Looks like Stern was even tougher than expected. No picks for FIVE years...AND Smith's contract is voided. I can't see how they can even build a team around someone as good as Garnett now. They'd be best off looking to trade him and rebuild that way...imagine what they'd get for him.... NEW YORK, Oct. 25 — The National Basketball Association today announced that Commissioner David Stern has taken the following actions based upon an arbitrator's ruling on Monday that the Minnesota Timberwolves, Joe Smith, and agent Eric Fleisher entered into a secret agreement in violation of the NBA's salary cap rules: directed the forfeiture of Minnesota's own first-round draft picks in the 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 NBA Drafts; fined the team $3.5 million; and voided the player contract between Smith and the Timberwolves for the 2000-01 season, along with all contracts previously entered into by Smith and the team. ------------------
In relation to the Rockets, assuming the Bucks are a better team than these Wolves, that makes their pick (and if we're better, our own) one slot higher. Anyone know what the league would do if the Wolves were lottery bound? Would there only be 12 "lottery" teams? ------------------ The Serious Police are watching. Follow the rules or be assimilated. Shandon is underrated.
Oh my god! I think you're right. They'd have to trade Garnett so that they can start again. They are screwed. ------------------ Rockets Draft Obligations Summary http://www.gaffordstudios.cjb.net/
I know it sounds extreme to even say the words "trade Garnett"...but what other options do they have? I am talking long term here. No doubt KG will cop this on the chin and have a huge MVP like season...but he will get frustrated no doubt in the long term when the Wolves simply cannot be a contender. There's only two ways to build...the draft and FA. No free agents who could put them at a championship level will play their (climate + small market)...and now they have no first round draft picks for five years... Think about that. Where would we be without our picks for the last five years? No Dickerson...thus no Francis. No Francis...doubt Mo Taylor comes here, doubt Cat stays...you get the point. It means we'd be rock bottom. The Wolves still have Garnett...so that's their one HUGE ace still up their sleeve. Like I said, no doubt at all KG will have a MVP like season... In a year or two however, man is he going to be frustrated watching the Finals and not even be close to getting a shot at it. ------------------
I guess the League really is serious about these cap violation/secret contract stuff. ------------------ Houston Sports Board
WOW! I saw them break it on ESPN earlier.... looks like GM Kevin McHale may be suspended as well. What a blow to the TWolves ------------------ "UNBEATABLE"
With Sealy's death and now this the T'Wolves are done. ------------------ please venture to atheistalliance and rocketsonline I AM SPARTACUS Bush and Gore make me want to Ralph votenader.com
If they trade KG (unthinkable!) then will they try to get 5 future first round draft picks for him as well as some decent players? ------------------
Can you say Clippers of the North? ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know.
When I first heard about the ruling I thought it was a bit excessive. But after thinking about it for a bit, I think it was the right ruling by Stern. First of all, the Written agreement has GOT TO BE the stupidest thing ANY human being could have done. DUMB DUMB DUMB. The Wolves and Joe Smith deserve what they got just for being so damn dumb. Secondly, it sends a STRONG message to other teams in the league that this type of stuff wont be tolerated and in essence wont happen again. Kinda levels the playing field a bit. Of course, there have been 'wink' agreements before. Agreements not written down. I am sure it has been done here before and Currently. But to actually commit this to paper is just beyond the realm of stupidity. Trading KG might not be that far fetched an idea. A couple years ago they had Marbury, Gugliotta, etc.. Now they have Garnett and no picks. It will be hard to rebuild like that. If they can somehow get a load of first rounders and some GOOD players in return for KG, I think they should seriously look at it. The good thing about trading him is that his salary is SOOO huge that it will take a lot of players to come within the 15% so that MIGHT make it easier to work a deal with a DEEP team. (Portland,etc...) ------------------ "Her Box Started Buzzing Ever Since She Heard The CRÜE"
Somehow I think NY is going to come ahead in all of this. Too bad the Rockets are in the same division. ------------------ "Everyone I know has a big but... come on Simone, let's talk about your but."
