http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news/ap/20010725/ap-blazers-spurstrade.html Anderson: Spurs' disloyalty prompted trade to Blazers AP Photo More Photos By LANDON HALL AP Sports Writer July 25, 2001 PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Derek Anderson says the San Antonio Spurs lied to him. The team said he broke his word about re-signing with them. No matter what was promised to whom, Anderson is now with the Portland Trail Blazers. Anderson was traded to the Blazers on Wednesday for Steve Smith in an exchange of shooting guards, a deal brought on when Anderson rejected a six-year, $42 million offer from the Spurs last week and immediately committed to Portland. ``My loyalty is with the people who are going to be loyal to me,'' Anderson said during a news conference at the Rose Garden. The Spurs also included guard Steve Kerr in the deal, which will pay Anderson $48 million over six years. Anderson signed a one-year deal last season for $2.25 million, with the understanding that he would be rewarded with a long-term contract starting in the $8 million range. Team officials said they had a verbal agreement from Anderson to accept their offer last week. Anderson, however, was insulted that the deal wasn't fully guaranteed in the final season. When team officials gave him a deadline of 2 p.m. Friday, he and agent Tony Dutt committed to Portland. ``I just think they're in a situation where they have to look at themselves in the mirror and say, `What in the world were we thinking?' Because I did nothing negative to them,'' Anderson said of the Spurs. ``I don't buy into the `Aw, it's a business, people lie to you.' You don't have to lie to me; tell me the truth and move on.'' In a separate news conference in San Antonio, Spurs assistant general manager R.C. Buford responded, ``Contract negotiations in team sports happen all the time, and I'm not sure that anything here happened differently than they would most places.'' Before the sign-and-trade deal was struck Wednesday, Anderson was prepared to accept the Blazers' mid-level salary-cap exception, which would have paid him $33.8 million over six years -- far less than what he stood to earn with the Spurs. San Antonio reportedly didn't want to make the trade but risked getting nothing in return for Anderson. Now they get Smith, whose knees are questionable and who lost his starting job to Bonzi Wells last season. Smith also had been pushing the Blazers for a contract extension, on top of the $19 million he's due to earn over the next two years. When he heard that Blazers general manager Bob Whitsitt was courting Anderson, Smith demanded to be traded. ``I'm happy to get the chance to go to the Spurs,'' Smith said Wednesday. ``When you get traded or ask to be traded, you never now where you are going to end up. If you had to pick an organization or a team that fits for me and what I stand for, the Spurs were right there on the top of my list.'' Buford added, ``We're thrilled that this has happened. It's another piece that puts us right back in contention for a championship.'' Smith averaged 13.6 points last season and seemed to play better after going to the bench. He regained his starting spot after Wells injured his left knee late in the season, but the Blazers stumbled to an 8-17 record in the final six weeks, capped by a three-game playoff sweep by the Los Angeles Lakers. Anderson nearly became a Blazer last summer, when he was leaving the Los Angeles Clippers as a free agent. But the deal fell through and Anderson signed with the Spurs. Anderson said he didn't forget how honest Whitsitt was during their talks. ``He was very up-front and stuck by me, and I think that's why I came,'' Anderson said. He averaged 15.5 points last season, and his outside shot improved. A career 28 percent shooter from 3-point range before last season, he made nearly 40 percent of his 3-pointers in 2000-01. Anderson likely will start at shooting guard for the Blazers, with Wells backing him up after he recovers from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Kerr, who has two years left on a contract that pays him $2.4 million a year, will be the third-string point guard, behind Damon Stoudamire and Erick Barkley. ------------------ My doctor says I am bipolar. I am going to get a second opinion. I have never had intimate desires for polar bears.
Anderson knows a thing or two about loyalty. He played a year at Ohio State and then transferred because he didn't get along with his teammates. That's loyalty!
Gosh . . . he is the most hated man in San Antonio right now. ------------------ I'm looking for a job, so hire me "And I just have to smile and say 'well, I hope so' while I'm really thinking inside how I'd like to just strangle them and take their job."
