Sunday, July 13
Kandi Man vows to be free agency's sweetest deal
By Marc J. Spears
Special to ESPN.com
espn.go.com/nba/columns/s...80076.html
Los Angeles Clippers center Michael Olowokandi has a 7-foot, 270-pound frame, which is a rare combination in today's NBA. He can score, block shots and rebound. He's also an unrestricted free agent.
While numerous free agents are being flown around the country to be wowed, wined and dined, no team has put a full-court press on the big man from England.
Injuries and questions about the progression of his career are the main reasons. But big men with Olowokandi's size and skill are few and far between in the NBA, and the team that goes after the now-healthy center could be getting one of the league's top centers without a major fight.
"I was looking at being an All-Star last year," Olowokandi said. "I can unequivocally say that if it hadn't been for my injury, and I'm not making excuses and hate-making excuses, but I'm pretty confident I would have been an All-Star. I'm pretty confident of that."
The Clippers were pretty confident they had an All-Star in the making when they selected him first overall in the 1998 NBA draft over the likes of Mike Bibby, Raef LaFrentz, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Bonzi Wells and Keon Clark. Olowokandi, the 1998 Big West Conference Player of the Year, averaged 22.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game during his senior year at Pacific.
But during Olowokandi's first three years in the NBA, there was no All-Star appearance. He didn't even average over 10 points a game.
Olowokandi, however, had a breakthrough campaign during the 2001-02 season, averaging 11.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 32.1 minutes a game. And during the last 23 games of that season, he showed promise of what was yet to come as he averaged 16.5 points and 9.6 rebounds. What Olowokandi was last remembered for during that season was not his great finish, but his candid, critical and truthful words about the tight-wallet Clippers that centered around players worrying about their contract situations.
Following a loss at Utah on April 3, 2002, Olowokandi said: "We didn't play together. I've said this before and I'll go on the record and say it again: Whenever you have a group of guys that are very uncertain of their future on the team, that will always happen.
"Whenever you have that situation, you will never, ever, ever have a basketball team. Not this year, not next year, not 10 years from now. I don't care how many players you draft and lottery picks you get, you will never have a basketball team."
The next day, the Clippers played without Olowokandi and were eliminated from playoff contention by Dallas. The day after that, Olowokandi was fined $50,000 by the Clippers for his criticism. The problem that Olowokandi spoke of was also the nemesis for the talented and disappointing Clippers last season. But over a year later, Olowokandi has some regret about saying those words.
"Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut," Olowokandi said. "It really was tough. You have a lot of people that don't say anything and move along and progress, which is a good way to go. At the same time, when you have the coaches, players, everybody complaining. You have a conversation with your GM and he complains to you. Things are really not the way you would like them to be and no one is saying anything. I didn't understand it.
"Whenever I say something, in the articles they make it seem like I said something isolated from what the rest of the team thinks. But the rest of the team and the coaches and the GM usually come to me and say, 'You know, that's right.' But you know what? Someone has to be the fall guy. That's basically what happened. That's probably the image I'd like to shake up the most."
Olowokandi dabbled in free agency for a quick second last summer by visiting the Denver Nuggets. Instead of signing Olowokandi to a long-term deal, the Clippers signed him to just a one-year, $6 million contract. That made him an unrestricted free agent this summer. He hasn't ruled out a return to the Clippers, though.
"Now, if the Clippers turn things around and do things, then sure I might have take a look at them," Olowokandi said. "I'm already here and have a place over here. But if you're going by history and what has happened in the past, the chances of me coming back are slim. But that isn't because of my doing. If the Clippers really wanted me to stay, they would have done something last year.
"So I'm not really a big fan of, 'We tried or wanted to.' No, no, no, no. If you want to get something done, you get it done. Sometimes that is a good excuse to say you tried but you didn't want to. I just want to put myself in a position where I'm around people that are very confident."
Olowokandi's bid to build on his solid 2001-02 season began going bad when he missed all eight preseason games with tendinitis in his left knee. He actually averaged 14.1 points and 9.3 rebounds during the first 17 games of last seasn, but on Dec. 1, the knee problems returned. Eventually, the troublesome left knee would require surgery and he would miss the final 2½ months of the season.
"I should have probably gone in and had my knee checked at the beginning of the season," Olowokandi said. "Nobody really gave me any answers. For what reason, I really do not know. I had to go elsewhere and see other doctors. Those are the ones that advised me to go elsewhere and get (my knee) cleaned out. ... I could still play with it, but I wasn't playing at the level I'd love to play at. Obviously, it became progressively uncomfortable for me."
Olowokandi says his knee now feels even better than it did back in college. And to prove that he is healthy, he is willing to work out for any team that is interested. How many upper-level free agents are willing to do that?
The Nuggets are Olowokandi's top choice. He's also getting interest from Miami, where he owns a house. There have been some teams that may be interested in trying to coerce the Clippers into a sign-and-trade for Olowokandi. Now that Jason Kidd isn't going to San Antonio, the Spurs may get into the mix for Olowokandi.
But reality is that while the Kidds, Paytons, Malones, Mournings, Millers, Maggettes and Arenas are being flown around the country, Olowokandi has received just mild interest. But he does have skills and is now healthy.
"I am thousand percent sure that no one has seen the best," Olowokandi said. "I'm going to continue to get better and better."
There are some definite risks during this year's free agency crop. Alonzo Mourning has been plagued by kidney problems the past three years and didn't play at all last season. Andre Miller, Gilbert Arenas, Lamar Odom, Corey Maggette and Elton Brand all are restricted free agents. Olowokandi? Taking a chance on a now healthy 28-year-old center with a mammoth frame and a challenge to prove he is one of the NBA's elite centers is definitely worth the gamble.
