KoriEllis
09-21-2004, 01:39 PM
Gasol, Kirilenko, Parker seek early deals
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
Pau Gasol might have been the best player in the world this summer. Now he'd like to get paid like one.
As of late Monday evening, Gasol's new agent, Arn Tellem, was moving closer to brokering a hefty six-year extension with the Grizzlies, a source close to the negotiations told Insider. The deal will likely make Gasol the second-highest paid international player in the NBA, behind only Dirk Nowitzki.
While the parameters of the deal are still being negotiated, sources claim that the Grizzlies have offered a deal worth at least $75 million over six years. Tellem, whom Gasol hired specifically for the negotiations, is looking for more cash, but sources claim that the two sides aren't that far apart and expect something to happen by training camp.
Over the summer, Gasol emerged as one of the top players in the world, leading the Spanish national team to a 5-1 record. He averaged 22.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg on 61 percent shooting during the tournament and had a monster game against Team USA. Guarded by former MVP Tim Duncan, Gasol scored 29 points in a losing effort for Spain.
His play in the Olympics wasn't a fluke. NBA scouts all noticed that Gasol, who turned 24 in July, continues to pack on the muscle and refine his inside game. Jerry West has taken notice as well. After originally being lukewarm to Gasol, he's come around and made re-signing him a top priority this summer.
"He's a 24 year old, seven-foot, all-star caliber player who improves his game every year," one NBA scout told Insider. "I think by the time he's 26 or 27, he's going to be a center -- and perhaps the best one in basketball. This is a slam dunk for the Grizzlies. Gasol has a great work ethic and is a team player too. He deserves the cash."
Other NBA agents are watching the negotiations closely. Teams have until October 29 to sign players drafted in the class of 2001 to long-term extensions. If they do not, the players become restricted free agents at the end of the season.
To date, only two players, the Grizzlies' Shane Battier and the Nets' Richard Jefferson, have inked extensions. Battier's deal was for six years, $37 million. Jefferson received a whopping six-year, $76 million. However, since those two signed, negotiations have been relatively quiet. More than one agent believes that the owners believe that the Nets paid too much for Jefferson and are trying to cool off the market.
"There's no question that the owners are trying to distance themselves from the Jefferson deal," one agent told Insider. "There are several players in this class that are much better players. If he gets $76 million, what do they get? When you factor in how much guys like Kenyon Martin and Carlos Boozer got paid, the starting point for many of these players is very high."
Just below Gasol on the pecking order of top players eligible for extensions are the Jazz's Andrei Kirilenko, the Spurs' Tony Parker and the Blazers' Zach Randolph. Given their production last season, their age, and their potential, you could argue that all three of the players are worthy of a deal more lucrative than what Jefferson got. That's what worries the owners.
"You have to try to explain to the agents that just because one team made a mistake doesn't mean we have to as well," one NBA GM told Insider. "The Nets were desperate. They were gutting the team. They felt like they had to show Jefferson that they were ready to build around him. I'm not sure any of these other players are in the same position. They may be better players, but sometimes it's about being in the right place at the right time."
There's some truth to that. While Kirilenko statistically is a top 10 player in the league, the Jazz are one of the NBA's most fiscally conservative teams. With that said, Kirilenko's agent, Marc Fleisher, claims that the two sides have been talking for "a while" and that negotiations with the Jazz were progressing in the right direction.
The Jazz are willing to give Kirilenko a six-year contract that's worth more than the six-year, $68 million they paid to Boozer. That's a good starting point according to Fleisher, who said he was optimistic the two sides could work something out.
Fleisher also represents another top player, Parker. Fleisher claims that talks with the Spurs just started: "I just got a letter from the team laying out the issues. We haven't talked numbers yet, but I expect to shortly."
The Spurs, another historically conservative team when it comes to handing out contracts, may have no choice but to open the vaults to Parker. The 22-year-old native of France had a coming out party in the Olympics last year and looks to be the only elite point guard on the free agent market next summer. Given the numbers veterans like Steve Nash and Derek Fisher got from teams hungry for a point guard, both the Spurs and Parker know he could be playing for a max contract this year if talks of an extension don't work out.
Randolph is the other player who put up enough good numbers this year to look at a huge extension. However, his recent legal troubles has put a chill on negotiations, according to sources. While the Blazers believe that Randolph possesses the talent worthy of a major contract extension, they aren't sure he has the maturity to handle it.
"Zach is an unbelievable player, but he has to grow up," one Blazers source told Insider. "We want to build around him, but he's got to prove he's ready to take on the responsibility. With all the problems we have had historically, we've got to be careful about who we give our money to."
After those four players, there are a number of other players who have a good shot at getting something done. The Sixers and Samuel Dalembert's agent, Marc Cornstein, met last week in an effort to hammer out an extension.
Dalembert may be the toughest guy in the entire class to gauge. With his size (6-11), age (23) and the numbers he put up toward the end of last season (12.3 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 4.4 bpg), you could make the argument that he has the potential to be the best center in this class. However, the Sixers also worry that given his history of injuries and small resume, it's too risky to break the bank on him yet.
