees, plus he wears terrible blazers in conferences after games, such a cornball.

[balli]

I've really tried to avoid the Boozer topics, because I'm too furious, but I can't help it. As a Jazz fan, looking back on the whole Carlos Boozer experience: I could rip his spine out of his back and beat his brains in with it, no qualms at all. He's the biggest piece of shit, coward, in the entire history of the NBA.

Take every thing Darko says about the refs in this video and apply it to Boozer and his fucked up wife and you'll know how I feel.

woWqSmichOo

[Spur-Addict]

That had to be shitty to watch as a Jazz fan, the results that came from him going up against Pau and Lamar. If that isn't telling, I don't know what is. His little one legged fade away J's aren't going to cut in the crunch. Two feet from the rim he was playing like a little Biznotch, getting his shit thrown, scoring way under the norm.

[balli]

That had to be shitty to watch as a Jazz fan, the results that came from him going up against Pau and Lamar. If that isn't telling, I don't know what is. His little one legged fade away J's aren't going to cut in the crunch. Two feet from the rim he was playing like a little Biznotch, getting his shit thrown, scoring way under the norm.
It was horrible. Horrible enough that I can't figure out why they didn't try to trade him in the off-season before all the animosity and competition between him and Millsap blew-up this season. In that series, Boozer had one of the worst individual performances I've ever seen from a supposed "super-star" pro athlete.

[sook]

Jazz fans don't deserve this. You don't make a stupid statement like that when you're paired with such an elite PG and you expect to get paid when you're watching most of the reg season games on the bench.

On a positive note however, Millsap is a beast 33 points vs boston

[Spur-Addict]

It was horrible. Horrible enough that I can't figure out why they didn't try to trade him in the off-season before all the animosity and competition between him and Millsap blew-up this season. In that series, Boozer had one of the worst individual performances I've ever seen from a supposed "super-star" pro athlete.

I'm not going to lie, I was shocked to say the least. I vivdly remember telling myself that if he gives them anything, anything, they could steal this from them. He shows up one game, then plays like shit the rest of the time. I just stopped watching after I seen the look on his face early on, disgusting really.

I wasn't impressed with him at Duke, although he was very efficient there. To be honest most undersized bigs aren't that impressive for me, but hey that's just me.

[balli]

Jazz fans don't deserve this. You don't make a stupid statement like that when you're paired with such an elite PG and you expect to get paid when you're watching most of the reg season games on the bench.

On a positive note however, Millsap is a beast 33 points vs boston

X10000000000 Not only is he a soft bitch when he's on the court, but every day I open the sltrib website to read about Boozer sitting yet another game and that motherfucker then has the audacity to say, "I'm getting a raise, regardless." FUCK YOU BOOZER! FUCK YOU!

[sook]

X10000000000 Not only is he a soft bitch when he's on the court, but every day I open the sltrib website to read about Boozer sitting yet another game and that motherfucker then has the audacity to say, "I'm getting a raise, regardless." FUCK YOU BOOZER! FUCK YOU!
There is also however one other flaw to boozer's decision. No way in hell he puts anything close to the numbers he's putting up now in a non-sloan system. Deron basically just makes boozer look good when in all honestly i don't think he is. I think Mansap is a better defender anyways.

[balli]

There is also however one other flaw to boozer's decision. No way in hell he puts anything close to the numbers he's putting up now in a non-sloan system. Deron basically just makes boozer look good when in all honestly i don't think he is. I think Mansap is a better defender anyways.
Mansap? You've been posting over at Jazzfanz, huh? :lol

When Boozer left Cleveland he was considered a good, solid, young PF, who could get you 18 and 8 in the weak east, but not a superstar. Deron fucking made him. I can't wait till he loses his good pick and roll point guard and is forced to post up 15 times a night. It'll be great watching his bitch ass get swatted all over the court.

And Millsap is awesome, which is the saving grace in this situation. His defense is far superior and I would've previously said Boozer is the better passer, but Millsap's been putting up assists like a madman. There was some concern before the season about whether Paul would be able to stay out of foul trouble as that's an area where he's had problems in the past, but he's been playing 40 minutes a night and staying on the floor, so whatever worries there were, have been alleviated. I think he's more inclined as a bench player to just come in all energy & effort and that probably had something to do with his foul trouble in those situations. But yeah, Millsap's a fucking horse, the complete opposite of Booze.


