Spurs' star Horry flirts with Heat once again
Miami's Damon Jones reportedly is choosing free agency.
By Chris Perkins
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 01, 2005
MIAMI — Just as he did at this time last year, forward Robert Horry, one of the stars of the San Antonio Spurs' championship run, is indicating that he might have an interest in joining the Miami Heat.
"His first choice would probably be San Antonio," said Robert Barr, Horry's agent, "but Miami is close. He wanted to go to Miami last year."
For players in the final year of their contract, and for players with a player or team option, Thursday was the day they could become free agents.
However, the league has an exception stating that if a player and the team mutually agree, the deadline could be extended to July 22, when the new collective bargaining agreement becomes official.
The deadline was extended because some players, such as Heat center Shaquille O'Neal, might find there were clauses in the new agreement that affect their status or income.
The Heat and O'Neal, who has a player option and one year remaining on his contract, have reached an agreement on an extension.
That means that, in theory, O'Neal could become a free agent July 22 and then sign a contract extension with Miami that evening. O'Neal is scheduled to earn $30 million next season from the Heat, but no other team can offer more than $15 million.
The Heat did not expect guards Damon Jones and Keyon Dooling to exercise their player options to return. Jones reportedly made his decision to become a free agent Thursday. Dooling also is expected to test the free-agent market and might be offered a starting job elsewhere.
Among the Heat's other free agents are guard Steve Smith, forwards Udonis Haslem (restricted), Shandon Anderson and Christian Laettner, and center Wang Zhi-Zhi.
Teams and players could begin negotiating at 12:01 a.m. today but can't sign until July 22.
That could put free-agent point guards such as Seattle's Antonio Daniels, Memphis Earl Watson and Washington's Steve Blake, a restricted free agent, in Miami's sights.
Some top players who did not use that free-agent extension and are on the market and available to talk with any team they desire are Seattle guard Ray Allen, Milwaukee guard Michael Redd and Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
The same is true for Horry, 34, who declined the player option on his two-year, $2.3 million contract.
The Heat could use Horry's playmaking ability. His performance in Game 5 of the NBA Finals (21 points and a game-winning three-pointer with 5.8 seconds left in overtime) against Detroit was a key to San Antonio winning its third le.
It was Horry's sixth le; he won three with O'Neal when they played with the Los Angeles Lakers and the players have a fondness for each other.
"He'd love to play with the Big Fella," Barr said. "If Miami has interest, I'm sure he'd listen."
The Heat's financial situation has hardly changed from a year ago, meaning it'll likely only have part of the mid-level exception to offer Horry. Last year that was $5.2 million. This year it might rise slightly.
That would still be a raise for Horry, who will likely be signing his final contract this season. It's not known how much money he'll be seeking. Last year Miami spilt its mid-level exception between Jones and center Michael Doleac, but if the Heat opts to spend part of that exception on Horry it might be able to sign him.
"He loves Miami and he loves the Big Fella," Barr said. "We'll see what happens."
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/heat/co...atFA_0701.html
I had never heard that until now.For players in the final year of their contract, and for players with a player or team option, Thursday was the day they could become free agents.
However, the league has an exception stating that if a player and the team mutually agree, the deadline could be extended to July 22, when the new collective bargaining agreement becomes official.
if shaq still wants the max how can they sign him for more money then what spurs can offer him
That's what I was afraid of- since he did mention it in an interview a while back.
The Heat and O'Neal, who has a player option and one year remaining on his contract, have reached an agreement on an extension.
anyone have a clue on how much and if there is weight clauses in his contract
IF Horry did go to Miami I expect the Spurs would go after SAR.
The Spurs can't afford to lose Horry. Hopefully this is just Horry's agent's way of milking the Spurs. If the Spurs lose Horry, they lose their playoff closer.
I have a feeling it's going to be tougher than we imagine to get Horry back in silver and black.
Standard agent posturing. I don't see how the Heat would be able to outbid the Spurs when their priority is going to be signing two point guards.
But by all means, let's panic.
Isn't that what Spurs fans do about this time of year?
I still like to know what shaq's extension is
Do Spurs have early bird rights on Horry where they don't have to use any MLE $ on him?
Correct, sir.
if horry wants to go to heat horry owes it to the spurs to do a sign and trade for the jone Damon Jones fellow the heat have
I'm not worried about this. We've got his early bird rights, and Miami has other priorities.
Horry is interested in the Heat
i think this is just smoke, when its all said and done horry will be back in the silver & black. he wants to be close to houston and the spurs offer him a better chance of winning a 7th.
Get some point guards first.
It's obvious the Heat didn't offer anything more than the Spurs did last year - what are they going to offer this year?
exactly.
Early Bird or not...I don't like that Horry's agent is taking it public like that...if the Spurs and Horry are on the same page then there is no need for prenegotiation posturing...and in my memory...players that haggle with the Spurs usually wind up playing for other teams...
My guess is that Horry and his agent know we have his early bird rights and want as much of that exception as they can get....
Me personally? I don't really have a problem with it...if Danny Ferry was worth the MLE than Horry damn sure is....
What's the going rate for a stolen win in the NBA finals?
If Brent Barry is pulling down 4 and a half it's also easy to see why Horry might be inclined to think he is underpaid...and I think Bowen is pulling down 3...
Horry is gonna get 3 to start no matter what...
I think Horry deserves the MLE but I don't think we need to be commiting 20 million dollars to him by paying him that for 4 years......maybe 2 with a team option on the second like his first contract here was...
Either he gets paid big in a short term contract or he takes less to retire a Spur...
I wonder what would happen if the Spurs turned around and started talking to SARS. Would Horry jump back to the Spurs and take what he could get or would he call the Spurs bluff? The bad thing is that if the Spurs end up trading SARS for Horry, you are trading the biggest loser in the history of the league for perhaps the biggest winner in the history of the league.
Well this came out before the Spurs could even talk to Horry, so I can't see this as a danger sign.if the Spurs and Horry are on the same page then there is no need for prenegotiation posturing.
Agents are assholes, they wouldn't be successful if they weren't.
Nah! Horry & his agent might just be toying this team to think twice how impt Horry is for this team bec. he helped us win another le."His first choice would probably be San Antonio," said Robert Barr, Horry's agent, "but Miami is close. He wanted to go to Miami last year."
For players in the final year of their contract, and for players with a player or team option, Thursday was the day they could become free agents.
i'd hate to lose Rob, but I think there would be A LOT MORE INTERESTED FREE AGENTS OUT THERE WHO ARE INTERESTED TO SIGN WITH THE SPURS,
... THAN TEAMS WHO ARE INTERESTED TO SIGN HORRY.
let him decide what's best for him, Pops.
If Horry goes with the heat we are ed as we know it.
i'd be pissed of he went to the heat
Think about it: the Heat currently have six players to sign and no point guards to speak of.
How much will they really have to give to Horry?
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