Dalembert isn't alone in this predicament. Eddy Curry, Kwame Brown, Joe Johnson, Vladimir Radmanovic, Jason Richardson and Tyson Chandler also all fall in the category of young, talented, but relatively unproven up to this point.
Will their agents work out a sort of compromise that exchanges some cash for a sense of security? One more marginal season from a guy like Brown or Curry and they might really have a tough time getting a big deal next summer (see Stromile Swift this year).
Or do you say no to an extension and roll the dice that the player has a breakout year this season? If a guy like Brown or Curry were to blow up, they'd be looking at near max dollars next summer.
When you factor in that the CBA is up for renegotiation -- and most believe that terms will come back less favorable for players in the end -- most agents are erring on the conservative side at the moment.
"There's a trade off that ends up happening," Cornstein told Insider. "You want a high number, but you also want to protect a player for his future. Many of these guys are so young, you can afford to take a little less now, knowing that they're still young enough to earn another huge contract down the road if they perform the way we believe they can."
Around the League
Remember our story on Monday about how many GMs in the league have really cooled to the idea of trading for Vince Carter. We give you Magic GM John Weisbrod as Exhibit A.
"There just aren't many scenarios you could draw up where we'd be a better team in acquiring him," Weisbrod told the Orlando Sentinel, "not when you factor in whom we would have to trade. I can say in no uncertain terms, we would not trade Steve Francis for Vince Carter."
"The more I'm around him, the more I'm a Steve Francis guy," Weisbrod said. "Don't get me wrong, Vince is an unbelievable athlete, but I'd rather have Steve Francis. Steve is a warrior."
Swift remains the only top free agent left without a contract. It's pretty clear at this point that another team isn't going to make an offer. The Grizzlies have offered Swift several multi-year deals, but he hasn't signed off on any of them.
Where does that leave him? The Grizzlies want to re-sign him, but they don't want to overpay. Look for Swift to either settle for the Grizzlies' offer or take their one-year tender offer. It's worth $5.9 million and Swift gets the bonus of being an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Teams are still making their pitches to free agent Karl Malone but have yet to hear back from the Mailman. What's the delay? Apparently, Malone still hasn't healed from his offseason knee surgery and still isn't 100 percent sure he'll play at all.
"He is working out and all signs are pointing to a 100% recovery, but that is still many months away," said Malone's agent, Dwight Manley. "There is no timetable."
The Lakers, Heat, Spurs and Timberwolves are all in the hunt.
The Cavaliers have been trying to sign free agent Keon Clark, but they can't seem to find him. If that isn't enough to change GM Jim Paxson's mind, I don't know what is.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
Pau Gasol might have been the best player in the world this summer. Now he'd like to get paid like one.
As of late Monday evening, Gasol's new agent, Arn Tellem, was moving closer to brokering a hefty six-year extension with the Grizzlies, a source close to the negotiations told Insider. The deal will likely make Gasol the second-highest paid international player in the NBA, behind only Dirk Nowitzki.
While the parameters of the deal are still being negotiated, sources claim that the Grizzlies have offered a deal worth at least $75 million over six years. Tellem, whom Gasol hired specifically for the negotiations, is looking for more cash, but sources claim that the two sides aren't that far apart and expect something to happen by training camp.
Over the summer, Gasol emerged as one of the top players in the world, leading the Spanish national team to a 5-1 record. He averaged 22.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg on 61 percent shooting during the tournament and had a monster game against Team USA. Guarded by former MVP Tim Duncan, Gasol scored 29 points in a losing effort for Spain.
His play in the Olympics wasn't a fluke. NBA scouts all noticed that Gasol, who turned 24 in July, continues to pack on the muscle and refine his inside game. Jerry West has taken notice as well. After originally being lukewarm to Gasol, he's come around and made re-signing him a top priority this summer.
"He's a 24 year old, seven-foot, all-star caliber player who improves his game every year," one NBA scout told Insider. "I think by the time he's 26 or 27, he's going to be a center -- and perhaps the best one in basketball. This is a slam dunk for the Grizzlies. Gasol has a great work ethic and is a team player too. He deserves the cash."
Other NBA agents are watching the negotiations closely. Teams have until October 29 to sign players drafted in the class of 2001 to long-term extensions. If they do not, the players become restricted free agents at the end of the season.
To date, only two players, the Grizzlies' Shane Battier and the Nets' Richard Jefferson, have inked extensions. Battier's deal was for six years, $37 million. Jefferson received a whopping six-year, $76 million. However, since those two signed, negotiations have been relatively quiet. More than one agent believes that the owners believe that the Nets paid too much for Jefferson and are trying to cool off the market.
"There's no question that the owners are trying to distance themselves from the Jefferson deal," one agent told Insider. "There are several players in this class that are much better players. If he gets $76 million, what do they get? When you factor in how much guys like Kenyon Martin and Carlos Boozer got paid, the starting point for many of these players is very high."
Just below Gasol on the pecking order of top players eligible for extensions are the Jazz's Andrei Kirilenko, the Spurs' Tony Parker and the Blazers' Zach Randolph. Given their production last season, their age, and their potential, you could argue that all three of the players are worthy of a deal more lucrative than what Jefferson got. That's what worries the owners.