As an aside, Sloan has been giving a lot of extra-ordinary praise to Millsap the past few games. Like Sloan normally talks about Deron like he was Jesus, but it doesn't even compare to how much he's been pumping up Millsap lately. I mean, you just don't hear this magnitude of praise from Sloan and even though Millsap's been playin' out his skull, it can only be interpreted as a huge and purposeful slight to Boozer. Sloan is so damn cool.

[Thunder Dan]

now everyone that gave him the benefit of the doubt after the way he left Cleveland can see the light- the guy is an asshole

[balli]

To be honest everybody in Utah knew that deal and Boozer were and are shady as fuck. But then again, what were we supposed to do? We had to make and embrace that deal. At the time we were a young team, rebuilding from the Stockton Malone era. We had just scrapped our asses off in a 41-41 effort of a season. And we had to do something. That something was Deron, Boozer and Okur. And we hit on two of three cylinders and to be honest, Boozer, if nothing us, brought us established, semi-veteran, credibility at a time when we didn't have that from Okur, CJ, Millsap, Brewer or Deron. Even though he was hurt the whole time he was here. The organization just needed a signing of that magnitude to kickstart ourselves. So I don't begrudge him for that. But otherwise, I think a lot of us in Utah always knew what a low bottom piece of shit he is.

(incidentally, the 03-04 Jazz were a great team to watch. SI picked us to be the worst team ever and we ended up a game out of 8th place at 41-41. We had to scrap every minute of every game, like we were on our last breath, but it was great to watch. Better than now. I'm convinced that it's a far better thing to watch a shitty team over-achieve than a good team under-achieve.)

[nil.ball]

ho ho ho!
merry christmas!

[Bob Lanier]

Millsap > Boozer, overall.

Particularly since his defensive presence allows you to play Memo at the end of close games.

[Armando]

Well if he does not sign again with Utah, Bienvenidos a Miami

[Darrin]

Please, for the love of God, Joe D, sign him. Waive Rasheed and AI. Boozer, McDyess, and Maxiell!

[Flo-Rida]

Welcome to Miami

[Thunder Dan]

he actually helps the Cavs, because he will fetch more money than Anderson Varajeo so it will bring his price down

[crc21209]

Not surprised at all, Boozer has absolutely NO loyalty to ANY team. He is a me-me-me player.

[Armando]

Not surprised at all, Boozer has absolutely NO loyalty to ANY team. He is a me-me-me player.


That is pretty much the majority of the players. And I don't blame them per say they have to do whats right for them. After all the teams do whats best for them. Why do we hold players to a different standard?

[crc21209]

Because SOME players are total classless dicks and I'm sure some teams cater to these players all they can and at the end of the day the player stabs the team in the back.

[SenorSpur]

Personally, I really don't think the Jazz care if he walks. They seem to like Milsap better anyway.

[balli]

Personally, I really don't think the Jazz care if he walks. They seem to like Milsap better anyway.

Everybody wanted to see him get traded or walk, but he promised not to address his contract until the year was over and now what he's doing is being a bitch about it, mid-season; a season in which he's been hurt on his ass, supposedly day to day for more than month. And now's the time he decides to announce, "I'm getting a raise, regardless." I don't care if he walks, hell, I've been wanting him to walk, but I do care about what a fucking mid-season, d-bag he's being about it.

[mountainballer]

first off, how many players usually opt out from the last year of their contract?
well, about half of those who have such an option. what's the big deal? did people cry like they do now, whenever this was done by another player?
Baron Davis, Corey Maggette and Elton Brand did it last year, where are all the threads about their betrayals?

however. Boozer is not stupid. he hits the market when he will be clearly the #1 FA. yes, not so many teams will have cap space, but he just need one team, right?
one team will be in position (Detroit) and the other just needs one salary dump move (Miami) and don't be surprised if also Chicago makes such a move.
all this teams are more interesting for a player in the long run than the Jazz.

the fact that he announced his opting out right now could also be interpreted as a fair call by him. so the Jazz get the chance to use him for a trade and get something back. what if he just plays the season and in June he opts out and leaves?
it's no secrete that the Heat will be the most interested team and it's no secrete that Boozer wants to player there. (where he lives during summer, works out and is good friend with Wade)
the Heat would need a salary dump move anyhow (likely Haslem), so why not trade Boozer there (Heat get his rights and can offer more than the free agent market) for a package like Haslem plus a young talent (Cook?) plus a filler (Wright). the Heat would do this, they urgently want to persuade Wade to sign an extension in 2009 and such a move of course would help.

