FA Rumor: Nazr to Seattle next season?

[sanman53]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2002843078_soniglance04.html

Notes: Building centers is Hill's priority
By Percy Allen

Seattle Times staff reporter

Sonics management and ownership haven't told Bob Hill how many games he needs to win to retain his job, but according to the coach, the front office is pleased with his focus on developing young centers Johan Petro and Robert Swift.
"To me, it just made sense, and I told them when we met the first time, 'If I do this, then I'm going to play those kids, and that means we probably won't win a whole bunch of games,' " Hill said.
Before Friday's game against Detroit, he had an 8-19 record since replacing fired Bob Weiss on Jan. 3.
More important, Hill was 1-0 with a full complement of players since the Sonics completed a flurry of trades and dealt Vladimir Radmanovic, Ronald Murray, Reggie Evans and Vitaly Potapenko for Earl Watson and Chris Wilcox.

Seattle's wheeling and dealing is over this season, but Hill believes the roster will need more re-tooling.

"I think we're at the point now where we need to sign another 7-footer, a veteran like the title teams have — like [Detroit's] Dale Davis," he said. "San Antonio has got veterans. We need one of those in case Robert and Johan ... something happens to them and they get hurt.

"Then I think with the loss of Vlade, if we can find a shooter at some position, whether it's the 2 or the 3 or even a 4 that can shoot the ball, then I think the roster is set."

Star of the game: Richard Hamilton saved his best for last. The Detroit guard finished with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including two three-pointers. He also had five assists.
Play of the game: On Detroit's final possession, Hamilton eluded Ray Allen with a baseline screen from Tayshaun Prince. Hamilton caught the ball in the corner and had just enough room to squeeze off a game-winning 19-foot jumper with 0.2 seconds left.

Key statistic: There were 20 lead changes and 10 ties, including six in the fourth quarter.

Up next: Utah, 6 p.m. Sunday, KeyArena.
The road to recovery may not be as long as critics have imagined, Hill said. He hypothesized that the Sonics could land a shooter in the draft lottery and mentioned Duke's J.J. Redick.

The Sonics will likely look to free agency to fill the veteran center spot. The most attractive candidates include Nazr Mohammed, Antonio Davis, Joel Przybilla, and Jason and Jarron Collins.

[Bruno]

It's not a rumor and jason Collins isn't a free agent this summer :lol

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Call them up and tell them we'll do a S&T for Rashard Lewis. Otherwise, he stays a Spur :)

[sanman53]

Yeah, I just read that, I suck! Should have been "FA Talk" or something like that. Im tired...nevermind.

[ChumpDumper]

They won't be able to outbid us for Nazr, if it comes to that.

And it really won't make any sense for starting centers to sign with Seattle when they are trying to develop the younguns.

If they are really lucky, they could get Scot Pollard or Lo Wright, but for their purposes it'd be cheaper just to ring up Andrew DeClerq, Pat Burke or dare I say Ostertag.

[Bruno]

^^ Agree.
Seattle can't give more than the MLE to Nazr.

[GO SPurs Go]

What the hell are you talking about? Seattle can outbid any player they want, they have one of the lowest payrolls in the nba (hoopshype.com). So they'll probably do what Utah did with DB, offer him a ridiculous amount aand steal him

[ChumpDumper]

What the hell are you talking about? Seattle can outbid any player they want, they have one of the lowest payrolls in the nba (hoopshype.com). So they'll probably do what Utah did with DB, offer him a ridiculous amount aand steal himTell me how much cap room you think the Sonics will have this summer.

[Slinkyman]

chicago is the team that can throw alot of money at Nazr not seattle. If the salary cap is still around 49 million next season seattle won't have but a couple million to throw nazr's way not to mention they'd still have to resign wilcox.

[Kori Ellis]

I think that Seattle will be willing to trade Danny Fortson's expiring contract to get a center. Maybe they'd take Rasho. Just a thought.

