Reply With Quote*prays*
God if you love me, you'll make Jermaine O'Neal come to the Spurs, cause I know you can do all things. You know the Spurs organization better than I do.....
For Free Agent Kidd, the Anticipation Is Over
By LIZ ROBBINS
he phones are ringing. Let the free-agent games begin.
As of 12:01 this morning, the Nets were able to begin negotiations with Jason Kidd. Several people in the Nets' organization think that after two successful seasons, he will finish his career with the Nets.
But nobody is certain that Kidd will return - not even Rod Thorn, the Nets' president.
"I don't know how this is going to come out," Thorn, the team's primary negotiator, said yesterday. "I don't expect anything. Jason and his agent, they set the agenda and how they want it to play out."
Like Kidd, the Nets have an agenda: sign Kidd first. But while negotiating with him, the Nets will explore signing their other free agents, Lucious Harris and Brian Scalabrine, and will also look to sign a shooter, perhaps with the $4.9 million midlevel exception. The mandate from the Nets' hierarchy to sign Kidd is unwavering.
The San Antonio Spurs, with their $15 million budget, may pursue Kidd. The Denver Nuggets, with an $18 million budget but little championship potential, could serve as a bargaining chip.
Kidd is also intrigued by a possible sign-and-trade deal with Dallas, the team that drafted him in 1994 and traded him to Phoenix in 1996.
But Thorn, flatly and repeatedly, has said the Nets are not interested in a sign-and-trade. They can offer Kidd the most money - roughly $99 million over six years, or $5 million more than any other team. They can offer him the chance to go to the N.B.A. finals every year.
With their proximity to New York, the Nets can offer his wife, Joumana, the most national exposure to work on her television career as a correspondent for the television show "Extra.''
Kidd's second-favorite sport, golf, will no doubt be on the recruiting agenda; Kidd and Thorn have played their share of golf together.
The two first became friendly when Kidd was playing on the United States Olympic qualifying team in 1999 (Thorn is on the USA Basketball selection committee). Thorn was not factoring that history into the equation.
"There's business and then there is a social relationship," he said. "Sometimes they intertwine. But I've got a team to run and he's got a career to look after."
Although people close to the Nets said that Thorn was upset to hear about the report on ESPN last week stating Kidd's intention to visit San Antonio, and possibly Denver and Dallas, without first hearing it from Kidd, Thorn understands that it is all part of the game.
"I'm not surprised at all,'' Thorn said. "A lot of things have been said. Rhetoric doesn't mean anything.
"I don't want to give up any positions. Once the process starts, it goes in different directions. To me, I don't have a lot to say."
Nor did anybody else yesterday. League rules stated that no other team could make contact with Kidd until today.
Jeff Schwartz, Kidd's agent, will go through the formality of opting out of Kidd's contract; Kidd was due to make $10.4 million this coming season. Depending on where the salary cap is set, Kidd's maximum salary for next season could be $12.6 million.
Besides the Nets, San Antonio seems the only viable option, in terms of salary and compe iveness. But several league officials and people with knowledge of the Spurs, speaking on the condition of anonymity, believe that the Spurs will make a priority of pursuing a power forward or a center.
Tim Duncan said yesterday he planned to sign a long-term deal with the Spurs, according to Lon Babby, his agent. Duncan decided not to exercise a player option in the fourth year of his contract, meaning he will become a free agent. Babby told The Associated Press that Duncan did not expect to talk to other teams.
The Nets have some contingency plans if Kidd leaves, though the free-agent pool for point guards is shallow. Gary Payton is not likely to sign with the Nets for the midlevel exception. The Nets drafted a point guard, Zoran Planinic, but he is 20 years old.
"The guys that will be available as point guards are guys that are basically looking for opportunities," Thorn said.
Meanwhile, teams are looking for Kidd. People close to Kidd have indicated that he will not let the decision linger; he hopes to come to a decision before July 16.
Thorn said he had not talked to Kidd about that. "It would be better for us if it transpires that way," he said.
REBOUNDS
The contract of the Nets' chief executive, LOU LAMORIELLO, expired yesterday. There was still no renewal or change in his status. He is also the chief executive of the Devils. Although the Nets and Devils' offices are closed this week for vacation, Lamoriello was working in the Devils' office. "We'll do everything we can to have Jason stay and I leave that to Rod," Lamoriello said. He would not comment on his own status with the Nets. "There have been no changes made in the management of the Nets nor are any expected in the near term," said DAN KLORES, a spokesman for Nets ownership.
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*prays*
God if you love me, you'll make Jermaine O'Neal come to the Spurs, cause I know you can do all things. You know the Spurs organization better than I do.....
