Honestly TAW! It really shows how bad they want to get rid or Rasho's contract.
Spurs Offered Nesterovic to Dallas
http://www.broadbandnewsnet.com/new....asp?a=2190&z=1
Thursday, August 04, 2005
According to a report in Thursday morning's San Antonio Express-News, a source outside the Southwest Division confirmed Wednesday that the Spurs offered center Rasho Nesterovic to the Dallas Mavericks for the injury-plagued and little played Tariq Abdul-Wahad.
As if the proposal were not shocking enough, the Mavericks actually turned the trade down.
The Spurs were attempting the trade in order to try to dump a large portion of Nesterovic's guaranteed contract, according to the report, but that may not be the only reason why the Mavs didn't jump at the offer.
In fact, insiders report that there are a several reasons why the trade never went beyond "what ifs."
One was Dallas owner Mark Cuban's trde requirement of receiving players with expiring contracts in return.
Also, the Mavericks are still trying to see what they can make of the Michael Finley situation.
Because of the $51.8 million left on Finley's contract over the next three years, he's been considered one of the league's leading amnesty candidates, but the Mavs are now pursuing a trade (at least one actively) for Finley that would lead to more financial relief for Cuban than a simple buy out.
Under the new labor agreement, the "amnesty" clause allows teams a one-time exception to waive a player without paying further luxury tax on the player's contract.
Finley's expected suitors included Western Conference rivals Phoenix, Denver, Houston and San Antonio, but the Mavs would prefer to move Finley to the Eastern Conference.
In short, the two teams were exploring various options and the Mavericks did not feel compelled to pull the trigger on any deals until "all options are explored." Teams have less than two weeks to make final decisions about their amnesty waiver.
Another factor is the fact that Mavericks are in the running for two other centers: 7-foot free agent Steven Hunter and ex-Maverick Calvin Booth.
The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to buy out the final two years of Calvin Booth's contract and Booth has two previous stints with the Mavericks.
Finally, the Mavs are trying to sign point guard Nick Van Exel, who was part of the Dallas team that advanced to the 2003 Western Conference finals against the Spurs.
As expected, Portland waived Van Exel on Wednesday, choosing not to retain him for $12.8 million remaining on his non-guaranteed contract.
The Mavs also are hoping to make a run for swingman Doug Christie, the moment he gets released by Orlando, as is expected to occur as part of that team's amnesty releif.
In what went down as one of the most regrettable contracts under the old NBA labor deal, Denver signed Tariq Abdul-Wahad to a seven-year, $43-million deal in 2001. The 6'6 French shooting guard is still getting paid under that deal to this day.
Abdul-Wahad was the first player born and raised in France to compete in the NBA. Formerly known as Olivier Saint-Jean, he was a prolific scorer at San Jose State and was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the first round (11th overall) of the 1997-98 NBA season. Abdul-Wahad officially changed his name from Olivier Saint-Jean on November 10, 1997. Known as a "defensive specialist," has been on three other teams as well including the Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets and now, the Dallas Mavericks.
Honestly TAW! It really shows how bad they want to get rid or Rasho's contract.
There may be more to it than that. Why would the Spurs turn down a deal, Rasho for SAR, but turn around and offer Rasho for TAW, only to have Dallas reject it? We're only seeing a few pieces of the puzzle, and dimly at that.
Apparently the Spurs shot their Rasho wad to get Wahad.
TAW has a shorter deal with a significant portion of it non-guaranteed.
Hasn't this been posted three times already?
Looks like (from the SAR to NJ thing getting shot down) the Spurs had done their homework on SAR's health, hence no deal.There may be more to it than that. Why would the Spurs turn down a deal, Rasho for SAR, but turn around and offer Rasho for TAW, only to have Dallas reject it?
As for TAW, it's fairly well do ented on the board today - he only has two more fully guaranteed years, after that the last two years of the guy's deal can be bought out for somewhere around 4-5 million.
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