[sribb43]

Boozer is good but is overrated... I laugh at people who compare D-Will/Booz to Stockon/Malone

[Girasuck]

I love the idea of Haslem, Cook, and Wright for Boozer. Start Millsap and bring Haslem off the bench. We save 10 mil a year by keeping Millsap and signing him to a long term contract. We might be a little overloaded at the 2/3 with Cook and Wright but Almond will be gone next year and my guess is we'd just dump Wright. Plus Harpring comes off the books next season.

Haslem would be exactly what we need. A fairly decent backup PF that can take Millsap's spot on the bench. This trade would be perfect for us. We let Millsap take over, gain a nice backup to replace him on the bench, and save money in the long run so we can sign Millsap, Okur, and possibly Korver. Then Harpring and his 6 mil will be gone just in time to sign our top draft pick in 2010 from New York.

[Thunder Dan]

first off, how many players usually opt out from the last year of their contract?
well, about half of those who have such an option. what's the big deal? did people cry like they do now, whenever this was done by another player?
Baron Davis, Corey Maggette and Elton Brand did it last year, where are all the threads about their betrayals?

however. Boozer is not stupid. he hits the market when he will be clearly the #1 FA. yes, not so many teams will have cap space, but he just need one team, right?
one team will be in position (Detroit) and the other just needs one salary dump move (Miami) and don't be surprised if also Chicago makes such a move.
all this teams are more interesting for a player in the long run than the Jazz.

the fact that he announced his opting out right now could also be interpreted as a fair call by him. so the Jazz get the chance to use him for a trade and get something back. what if he just plays the season and in June he opts out and leaves?
it's no secrete that the Heat will be the most interested team and it's no secrete that Boozer wants to player there. (where he lives during summer, works out and is good friend with Wade)
the Heat would need a salary dump move anyhow (likely Haslem), so why not trade Boozer there (Heat get his rights and can offer more than the free agent market) for a package like Haslem plus a young talent (Cook?) plus a filler (Wright). the Heat would do this, they urgently want to persuade Wade to sign an extension in 2009 and such a move of course would help.

most don't openly talk about it in December- they usually try to stay classy and not talk about money and focus on winning basketball games. That is the difference with Boozer- he doesn't give a shit about winning

[BRHornet45]

most don't openly talk about it in December- they usually try to stay classy and not talk about money and focus on winning basketball games. That is the difference with Boozer- he doesn't give a shit about winning


exactly. there is nothing wrong with opting out, otherwise it wouldn't be in the contract. but don't boast about planning to opt out and wanting more money when the season is only a fourth of the way finished. it would be one thing if Boozer was on a bullshit team, but the Jazz are playoff team. its disrespectful to ownership who is paying him, his teammates, and the fans. its athletes like him that are everything that is wrong with pro sports today.

[SenorSpur]

Everybody wanted to see him get traded or walk, but he promised not to address his contract until the year was over and now what he's doing is being a bitch about it, mid-season; a season in which he's been hurt on his ass, supposedly day to day for more than month. And now's the time he decides to announce, "I'm getting a raise, regardless." I don't care if he walks, hell, I've been wanting him to walk, but I do care about what a fucking mid-season, d-bag he's being about it.

I'll never understand why players address this sort of thing during the season. Even if they are asked about it. It's nothing but a distraction. This guy just seems to be disingenuous. What happened to his "wanted to follow in the footsteps of Karl Malone" and wanting to continue the foundation of success that Stockton and Malone started? I knew he was full of shit when he bolted on the Cavs. I'm just sorry the Jazz have to put up with his antics. Very odd coming from someone who was a bench-warmer on the Olympic team.

[Thunder Dan]

not only is it during the season, but the Jazz are struggling as it is AND Boozer doesn't even play because he is hurt