I hope this is true!!!!! A league source close to the Warriors told ESPN Insider late Tuesday that Golden State isn't planning to match the offer sheet the Rockets have given to Marc Jackson. "They're happy with what they've got," the source told Insider. "They'd like to have him back, but not at that price and not if he is going to be disgruntled. The Warriors have enough problems." The Warriors received the offer sheet Tuesday that would give Jackson $24.375 million over six years. The Rockets did a little bit of haggling with the Warriors before sending over the offer sheet, but now that the Warriors have the sheet, all negotiation must stop due to collective bargaining rules. The Warriors options are very limited. They can either match the offer to Jackson or let him sign with the Rockets. Other scenarios exist, but they are far fetched at this time. The Warriors could match the offer and attempt to trade Jackson. But they would have to wait 90 days before any trade could occur, and even then, they would have to get Jackson's OK on any trade for the next year. Given the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, now that the Warriors have the offer in hand, they cannot even talk with other teams about potential trades. The Warriors could try to seek additional compensation for Jackson, but again, they'll have to wait until after they decide whether to match the offer or not. The Warriors would also be prohibited from trading Jackson to the Rockets for one year if they match the offer sheet. Apparently, the league had to remind both teams of some of the rules involving restricted free agents after the Rockets' own web site reported they were negotiating with the Warriors -- something not permitted by the collective bargaining agreement after a team has signed a player to an offer sheet. With a glut of big men already on board, the Warrior decided to leave well enough alone. Warriors players didn't seem too broken up about the prospect of losing Jackson as a teammate. "Marc is a good player, but we have enough big men to make up for Marc," Danny Fortson told the San Francisco Chronicle. "Adonal has improved, Dampier has been unbelievable, I've been working hard to get where I should be. All of us big guys, if we stick together and stay healthy. . . . we shouldn't miss him too much."
Uh, this is ESPN Insider we're talking about here. I won't believe this news until either Clutch posts the story in a thread, OP confirms it, or rockHEAD gets pictures.
What caught my eye is the Danny Fortson comment, which looks exactly like the management and Jamison comments, you know kiss offs basically. I'm starting to wonder if Golden State is dragging this out a bit not so much to screw the Rockets or anything, but more of a "You're gone Marc, but screw you we'll keep you hanging for a few days." Hey, doesn't bother me as long as we get him on the team for training camp! That's what I'm saying, why aren't you stalking anybody rockHEAD, we need info! By the way VesceySux, love the nickname!
RocksM...I agree with the Danny Fortson thing...if that quote was taken at the same time the story "broke", then I would say that there is a good chance that this could be true.
GS is just taking the time to figure out the options available and to field offers. In the end their best case is a side deal with the Rockets in which we throw them a bone. They are probably trying to sweeten this up by telling the Rockets some of the other offers they are getting out there to make the Rockets offer more.
I guess this answers HeyPee's question about it being illegal. I'm assuming that if the offer sheet hasn't been "officially" received by the Warriors, the Rockets could negotiate the hell out of "what if" scenarios with them. Talk about circumventing or using loopholes in rules!
The San Fran papers are also reporting that the Warriors are conceding MJax to the Rockets. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2001/10/03/SP166342.DTL
Well here is some good news, the link that Dave posted (thanks for the info Dave), says they got the sheets: <i>. . .Golden State yesterday received the offer sheet tendered by the Rockets to Jackson, and has 14 more days to match the six-year, $24-million-plus deal. If the Warriors elect to equal that pact and retain Jackson with intention of moving him, they wouldn't be able to trade Jackson for 90 days. After that period, Jackson would have a year to approve any trade the Warriors would want to make involving him. </i> Here some interesting comments by people about Marc Jackson: Dave Cowens: <i>"I'd like him on the team, he's a good player," Warriors coach Dave Cowens said. "He's a commodity, a known asset, he has value. Why wouldn't you want him on the team?" </i> and Adonal Foyle: <i>"Marc definitely played well (last year), now he's been seen by everybody," Golden State center Adonal Foyle said. "Everybody knows what he's capable of doing. It's a business decision, and Marc looks at it that way. He found a team to give him the money and playing time and commitment he wanted. If not the Warriors, someone else." </i> I don't think he is a fluke. He just finally got a chance.
I posted this in another thread to back up Popeye's trade rumors...but it belongs here more. I think DoD nailed it.... The journalists jumped the gun on the Offer Sheet announcement when it was merely a Player Contract signing. There never was an Offer Sheet until yesterday, meaning there were no restrictions for talking about trades. I'd say, there was a signed Uniform Player Contract with Marc. But, a signed contract is not an offer sheet yet, until the league accepts it as valid and it gets sent to GS. Only until it arrives at GS is it an official "Offer Sheet." So, what DoD assumes...I would concur....is that CD used these past few day as warning to GS that they had Marc signed and there will be an Offer Sheet arriving. Thus, CD would say something to the effect of, "Hey, do you want to do a deal before we send you the Offer Sheet that stops all negotiation of deals?" I doubt we send them offer sheet if something legal could get worked out WRT oeilpere's rumors. At this point, all negotiations are illegal regarding GS trading Marc, whether now or in the future as a consideration. And none of the rumors make sense without GS planning on keeping him, as salary purging is not done by adding Marc to your roster. The only way GS does the ROFR now is if they really want him. If some rumor trade could have been worked out, I doubt CD sends the Offer Sheet....he'd just use the exception in the trade rumor without an Offer Sheet or use the exception on someone else. imo, the only way CD sends the Offer Sheet yesterday without confidence GS will let him go (after 4 days of talking) is if GS says they want Marc and won't deal, and we think they are bluffing.
Makes sense to me...these guys (Cd and co.) know a lot more about the loopholes than we give them credit for sometimes...I'm sure every possibilty of a S&T etc was explored before the offer sheet was given to M Jax. Good work DoD/Crispee
