I just checked out 610's website and although they reference Thursday 10/30, they reference what I heard on the radio. website link: http://www.sportsradio610.com/ From the SportsRadio 610 News Room... Thursday, October 30, 2003 3:30 P.M. . All Rockets last night at Toyota Center in their season opener. A balanced attack resulted in a 102-85 route of the Nuggets as all five starters reached double figures. Cuttino Mobley led the way with 21 while Yao Ming added 19 and Steve Francis 17. Kelvin Cato chipped in with 10 points, 13 rebounds and Mo Taylor scored 10 off the bench. A crowd of 18,189 turned out and went home happy as the Rockets reached 100 points, so everyone gets free Big Macs. Rockets host the Grizzlies tomorrow night on SportsRadio 610 beginning at 7. . The Rockets will not be picking up the final year of Eddie Griffin's contract.
Should Griffin even be thinking about basketball right now? But the Rockets are doing a bonehead move. They are showing a firm stand at in the future could be interpreted negatively by Eddie when he come up for a huge contract.
so this means Eddie's contract is only through this season, after which he will be an unrestricted free agent, but we will still hold his bird rights, correct?
Can we get some of our CBA experts to comment on the ramifications of this move such as: 1. Do we have any bird rights on him? 2. Will there be max figures he'll be eligible for? 3. Will we still have the best deal available to him next year? 4. If he recovers and does well,are we still in the best position to re-sign him? I know some of this was addressed in another thread dealing with expansion draft,but it would be helpful here as well.
We retain his Bird rights but I believe it will be based on his first year's salary. The key is though, is he going to be a restricted or unrestricted FA??
I'm thinking this is probably the right move by the Rockets for the following reasons: 1. TEAM - JVG has this group of guys playing like we've never seen before. The team concept seems to be clicking with ALMOST all the guys. Eddie's latest escapades don't exactly follow inline with the TEAM first concept. 2. EDDIE'S FUTURE - If Eddie does decide to return to the game, he's going to have to prove himself to JVG, the team and to the league. His future $$$ depends on his performance from here on out. There are no gaurantees (if I'm thinking correctly) after this year.
Well, looks like Eddie is back on the Clutch City front page after an 8 hour absence.... http://www.clutchfans.net/index.cfm
Ok, just double checked everything according to RealGM: 1) We will have Bird rights on EG but if we were to resign him under this exception, it would be based on his 1st year rookie salary. 2) We CAN use our MLE on him though, which would allow us to offer him more money. 2) EG will be an UNrestricted FA this summer
Eddie really let this thing slip off his grasp!!Will he still be able to play this season and hopefully that it will be a wake up call for him!!
Hopefully, Eddie will come back after a few months, show us that he can be a productive rotation player and then get signed for two to four years for 2-3 million a year or whatever he's making now.
1. The time posted still reads an hour ahead - 6:45 2. Live and learn - Eddie will probably not be missed. Lets just hope he can get his life together....
I think this could potentially end up being a great move. After the season the Rockets can re-sign Eddie to a cheap long-term contract while his value is at an all time low and noone else wants him. If he can someday reach his potential, the Rockets will have him at a bargain price. If the Rockets had extended his contract a year, Eddie might have a break out season next year after getting his life back together and the Rockets would have to shell out big bucks to re-sign him. This is only if the Rockets can resign Eddie. If they can't, then this ends up being a bonehead move.
Not many people who doesn't want to play basketball came back to become a stud. Griffin isn't head and shoulder above other PFs in the west. He is overrated by Rockets fan. In fact, he's one of the least talented PFs in West Conference. Every team in West has equal or better talented PFS except maybe Seatle and Utah. I think Rockets will not regret the move.
This is a good move. Griffin will be lucky to get back into the JVG rotation this year even if and when he comes back. Who will offer a big contract to a guy who didn't play the year before?? Not that many... Cato does just as well as Griffin does on defense, rebounding and blocking shots. The added benefit is Cato only takes shots he can make while Griffin never met a shot he could make!! I wish Griffin all the best and I hope the Rockets can keep him even though he is an UNrestricted FA, but a change of scenery might be best for him personally.
Im glad the Rockets made this move. Its Eddie's loss. I hope he can get things straight in his life and then sign with the Rockets this summer.