"He's a legitimate center," Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said. "There are very few legitimate centers out there."
Marc J. Spears, who covers the NBA and Denver Nuggets for the Denver Post, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.
I would take Kandi over Rasho any day. Let's get this mofo. I think this guy might just be ready to finally break out, and to do this I know he needs to be on a different basketball team than the Clippers. Give him 6-7 million a year, teach him our system defense and sign odom.
It's hard to judge any player based on their Clipper history. Brand is the only one who has really lived up to anything, and who knows if that's his limit? Maggette, Kandi, and Odom are always talked about as having the potential. I'd definitely take a chance on Kandi. (And Odom).
You know, I considered Kandi the worst risk of this offseason..not because of talent but because of the fact that he just doesn't seem to want to play basketball.
Still...looking at the way things are going...
IF Kandi is willing to sign a one year deal..I don't care what we pay him...pay him well..or incentive laden or maybe even some options years based on reaching incentives...I think he may be the best option.
Signing him longterm for high dollars would be the worst mistake the Spurs could make this offseason IMO...
Passing on him if he is willing to sign a contract that forces him to prove himself might be the second biggest mistake.
Some people like my buddy Temple of the Dog and others have made some good arguments on his behalf. I am violently opposed to giving him anything more than one year guranteed, because frankly he hasn't earned it. Still the guy at one point wanted to be a Spur and he claims he wants to win...if he is willing to put his contract where his mouth is and prove it I think he might be our best option left as far as bigmen go.
:vomit
Sometimes you gotta take some risks, and I'd be willing to risk getting Kandi. He seems like a good player, and plus then we'll have two 7-footers again so that Shaq can shut his mouth
He has the most potential and isn't as big a risk as some make him out to be. His size and strength alone will make him a valuable asset to the team.
Sign him up.
Someone said (in another forum) that Kandi urinated all over the floor of the Spurs Practice Facility. True or False?
I heard of something at one point. The Spurs were high on him and then they invited him to a game and the practice facility and supposedly something happened.
Not sure if that was real or make believe, though.
Someone said (in another forum) that Kandi urinated all over the floor of the Spurs Practice Facility. True or False?WTF was that??
I'm gonna go ahead and guess that was false
Yeah, you can pretty much take to the bank that he didn't piss on the court.
But I guess that "rumor" coming out of there has a little more credence than the Jason Kidd is a lock rumor.
I've been knowing Kandi pissed on the court since Derrick Dial told me.
Damn he failed the urine test?
You realize that if he says Kandi had the urinating incident and is not a possibility then it's a good idea to put money on Kandi being a Spur.
AHF
Ozzy peed on the Alamo and he is still popular in SA.....Kandi can still come to SA IMO.
Can Kori talk with you know who and find out what exactly that incident was and clear this up?
He needs to be signed quickly, I don't really care where he goes, I just want the Candy puns to stop.
How much will Kandi command? I really hope not the max, but if we have 16 mill and no players I'd give him upwards of 10 mill a year for 4 yrs
Could we get Odom and Kandi? Tha'd be a sick offseason IMO
the reason for getting this guy to me is this... if this crap with jason kidd had worked out, i wouldn't mind having duncan as the lone shot blocking threat in the post. i would have even been ok with malik starting if we got kidd and had manu starting out there with them. but since all bets are off, why make duncan's life harder by not adding that bigman now?
as far as my arguments on kandi's behalf... what i said wasn't far off from that article. kandi was drafted as a franchise savior and he was quickly put into a system with a bunch of young guys who were playing for contracts that they never really got (revolving players all the time) he's never had a steady coach, or point guard... and they brought brand in to even further refocus the offense away from him.
in a spurs system this guy could be huge... but even if his number stay the same... he's a big that would let duncan play power forward full time again (and not what he's been doing these past 2 years with robinson hurt) he'd probably get more touches than he ever saw as a clipper off of duncan.
i'd take miller over kandi, but that doesnt look like its gonna happen. kandi is there for the taking right now... and all i hear is that the spurs are looking at rasho??? (it boggles the mind) we'd be better off starting steve smith at center.
instead of that, i wouldn't mind odom... starting malik and having odom backing up the 4 and 3. getting a vet min guy to back up duncan up at the 5. you could then resign speedy and maybe add a shooter?
whatever... this was a good article though. i think kandi could be had at 7 or below to sign here... rasho's value is gonna go up even higher because other teams like ny are interested in him... his agent had been talking up new york all season. (something about him having family there?) or something like that.
People that puke over Olowokandi have a myiopic view.
At worst, Olowokandi will put up better numbers than Robinson did last season.
at best, he'll back up Shaq in the all-Star game.
I don't know who the pukers see out there that is better than 'Kandi.
Get with the program. We've been on a collision course with Olowokandi for about a year now. All the superstars that were supposed to come here was just a bunch of fantasy.
"We're the Spurs."
"We're the Spurs."
The things you complain about. The Spurs just got the best player in the league at 27 years of age to sign a 7 year deal. Are you criticizing that too?
With respect to Olowokandi I hope not. I'd rather the Spurs attempt to split most of the cap money between Odom and Arenas and find a stop gap big than give Kandi a long term deal. He's a free agent bust just waiting to happen.
There is no reason to remain beholden to the Twin Towers concept. That only worked because the Spurs had the great fortune of having a David Robinson. He's retired and Jermaine O'Neal wouldn't take Pop's calls. It's time to move on.
"we're the spurs"
We've won 2 out of the last 5 les, We are extremely competetive, and we have locked up the best player in the game for the rest of his career.
Hey, I think they might be onto something. But then again, ghost always seems to know the exact personal moves to make.
I for one, am glad the front office never does them.
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