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This would be the perfect time for Butler to go into Isiah's office and say " you" in his face a few times. That's his would-be coach, after all, and this is the perfect one time in his life to be unprofessional.
Spurs wait on Knicks' reply: Butler's agent says New York front office is unpredictable
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...r.1b6a669.html
Web Posted: 07/15/2006 12:03 AM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
Unsure about New York's plans for his client — possibly because New York also may not be sure — Jackie Butler's agent wouldn't speculate Friday whether the center will be wearing a Spurs uniform next season.
Keith Glass, who represents Butler, was in Las Vegas the previous few days where New York's summer-league team was playing, but said Knicks officials hadn't spoken to him about whether they intend to match the Spurs' three-year, $7 million offer sheet for the 21-year-old center.
"I really can't predict this one, to say the least," Glass said. "I think it's a tossup."
The Spurs signed Butler and Denver's Francisco Elson to offer sheets on Wednesday. The seven-day window the Knicks and Nuggets have to keep the restricted free agents didn't start until Thursday because NBA lawyers asked the Spurs to clarify some of the language in both contract offers.
Glass said Butler declined a more lucrative offer from another team because he thought the Spurs would be a better fit. With Rasho Nesterovic traded to Toronto and Nazr Mohammed signing with Detroit, the Spurs don't have a true center on their roster.
The Knicks have 14 players with guaranteed contracts, one shy of the league maximum, and have almost $70 million already committed to centers Eddy Curry and Jerome James. Butler's contract also would essentially cost New York double because the team's payroll figures to incur the league's dollar-for-dollar luxury tax.
"Nothing is going to surprise me what they do," Glass said. "It's a very weird situation. At least, on some type of list, Jackie is behind Eddy and Jerome. But he also was playing ahead of them, at times, last season."
Former Knicks coach Larry Brown, who is represented by Glass' father, Joe, favored Butler over Curry and James by the end of last season, often playing him in the fourth quarter.
"Everybody said Jackie was Larry's guy, but (Knicks president and coach) Isiah (Thomas) is the one who signed him out of the CBA," Glass said. "He gave (Butler) a chance, and we're grateful for that.
"Obviously, the chance to play with the Spurs and contribute on a team that could have a championship year is attractive. But we just have to wait and see. There's a real chance he could be going back to New York."
The Spurs had hoped to restart negotiations with Lithuanian center Robertas Javtokas if they don't get either Butler or Elson. But Javtokas' agent, Herb Rudoy, said the deadline for Javtokas to get out the contract with his Greek team, Panathinaikos, ended Friday.
"That's over," Rudoy said of his negotiations with the Spurs. "(Robertas) is committed (to playing in Greece)."
Javtokas will be free to try to come to the NBA next summer, Rudoy said.
The Spurs did make a couple of minor roster additions Friday, signing rookie forwards Rich Melzer and Jamar Smith.
Both players signed minimum-salary contracts with only a small percentage guaranteed. Each essentially will be trying to make the team in training camp in October.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich watched Melzer and Smith play in the Pepsi Summer Pro League this week in Orlando, Fla. Both participated in the Spurs' recent mini-camp and joined the Spurs' summer-league team Friday in Salt Lake City.
Melzer, 26, is a 6-foot-8 forward who attended Wisconsin-River Falls. He spent last season playing in the NBA's developmental league and in New Zealand.
Smith, 26, is a 6-9 forward who played at Maryland. He played for Austin in the NBDL last season, averaging 11.4 points and 7.2 rebounds.
Mohammed farewell: Bruce Bowen said Friday he was surprised that Mohammed left the Spurs to sign with Detroit.
"This is where he won a championship, and that ought to say something to someone," Bowen said. "This is a great organization and community, and the people loved him here.
"He went to Detroit, and I was saddened (about) that. That's part of the business, but of all places, he goes to Detroit, a team we beat in the Finals. I don't understand it."
Mohammed received a more lucrative contract from the Pistons than what the Spurs offered.
This would be the perfect time for Butler to go into Isiah's office and say " you" in his face a few times. That's his would-be coach, after all, and this is the perfect one time in his life to be unprofessional.
Yippee. We have to wait an extra dayThe seven-day window the Knicks and Nuggets have to keep the restricted free agents didn't start until Thursday because NBA lawyers asked the Spurs to clarify some of the language in both contract offers.
Yippee. We have to wait an extra day
in lawyers
Bowens comments are interesting.
He seems a little bitter. I never thought of it that way until just now, but Nazr did go to our rivals. Is that ed up? It doesn't bother me for some reason. Probably because most posters on here think he'll be the best player on our team in a Pistons vs. Spurs game.