[timvp]

Thank Pop that he didn't start Nazr all season. If he had, Nazr would be gone this summer. Now, there is a decent shot the Spurs can keep him if Holt loosens the purse strings.

[cs100]

Spurs really don't have the cap space for Nazr and they can't seem to move Rasho. I think that one reason they were trying to trade Barry was to make room to resign Nazr.

[ChumpDumper]

I think that Seattle will be willing to trade Danny Fortson's expiring contract to get a center. Maybe they'd take Rasho. Just a thought.I guess it depends on how much they think an MLE+ center would play. They already have to split minutes up front between Petro, Swift, Collison and Wilcox if they keep him. Spending much more than Oberto money on another seven footer doesn't strike me as all that likely.

[timvp]

Spurs really don't have the cap space for Nazr and they can't seem to move Rasho. I think that one reason they were trying to trade Barry was to make room to resign Nazr.

Spurs have Nazr's Bird rights. They can offer him a bigger contract than any team.

[picnroll]

If Nazr has a big playoff run he'll get some good offers.

I'd take Perto + for Nazr in a S&T in a heartbeat.

[cs100]

The Spurs are a "fiscally responsible" team and they won't offer him what other teams certainly will. Don't you remember Holt holding back on Tony's contract when there was only a 2-3 million difference in asking and offering price?

[timvp]

The Spurs are a "fiscally responsible" team and they won't offer him what other teams certainly will. Don't you remember Holt holding back on Tony's contract when there was only a 2-3 million difference in asking and offering price?

:tu Welcome to the fourm.

:smokin

[ChumpDumper]

After Magloire, Pryzbilla and Nazr, there's a pretty huge dropoff in the unrestricted center pool. Options get reduced to overpaying a guy like Olowokandi or perhaps swinging a trade for a guy like Rasho.

And overpaying him....

[cs100]

Thanks for the welcome. I like what I've read so far. Spurs fans are the greatest. :)

[usckk]

I can see him get 50 million from some team

[Peter]

If the Spurs aren't able to retain Mohammed hopefully they can get something worthwhile in return for him. Offhand, I'm not sure how many teams around the league will have enough cap room to straight up offer him a market deal.

[ChumpDumper]

Chicago, New Orleans, maybe Toronto.

Though I wonder if the Spurs would match a full MLE deal....

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Sorry all you Holt Cat haters.

I think if this team really wasn't willing to pay what they think the market price for Nazr is, they would have traded him before the deadline.

[coopdogg3]

I don't think the only question is how much will Nazr bring, but how much is he worth? Obviously the Spurs can offer him a high-dollar deal (though I've also read that the Spurs only have Nazr's Early Bird Rights which could weaken exactly how much they can offer him), but how much is he worth? If another team is willing to over-pay for Nazr than I don't think the Spurs should match just because they can. There we need to try to work out a S & T, especially as the Spurs don't have a 1st round draft pick this year.

With Mr. Ian Mahini and Jacktovius (sp?) seeming to be similar type centers as Nazr I don't know if re-signing him is priority #1. Though I have loved Nazr's rebounding prowess and efficient offensive production that he has shown as of late. Obviously if Nazr continues to develop in the Spurs system and performs well during the play-offs his value is gonna sky-rocket. I doubt the Spurs match the extravagant offers that will come Nazr's way if that happens. Then our best hope lies in a S&T and we can see what we get.

[cs100]

Sorry all you Holt Cat haters.

I think if this team really wasn't willing to pay what they think the market price for Nazr is, they would have traded him before the deadline.

Why would we trade him if he can help us win a title this year?

[TDMVPDPOY]

nazr will be lookin for a max or sumwhere between 7-10mill a season, :(:(, rashard lewis come to SAS :D:D

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Obviously the Spurs can offer him a high-dollar deal (though I've also read that the Spurs only have Nazr's Early Bird Rights which could weaken exactly how much they can offer him)

Mohammed is in the fifth year of a deal signed in 2001, and his Bird rights are conveyed via the trade. I think you need to find a better place to do your reading.


