KoriEllis
09-28-2004, 03:02 AM
Spurs reach deal with UT star
Web Posted: 09/28/2004 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
www.mysanantonio.com/spor...d50c6.html (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA092804.10C.spurs.c5ed50c6.html)
The Spurs have reached agreement on a two-year contract with James Thomas, making him the first University of Texas player to join the team since Johnny Moore.
Thomas, a 6-foot-8 forward, is expected to sign within the next couple of days. The first season of his minimum-salary deal is partially guaranteed. The second season is at the Spurs' option.
Thomas, 23, was not drafted after playing four seasons at UT. He is the Longhorns' all-time leading rebounder.
The Spurs plan to add at least two more players to their roster before training camp begins Monday: Ruben Boumtje Boumtje, a 7-foot center who played sparingly with Portland for three years before he was traded to Cleveland last season; and Marque Perry, a 6-1 point guard who averaged 15.4 points and 6.7 assists for Roanoke in the NBA's developmental league last season. Perry played for both of the Spurs' summer-league teams in July.
The expected signings would give the Spurs 18 players for the start of camp, depending on the contract status of Angolan guard Valter Monteiro. The Spurs had hoped to sign Monteiro to a non-guaranteed deal, but the NBA and FIBA are investigating whether a foreign team still owns his rights.
The Spurs also still have an open offer to Karl Malone knowing he likely will not be healthy enough to play by the start of the season.
Parker negotiations: The Spurs have held preliminary conversations regarding a contract extension for Tony Parker, but are not in a rush to get a deal done by the Oct. 31 deadline.
Depending on how negotiations proceed, the Spurs may decide to table talks until after the season when Parker will be a restricted free agent. By waiting until the summer, the team would have a chance to see how salary rules are adjusted when the league's collective bargaining agreement is reworked.
Contract values have increased significantly over the past two months, giving the Spurs further reason to pause. Last month, New Jersey forward Richard Jefferson signed a six-year, $76 million extension.
Some officials have speculated the NBA will attempt to shorten the maximum length of contracts. Parker is currently eligible to receive a six-year extension worth up to almost $86 million.
Parker's agent, Marc Fleisher, doubts the players' union would agree to reducing the annual raise a player is eligible to receive — another change that has been discussed — and said the 22-year-old Parker could actually benefit from a shorter contract if he is just entering his prime when it expires.
Though Parker currently is not seeking a maximum-salary contract, he could command as much next summer if he enjoys another productive season. The Spurs would have the option to match any offer Parker receives.
Fleisher said he is further along in negotiations for Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko, another of his clients, but he hopes to continue talks with Spurs officials this week.
"I'm always an optimist until somebody gives me a reason to be a pessimist," Fleisher said. "Right now, I have no reason to be anything but optimistic. But things can always change."
Web Posted: 09/28/2004 12:00 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
www.mysanantonio.com/spor...d50c6.html (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA092804.10C.spurs.c5ed50c6.html)
The Spurs have reached agreement on a two-year contract with James Thomas, making him the first University of Texas player to join the team since Johnny Moore.
Thomas, a 6-foot-8 forward, is expected to sign within the next couple of days. The first season of his minimum-salary deal is partially guaranteed. The second season is at the Spurs' option.
Thomas, 23, was not drafted after playing four seasons at UT. He is the Longhorns' all-time leading rebounder.
The Spurs plan to add at least two more players to their roster before training camp begins Monday: Ruben Boumtje Boumtje, a 7-foot center who played sparingly with Portland for three years before he was traded to Cleveland last season; and Marque Perry, a 6-1 point guard who averaged 15.4 points and 6.7 assists for Roanoke in the NBA's developmental league last season. Perry played for both of the Spurs' summer-league teams in July.
The expected signings would give the Spurs 18 players for the start of camp, depending on the contract status of Angolan guard Valter Monteiro. The Spurs had hoped to sign Monteiro to a non-guaranteed deal, but the NBA and FIBA are investigating whether a foreign team still owns his rights.
The Spurs also still have an open offer to Karl Malone knowing he likely will not be healthy enough to play by the start of the season.
Parker negotiations: The Spurs have held preliminary conversations regarding a contract extension for Tony Parker, but are not in a rush to get a deal done by the Oct. 31 deadline.
Depending on how negotiations proceed, the Spurs may decide to table talks until after the season when Parker will be a restricted free agent. By waiting until the summer, the team would have a chance to see how salary rules are adjusted when the league's collective bargaining agreement is reworked.
Contract values have increased significantly over the past two months, giving the Spurs further reason to pause. Last month, New Jersey forward Richard Jefferson signed a six-year, $76 million extension.
Some officials have speculated the NBA will attempt to shorten the maximum length of contracts. Parker is currently eligible to receive a six-year extension worth up to almost $86 million.
Parker's agent, Marc Fleisher, doubts the players' union would agree to reducing the annual raise a player is eligible to receive — another change that has been discussed — and said the 22-year-old Parker could actually benefit from a shorter contract if he is just entering his prime when it expires.
Though Parker currently is not seeking a maximum-salary contract, he could command as much next summer if he enjoys another productive season. The Spurs would have the option to match any offer Parker receives.
Fleisher said he is further along in negotiations for Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko, another of his clients, but he hopes to continue talks with Spurs officials this week.
"I'm always an optimist until somebody gives me a reason to be a pessimist," Fleisher said. "Right now, I have no reason to be anything but optimistic. But things can always change."