The Jazz have one of the best young cores in the league, don't dismiss that because you don't like them. Kirilenko is hands-down the most versatile player in the game, and he'll be a staple there for the next ten years. Kirk Snyder was a solid draft pick, and he should turn out to be a solid shooting guard at the NBA level, good going both ways. Okur and Boozer in their frontcour and people talk about overpaying. Come on. Okur should flourish in Sloan's system on the pick-and-rolls, and Boozer is a 20-10 guy waiting to happen. The Cavs tried to get Boozer for less money (he'll have monster year next year and then demand a contract similar to this) and they wound up losing him. To claim though that the Jazz don't have the pieces in place to be a good team is pretty ignorant. They have young, versatile, team-oriented players at the 2-3-4-5 and a great coach.
Wow be interesting to see if Paxson has a job in a month. Why didn't he just sign him to a 1 year deal while the negotiated a long term deal? Seems crazy that he let him walk for nothing. One thing that popped in my mind is will Cleveland try to get in the Shaq seepstakes now? I don't think they have much to offer the lakers in a sign and trade (Illgaskus is teh obvious player since he plays C) and I really can't imagine Shaq in Cleveland but it woudl give him the opportunity to play with LeBron. And I'm sure the lakers would rather trade Shaq to the East where tehy don't have to worry about him very often. PS - Again teh Shaq thing is a wilg guess i have no idea what their cap situation looks like.
Give credit where credit's due - Utah is having one heck of an offseason. Okur is the only guy I doubt will pan out, personally.... Evan
I'm with you . . .I want to see more out of Okur before i annoint him anything This will be a make or break season for him Is he more Malone or More Osterboy Rocket River
To me, good business is based on trust which is why the Rockets made sure Shandon Anderson and Mo Taylor got their money. Boozer got enough guaranteed money that he probably does not have to worry about the next deal. I would not do business with Boozer. That being said, he could not be going to a better team. I like AK and Harpring, but now they got a perfect Malone replacement. Down with Boozer. Down with the Jazz
I guess in retrospect it was stupid of the Cavs to make Boozer a free agent when so many teams were soo far under the cap. I feel a little sorry for them, but trying to get a big man who averages a double double to sign for mid-level exception money was being a little cheap.
The real repricussions will be felt by Rob Pelinka, Boozer's agent. He's going to inherit Falk's place as must despised agent if he keeps this up. Interesting note: he's also Kobe's agent. Other clients: Andre Iguodala, Morris Peterson, Corey Maggette, Chris Kaman, Keyon Dooling, Gerald Wallace, DeShawn Stevenson and Fred Hoiberg Evan
Utah does not have a Yao, TMac, TD, KG, Shaq, Kobe, Dirk, perhaps not either a Gasol or Nash or Bibby or Webber or Carmelo. We have seen over and over a collection of good to above average players rarely leads to playoff success. To borrow from TNT you need an offensive "beast" to succeed in the WC playoffs. All we have do is look at the Clippers--Brand, Kandi, Odom, Maggette, Q, Dre--they still were pretty mediocre because those guys are good but none are a BEAST. Sure Utah has had a good offseason (though they way overpayed for Okur--wait until Sloan gets a look at his defense). But WC contenders, I don't think so.
Let's see. They have a fantastic system and players that follow it. They add a legit PF and upgrade in the center department. IF they listen to sloan. They will make the playoffs but probably won't contend for a championship though. They are definitely better than last year and they didn't miss the playoffs by much.
