I would be interested in hearing what aelliott and NIKEStrad have to say about this stuff about the trade exception. If I remember correctly, what they said about it sounded different.
I am certain NBA GM's will be circling the block to trade "a little above average power forward" for: * the $7 million * a over-priced, no good PG * and an under achieving, tweener, drug using, suspended 4 That makes ZERO sense! You play GM of any team with "a little above average power forward" and tell me who you would be willing to give up for that package of trash you just threw out there. The Rockets do not have the players to bring in a player with "a little above average" skills the Rockets will have to give up something of value. In order to get anyone who is "a little above average" you are going to have to part with Mobley (who is "a little above average") or Francis. Are you still willing to talk? Be realistic.
If your smart a$$ remark was directed my way, the you need to simply read who I was quoting and you will see who made the comment and you are more than welcome to ask that individual. Also, check out what crash posted and then you can bury your head.
it wasn't a smart ass remark, sorry if it came off that way Realistically Eddie Griffin won't quit basketball. He wouldn't give up that money.
Then on record and un-edit-ably , I will apologize for reacting that way. Sorry. To your point, I agree, and I can't see that happening either. However, I will say that as a parent, I could understand it would be tough to handle the pressures of being in that position. Especially at the age of 21. You wonder how much more prepared individuals such as this would be if they were required to spend a little more time in college getting some education, but most importantly maturing.
i can't believe anybody still thinks he has trade value; I wouldn't touch him with a hundred foot pole. His only trade value is as an expiring contract, hopefully there will be no extension.
DNP? the whole problem is apparently that he wants to DNP, or practice or do anything. He's done. cut him.
Agreed! Eddie has non to little Trade Value. The Rox would be wise to see eddie through his crisis and bench him till he shows the right effort.
Maybe aelliott, or hp, or NIKE can verify this but as I understand the traded player exception, Feigen is incorrect on the first part. The traded player exception can be used with or without the assigned player exception (assigned player exception = +/- 15% + $100k). When the assigned player exception is used in combination it is Feigen's second example - EG for an asssigned player + a player up to $7m. On this aspect, he is correct. However IMVHO, Feigen is not recognizing that the TE can be used independently of the assigned player exception in a one for one. Here is an example from Coon: "a team trades away a $2 million player for a $1 million player. Sometime in the next year, they trade a draft pick (with zero trade value itself) for a $1.1 million player to complete the earlier trade. They ended up acquiring $2.1 million in salary for their $2 million player -- they just didn't do it all at once, or even necessarily with the same trading partner. In the above example, after the initial trade of the $2 million player for the $1 million player, it was like the team had a "credit" for one year, with which they could aquire up to $1.1 million in salaries without having to send out salaries to match." So IMO, by definition a "credit" means the Rox can trade Griffin one for one for a $9.3m player. The key is one for one without the inclusion of the assigned player exception. However, Coon does not specifically give a one to one player example and although I have a downloaded copy of the CBA, I'm too busy for now!
Signing him will set up a bad example for the team. It does more bad than good in a long run. Everything came too easy for Eddy and he took it for granted. I think we should trade him if we can, or cut him as if he had a career ending injury.
Why not trade Eddie to NY? If we're bringing back Pig Miller, we might as well bring back Othella too. And Matt Maloney's available! Let's sign him up. He'd complement Yao and Steve nicely.
Something you need to understand - The Rockets are not signing Griffin...they already own his contract and the associated rights...a team option to extend the rookie contract to year 4 and his full Bird Rights making him a restricted free agent for year 5. Regardless of whether he is extended or not, Griffin counts ~$3m against the cap for 2003-04 (big whoop). But if he choses not to play the Rockets do not have to pay him. However, if they don't extend him he is then a restricted FA next summer and could cost more if you want to keep him. From a purely business standpoint, not extending him is ludicrous because: 1) He continues to count against the cap. 2) Most (probably all) teams will be reluctant to trade for him without a 2004-05 contract as he would be a resticted FA and his open market value could conceivably be greater than his 4th year rookie scale contract. (And if you didn't think he'd perform, you wouldn't have wanted him in the first place so why open it up to bidding?). 3) By extending the contract and if he doesn't perform, you have created one more open slot to be protected from the Charlotte expansion draft. 4) If cut/waived, there are no Bird Rights transferred with him and he still counts against the 03-04 cap. Rightly or wrongly, I am drawning a conclusion that most posters are losing sight of both the humanitarian and financial aspects of the extension. Griffin is not the first person to tire of the NBA grind. Both (HOF player) Dave Cowens and our own Jeff Van Gundy needed to get away for awhile.
Ever heard the expression "cutting off his nose to spite his face?" Not picking up the extension on Griffin would be the equivelant. As Will said, the smart basketball move is to avoid the emotional "cut him!" response and utilize the extension. We knew when we drafted Eddie that he was a project. He was the youngest player ever drafted by the Rockets, and not ready for the NBA. He remains raw and undeveloped, but the talent's still there. And he is still, after 2 years in the NBA, younger than Francis or Yao or Mobley were during their rookie seasons (or any other prominent Rocket rookie in recent history). Rudy T, god love him, had a historically poor record developing young players. The nurturing approach obviously didn't work, now we get to see if the sharp-kick-in-the-ass approach yields better results. The only thing worse than making a bad draft pick is making a good pick and then abandoning that pick too soon and watching him develop into a stud for another team. Ask Portland, ask Orlando, ask Washington.
Gator, Thank you for the explanation. Rockets made a gamble 2 years ago and it didn't work. So they are screwed on matter what. I'm just afraid that he's going to be an distraction to the team if Rockets extends his contract. Some people worked their butts off and got cut, this guy got his extension by not wanting to play. Anyway, Rockets has to make a dicision and gamble againbecause of tha. Hope they get it right this time.
Except that at some point, EG will HAVE to perform in order to make anything of himself in this league. If he continues to be an underachiever, he rides the pine in JVGs doghouse and gets a crappy contract after next year. If he works and gets better, he has value (in trade or as a Rocket) and will end up making money. The extension has value for the Rox and no matter the "message" that it might send, picking up EGs contract is the right business move for the Rox.
