Interesting article on Gasol

Also this from Foxsports.com

Forward Pau Gasol of Spain is a near-cinch to remain in the draft.

If he's sure -- and there's little doubt he will be -- he'll be a Top 10 selection, he'll remain in the draft.

Whether he actually plays next season as rookie, though, depends on how early in the first round he is chosen (a top-five selection would do it). He needs to be selected in a slot that would enable him to make enough money to play off the $2.6 million it could cost to buy his way out of the final season of his contract in Spain.

Several teams are exploring possible deals that would move them higher up into the lottery and give them better shots at drafting him.

"If I were sitting at No. 5 (which Golden State is), I'd pick him," said one player personnel director.

Do you know what teams are these? Celtics and Rockets? Anyone more?

 

For anyone wanting to compare Gasol's economic decision:

2001-02 NBA Rookie Scale
Pick 1st Year
1 $3,081,200
2 $2,756,800
3 $2,475,700
4 $2,232,000
5 $2,021,200
6 $1,835,900
7 $1,675,900
8 $1,535,400
9 $1,411,300
10 $1,340,700

2002-03 NBA Rookie Scale
Pick 1st Year
1 $3,215,200
2 $2,876,600
3 $2,583,400

Remember that the CBA allows teams to pay up to 350k of the buyout. Maybe Rad Man's stock went up a little?


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Raef to Rock in '01-'02!

[This message has been edited by GATER (edited June 17, 2001).]

 

The interesting thing to me is the fact that Boston is not willing to package the #10 and #11 to move up. A different article in the Globe said the same thing yesterday. If that's true, then our #13 and #18 picks might be competitive with Boston's #10 and #21.

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How long do the Rockets (or any team) hold a players' draft rights? It almost seems advantageous to both the Rockets and Gasol to draft him, let him play out his one year contract with F.C. Barcelona and join the team in 2002-2003.

Unless I am wrong, there is a decided upside to this. Gasol's salary does not count this year when the Rocks want the compete for Webber and next years draft and FA markets appear to have less promise than this years.

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Raef to Rocks in '01-'02!


[This message has been edited by GATER (edited June 17, 2001).]

 

Teams like the Celtics/ Rockets have a big upper hand here with multiple first round picks. Because they could draft a guy like Gasol and wait a year for his contract to run out and still use other picks for immediate help. And unless you can pull a San Antonio of 97 where they got Duncan cuz Robinson was hurt and the team fell on their face, otherwise it would be such a waste of time in regards with nba experience, money and risky cuz with rookies u never know anyways. Out of the top 10 teams, GS, NJ, Cleveland, Detroit might be the only teams that will worth interest to draft him. However these 4 teams did not fall into the lottery for nothing, they were horrible and need to improve sooner than later. In addition though Gasol is fabulous, there are other amazing talents just like him in the draft, such as white, johnson, woods who are avaiable now. With this scenerio it would be very unlikely
(unless this guy is the real larry bird/Jordan) will be drafted top 10.

This draft being a pretty talented field, but still pretty risky picks(except a few like battier) i can totally see with exception (griffin, brown, curry) gone, 4-21 are players with similiar potential, in addition teams in that range don't have a sure pick and probably won't come draft day. Thus Boston or Houston can easily package their picks to reach all the way down for the 4rth pick(chicago's) even.

By draft time i think boston will package 10 and 21 to GS and get GASOL 5th(to get him out of the contract), while GS will grab one of Woods, Chandler, White, Johnson whoever drops down. 21st get them Omar Cook or Joseph Forte. Boston with 11th will draft what GS chooses from with still enough talented players left. Thats my scenerio

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How long do the Rockets (or any team) hold a players' draft rights?

If the player is playing organized ball in another league,then the NBA team holds the player's rights indefinitely. The Blazers drafted Sabonis in '86 and held his rights until '95.

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aelliott - Thx for the info.

Not much in life is a sure thing. Maybe Gasol will drop down far enough to give RT & CD something to think about!

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GATER

 

good point GATER, about holding the rights.

Another thing about Gasol's pay scale, the league withholds 10% of his pay until the BRI is calculated in the summer. That is a large chunk that he can't use in the buyout immediately, and maybe not at all. I guess he'll be able to find a bank loan fairly easily for the buyout, if he does decide to sign a guaranteed contract.

[This message has been edited by heypartner (edited June 18, 2001).]