Webber plots course of action He wants decks cleared before island vacation July 5, 2001 BY PERRY A. FARRELL FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER Free-agent forward Chris Webber plans to make some decisions in a few days. Like which NBA teams he'd visit, since he's probably the No. 1 free agent available and has a chance to make the maximum of $121 million. After staying relatively quiet for about five weeks, Webber called a reporter at the Sacramento Bee on Monday and said he'd like to end this drama as soon as possible and escape to Jamaica for some rest and relaxation and to get away from all the questions. He also plans to write a book with a Sacramento reporter, in which he'll likely discuss his current dilemma: whether to leave the Kings for the Eastern Conference, join the Houston Rockets, or return to the West Coast. "Everybody has an opinion, even people at the airport," the former University of Michigan star said. Webber is lying low in Detroit and plans to visit the Pistons soon. He supposedly is being mentally pulled in a number of directions: Pistons team president Joe Dumars is one of Webber's childhood heros, and former Piston Isiah Thomas coaches the Indiana Pacers, for whom former U-M teammate Jalen Rose plays. The Pacers don't have the money to sign Webber and would have to be part of a sign-and-trade, but they could be one of Webber's options. The Pistons have the money, but probably are another player or two from being able to challenge for the Eastern Conference title. Webber has said he's ready to make the next step to the NBA Finals. He has mentioned New York as a team of choice. Orlando isn't expected to make a push, as the Magic already has wined and dined Toronto's Antonio Davis, who has built a home in the Orlando area, and Marc Jackson, a center from Golden State in whom the Pistons also have interest. While Orlando already has entertained two potential free agents -- the Magic knocked on Davis' door at 12:01 a.m. Sunday -- the Pistons are waiting for their first opportunity. They hope Webber will be one of the visitors. "Chris has the ability to put us over the top," Dumars said. "I've known Chris for a while, and we'll talk." Webber has the city of Sacramento anxiously awaiting his decision. The Kings owners even have promised to mow his lawn if he returns. When the Pistons played in Sacramento, Webber said, "I really don't know what I want to do. This is a big decision because I'd like to be wherever I'm going for the next seven years and finish my career there." Webber, who is not using an agent, has solicited the assistance of his brother, Jeffrey. WAITING: The Pistons sent letters to about a dozen free agents, and to their agents as well. Included in that group were letters to their own free agents: Corliss Williamson, Joe Smith, Billy Owens, Brian Cardinal, and Dana Barros. Williamson is the key player the organization wants back. http://www.freep.com/sports/pistons/piston5_20010705.htm It looks to me that Webber best and maybe only option to get the hell out of Sacramento is to come to Houston and win or just stay in Sacramento and also win but not the title. ------------------ "Instinctly u recognize things,now take advantage of what u just recognized!".. Hakeem..
The only way we would be able to get Webber is to break up our current team. ------------------ "Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat!" - Jesse Ventura
I was just watching NBA Today and they have reported that Mo Taylor and Anderson are opting out of there contract and leaving Houston. Maybe this is the same news we already know or maybe something maybe finalized with Webber and the Rockets are letting these to go in order to get Webber. ------------------ "Instinctly u recognize things,now take advantage of what u just recognized!".. Hakeem..
They already opted out a little while ago, but there's no indication of them leaving. Typical NBA Analyst BS. ------------------ CC.net's most courteous driver Oh yeah, and I'm looking for a job right now, so hire me please
They didnt opt out of their contracts in order to leave, they opted out of their last year player options so they could get more money or a better contract Are you sure NBA Today said they were leaving? That goes against everything the two players have stated recently. Mo likes Houston. ------------------
Breaking our team apart would be losing Stevie, Mobley or Griffin. Hakeem is too old to be a part of our future, and everyone else pretty much an interchangable piece. Thus entertaining Webber as a FA, or signing him via this route, in no way potentialy breaks our team apart.
I think it was just bad reporting. It is hard to tell since now things seem to be changing toward the Rockets getting Webber. ------------------ "Instinctly u recognize things,now take advantage of what u just recognized!".. Hakeem..
