Big man anyone? Keon Clark is now unrestricted

I expect NY to make him an offer. If they don't they're just stupid.

 

Someone want to explain Tortonto's thinking here?

 

Man, I'd like to, but......I have no clue!!!

 

Tor doesn't have the $ to re-sign him. Plain and simple. If they didn't foolishly overpay for Davis and Olajuwon, he might be a Raptor still.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the Spurs used their midcap exception on Malik Rose....or at least gave him a salary at that figure. He'd be the kind of pickup they need to keep Duncan.

That said, look for Clark down south somewhere, probably in the East.

 

Toronto's gonna suck. Good-bye Childs, good-bye Keon...hello Lindsey Hunter? Plus a non-go-to franchise player that the team played better without (thanks for the draft pick, though).

 

It was Bowen, not Rose. They had Rose's bird rights. I still think SA might make a run at Clark though... Antonio Daniels might be good trade bait for Toronto in a S&T. They couldn't pay Clark that much this season, but he knows the cap room they'll have next offseason. Clark does want to play in a warm weather city, I've read. Do you think Orlando may make a run at him? He would seem to fit.

 

I hope he leaves Toronto. It would be awesome to have Ming tip off against Dream on opening day. I just hope that he doesn't go to a team that will be competing with us for a playoff stop next season.

 

That's what I was thinking. He would be a great fit in Orlando.

 

He would be a great fit in Orlando, but the Magic aren't going to go over the luxury tax to get him. Essentially, if he wants to go to the Magic and the Magic want him, they'll get it done by trading players for picks. In that case, the Duncan possibility becomes less likely, but still doable.

And I don't think Toronto can do a s&t with him; in any case, they wouldn't want to. They wouldn'tve let him go if they felt they could take on salary since they are already over the luxury tax threshold. For a team in Canada, that hurts more than for the other 28 teams.

 

Antonio Daniels for Keon? I don't see that being close to enough for Toronto. If Orlando's smart, they'll go after Keon. I know they covet Duncan badly, but signs are pointing towards Duncan probably staying in SA, and Keon plus T Mac = an ECF title at least. Keon is an emerging star. If only the Rockets would make a run at Keon

 

Whoa there... Keon suddenly would make Orl the team to beat in the East?

The same Magic team that hasn't done jack s#it in the playoffs since 96?

Keep in mind that Clark only started 31 of 82 games, and averaged only 27 mins per game. Backup centers do not elevate mediocre teams into the upper echelon.

Bos and NJ are still light years ahead of Orl.

 

The team without a point guard (Boston) and the one year wonders (Nets) are light years ahead of Orlando? Puh-lease.

I guess the Magic, having lost no one thus far (though their backup PG, Hudson, will be gone soon) and added Ryan Humphrey, Jacque Vaughn, Olumide Oyedeji, and most importantly Grant Hill, is light years behind the Nets and Celtics, two teams that the Magic finished just 5 and 8 games behind last year?

The Nets have made no moves this offseason - oh, wait, they added a European center who they have no interest in signing and still don't have a backup for Kidd. The Celtics traded away their only true point guard on the chance they might get something out of Vin Baker....oh, wait, and they've traded away almost all of their youthful talent over the past year - unless you count Darius Songaila. The Magic are highly likely to get one of the best players in the league back healthy.

People have forgotten how good Grant Hill is - just like they've forgotten how good other players are until they fully come back from their injuries. If the Magic get Keon Clark, barring injury, they are THE team to beat in the East; should Hill be injured, they still close the gap to the Nets and Celtics by a significant margin.

 

Maybe they do not want to have to match a max length contract. The price is not the only variable.

There are other reason why restriction might not work in practice....and I think it has to do with SnTs not working unless all sides are working in an unrestricted environment where true market value can be tested and gauged. Why should we believe that there isn't a new order of business where opposing teams just don't make sign offer sheets, and no SnTs happen, and the player doesn't want to sign with his team. A bunch of posturing with no real market test of value that unrestriction provides.

 

Keon's not a backup center anymore. He's definitely ready to start in this league. He only was a backup because of the Raptor's loyalty to Olajuwon. Clark's game keeps getting better, he's going to be a star IMO. Freak athlete, good shotblocker, can beat most bigs off the dribble and finish. I see him being an 18-10 guy when he gets a chance to start and play 40 mins a game. T Mac is the best player in the East. Give him a solid #2 option and he can lead Orlando past BOS, NJ. Anything Grant Hill can give them is gravy. But knowing them, they're hellbent on getting Duncan.

 

HP, you make some good points. I had been glossing over the other terms involved in restriction and was thinking only about the money and matching. I suppose in an unrestricted atmosphere, Toronto also has more freedom since they won't be competing on terms set by another team.

However, it looks to be an even more straightforward motivation than that. They don't have any intention of having Clark on their team anymore:

He was paid $2 million last season (?) and the qualifying offer is 125% (?) or $2.5 million. That means that the costliest contract the Raptors could be forced to take because of the qualifying offer would be a 6-year contract starting at $2.5 million and ending at $4.0625 million -- $19.6875 million total. I have to say this is not an objectionable contract. Even if every nickel of it was in luxury land, it would be only $5 to $8 million a year, which is the going rate for centers. And, if he got any better offer than the qualifying offer (and I'm sure he would), the Raptors would not have to match.

So, as a move to free themselves to be more creative with contract offers, I think it makes sense. But Grunwald indicated that it is unlikely that they will re-sign Clark. So, going back to the money issue, I don't see how it makes sense.

Possibilities I see:

(1) They are about to do something big that would make Clark a redundancy. Still, you could trade him; you don't let talented size walk away for nothing.

(2) They think Clark stinks, or is a cancer, or has a secret injury that would make him undesireable at any price. His value is still high enough in the league, however, that a sign-and-trade could have been done.

(3) Though Grunwald said a S&T is unlikely, HP might be right that it is a precursor to a sign and trade where one or more parties wants the market to determine Clark's value. However, given the nature of the matching system, you could not have much of a specific plan because it would range too widely with Clark's salary.

(4) Grunwald is trying to do Clark a favor by removing the damper of the restriction from Clark's market value. Teams will not have to worry about a matching offer from Toronto and submit a bid. I don't think Grunwald has ever been accused of doing someone a favor though. Besides, he isn't paid to do players favors.

(5) Grunwald is trying to screw Clark over. Teams that previously felt they had to offer more than the MCE can now offer less without worrying about Toronto. This is more credible than #4.

(6) Grunwald is an idiot and is actually trying to stay under the luxury tax threshold. Perhaps he's not creative enough to find a way to shed other contracts, so he's forced to give away promising young talent. Nevermind that he's submarining his own revenue stream a la the Hornets by doing so. Perhaps he's been given a directive that the owner will not pay a penny of luxury tax, no matter how worthwhile and short-term it might be and that Grunwald will lose his job if he does. This is the most rational explanation I can think of.