It also gives teams the agents the upper hand in negotiations.... they tell their player to sign on for the exception and get his pay-check down the track; just say the player doesn't work out and the team doesn't want to pay up, the agent can then cry foul - " you promised if we signed now we'd receive compensation later" Then the team gets slaughtered by the league..... ------------------
This is horrible. I feel awful for the Wolves and their fans. I mean, to think they had Gugliotta, Marbury, and Garnett all on the team and a wonderful future ahead... damn. Googs left because of Marbury, Marbury leaves to go home. I believe the contract voiding is fair, and the fine. Maybe even the suspension. But my god, five first round picks? That's the only shot they have for rebuilding! They are taking away the team's ability to compete. And man, did they ever have some sweet drafts, landing the likes of Marbury and Garnett in a couple of years. I think it is Stern's style to really crash down on people to make an example of them. This was just too much. I wish they could at least have their draft picks.
Smith loses millions on this deal because his potential Bird rights with the Twolves are gone and I just don't see him as a player that teams will throw the max at next summer. The Wolves got too harsh a penaly because forfeiting just three future first round picks would still have gotten the attention of every team in the league. Mango ------------------ Test Your NBA Trade Ideas 1. Put new topics in the proper forum. Things happening in the rest of the NBA 2. Use clear wording for new threads. 3. No duplicate threads 4. Conduct yourself as an adult. The Serious Police are watching. Donate Blood or be assimilated!
I understand the Commish was trying to be strict, but crippling an entire franchise to set an example seems a bit harsh to me. I understand the cataclismic stupidity to put the contract in writing, but damn. They've essentially turned Minnesota into an expansion team again, except with an enormous cap-killing contract and every agent in the league(maybe even David Falk) wary of doing business with them. Trading Garnett may seem like a good alternative, but who has the players/draft picks/cap space to do this trade? If you are gonna trade a young MVP candidate, then you'd better get a bunch of high draft picks and a few good young players. This ain't an old veteran they're trading away with only one or two good years left in him. This is a guy who will be an MVP candidate for the next ten years. Minnesota is better off with him. Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't fathom a deal that works out to Minnesota's advantage by trading Garnett. It wouldn't surprise me to see Minnesota have an excellent year this year, playing with an "us against the world" attitude. It also wouldn't suprise me to see the T'Wolves try and parlay a couple of their players like Brandon and Sczerbiak into a late-lotto pick or two. ------------------ Who would've thought Don Nelson would pass up Olumide Oyedeji not once, not twice, but thrice? [This message has been edited by Puedlfor (edited October 25, 2000).]
I went to the NBA.com site and noticed that the Twolves had traded away their 1st round pick in 2000 to Toronto. The Raptors took Mo Peterson with that draft choice. So that will make a total of 6 years without a first round draft choice. Mango ------------------ Test Your NBA Trade Ideas 1. Put new topics in the proper forum. Things happening in the rest of the NBA 2. Use clear wording for new threads. 3. No duplicate threads 4. Conduct yourself as an adult. The Serious Police are watching. Donate Blood or be assimilated!
Agreed Puedlfor...Minnesota IS better off with Garnett. Any team would be... The question that will have to answered with time equates to "is Garnett better off with Minnesota?" I think the answer that will beome increasingly "NO"... At that point, will KG want to stay? I just doubt he will... ------------------
Can anyone tell me why Minnesota would be so desperate to throw that kind of money at Smith anyways? I checked out NBA.com, and his stats over the last couple of years aren't a whole lot better than our two backup PF's, Kenny and 'Los. I can't see either of those two guys getting $90 million contracts. I agree that the penalty seems way too stiff. I mean, Stern basically vomited all over this franchise. KG has a lot of long cold winters ahead. ------------------ [This message has been edited by Lobo (edited October 25, 2000).] [This message has been edited by Lobo (edited October 25, 2000).]
I read somewhere that Garnett's next contract culd be 283 million over 7. But, I think he is gone also. That franchise is basically wrecked over the next 5-7 years. The team can only get older or less talented. Bad news for the wolves, but good news for us. ------------------ "I know how hard it is to put food on your family." George W. Bush