"You have to try to explain to the agents that just because one team made a mistake doesn't mean we have to as well," one NBA GM told Insider. "The Nets were desperate. They were gutting the team. They felt like they had to show Jefferson that they were ready to build around him. I'm not sure any of these other players are in the same position. They may be better players, but sometimes it's about being in the right place at the right time."
There's some truth to that. While Kirilenko statistically is a top 10 player in the league, the Jazz are one of the NBA's most fiscally conservative teams. With that said, Kirilenko's agent, Marc Fleisher, claims that the two sides have been talking for "a while" and that negotiations with the Jazz were progressing in the right direction.
The Jazz are willing to give Kirilenko a six-year contract that's worth more than the six-year, $68 million they paid to Boozer. That's a good starting point according to Fleisher, who said he was optimistic the two sides could work something out.
Fleisher also represents another top player, Parker. Fleisher claims that talks with the Spurs just started: "I just got a letter from the team laying out the issues. We haven't talked numbers yet, but I expect to shortly."
The Spurs, another historically conservative team when it comes to handing out contracts, may have no choice but to open the vaults to Parker. The 22-year-old native of France had a coming out party in the Olympics last year and looks to be the only elite point guard on the free agent market next summer. Given the numbers veterans like Steve Nash and Derek Fisher got from teams hungry for a point guard, both the Spurs and Parker know he could be playing for a max contract this year if talks of an extension don't work out.
Randolph is the other player who put up enough good numbers this year to look at a huge extension. However, his recent legal troubles has put a chill on negotiations, according to sources. While the Blazers believe that Randolph possesses the talent worthy of a major contract extension, they aren't sure he has the maturity to handle it.
"Zach is an unbelievable player, but he has to grow up," one Blazers source told Insider. "We want to build around him, but he's got to prove he's ready to take on the responsibility. With all the problems we have had historically, we've got to be careful about who we give our money to."
After those four players, there are a number of other players who have a good shot at getting something done. The Sixers and Samuel Dalembert's agent, Marc Cornstein, met last week in an effort to hammer out an extension.
Dalembert may be the toughest guy in the entire class to gauge. With his size (6-11), age (23) and the numbers he put up toward the end of last season (12.3 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 4.4 bpg), you could make the argument that he has the potential to be the best center in this class. However, the Sixers also worry that given his history of injuries and small resume, it's too risky to break the bank on him yet.
Dalembert isn't alone in this predicament. Eddy Curry, Kwame Brown, Joe Johnson, Vladimir Radmanovic, Jason Richardson and Tyson Chandler also all fall in the category of young, talented, but relatively unproven up to this point.
Will their agents work out a sort of compromise that exchanges some cash for a sense of security? One more marginal season from a guy like Brown or Curry and they might really have a tough time getting a big deal next summer (see Stromile Swift this year).
Or do you say no to an extension and roll the dice that the player has a breakout year this season? If a guy like Brown or Curry were to blow up, they'd be looking at near max dollars next summer.
When you factor in that the CBA is up for renegotiation -- and most believe that terms will come back less favorable for players in the end -- most agents are erring on the conservative side at the moment.
"There's a trade off that ends up happening," Cornstein told Insider. "You want a high number, but you also want to protect a player for his future. Many of these guys are so young, you can afford to take a little less now, knowing that they're still young enough to earn another huge contract down the road if they perform the way we believe they can."
Around the League
Remember our story on Monday about how many GMs in the league have really cooled to the idea of trading for Vince Carter. We give you Magic GM John Weisbrod as Exhibit A.
"There just aren't many scenarios you could draw up where we'd be a better team in acquiring him," Weisbrod told the Orlando Sentinel, "not when you factor in whom we would have to trade. I can say in no uncertain terms, we would not trade Steve Francis for Vince Carter."
"The more I'm around him, the more I'm a Steve Francis guy," Weisbrod said. "Don't get me wrong, Vince is an unbelievable athlete, but I'd rather have Steve Francis. Steve is a warrior."
Swift remains the only top free agent left without a contract. It's pretty clear at this point that another team isn't going to make an offer. The Grizzlies have offered Swift several multi-year deals, but he hasn't signed off on any of them.
Where does that leave him? The Grizzlies want to re-sign him, but they don't want to overpay. Look for Swift to either settle for the Grizzlies' offer or take their one-year tender offer. It's worth $5.9 million and Swift gets the bonus of being an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Teams are still making their pitches to free agent Karl Malone but have yet to hear back from the Mailman. What's the delay? Apparently, Malone still hasn't healed from his offseason knee surgery and still isn't 100 percent sure he'll play at all.
"He is working out and all signs are pointing to a 100% recovery, but that is still many months away," said Malone's agent, Dwight Manley. "There is no timetable."
The Lakers, Heat, Spurs and Timberwolves are all in the hunt.
The Cavaliers have been trying to sign free agent Keon Clark, but they can't seem to find him. If that isn't enough to change GM Jim Paxson's mind, I don't know what is.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.