ducks
07-30-2003, 02:10 PM
Miller deal is impacting Heat's bid for Odom
By Harvey Fialkov
Staff Writer
Posted July 30 2003
Since the failed effort to wrench restricted free agent power forward Elton Brand from the Clippers, the Heat still has a fistful of cash to spend.
Tuesday night, the oft-maligned Clippers proved their intent to retain their young core of restricted free agents by matching Utah's six-year, $42-million offer sheet for guard Corey Maggette.
All signs indicate that the Clippers, who have already lost free agent center Michael Olowokandi to the Timberwolves and sharpshooting guard Eric Piatkowski to the Rockets, will do everything in their power to retain restricted free agent forward Lamar Odom.
The Heat has long coveted the left-handed 6-foot-10 star in the making and met with him last week in Miami.
"It's been obvious we have interest in Lamar," Heat General Manager Randy Pfund said last week. "It's an ongoing negotiation, ongoing evaluation and there are some triggers [this week] that probably will bring some more information into the equation."
The Clippers pulled the first trigger -- now it's up to the Heat to figure out how much they want Odom and to make him an offer that owner Donald Sterling will refuse.
Because Odom, 23, has played in only 78 of 164 games over the past two seasons due to injuries and off-court problems, it's highly unlikely that the Heat will offer him Brand-like dollars ($82.2 million for six years, including $10.9 his first year), but it will probably take at least $8-9 million per year of at least a three-year offer sheet to dissuade Sterling.
It's been extensively reported that the Clippers will probably not bother to match Denver's six-year, $51-million offer for point guard Andre Miller, but after getting beaten to the punch by the Wizards offer sheet to Gilbert Arenas, that would leave them without a natural point guard on a team coached by former point guard Mike Dunleavy.
Dunleavy made it clear when he was hired that he wanted the Clippers young stars to be re-signed, but the Clippers do not have enough cap space to sign both Miller and Odom.
The Miller decision is due Thursday, but that doesn't mean the Heat won't launch a preemptive strike with an offer sheet today. As with the Brand bid, the Clippers would have 15 days to match any Heat bid for Odom. That could tie up the Heat's cap space until Aug. 15 or later.
"I can't tell you that," was Pfund's response as to whether an offer sheet was drawn up last week, though one agent in the know said the Heat's interest in Odom has waned.
Odom said earlier this week that if he doesn't re-sign with the Clippers, his two other choices were "Miami and Denver."
Harvey Fialkov can be reached at [email protected].
scoop (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-heat30.1jul30,0,2650076.story?coll=sfla-sports-front):sleep
By Harvey Fialkov
Staff Writer
Posted July 30 2003
Since the failed effort to wrench restricted free agent power forward Elton Brand from the Clippers, the Heat still has a fistful of cash to spend.
Tuesday night, the oft-maligned Clippers proved their intent to retain their young core of restricted free agents by matching Utah's six-year, $42-million offer sheet for guard Corey Maggette.
All signs indicate that the Clippers, who have already lost free agent center Michael Olowokandi to the Timberwolves and sharpshooting guard Eric Piatkowski to the Rockets, will do everything in their power to retain restricted free agent forward Lamar Odom.
The Heat has long coveted the left-handed 6-foot-10 star in the making and met with him last week in Miami.
"It's been obvious we have interest in Lamar," Heat General Manager Randy Pfund said last week. "It's an ongoing negotiation, ongoing evaluation and there are some triggers [this week] that probably will bring some more information into the equation."
The Clippers pulled the first trigger -- now it's up to the Heat to figure out how much they want Odom and to make him an offer that owner Donald Sterling will refuse.
Because Odom, 23, has played in only 78 of 164 games over the past two seasons due to injuries and off-court problems, it's highly unlikely that the Heat will offer him Brand-like dollars ($82.2 million for six years, including $10.9 his first year), but it will probably take at least $8-9 million per year of at least a three-year offer sheet to dissuade Sterling.
It's been extensively reported that the Clippers will probably not bother to match Denver's six-year, $51-million offer for point guard Andre Miller, but after getting beaten to the punch by the Wizards offer sheet to Gilbert Arenas, that would leave them without a natural point guard on a team coached by former point guard Mike Dunleavy.
Dunleavy made it clear when he was hired that he wanted the Clippers young stars to be re-signed, but the Clippers do not have enough cap space to sign both Miller and Odom.
The Miller decision is due Thursday, but that doesn't mean the Heat won't launch a preemptive strike with an offer sheet today. As with the Brand bid, the Clippers would have 15 days to match any Heat bid for Odom. That could tie up the Heat's cap space until Aug. 15 or later.
"I can't tell you that," was Pfund's response as to whether an offer sheet was drawn up last week, though one agent in the know said the Heat's interest in Odom has waned.
Odom said earlier this week that if he doesn't re-sign with the Clippers, his two other choices were "Miami and Denver."
Harvey Fialkov can be reached at [email protected].
scoop (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-heat30.1jul30,0,2650076.story?coll=sfla-sports-front):sleep