Here's the ESBN.com story I found on the Spurs board. A lot more realistic Inspired by: sports.espn.go.com/sports...Id=5584393 Anderson: Spurs' disloyalty to his fragile ego prompted trade to Blazers Disassociated Press PORTLAND, Ore. (DP) _ Derek Anderson whines about the San Antonio Spurs not being loyal to him. The team said he broke his word about re-signing with them, but that they're glad the loud mouth's ass will be relegated to riding pine for 28 minutes a night in the Great Northwest. No matter what was promised to whom, Anderson is now with the dysfunctional Portland Trail Blazers. Anderson was traded to the Blazers on Wednesday for Steve "8 Ball" Smith in an exchange of shooting for the big money guards, a deal brought on when the crybaby Anderson rejected a six-year, $42 million offer from the Spurs last week and immediately committed to Microsoft. ``My loyalty is with the people who are going to be loyal to me and Chase Bank Account #098538653,'' Anderson said during a news conference at the Rose Colored Glasses Garden. The Spurs also reluctantly included team mascot Steve Kerr in the deal, which will overpay Anderson $48 million over six years. Anderson signed a one-year deal last season for $2.25 million, with his misguided understanding that he would be handed a long-term contract starting in the $8 million range and pampered like the star he isn't. Team officials said they had a verbal agreement from Anderson to accept their offer last week, but quickly tired of seeing him pissing and moaning on local San Antonio TV and now could care less. Anderson, however, was insulted that he was not treated like the franchise player and had his ego stroked daily, instead of weekly as Spurs officials did since the free agency period began on July 1. When team officials bored of his antics and gave him a deadline of 2 p.m. Friday, he and agent Tony Dutt committed to Brewster's Millions. ``I just think they're in a situation where they have to look at themselves in the mirror and say, `What in the world were we thinking? We did not allow him to perform the Rear Admiral on us.' Because I did nothing negative to them, I'm just going to complain about them like every other team that has run me off'' Anderson said of the Spurs. ``I don't buy into the `Aw, it's a business, people lie to you.' You don't have to tell the truth to me; tell me a lie and kiss my ring.'' In a separate news conference in San Antonio, Spurs assistant general manager R.C. Buford responded, ``Contract negotiations in team sports happen all the time, and I'm not sure that anything here happened differently than they would most places. It's rather unfortunate that we were dealing with a cream puff who can't stand the fact that we judge him by his game instead of his mouth.'' Before the "disloyal" Spurs agreed to the sign-and-trade deal on Wednesday that gave his skinny ass $48 million guaranteed, the fragile Anderson was prepared to accept the Blazers' mid-level salary-cap exception, which would have paid him $33.8 million over six years - far less than what he stood to earn with the Spurs or what he would've gotten if the Spurs were so evil as he claims. San Antonio reportedly could give a !@#$ less at this time for Anderson. Now they get Smith, whose knees are questionable, but won't demand 25 shots a game, and who lost his starting job to Bonzi "Aunt Jemina" Wells last season. Smith also had been pushing Daddy Warbucks for a contract extension, on top of the $19 million he's due to earn over the next two years. When he heard that Blazers general manager Bob Whitsitt was courting yet another overhyped talent in Anderson, Smith demanded to be traded from the Portland Institute for the Mentally Fragile. ``I'm happy to get the chance to get the hell out of here,'' Smith said Wednesday. ``When you get traded or ask to be traded, you never know where you are going to end up. If you had to pick an organization or a team that fits for me and what I stand for, the (insert NBA team name here) were right there on the top of my list. ``We're thrilled that this has happened. It's another piece that puts us right back in contention for a championship.'' Said someone who the original paid reporter forgot to credit. Smith averaged 13.6 points last season and seemed to play better after going to the bench and playing cards with Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon, and Shawn Kemp. He regained his starting spot after Wells !@#$ed up his left knee late in the season, but Team Money Tree disintinegrated to an 8-17 record in the final six weeks, capped by a three-game playoff sweep by the Los Angeles Lakers that everyone saw coming for 2 weeks beforehand. Anderson nearly finagled his way into becoming a Blazer last summer, when he was leaving the Los Angeles Clippers as a free agent. But the big moiney didn't materialize and Anderson decided to sign with the Spurs and extort them this summer. Anderson said he didn't forget how honest Whitsitt was during their talks about how much Portland likes to overpay their players. ``His cash was very up-front. That's why I came,'' Anderson said. He averaged 15.5 points last season, and his outside shot improved with the open looks he is less likely to find in PTown. A career 28 percent shooter from 3-point range before last season, he made nearly 40 percent of his 3-pointers in 2000-01 with Tim Duncan and David Robinson drawing attention inside. Expect Anderson's shooting percentages to drop and him to revert to Clipper form next season. Anderson likely will start at shooting guard for the Blazers, with Wells backing him up and then relegating DA to the bench after he recovers from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Kerr, who has two years left on a contract that pays him $2.4 million a year, will be the third-string point guard, behind Damon Stoudamire and Erick Barkley, and will now have courtside seats to 41 games at the Rose Garden a year, unless the Blazers decide to show their trademark "loyalty" and dump him on whoever. ------------------ Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! The Mo Taylor Fan Site
Anderson acts like the Spurs lowballed him with a ridiculous contract, they didn't. The Spurs offered to give him a 5 year contract instead of a 6 year contract, which is still to long a contract for a guy who isn't a superstar like Derek Anderson, and they offered him more then any team on the market! The Spurs didn't have to sign and trade him to the Blazers for a huge payday. What is he whining about!? ------------------ "Instruments are like women: After a while, you want to make love to another." - Nicolas Godin of the musical duo Air [This message has been edited by RocksMillenium (edited July 26, 2001).]
That ESBN article is hilarious Cat! ------------------ "Instruments are like women: After a while, you want to make love to another." - Nicolas Godin of the musical duo Air
Interesting situation going on between DA and the Spurs about who's lying and who did or didn't promise what. DA is taking most of the heat and is deserving of most of it. He doesn't seem like the same person he projected during the season. On the other hand,this isn't the first time a Spur free agent has claimed Pop reneged on a promise to take care of a player(see Vinny Del Negro--who also had a "good guy" reputation). Coincidence or is Pop a Krause wanna be? Anyway, it's amazing how much Spurs discussion goes on here. More than I've seen on some Spurs' sites. ------------------
BK- I was so glad Anderson transferred from OSU. At the time he was too good for the program. Randy Ayers had recruited the biggest bunch of trash ever assembled to be an OSU basketball team. Don't get me wrong I love OSU but the crap that Ayers put beside him on the court was ridiculous. Guys shooting at each other, stealing from cars, beating up girlfriends, etc. I was so glad to get Ayers out of here and to welcome Jim O'Brien who cleaned up the program and made it a respectable program again.
And he found a problem with the Cavs, then the Spurs... ------------------ It's a cool site, this clutchcity.net
Yes. In the end, he got his money. The Spurs clearly did not want him back at his asking price. ------------------ It's a cool site, this clutchcity.net
Sweet. Didn't know that was you. So I take it you're Spurs Fan on the Spurs BBS? ------------------ Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! The Mo Taylor Fan Site
Cool. See, unlike what some of those guys believe, we Rocket fans aren't all bad. ------------------ "Do you know what nemesis means? 'A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent'. Personified, in this case, by a horrible c***: ME." - Brick Top, Snatch