I'm assuming that if Webber comes here it would be via sign-and-trade. And NBA Today is horrible, the reason they opted out of their contract is because you're not allowed to talk to or negotiate with other teams while you're under contract. That's tampering and NBA Today should know that! ------------------ "Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat!" - Jesse Ventura
No, if Webber comes here it is via FA. It looks like us and SA are the only teams Webber could join via FA where he would be on a better team than the one he is on. And SA at a minimum would lose D Rob if they manover for Webber. Tradewise, we can't compete with what other teams have to offer (Orlando, Indiana, NY)-because there is absolutely no way Francis, Mobes or Griffin will be traded.
Remember, if the Rockets want C-Webb in Houston and Webber wants to play in the Rockets PJs, we have the cap room to sign him outright and not pull a sign and trade with the Kings. Although a sign and trade might actually happen if we land C-Webb so the Rockets can dump salary, enabling them to pursue other free agents. ------------------
Actually a sign and trade for Webber might actually be good for us. we could send them KT, Cato and a draft pick for taking Cato. That would give them some value for their loss (KT and a 1st) and get Cato off of our hands freeing up salery for us to resign Dream and Mooch. Of course if Webber really wants to come here they would except that or loose C-Webb for nothing. ------------------
Ah, ok, I didn't know we would have that much caproom left if our FAs left. Hmm, this gets interesting! I'm hesitant about getting Webber with all the superstars, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't celebrate if we got him! ------------------ "Win if you can, lose if you must but always cheat!" - Jesse Ventura
Desert Scar is correct. We cannot compete with sign-and-trade deals. Let's see, Cato and KT or Croshere and Jermaine O'Neal. Hmmmm. To be fair, the article didn't quote Webber as picking Houston. The writer mentioned Houston. ------------------ How the hell should I know why God would allow the Holocaust. I don't even know how the electric can opener works. - from Hannah and Her Sisters
Crash, your logic works from our end, but not Sac. They would rather lose Webber for nothing and freeing up future cap space than saddling that salary slot mostly with Cato. KT (nice back up player) and a late #1 are not close to being worth that price. We are not going to do a S & T, because Sac would want a piece of our star potential big 3 players. Unless we involved one of those 3 (which we don't want to consider because we have the cap space out right), Sac can get better deals eslewhere. I guess it is possible Sac would consider a S & T with say Anderson, Taylor and Collier or Thomas + future picks (depending on if this meets the rules), but since we have the space we don't need to offer it. Why not keep our decent young players and picks and try for him out-right.
Jeff and D-Scar, I'm only saying we offer something to Sac if C-Webb makes his mind up that he is coming to Houston. We offer something that is benificial to us and if they don't like it then we take C-Webb outright and they get nothing. Having said that you are both right. After loosing C-Webb I can't see them taking on Cato's contract and screw their chances with a major free agent next year. But its a nice dream. ------------------
I am not sure if you can sign and trade two players but... Why wouldn't Sac take Mo Taylor and Walt Williams(makes around 5 million and in final year of contract) for CWeb? If I were Sac, I would do this instead of risk getting nothing in return for Webber. This helps us also since we get an additional 5 million knocked off our cap to resign Mooch, Bullard, and possibly another FA. ------------------
If Webber wants to come to Houston, they don't have the option of refusing what the Rockets package together in a sign and trade. Webber is in control, and the Kings either take on a nice backup(Kenny) and a player with one year left on his contract(Walt), or let him walk for nothing. By the way, O'Neal would not be traded if they dealed with Indiana. The problem with Indiana, is that they don't really have any bigmen that are attractive to Sac, and Sac is set at point,sg, and small forward, so Indy's plethora of wing players isn't that attractive to the Kings IMO. They WILL NOT take on Croshere's salary. Why the hell would they want to waste their capspace on a player that doesn't fit a need on their team? Unless Webber wants to go to Indiana and the Kings will accept a package of Jeff Foster and fillers, I think it's down to Sac and Houston. Does anybody know what players for the Pacers would need to be included in a sign and trade, not including O'Neal, to make it work capwise? ------------------ The Smurfs were Communists [This message has been edited by tacoma park legend (edited July 05, 2001).]
NBA Today said Anderson and Taylor were opting out of their contracts to leave Houston, but I'm sure that's just bad reporting. Whoever did the voice over on the story most likely just made a bad assumption. ------------------
