http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/86471_sonx11.shtml Just says Walt Williams may be working out this week for the Sonics. Walt is a free agent so it doesn't have to do with Rashard. The article also says Rashard is deciding between Seattle and Dallas. No mention of Rockets really in the article except that Walt may be working out there.
did someone just say Lewis for the Wizard? No? Okay, nevermind. But seriously, I will be kind of disappointed if Lewis signs with the Mavericks. Because, in all likelihood that means the Rockets could have signed him for the MCE, but they just didn't offer it. I'm not saying I would be angry, just kind of disappointed that they would pass on such an opportunity.
Maybe the Rockets think there just isn't enough ball to go around and Rashard would need the big bucks after he came here. Maybe Rice looks that good for now and Nachbar has that much potential...
True, but other teams like the Mavericks and Kings don't seem to mind trying to keep adding talent to their already stocked rosters...and these are teams who are already good. If Nachbar is as good as advertised, what would be so wrong about having him come off the bench as a sixth man in the future? Right now, the only proven small forward we have is a geriatric...we're not exactly loaded at the position. Plus, I think Lewis could play some 2-guard to give Mobley some rest during games. I just can't see why the Rockets wouldn't even offer the MCE.
Don't get me wrong, I agree. But the Rockets snubbed Rashard on draft day, and maybe this is pay back time and Dallas is close enough to Houston for him. It's all speculation. I would offer him a deal though. Maybe privately they have, and they are saving face by not doing so in public.
Forget about Lewis. He's not coming home. He's about the money. If he signs with the Mavs, that means the owner has an "agreement" with Lewis for a big payday later. The Rockets can't afford it later. That's the fact. Lewis for the MCE is nice but that won't last long. He might sign for 1 year and go for payday again. So you have Lewis for 1 year and then he's gone. Might make the team better for 1 year but that puts the development of our potential SF starter back 1 year. I think a Rice/Nachbar/T-Mo rotation is good enough (assuming Rice is back from injury). Besides, if Nachbar is as good as advertised then the Rockets won't need Lewis. Now if Seattle takes a sign and trade for our scraps, that's another story. No, Griffin is NOT on the table. Not for Lewis.
I'm an admitted conspiracy theorist... perhaps Seattle has called bluff and Rashard and his agent did not blink "coveting" the Dallas offer. Given Cuban's fickleness, I doubt Lewis and his agent are counting on the down the road MAX, and Seattle's reluctance to let Rashard simply walk, leads us to both parties, Lewis and the Sonics, interest in working a deal with the Rox... and now the Wizard is working out in Seattle. I'm not a capologist, and I know Lewis is BYC player. Wouldn't a free agent with interest in Seattle provide flexibility to in bridging the monies needed to work a deal. He's basically the plug factor, as in "we need $XX worth of salary to make this deal work, call Walt's agent and make him the offer". I'm also aware that a third team (sub cap) would have to be involved in order to work the deal, but wouldn't Walt's willingness for a S&T (if there is interest)to Seattle help and not hinder a potential deal? Perhaps MO-T (who I like on this team) should start packing his bags, he's going with the Wizard to the Great Northwest, where the basketball is horrible and the Sonics marketing department is busy and will be working up those new "LeBron James" billboards.
How do you know Lewis wouldn't take a lot less money if it meant playing for Houston and being near friends and family? It seems like that always been a dream of his. The only "fact" that I see is that Lewis wants a lot of money to stay in Seattle...that's all. Maybe the same thing applies to playing for Houston, but I don't see how you could say it is a fact. Oh yeah, and about Lewis signing for one year. He wouldn't do that because he couldn't obtain his Bird Rights going that route, which means it wouldn't be possible for him to get a big payday. If he signs for the MCE anywhere it will be for three years.
I believe it's been established that Rashard would rather go to Dallas before Houston because Mark Cuban is a stinking rich guy that flaunts his money around wooing Rashard and promising him the potential of getting the MAX in the future after playing for MCE money. Cuban is probably the only owner in the league that doesn't flinch at the Luxury Tax so he probably would be willing to pay Lewis. Les Alexander wouldn't even consider it, and I don't blame him when you've got a Boki in the wings.
