Tuesday, July 15, 2003 Clippers line up to leave By ART THOMPSON III The Orange County Register LOS ANGELES – Eric Piatkowski, the Clippers' career leader in three-point field goals, is on the verge of leaving the team as an unrestricted free agent. At least six teams have made serious inquiries about Piatkowski, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, who could make an offer today. Piatkowski, 32, has spent his entire nine-year NBA career with the Clippers. Despite missing 20 games last season, he led the team in three-point field goals made, with 80. But the Clippers have yet to make him a new contract offer. Clippers vice president Andy Roeser said last week his priority was to address the situation of the Clippers' top four restricted free agents before he dealt with Piatkowski. Meanwhile, Piatkowski's agent, Jeff Austin, has been fielding phone calls from numerous teams. "We've been talking pretty seriously with Cleveland,'' Piatkowski said Monday. "We'll see what happens. It would be great if I could make a decision by next week because my little girl is starting kindergarten this year and we'll have to know something, soon." Among the other teams that have expressed interest in Piatkowski are the New Jersey Nets and Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers also contacted Piatkowski, but with the recent commitments they received from Karl Malone and Gary Payton, their budget for acquiring another veteran is exhausted. The least Piatkowski could accept from any team would be the veteran's minimum of $1.070 million. "Everyone knows that my family and I love L.A.," Piatkowski said. "But I don't know what the Clippers are doing. They say that they want me, but that they aren't ready to make an offer yet." The Clippers could have to make a decision by Wednesday regarding guards Andre Miller and Corey Maggette, who likely will be presented with offer sheets. Both players are restricted free agents, which means that the Clippers would have 15 days to match any offers and retain the players. Miller reportedly has been offered a six-year, $55 million deal by the Denver Nuggets. Maggette, who has been wooed by several teams, reportedly has been offered $42 million over six years by the Nuggets. He also is considering an offer from the Utah Jazz. Forward Lamar Odom is scheduled to return today from New York and is lining up visits with Miami and San Antonio. The Denver Nuggets also have contacted Odom's agent, Jeff Schwartz. The Clippers' top priority is getting restricted free agent forward Elton Brand signed to an extension. The Clippers are set to offer him a six-year, $65 million contract. At least six teams have made serious inquiries about Piatkowski, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, who could make an offer today.
i dont get it. i thought we needed a shooter. I hope we are one of the 6 teams. Unless we have something else up our sleeve
for the dawson bashers... you were complaining about the contracts given to norris, cato, rice, and taylor. now the guy won't give a contract to anybody? wtf? maybe he's learned his lesson. if piatkowski and ollie are taking more lucrative offers from other teams, it shows where their priorities are. i wouldn't want players like that on the rockets team anyway. screw them if they sign elsewhere.
I really dont think that they are looking to make a major move. We have not heard anything up to this point and the free agent market officially opens tomorrow. I think that the Rockets are looking at what they have first and then maybe looking for a trade later on in the season as needs really show themselves. JVG may be able to get more out of the players and therefore they want to give that a shot. Just a thought.
Guys like Pike are a dime a dozen. Hell, we could take someone like Steve Kerr for much less. No reason to give 3rd tier FAs like Pike and Ollie millions of dollars when a Damon Jones type would be much more cost effective.
piatkowski and ollie have never shown signs of playing stupid or being out of shape for the season. norris, cato, rice, and taylor have played stupid and/or were out of shape. they also are likely to be more highly paid then piatkowski or ollie.
They may not be trying. So, either a big trade is in the wind or this is the greatest team aver assembled and just needed a new coaching staff/direction.
The likelyhood of the Rockets pulling an Ace out of their sleeves for a big FA is fading fast. In one of the richest FA markets ever, most of the big names have comitted to either their former teams or to title contenders. We have no official reports of any second tier FA's declaring Houston as an option. This leaves a lot of third tier FA's that are looking to sign for minimums. With JVG, who likes to play with a typical 8 man rotation, any scrub that signs would most likely be pined to the bench. The Rockets would probably rather opt to pass on signing anyone and save their dough for next year when Rice will be off the books as well. We should start looking towards next year's list of FA's.
We are going to have more trouble getting free agents next year than we have this year. Yes Glen Rice's contract comes off the books but Steve's Max kicks in along with whatever we'll be giving Posey. Then we'll have to decide whether to resign EG whom I'm hoping we won't let get away for nothing. We have pretty much screwed ourself out of the free agent market for the next few seasons and hopefully players like Mo, EG, and Posey can become near all-star caliber players.
Andre Miller is going to Denver...he will be signing the contract tomorrow... Corey Maggette is going to Utah, he will do the same, maybe not on Wednesday, but in the coming days.. i know , i live in Orange County... laaaate
Its just that Eric Piatkowski gets cable and watches sportscenter and he sees Francis not passing the ball. Since Francis's arrival the Rockets have been last in the league or near the bottom in team assists every year, freeagents know this, why would they want to be part of that? and about CD wising up and not giving out contracts to these lower level free agents. He really doesn't have a choice. He can't come up with even a decent offer or one that is close to another teams because of the ridiculous amount of money he owes Moochie, Cato, and Taylor for so many more years. At least Cato's contract should be coming off the books by now.
NJ makes the most sense. If they have any money left, they need to throw it at Pike. Somebody on that team has to be able to hit an outside shot.
Without a Roster Change and/or improvement will we expect more of the same or will a combination of JVG and experience carry us to win another 10 games? Will theWILL of JVG be enough to turn our present Guards into Team Players or will we have more Dribble Mania and selfish play like last season? The reason I pose these questions is that the chances of us making any significant Roster improvement is diminishing day by day. If we are sticking pat, then JVG will need to perform a Houdini like transformation of 'the greatest team ever assembled'.
I really would like to see the Rockets try to get Pike. I think he would add a lot to the team. Would be nice to bring off the bench and stretch defenses with his 3pt shot. Too bad the Rockets weren't mentioned as a team in the bidding. Wonder if they still are?
Your post is a little misleading, here's what si.com says: "Sharpshooter Eric Piatkowski may leave the Clippers to take a deal with Houston." I hope they're right.