With Mr. Ian Mahini and Jacktovius (sp?) seeming to be similar type centers as Nazr I don't know if re-signing him is priority #1. Though I have loved Nazr's rebounding prowess and efficient offensive production that he has shown as of late.

Right, we should let Nazr go for nothing, watch Horry retire, and pray a 19 year old cutting his teeth in the French league and a guy who had to learn how to walk after being a dumbass riding a motorcycle can step up and play meaningful minutes against Detroit, _allas, and Phoenix next year :rolleyes

[coopdogg3]

Mohammed is in the fifth year of a deal signed in 2001, and his Bird rights are conveyed via the trade. I think you need to find a better place to do your reading.

Wow looks like Texas A&M is still putting out the same level of students they were when I graduated from Baylor. Just sad. See what alcohol does kids? LOL, settle down Beavis we're all on the same side here. I don't think his 5-year contract with the NY Knicks will be conveyed with him. I think only the 2 years (technically 1.5 years) that he is with the Spurs will count, which means Early Bird Rights. If I'm wrong so be it. In fact, unlike those of us on this board whose ego can't take being wrong no matter the consequence, I hope I am wrong. Please prove me wrong and I'll thank you. But that's just what I remember reading. Obviously that was over a year ago, so that's another way I could be wrong.



Right, we should let Nazr go for nothing, watch Horry retire, and pray a 19 year old cutting his teeth in the French league and a guy who had to learn how to walk after being a dumbass riding a motorcycle can step up and play meaningful minutes against Detroit, _allas, and Phoenix next year :rolleyes

Sigh. If memory serves me correctly, and I'm sure it does since I just wrote the message last night (or you could just scroll down and see for yourself), I stressed that if we can't/won't sign Nazr we should actively seek a S&T. That means sign and trade if you didn't know. That means not letting him go for nothing if at all possible. As for Mahini and Jacktovas (or however you spell his name) I doubt they will be ready next year, but one of them might be. The problem is Nazr is gonna want a 5-year contract. Don't know if it makes sense to possibly over-pay for Nazr when you have a replacement that's gonna be ready in a year or two. Maybe we sign Nazr and when our big men over-seas are ready, try to trade Nazr then. More than 1 way to skin a cat I suppose. We could always try to sign Scola or trade his rights as well. His blasted buy-out has to go down sometime.

[Peter]

Sorry all you Holt Cat haters.

I think if this team really wasn't willing to pay what they think the market price for Nazr is, they would have traded him before the deadline.


Not necessarily. If his market price is like $25 mil then perhaps they keep him. If it's $35+ mil, they let him go. The trade avenue is still an option since there are only so many teams with the cap room to sign him away outright. If his price is bid up in the summer, then the Spurs might be able to find an attractive S&T or they let him go to keep their payroll down to Holt's liking.

[ChumpDumper]

I don't think his 5-year contract with the NY Knicks will be conveyed with him. I think only the 2 years (technically 1.5 years) that he is with the Spurs will count, which means Early Bird Rights. If I'm wrong so be it. In fact, unlike those of us on this board whose ego can't take being wrong no matter the consequence, I hope I am wrong. Please prove me wrong and I'll thank you.
Theoretically, a player with Bird rights can be traded at the trade deadline right before becoming a free agent and his new team can use the Bird exception to re-sign him. There is no specific tenure requirement with one team. The only rule is that the player can't have been waived or changed teams as a free agent for three seasons. You're welcome. (http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#25)

[Peter]

Hmmm....I guess the Aggie learned enough when he was sober. Well, at least more than the Baylor Bear.

[ChumpDumper]

I was drunk when I learned that at UTSA.

[coopdogg3]

Hmmm, cool thanks for the info. That's a pretty good site for all those CBA questions. Spurs should definitely have some leverage with Nazr then. Either to re-sign him or trade him.

Baylor didn't offer courses in NBA salary cap economics. Just courses on how to be a better person and make the world a better place. :)