ducks
12-08-2005, 09:24 AM
Mike Monroe: NBA trade demands weaken players' worth
Web Posted: 12/07/2005 01:20 PM CST
San Antonio Express-News
Voshon Lenard made headlines, and a few waves, during the weekend when he told the Denver Post that he was tired of sitting the bench and wanted the Nuggets to trade him.
The demand came after the Nuggets gave Lenard a one-game suspension for refusing to re-enter Denver's Nov. 30 game against the Hornets with 17 seconds left and the Nuggets trailing by seven.
Lenard, who once won the All-Star Weekend 3-point contest, was insulted that a veteran of 11 seasons would be asked to go back in a game with only 17 seconds remaining. Even though a 3-pointer might have given the Nuggets a glimmer of a chance at victory.
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Tim Thomas was equally insulted when Bulls coach Scott Skiles hinted that one of the reasons he had not been seeing any court time was that he did not seem to compete as hard in practice as the rest of his teammates. Thomas told his hometown newspaper, the Herald News of Passaic County, N.J., that "the last time I checked, we don't get our checks for our wins and losses in practice."
Thomas' trade demand went public about a week before Lenard's.
There is a big problem, for both teams and players, when such trade demands are made: Players who make them diminish their trade value in the process. No general manager worth his salary-cap knowledge won't try to take advantage of such situations.
For Thomas there is another problem: His enormously bloated contract, worth $13.98million this season.
For Lenard, the problem is even more basic: There is widespread perception he no longer can shoot well enough to offset his defensive deficiencies.
"Obviously," said one Eastern Conference basketball executive, "he's put the Nuggets in a position of weakness, as far as a trade. But what really makes it tough is when a guy can't play any more, and that's Vo."
Ouch.
Spurs backup point guard Nick Van Exel once did precisely what Lenard did, but with one huge difference: He still had all his many and varied basketball skills when he said he wanted the Nuggets to trade him. It was just before the trade deadline in 2002, and Van Exel was fed up with the Nuggets and the way coach Dan Issel was using him.
Because Van Exel still was an outstanding player, Denver was able to pull off a major deal by including him in a package trade.
"I was tired of losing," Van Exel recalled Tuesday. "I'd been there three years. I said it in the newspaper, so Dan knew."
Van Exel empathizes with Lenard.
"It's tough when you're in a situation where you feel that you can play and you're not being used in the right way," he said. "I think Voshon Lenard is a pretty good player. I think he can help somebody who has a dominant player in the low post, like a Shaquille O'Neal."
Van Exel continued to play hard after he made his demand, even though Nuggets fans let him know, loudly, they disapproved.
"It depends on the individual," Van Exel said of handling the reaction. "Some guys can go out there and keep giving it all they have like there is nothing bothering them. Other guys go the other way. I've been around Voshon a little bit. I think he's going to continue to play hard."
The Nuggets believe in Lenard's professionalism, as well, and the guess here is that it is just as likely he will remain in Denver as get traded. That is because his $3.52 million contract expires at season's end.
As for Thomas, the same Eastern Conference exec who believes trading Lenard would be nearly impossible for the Nuggets thinks there is at least one organization out there willing to take a chance on Thomas, a chronic underachiever.
"You always think you can save someone like that," the executive said. "I'm telling you, somebody is going to do it."
Maybe so, but the Bulls probably will need to negotiate a buyout with Thomas — the league will allow up to 30 percent of his salary to be deferred, in his case more than $4million — before it happens.
Stay tuned.
Web Posted: 12/07/2005 01:20 PM CST
San Antonio Express-News
Voshon Lenard made headlines, and a few waves, during the weekend when he told the Denver Post that he was tired of sitting the bench and wanted the Nuggets to trade him.
The demand came after the Nuggets gave Lenard a one-game suspension for refusing to re-enter Denver's Nov. 30 game against the Hornets with 17 seconds left and the Nuggets trailing by seven.
Lenard, who once won the All-Star Weekend 3-point contest, was insulted that a veteran of 11 seasons would be asked to go back in a game with only 17 seconds remaining. Even though a 3-pointer might have given the Nuggets a glimmer of a chance at victory.
More coverage
Shaq to sit out against Spurs
Wednesday night: Spurs (14-3) vs. Heat (10-8)
Video: Shaq practices but won't play against Spurs
Tim Thomas was equally insulted when Bulls coach Scott Skiles hinted that one of the reasons he had not been seeing any court time was that he did not seem to compete as hard in practice as the rest of his teammates. Thomas told his hometown newspaper, the Herald News of Passaic County, N.J., that "the last time I checked, we don't get our checks for our wins and losses in practice."
Thomas' trade demand went public about a week before Lenard's.
There is a big problem, for both teams and players, when such trade demands are made: Players who make them diminish their trade value in the process. No general manager worth his salary-cap knowledge won't try to take advantage of such situations.
For Thomas there is another problem: His enormously bloated contract, worth $13.98million this season.
For Lenard, the problem is even more basic: There is widespread perception he no longer can shoot well enough to offset his defensive deficiencies.
"Obviously," said one Eastern Conference basketball executive, "he's put the Nuggets in a position of weakness, as far as a trade. But what really makes it tough is when a guy can't play any more, and that's Vo."
Ouch.
Spurs backup point guard Nick Van Exel once did precisely what Lenard did, but with one huge difference: He still had all his many and varied basketball skills when he said he wanted the Nuggets to trade him. It was just before the trade deadline in 2002, and Van Exel was fed up with the Nuggets and the way coach Dan Issel was using him.
Because Van Exel still was an outstanding player, Denver was able to pull off a major deal by including him in a package trade.
"I was tired of losing," Van Exel recalled Tuesday. "I'd been there three years. I said it in the newspaper, so Dan knew."
Van Exel empathizes with Lenard.
"It's tough when you're in a situation where you feel that you can play and you're not being used in the right way," he said. "I think Voshon Lenard is a pretty good player. I think he can help somebody who has a dominant player in the low post, like a Shaquille O'Neal."
Van Exel continued to play hard after he made his demand, even though Nuggets fans let him know, loudly, they disapproved.
"It depends on the individual," Van Exel said of handling the reaction. "Some guys can go out there and keep giving it all they have like there is nothing bothering them. Other guys go the other way. I've been around Voshon a little bit. I think he's going to continue to play hard."
The Nuggets believe in Lenard's professionalism, as well, and the guess here is that it is just as likely he will remain in Denver as get traded. That is because his $3.52 million contract expires at season's end.
As for Thomas, the same Eastern Conference exec who believes trading Lenard would be nearly impossible for the Nuggets thinks there is at least one organization out there willing to take a chance on Thomas, a chronic underachiever.
"You always think you can save someone like that," the executive said. "I'm telling you, somebody is going to do it."
Maybe so, but the Bulls probably will need to negotiate a buyout with Thomas — the league will allow up to 30 percent of his salary to be deferred, in his case more than $4million — before it happens.
Stay tuned.