And can we please shelve these ideas that the Spurs didn't want Javtokas? It's clear they wanted to finesse the situation and screwed up the negotiating. This was a significant failure on their part, as we may easily go into next season with only Elson as our center.
Dear Bruce, please read the next line. For most players it's all about the money.
A GARBAGE time three pointer in the playoffs =
= No mins + Growing Frustion + Displaced Anger with teammates (this case = Bowen) + Wanting to leave for more money.
Bowens comments are interesting.
He seems a little bitter. I never thought of it that way until just now, but Nazr did go to our rivals. Is that ed up? It doesn't bother me for some reason. Probably because most posters on here think he'll be the best player on our team in a Pistons vs. Spurs game.
I don't think Bruce is bitter...he's just loyal, and obviously, as he's proven throughout his Spurs career, winning means more to Bruce than getting $$$$.
I don't think it's so much bitterness as just not understanding Nazr's mindest.
If he's wants to win a championship, why doesn't he just stay here? Where he already knows this system and his teamates....even if he has to give up a few bucks.
It's just the mindset of one guy, a talent challenged journeymen whose jersey will probably be retired by his team, VS the mindset of a much more talented player who will likely never get his jersey retired and probably won't even be remembered much by the fans of his teams...
And Bruce isn't one of those players.
How much is he making in Detroit, much more than 5 mill a year?
That's about what he'd make here. I think his leaving had more to do with minutes and feeling like he was actually a part of the team. It just seemed like he was somewhat of an outsider here, then the Mavs debacle probably put the icing on the cake.
His family is in Chicago, right? Detroit's about 3 hours away.
You fulfill your contract- you get paid by the team what you agreed to- you go where you are sent- and when your contract is up- no one owes anyone anything- nothing more than what was in the contract. If it's true for one side- ownership- it is true for the other- the player.
Dunno but I don't think the Pistons had more than the MLE to offer...
Either they were over the cap and had the MLE, or they were under it(in which case not by much) and probably wouldn't even have the amount of MLE available.
That's about what he'd make here. I think his leaving had more to do with minutes and feeling like he was actually a part of the team. It just seemed like he was somewhat of an outsider here.
And he's assured of Detroit being a better situation, how?
Replacing a multiple DPOY winner?
Didn't the heart and soul of their team just bail on them?
That's an easy job?
then the Mavs debacle probably put the icing on the cake.
This would be my guess too. I don't think he liked riding the bench in the Mavs Series and FWIW, I agree he should have gotten more PT, at least situationally...
But what we'll never know for sure is if it was just the lack of PT that pissed him off, or the damage it did to his earning power...
In any case...he probably would have been better off staying here. I don't think Detroit's going to work out to well for him, because of the shoes he is filling, and the obvious chemistry problems they started to have at the end of last season.
And Bruce's comments were probably about championships and loyalty more than anything...he just doesn't get Nazr's mindset.
He's their Rasho going to replace David Robinson (to a lesser extent)... like whottt said, he's entering a very tough situation, and it wouldn't surprise me if sometime during the season he gets frustrated and vents a little in the media. He's has big shoes to fill, and chances are he won't even come close.
But- why are players held to a higher standard? If the Spurs did not want to bring Nazr back- would he be questioning their loyalty- after all Nazr helped them win a championship- right? I just find it funny because teams get rid of players all the time, but then when a player leaves a team, he is the disloyal one.
Mr Body, Javaktovas not coming sucks but lets not make it seem like a huge error. The dude may be good in the NBA, he may not. You keep making it seem like this is some gigantic error and that remains to be seen.
I wish Javtokas' highlights were marked post/pre injury.
Most of them are post, but none of them were in the NBA. I think the dude will be good and it sucks he's not here, but no need to go overboard.
Did you read the article? The Spurs wanted to sign him when one of either Elson or Butler is matched. They did not want him to sign a contract overseas until they finished negotiating with him, but failed to communicate in some way. It was a mistake. You've got to face it. How big a mistake will be seen - if Butler is matched, it's pretty bad, because then of course all we have is Elson.
That actually may be a good thing -- it sounds like the Spurs legal staff put some funky, off-beat clauses in the contracts, probably to make them less attractive to match.
Pig Latin.
Yeah, but the guy is unprooven in the NBA so while you miss out on potential, you don't miss out on a sure thing
But Javtokas was still their third choice, right? They wanted Butler and Elson. And then if they didn't get one of them, then they wanted Jav. Or am I misreading it?
Manny, no disrespect, but I don't think you're getting it. The issue is not picking Elson over Javtokas. The issue is losing their insurance policy through bad communication. The article clearly states they wanted to sign him to whichever slot was matched. They somehow screwed up, Javtokas went for another contract instead of waiting, and they risk having only one center (Elson) instead of a guaranteed two (either Elson/Butler or Elson/Javtokas).
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