Reply With Quote
Dont be suprised if Dallas trys to trade Terry or Dampier and signs lewis.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2883178
Sonics forward Lewis opts for free agency
ESPN.com news services
Updated: May 26, 2007, 12:01 AM ET
In late February, Rashard Lewis rejected a two-year, $25 million contract extension from the Seattle SuperSonics. Months later, Lewis has taken his rejection a step further.
Lewis has officially opted out of the final two years of his contract on Friday so he can become an unrestricted free agent, as first reported by KRIV in Houston on Friday.
Tony Dutt, Lewis' agent, has made Seattle aware of his client's decision.
"He has decided to opt out and he'll be an unrestricted free agent July 1st," Dutt said, according to KRIV. "We had to do it in writing which we have done already."
The Sonics have one advantage over the rest of the NBA with Lewis now in free agency: They are the only team who can offer him a six-year contract.
"It was in his contract that he could become a free agent. And you can't blame him for wanting to see what's out there," Sonics president of basketball operations Lenny Wilkens said last month. "But that won't stop us from trying to get it done."
When asked if he has been negotiating with the Sonics, despite Seattle not having a general manager or a coach right now, Dutt said, "We've been in contact [with Wilkens]. We'll probably stay in contact on and off until July 1."
Lewis, who has spent his entire nine-year NBA career with the Sonics, opted out of the seven-year, $60M deal he signed before the 2003-2004 season. That means Lewis is walking away from $21M in guaranteed money over the next two years.
In doing so, he becomes one of the NBA's most attractive free agents this summer. The market will include Chauncey Billups, Gerald Wallace and possibly Vince Carter -- if Carter does what Lewis did and opts of out his contract with the New Jersey Nets.
"He's earned that right to be at the top of the market," Dutt said. "I think teams will move pretty quickly to sign him [after July 1]. He is about the top free agent out there."
The 6-foot-10 forward is coming off a career-best year despite missing 22 games with a hand injury. Lewis averaged 22.4 points and 6.6 rebounds a game last season.
"He's excited. At the same time he wants to win. He puts in the time himself and he wants his teammates to do the same. He's just looking for an opportunity, whether he stays in Seattle or if he was to move, to be in a situation where he has an opportunity to win every night," Dutt said.
"I'm excited about where I stand in the NBA," Lewis said last month, immediately after his ninth season in Seattle ended in a 31-51 mess. He turns 28 in August.
Lewis could get offers of five years for perhaps $15 million per year. He said he will give Seattle first opportunity to give him a sweet deal.
"Oh, yeah. I've been here since the team drafted me [in 1998]. They have faith in me," Lewis said last month.
"My heart will always be here -- even if I play somewhere else."
The 2005 All-Star returned from his six-week absence last season to lead the team while All-Star shooter Ray Allen was injured.
Information from The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Dont be suprised if Dallas trys to trade Terry or Dampier and signs lewis.
I'm diggin your sig. Who do you got in the fight? I got Liddell.
I got Liddell, but i would not be suprised at all if rampage won. I like chuck but my guys are Couture, Big Nog, Rich Franklin, Sean Sherk...
http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66600
http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68459
^^put your money where your mouth is.
Don't be surprised if no one wants to take the Dallas rejects.
If any team want to pay max money for one way traffic player like him, with no defensive intensity whatsoever, that would be a big surprise to me.
OTOH, Billups DOES deserve MAX money IMHO -the length of the contract, that's another story.
Agree, given their contracts and their ages, Terry and Dampier trade value is very low (even negative for Dampier).
Not according to Mavtalk
I think Rashard Lewis will put Dallas over the top. He is the low post scorer needed to get by Phoenix and Golden state. Make it happen Cuban.
Lewis wouldn't know the low post if it hit him in the ass. Even if Dallas could somehow get him, you'd just have a guy spotted up on the perimeter on the other side from Dirk waiting to shoot threes.
me too lol
Lewis better hope Orlando wants him. Otherwise, he aint getting the money he wants, unless he forces a sign and trade with Seattle. And, why would they if they can just let him walk and not take salaries back? I mean Durant replaces him easy. Why take $10-12 million in salaries unless they are players Seattle really, really wants. Doubt teams want to give up anything of great value to get Rashard even if he's a very good player.
OMFG!!! This is EXACTLY the reason everyone knows Mavsfans are unknowledgeable arrogant s!!
I'd laugh SO hard if YOU guys got him. JUST WHAT YOU NEED: another jumpshooting, non-defending, should-be-rebounding-better-for-his-size bomb that has no real go-to move...and to say he's a LOW POST SCORER means you've never seen him play...hahahahahaha
Dumb s like you make us mav fans look bad.
I thought the "low post scorer" comment was sarcasm. If it wasn't, that's mother in dumb.
I just HATE it when guys do well and expect more than millions and millions of dollars to play a game. Here, Lewis would be moving from his draft home who has a great pick this year for ??? Maybe a coupla more million. Yeh, a "coupla" more million may sound rich to us po folks, but come on. Does he have children attending school? A wife with a strong support base in town? Dayum, I can't believe the greed associated with playing a game.
Maybe he could just pass on the extra pool table in the bathroom and Waterworld-type pool house for the kiddies?
WTF isn't?He's just looking for an opportunity, whether he stays in Seattle or if he was to move, to be in a situation where he has an opportunity to win every night," Dutt said.
I hope this just is a means for him to negotiate for a longer contract in Seattle. My motherly instincts will feel much better if it is.
You are a dumbass.
Rashard Lewis is actually a very competent post-up scorer. He isn't Carmelo Anthony or Paul Pierce, but I'd be hard-pressed to name another 3 with a better low and mid post game.
mavsfan1000 may be an idiot, but he happens to be right.
Ah, a shill for the owners. I'd actually managed to avoid hearing from you people for almost the last three months.
durant can actually board too.
It's not that he is completely incapable of scoring in the post, but he rarely plays there, even if he's capable. He is able to score in the post sometimes. That doesn't make him a low-post scorer.
As for another 3 with a better low post and mid post game ... Tayshaun Prince, Richard Jefferson, Lamar Odom (if you want to call him a 3), Corey Maggette, Quentin Richardson, Ruben Patterson, Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring, Ricky Davis, Jerry Stackhouse (plays both the 2 and 3 now), Caron Butler ... off the top of my head.
Perfect...PERFECTLY valid scouting report for Dirk Nowitzki---you mean they want TWO of those???? wtf??
It's not that he can't play there, it's that he's more comfortable spotting up on the wing. The guy's a black Dirk Nowitzki.
Haha, that's true. Damp's trade value is right there with Beno's.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
