Fillmoe
07-11-2007, 12:21 AM
Francis Is Free
It's official. The Portland Trail Blazers agreed to terms on a buyout with guard Steve Francis Tuesday afternoon, waiving the 29-year-old former all-star and allowing him become an unrestricted free agent. Francis is expected to easily clear waivers in seven days, since no teams have the cap room nor the desire to absorb the $34 million remaining on the final two years of his contract.
The Los Angeles Clippers are believed to be front runners for Francis's services and such a move would reunite Francis with his friend and former teammate in Houston and Orlando, Cuttino Mobley. But according to a league source, the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers have also expressed interest in Francis, who has averaged 18.4 points and 6.1 assists in eight seasons.
Francis's agent, Jeff Fried, had been working diligently to free his client from the New York Knicks after a disappointing 1 ½ year stint. Francis and Channing Frye were dealt to the Trail Blazers in a draft day deal that sent Zach Randolph, Dan d*ckau and Fred Jones to the Knicks. Francis is coming off the worst season of his career, with nagging injuries and an inability to mesh with Stephon Marbury and find a consistent role contributing to him averaging career lows in points (11.3), games played (44) and starts (30).
Francis came out a clear cut winner in the agreement reached with Portland on Tuesday, as he was able to collect more than $30 million in deal. Fried said the deal allows Francis to choose the "right fit as opposed to the most money. He doesn't need much to be made whole."
The buyout had been considered a foregone conclusion since the trade was consummated. Francis obviously didn't fit in with young Trail Blazers, who are building the franchise around Greg Oden, the No. 1 pick in last month's NBA draft, rookie-of-year Brandon Roy and second-year forward LaMarcus Aldridge. And, Francis famously declared that he wouldn't play in the Pacific Northwest when the Vancouver Grizzlies selected No. 2 overall out of Maryland in 1999. Francis later forced a trade to Houston, where he was co-rookie of the year and made three all-star teams in five seasons before getting dealt to Orlando in exchange for Tracy McGrady in the summer of 2004.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/2007/07/francis_is_free.html
It's official. The Portland Trail Blazers agreed to terms on a buyout with guard Steve Francis Tuesday afternoon, waiving the 29-year-old former all-star and allowing him become an unrestricted free agent. Francis is expected to easily clear waivers in seven days, since no teams have the cap room nor the desire to absorb the $34 million remaining on the final two years of his contract.
The Los Angeles Clippers are believed to be front runners for Francis's services and such a move would reunite Francis with his friend and former teammate in Houston and Orlando, Cuttino Mobley. But according to a league source, the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers have also expressed interest in Francis, who has averaged 18.4 points and 6.1 assists in eight seasons.
Francis's agent, Jeff Fried, had been working diligently to free his client from the New York Knicks after a disappointing 1 ½ year stint. Francis and Channing Frye were dealt to the Trail Blazers in a draft day deal that sent Zach Randolph, Dan d*ckau and Fred Jones to the Knicks. Francis is coming off the worst season of his career, with nagging injuries and an inability to mesh with Stephon Marbury and find a consistent role contributing to him averaging career lows in points (11.3), games played (44) and starts (30).
Francis came out a clear cut winner in the agreement reached with Portland on Tuesday, as he was able to collect more than $30 million in deal. Fried said the deal allows Francis to choose the "right fit as opposed to the most money. He doesn't need much to be made whole."
The buyout had been considered a foregone conclusion since the trade was consummated. Francis obviously didn't fit in with young Trail Blazers, who are building the franchise around Greg Oden, the No. 1 pick in last month's NBA draft, rookie-of-year Brandon Roy and second-year forward LaMarcus Aldridge. And, Francis famously declared that he wouldn't play in the Pacific Northwest when the Vancouver Grizzlies selected No. 2 overall out of Maryland in 1999. Francis later forced a trade to Houston, where he was co-rookie of the year and made three all-star teams in five seasons before getting dealt to Orlando in exchange for Tracy McGrady in the summer of 2004.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/2007/07/francis_is_free.html