I can understand Rashard feeling jerked around. Seattle made promises, Seattle's short-changing on those promises. And yet the offer from the Sonics is fair. (The $15 million in potential bonuses is kinda funny though: plenty of good players don't make the All-Star team, and some iffy players get there.) I can't help but wonder if sign-and-trades are being explored with other teams (not necessarily Houston), and everything kept hush. And if Walt were involved in a sign-and-trade for Rashard, Walt would have to take $1.9 million per year, and we would have to get a trade exception involved, or a third or fourth team... Rashard should probably just sign that contract. Of course, if he keeps getting better (learns to pass, defend, etc) then I'm wrong. Too bad Seattle had to lie to him two years ago (you're our franchise player) in order to keep him around.
That's not true at all. Rashard himself said that he preferred Dallas over Houston, so there was no way he was going to play for the Rockets. I hope people don't get into this "The Rockets could have added Rashard and didn't offer him anything" or "other teams are adding talent, but not the Rockets when they could have gotten Lewis" because it isn't true. Lewis said he thought the Mavs were a better team then the Rockets, and they wouldn't sign with the Rockets straight-up, just in sign-and-trade. So tell me, would you trade Griffin for Lewis? Because that's the only way the Rockets are getting him. He's only considering signing with the Mavs because he views them as a title contender for right now.
Because HE SAID SO! His agent said he would come to Houston in a sign-and-trade. They are not interested in signing a MCE. That was posted in this thread about a week or two ago. That's a fact. The only reason he would sign with Dallas is if Dallas offers him a big payday and they're title contenders. He doesn't want to come to Houston, so don't blame the Rockets for not signing a player who didn't want to come.
You have to take that with a grain of salt. He said that when Cuban was practically in his pants trying to get him to sign with the Mavs while Houston didn't even appear to be showing any interest in him. Someone asked him who he would rather play for, Houston or Dallas? Of course he's going to say Dallas! What would he have to gain by saying Houston? You really believe if he had a straight-up choice between Dallas and Houston he would choose Dallas? Especially after he has mentioned several times that he would like to play in Houston? And after how devestated he was after not being picked by the Rockets in the draft? I have a hard time believing it, but maybe you're right. I just don't believe much of what I read or hear, especially when we're talking about free agent negotiations. It's all about posturing.
Well, if you're going to take what an agent says as fact, there's not much I can argue with here. Personally, I don't take it seriously at all.
The agent said that the only way that Lewis would be a Rocket is in a sign-and-trade. Lewis said that he thought that Dallas was a better organization then Houston. Both have said that only Dallas and Seattle are true options right now. Seattle has said they would only trade Lewis to Houston for Eddie Griffin. How is any of this the Rockets fault, and the Rockets not wanting Lewis. And what makes you think Lewis REALLY wants to be a Rocket when he barely mentions Houston, even after meeting with CD?
<b>You have to take that with a grain of salt. He said that when Cuban was practically in his pants trying to get him to sign with the Mavs while Houston didn't even appear to be showing any interest in him. Someone asked him who he would rather play for, Houston or Dallas? Of course he's going to say Dallas! What would he have to gain by saying Houston? </b> How can you say that Houston hasn't shown any interest. They have talked to his agent. His agent has said that the ONLY way he could become a Rocket is in a trade. He has SAID that! The only way the Rockets could get Lewis is trade Griffin. How can you take it with a grain of salt when the Rockets have shown interest in him, but he would only become a Rocket in a sign and trade? What else can the Rockets do? If they don't trade for him you and other will say they had no interest in him. If they do trade for him we'll have a mutiny because the Rockets traded Eddie Griffin! <b>You really believe if he had a straight-up choice between Dallas and Houston he would choose Dallas? Especially after he has mentioned several times that he would like to play in Houston? And after how devestated he was after not being picked by the Rockets in the draft? </b> Yes I do think he would choose Dallas. He said himself that he thought Dallas was the better organization. He lists Dallas as the only other team he is talking to, and Dallas is in Texas near his family and a current title contender. Look all I'm going on is what is reported and what he and his agent have said. And they have shown NO interest in Houston other then a sign-and-trade. If he seriously wanted to be Rocket he would have the door to negotiations as open for Houston as it is for Dallas. And he wouldn't talk about how much better Dallas is then Houston. That's the sure way to turn off a potential negotiation.
I am going to miss his mad rapping skills. Walt was a very streaky shooter, still one of my favorites though. I used to really like him when he was on Sacramento back in the mid 90's, he could light it up from outside on NBA Live 95. Peace Out Playa.