Interesting development in the Boozer case. The Cavs are now going to offer him a 1-year contract at the MLE. Apparently, his agent will be fired by Arn Tellem's agency? http://si.printthis.clickability.co..._thomsen/07/12/boozer.fallout/&partnerID=2356 Running for cover Cavs offer Boozer chance to redeem reputation as agent looks for escape Posted: Monday July 12, 2004 3:51PM; Updated: Monday July 12, 2004 4:36PM Is Carlos Boozer's desire to play for the Utah Jazz -- and an extra $28 million -- as strong as his ability to absorb the verbal arrows he has taken since news of the offer became public? David Liam Kyle Proving that they are not quite ready to close the door on their relationship with Carlos Boozer, the Cleveland Cavaliers have offered the free-agent power forward a one-year contract worth approximately $5 million, an NBA source tells SI.com. Boozer and his agent, Rob Pelinka, have already secured a six-year, $68 million offer with the Utah Jazz. But those negotiations were conducted under a cloud of supposed promises and possible betrayals that has still not fully cleared. According to team sources, Pelinka, Boozer and Boozer's wife, CeCe, convinced Cleveland owner Gordon Gund and GM Jim Paxson to forgo a team option that would have paid Boozer $695,000 next season, thus making the improving forward a restricted free agent this summer. Had Cleveland held Boozer to his original contract, the Cavaliers could have matched any offer to him as a third-year free agent next summer. Instead, Gund agreed to set Boozer free with the understanding that Boozer would sign a long-term deal with Cleveland. Because the Cavs are over the league's salary cap, the most they could offer Boozer this summer was a six-year contract for $41 million. The Cavs say that no illegal under-the-table offer was made to Boozer because it was understood that the NBA's collective bargaining agreement prohibited the team from paying more than $41 million. According to a source who participated in the meeting when the Cavaliers decided to allow him to become a free agent, Boozer told Gund, "If you respect me by not picking up the option, I'll show trust and loyalty to you by signing with you." As a matter of common sense and, say team sources, the Cavaliers never would have relinquished their long-term rights to Boozer unless he made it clear that he would re-sign with them. Agents throughout the NBA have united in criticizing Pelinka for committing what one agent called a "fraudulent inducement" by using Gund's act of kindness against him. They believe that Pelinka's betrayal has eroded whatever trust exists between agents and team executives, making it more difficult for each side to take the other at its word. Pelinka could not be reached for comment. Gund is said to be "crushed" by Boozer's betrayal, but will make his feelings public only if Boozer signs the offer sheet with Utah. In downgrading their offer to one year at $5 million, the Cavaliers have let Boozer know they will forgive him for his lapse in judgment, according to the league source. Boozer would be invited to play out this season in Cleveland and negotiate a long-term contract with the Cavaliers next summer. FACTOID In taking Utah's offer, Carlos Boozer turned his back on Cleveland's good intentions, writes SI.com's Ian Thomsen. FULL STORY That leaves Boozer with two choices: Take the big payday from Utah at the risk of ruining his good name; or sacrifice the sure money in order to salvage his reputation in Cleveland. Word around the NBA is that Boozer has refused to take phone calls from his former coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski. "That's because he doesn't want to hear Mike telling him not to do this," a league source says. Still, the fallout from Boozer's decision may have already started. In an attempt to rescue his reputation, some speculate that Pelinka may resign as Boozer's agent and disavow himself from the Utah contract if Boozer signs the offer sheet. But a top agent who says he is friendly with Pelinka believes it may be too late: "Rob needed to walk away from this as soon as it became public. It's been out there too long to distance himself from it." Sources close to Pelinka's agency, SFX, say that the management group is seeking to distance itself from the agent. Later this summer, after Pelinka's client Kobe Bryant has signed with either the Lakers or the Clippers, look for SFX and Pelinka to cut ties permanently.
WOW! Talk about desperate times! This thing is getting uglier and keeps pushing CBA rules more and more. Maybe they'll get away with it like the Rockets got away with Mo T's contract, ha!
"If you respect me by not picking up the option, I'll show trust and loyalty to you by signing with you." This statement is what bothered me. When you say this to your owner (isn't Gund legally blind too?) and then you go and do what Boozer did, it's pretty despicable. His agent's credibility, and therefore maybe his career, is gone too.
isnt activity like this between a player and a team the reason that the timberwolves dont have draft picks anymore. Or is it the opposite of this. the team telling the player to take less money because they will reward him donw the road. I dont know
Gund is blind and it makes Boozer that much of an a-hole...however, this is America and Boozer is free to do as he chooses, however, the s-t gain will have l-t effects...
Dirty pool. I really like Boozer....and coveted him for the Rockets for awhile....but these sort of actions dont go over well in any industry. Of course, if he signs the $5 million deal and then blows out a knee, he's out $63 million guaranteed. It makes sense that the Jazz want a dirty PF. Its a tradition there.