Quote: "But Thorn, flatly and repeatedly, has said the Nets are not interested in a sign-and-trade. They can offer Kidd the most money - roughly $99 million over six years, or $5 million more than any other team. They can offer him the chance to go to the N.B.A. finals every year. "
Exactly. This is why I strongly think that Jason Kidd will be staying in New Jersey. They have the monetary advantage to keep Jason in the swamp.
NEXT.
That difference is nothing, especially when state taxes are factored in. The only monetary difference is really the 7th year...and Jersey doesn't seem to want to offer that.
Another thing to think about is do you really think that NJ would screw a free agent out of money by not taking part in an obligatory sign and trade in which they take back a pick or two?
Even if the Nets or Pacers were so petty, the Spurs could offer an option after the 5th year. Not guaranteed, of course, but that would all but allow a player to opt out and make up for whatever difference there is.
The 'leverage' that the Pacers and Nets supposedly have is fairly non-existent when it comes to competing with teams that have the cap room like the Spurs.
Whereas the lack of state taxes on an MLE contract (given identical road schedules- which doesn't come into play with SA vs. NJ, but I'm not willing to do the work required to get an accurate estimatecomparing the two conferences) is only worth around 160K per year- I have to think that it will have the affect of mitigating any financial advantages NJ would have for a max level contract over the long run- specifically in the final years of the deal. That isn't even considering the NY Metro COF vs. South Central Texas.
Unless NJ offers that seventh year- the only real financial advantages they can offer are non-basketball ones... endorsement opportunities for Jason and a media career for Joumana.
BFD. They are the New Jersey Bills, perennial bridesmaids.They can offer him the chance to go to the N.B.A. finals every year.
At least the Spurs front office's priorities seem to be in place.
Gee, I wonder why a New York paper would report that Kidd isn't our first priority?
This reporter really needs to check in with SR.com, apparently she's got a coke habit she doesn't know about...
AHF
Gee, TwoHandJam, because Kidd isn't and shouldn't be?
Kidd definitely shouldn't be our priority but with all the gum-flapping he's been doing for the press about SA, I hardly see how a New York paper comes to this conclusion. It's pretty funny... and sad.
www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/37324.htm
Quote from NY Post article (entire article linked here):
Actually, the Knicks prefer to perform a sign-and-trade with the Spurs, with Ward, Frank Williams and Ot a Harrington being very available.
Hmmm.
If, Kidd is the first choice of SA and a sign and trade is pursued, the Spurs should get with Claxton and s & t him to the Nets.
Nets will be in need of a starting point guard.
Spurs will not need Claxton.
Good will gesture toward Claxton by allowing him to get money and an opportunity.
:wacko
Why would Kidd or the Spurs want to do a sign-and-trade. Kidd won't want to hamper the team he is going to by agreeing to a sign and trade, would he?
Question.
Ghost - Shipping Speedy back to the East coast in any Kidd scenario shouldn't hamper the Spurs much. There's going to be BIG compe ion for guard minutes if Kidd comes. No Parker trade, though. At least not for Kidd.
I'll ask again.
Why would Kidd or the Spurs want to agree to help NJ out in a sign and trade?
Question.
That's easy, Ghost.
Kidd gets maximum raises and years and the Spurs unload a player who is leaving anyway and/or picks they'll never use.
Since Speedy is unrestricted, the Spurs have very little leverage.
If Kidd is coming, there is no reason to have three good point guards. We may not even have the cap space to keep him in the first place.
Why not sign him to a good salary, trade him to NJ, and receive Kidd in exchange? Despite NJ losing Kidd, they get a decent young replacement, Speedy goes back east while getting paid and Kidd doesn't leave NJ totally high and dry.
Assuming the Spurs want Kidd, It's a win-win for everybody.
Oops, forgot he can't get max years.
Still the max raises add up.
AHF -
Go check out Soccer and my reply to "crackhead" comment.
There is no advantage for the Spurs or Kidd to agree to a sign and trade.
i'm with ghost here, wtf do we want to help NJ out? do you WANT them to get BETTER? cause i don't
Kidd will make comparitively the same money in NJ or SA. He wouldn't want to take anyone from the team he's going to. Claxton can sign outright with NJ, too. The Spurs stand to gain nothing froma sign-and-trade other than goodwill with the Nets.
Has MarcusBryant started to slit his wrists yet after reading the le of this thread?
You didn't hear his latest, Admiral?
MarcusBryant now insists that he endored Jermaine O'Neal as option #1 all along and that he always wanted a star big man this summer over Jason Kidd.
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