Rashard Lewis Agrees To Deal With Magic

[Bruno]

Lewis contract will be around $85M, not $75M.

[AFBlue]

Lots of people falling all over themselves to compliment Presti. When you let an All-Star walk for nothing, you didn't do a good job.

Who said it was for nothing?

There's two things you have to consider:

1) What FA or FAs will the Sonics look to acquire from the money saved up by letting Rashard Walk?

With two SFs already in the fold, wouldn't the Sonics be better served by going with a guard-type like Gerald Wallace or a big guy like Darko?

2) If the Magic want to keep Darko as well, they will look to unload salary and/or make the deal for Rashard a sign-and-trade.

If it's an S&T, the Sonics might be able to get a combination of decent role players along with future picks perhaps.

Bottom Line: Can't say this was a great move, but you also can't say it's a bad one until we see what the Sonics do with money saved.

[tsb2000]

Who is this referring to? Jameer? Rashard? 80% of the all players in the NBA? Dude probably enjoys toking up himself.

Doubt it. Howard is a pretty strong Christian- much like our own David Robinson.

[SAGambler]

$75M for Rashard

What an idiotic salary. Just what the has he ever done to command $$$$ like that?

[tmtcsc]

Lots of people falling all over themselves to compliment Presti. When you let an All-Star walk for nothing, you didn't do a good job.

What did you want him to do ? Get garbage back in a possible S&T ? He was an UFA, and Presti was probably shaking his head at that foolish offer.

I'm sure if he saw something that he could do, he would have tried. I'm no huge Presti fan either. In fact, I could care less about him and Seattle / Tulsa.

He inherited a team mired in mediocrity and is trying to re-build. I can't fault him for that. Seattle wins by having that soft-ass, weak stat boy leave. Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis are perennial, over-rated wannabes. The money they make for their contributions is a joke.

[Mitch Cumsteen]

Clearly Lewis is way overrated and now overpaid, but Orlando has the cap room to do this. They're going to be screwed down the road when they have two guys making max money and they can't add any pieces, but right now they are just carrying Hedo, Tony Battie, and a bunch of rookie deals on their books. And truthfully, it's the only way they were going to get better this year since they didn't have a 1st round pick (traded to Det for Darko) and they need to show Howard that they are serious about winning. Even if signing Lewis is a bad basketball move, at least they let Howard know that they're willing to spend the cash to improve the team. It's not going to work, but at least they're trying. What else would they have to sell Howard on to stay in Orlando?

[Findog]

Doubt it. Howard is a pretty strong Christian- much like our own David Robinson.

The he is:

http://deadspin.com/sports/nba/dwigh...ars-215602.php

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Who said it was for nothing?

There's two things you have to consider:

1) What FA or FAs will the Sonics look to acquire from the money saved up by letting Rashard Walk?

With two SFs already in the fold, wouldn't the Sonics be better served by going with a guard-type like Gerald Wallace or a big guy like Darko?

2) If the Magic want to keep Darko as well, they will look to unload salary and/or make the deal for Rashard a sign-and-trade.

If it's an S&T, the Sonics might be able to get a combination of decent role players along with future picks perhaps.

Bottom Line: Can't say this was a great move, but you also can't say it's a bad one until we see what the Sonics do with money saved.

Regardless of money saved, they didn't get players or draft picks back from Orlando. Bad deal.

[O-Factor]

$75M for Rashard

F That!

[K-State Spur]

Regardless of money saved, they didn't get players or draft picks back from Orlando. Bad deal.

Unless Seattle was offering him a max deal themselves, hard to see what leverage they had to force a sign and trade. I mean, the only thing they had to offer Orlando was the opportunity to sign Lewis to even MORE money than this ridiculous contract already is.

I agree that too many people here drool over Presti, but this would have happened to any GM not willing to grossly overpay this player.

[AFBlue]

Regardless of money saved, they didn't get players or draft picks back from Orlando. Bad deal.

The negotiating may not be done yet....

The Magic might still need to clear cap room, by working a sign-and-trade, in order to extend a qualifying offer to keep Darko.

Free Agents cannot technically be signed until 11 Jul, so there's still time to see if the Sonics can get something back for him.

And again, with that money saved, the Sonics could turn Lewis into Wallace and then some. So you can't ignore the money saved....

[AFBlue]

Unless Seattle was offering him a max deal themselves, hard to see what leverage they had to force a sign and trade. I mean, the only thing they had to offer Orlando was the opportunity to sign Lewis to even MORE money than this ridiculous contract already is.

I agree that too many people here drool over Presti, but this would have happened to any GM not willing to grossly overpay this player.

The potential leverage they still have is that the Magic would like to keep Darko, and will need to clear cap space in order to extend him an offer. That means trading someone like Arroyo or Turkoglu outright, or working the sign-and-trade angle with the Sonics.

[K-State Spur]

The potential leverage they still have is that the Magic would like to keep Darko, and will need to clear cap space in order to extend him an offer. That means trading someone like Arroyo or Turkoglu outright, or working the sign-and-trade angle with the Sonics.

They can trade those guys for actual assets (draft picks, cheaper players) to their own organization.

There's no reason that they would have to move Arroyo, Turk, or anybody else for a player that is already coming to their team.

[AFBlue]

They can trade those guys for actual assets (draft picks, cheaper players) to their own organization.

There's no reason that they would have to move Arroyo, Turk, or anybody else for a player that is already coming to their team.

They do not have enough money to sign Rashard Lewis to a max deal AND make a qualifying offer to Darko Milicic.

They've got to come up with enough money to make Darko a qualifying offer (likely $4-5M) if they hope to keep him.

So, shedding $4M+ from your payroll by giving back Carlos Arroyo or Hedo Turkoglu makes sense. They could also offer said players to another team under the cap (Bobcats?) in order to clear more salary, as you suggest....

But the bottom line is that they have to move some money around in order to accomplish both goals of signing Lewis AND extending a qualifying offer to Darko.

[Obstructed_View]

The he is:

http://deadspin.com/sports/nba/dwigh...ars-215602.php

Hmmm. A blog link? Did you even read it?

Here are some actual news links. Good luck.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1769153

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...the_image.html

http://www.bpsports.net/bpsports.asp?ID=5565

[Findog]

Hmmm. A blog link? Did you even read it?

Yes, I read it. The story was reported in several places. Oh yeah, that's right, blog = automatically not true.

Here are some actual news links. Good luck.

Ha, PR fluff from the 4-letter, among others. Just because a guy makes an ostentatious display of his faith don't make it so. I really don't care what he does or doesn't do, or what his views on metaphysics are. It's just as likely that he's a simple God-fearing man as it is that he enjoys the NBA lifestyle. We don't know for sure what goes on in the private lives and I don't care either way. If we can't trust a blog, we can't trust his publicist either.

And yeah, I'm sure they're "just friends." I guess 4 a.m. is a good time to meet up with her to convince her to change her ways:

[K-State Spur]

They do not have enough money to sign Rashard Lewis to a max deal AND make a qualifying offer to Darko Milicic.

They've got to come up with enough money to make Darko a qualifying offer (likely $4-5M) if they hope to keep him.

So, shedding $4M+ from your payroll by giving back Carlos Arroyo or Hedo Turkoglu makes sense. They could also offer said players to another team under the cap (Bobcats?) in order to clear more salary, as you suggest....

But the bottom line is that they have to move some money around in order to accomplish both goals of signing Lewis AND extending a qualifying offer to Darko.

I agree with what you're saying, but Orlando can (and should) see it as two separate issues. Issue 1: Sign Lewis. Issue 2: Clear money for Darko. While it's not impossible that they could, there is no reason that they HAVE to combine the two issues, which is why Seattle really had/has no leverage to force their hand to give something up in addition to the contract. Probably part of the reason behind offering the max deal was that so they don't have to go through the sign & trade process.

[AFBlue]

I agree with what you're saying, but Orlando can (and should) see it as two separate issues. Issue 1: Sign Lewis. Issue 2: Clear money for Darko. While it's not impossible that they could, there is no reason that they HAVE to combine the two issues, which is why Seattle really had/has no leverage to force their hand to give something up in addition to the contract. Probably part of the reason behind offering the max deal was that so they don't have to go through the sign & trade process.

Agreed.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

The Magic and Sonics still have the opportunity to do a sign-and-trade.

Lewis agrees to deal with Orlando
Associated Press

SEATTLE — Rashard Lewis is leaving the Northwest and taking his game to Orlando.

One of the most sought after free agents this offseason, Lewis agreed to a "maximum contract" with the Magic, his agent Tony Dutt said Tuesday.

Lewis made the decision late Monday night after meeting with Magic officials in Orlando.

"He had a comfort and a gut feeling and he feels they have a championship core, and that's what he wants to do is win a championship," Dutt said.

Toronto Raptors forward Jorge Garbajosa, right, guards Seattle SuperSonics forward Rashard Lewis during a March 11 game. (Fred Thornhill/Reuters)

The terms of the deal are still being worked out. He's expected to receive a deal in the range of $15 million per season. The Magic wouldn't comment Tuesday, citing league rules that an agreement cannot be announced until July 11.

Orlando can only sign Lewis to a five-year contract, while Seattle could sign Lewis to a six-year deal. Dutt said the Magic and Seattle are in discussions about a sign-and-trade deal that would give Lewis that sixth-year, help Orlando clear some salary and give Seattle something in return.

"That he's going to Orlando doesn't change the fact that he had good years in Seattle," Dutt said.

Lewis opted out of the final two years of his contract with Seattle in late May, leaving behind a guaranteed $21 million.

Seattle, the only team Lewis has played for, had the first chance to meet with the 6-foot-10 forward Sunday morning in Houston. Seattle was among 20 teams that contacted Dutt on Sunday, the first day of NBA free agency.

Soon after his meeting with Seattle, Lewis boarded a plane for Orlando and liked what he heard from the Magic, including the chance to play with Dwight Howard.

"He feels like they're going to be good for a long time," Dutt said. "It was important knowing that Howard was going to be around a long time as well."

Lewis is coming off his best season, when he averaged career-highs in points (22.4), rebounds (6.6) and assists (2.4). His age (28 next month) and his versatility to hit 3-pointers or score on the low block made Lewis a targeted commodity for many teams.

[AFBlue]

ElliottFan coming through in the clutch!

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

[boutons_]

"score on the low block made Lewis .... "

He scores there?

[T Park]

Sounds like presti is gonna show up the RCBuford homer in Aggie.

[TDMVPDPOY]

how is orlando controlling there salary cap?

lewis 75m
d12 extention 80m
JNelson what would he be expecting??

wattabout that new arena?.....

[Findog]

how is orlando controlling there salary cap?

lewis 75m
d12 extention 80m
JNelson what would he be expecting??

wattabout that new arena?.....

http://hoopshype.com/salaries/orlando.htm

Before the Lewis deal, they had a cap figure of $39 mil for 07-08, $18 for 08-09. They've got the money to max out Howard.