http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/2001971 July 18, 2003, 11:00PM Posey gaining Bulls' interest Chicago could compete for Rockets forward if Pippen declines By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle With most of their free-agent efforts focused on keeping forward James Posey, the Rockets saw another suitor begin moving in position to compete for the restricted free agent. Posey met with Bulls officials late Thursday. The Bulls did not make an offer, but signs point to Posey becoming their fallback plan should they fail to bring Scottie Pippen back to Chicago next week. Pippen has said he would make his decision, likely between the Bulls and Grizzlies, on Monday. The Bulls had considered former Hawks forward Ira Newble their second choice, but Newble opted to accept a deal in Cleveland, rather than to wait for a chance in Chicago. The Rockets last month made Posey a qualifying offer of $2.445 million per season, the only offer they have made to any free agent. If Pippen does not choose a return to Chicago, the Bulls are expected to offer Posey between $3 million and $3.2 million. Because Posey is a restricted free agent, the Rockets could match that offer to keep Posey. But the Rockets have been hesitant to make any offers that could force them to incur too great a luxury tax. Before signing a free agent, the Rockets' payroll next season will be at $55 million. This season, the luxury tax penalizes team a dollar for every dollar spent beyond $52.9 million. Posey, acquired from the Nuggets in a three-team deal that sent Kenny Thomas to the 76ers, averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds in 58 games with the Rockets. Newble's decision to sign with Cleveland, however, could benefit the Rockets. Though they have not made an offer, the Rockets had shown interest in Clippers guard Eric Piatkowski, primarily in the effect they cannot bring back Posey. Piatkowski had been considering a move to the Cavs, but is now back on the market.
this sounds good, but since when is signing piat contingent on losing posey? not only do we have room for both, but we're hurting for backcourt depth, which piat provides and posey doesn't. also, we can always use cheap players who can drain 3's. anyone got CD's phone number? i gotta call and talk some sense into him.
yup. its kinda low i hope the rocs can stretch it out to $4 mil. but the big thing that will really hurt the rocs this season is the luxury tax. coz of some bad signings of moochie, rice, cato, mot, the organization are having a hard time signing good fg's. i really wish posey will stya coz he's such a great addition to the lineup. plus, i think jvg likes a player like posey who hustles and really gets all out in the court both offensively and defensively so imo, jvg will try to make the rocs org keep posey.
Wow, 3.2 is A LOT lower than I thought a team would offer Posey. Rockets should EASILY be able to match that! I thought the Rockets would have to go over the MLE to match an offer. Where did they get the 52.9 million Luxary tax ceiling? It clearly stated on ESPN.com that the luxary tax was at 57 million! I thought the Rockets payroll was around 51 million this season and not 55. Heck in the scenario above we are already 2 million over the luxary tax. I think their numbers are wrong, especially the L-tax number! Can anyone track down these numbers? Feigen's numbers just don't jive. To be honest, I did not know the Rockets were in this much danger of losing Posey via being scared of the luxary tax. If the Rockets are worried about losing Posey to a 3.2 million dollar a year contract then we are in trouble! What the hell were we talking about signing players to the MLE when we appear barely able to obtain our OWN guy in Posey!?
Wow Chicago, way to give Eddie Robinson a chance. Wasn't he supposed to be a future star? Wasn't he supposed to be a rich man's Posey? And now you want Posey, even with Robinson's huge contract still on the books? Reeeeaaaal smart guys.
Ya know, if we lose Posey for nothing.... How many people are really jazzed about going into the regular season with Glen Rice and Bostjan Nachbar as our small forwards!? Then factor in we have not gained ANY depth to our backcourt. Stuff like this that makes our Mo Taylor, Moochie, Cato contracts REALLY look bad! They are completely stiffling any moves we can make.
If Chicago beats our offer to Posey, I hope we can at the very least trade him for Jamal Crawford who's just a spitting image of Posey in my books, or perhaps steal a young prospect from them at the 4 position. At the very least get the something in return.
I don't know why anyone would be shocked at what Chi is offering Posey. They are over the limit as well as us. I still have a hard time believing that anyone actually thought that Posey could get more than the Mid level exception.
If Kevin Ollie is getting 5 years for $15 million, it is a shock that someone would offer James Posey $3.2 million and expect him to go for it. I don't think there's a single person here that would not be shocked if he received less than $4 million. Imagine how James Posey would feel if he made less than Moochie Norris. Anything less than the MLE would be a steal.
Guys, you don't even know what the Rockets will do if he gets such an offer. All that's out there are rumors, and you all know what those are worth. What will happen will happen, and unless it's an outrageous Maggette-like offer for Posey, he'll likely be back in Houston next season.
OK, guys relax, Posey is an RFA, if Les is not giving him a fair market offer, the least he will do, I hope, is to match the offer sheet from the Bulls. If he lets Posey go for 3.2M without matching, the fans will revolt.
Deuce, The luxury tax, in contrast to the salary cap, is determined after the season is over. The 53M limit is for last season. The $57M, I think, is an estimate for next year, and I think it's a conservative estimate. Remember the estimate for last season was 51M and the Celtics wanted to be bellow that and did a bunch of stupid moves, like trading for Vin Baker, which saved them 1M and letting Rodney Rogers go. It turns out they didn't have to do that. I hope Les doesn't screw things the same way. I also thought Rockets have 51M committed for next year. I don't know where the 55M figure comes from. Could that be Matt Maloney's contract? I thought it ran out.
Correct-ta-mun-doe!!!!!!!! Somebody give this guy an A!!!!!! Relax guys, Mr posey sees the market, and knows he's not gettin any big money from anyone, he's not even close to a mid level deal.................so all you bbs'ers stop gettin your Panties all bunched up
Well, I agree that those contract were pretty boneheaded moves, but there are other teams with bad contracts that continue to spend to improve the team. Look at the Suns, they have these hideous contracts on Penny and Guggliotta, but are still signing their players (Voksul and Scott Williams). You can't fix one mistake by making another. Les's gotta pay! The b*stard is getting a new arena on taxpayer money, lucked out like crazy with Yao Ming, who is like a worldwide marketing machine, and now he pinches his pennies on the Poz. Disgusting
Lets see Ollie got 5 years at 15 mil a year, that equalls about 3 mil a year. hmmm. Teams can not excede more than the mid level exception to sign someone if they are over the cap, its just that simple. And with teams all peranoind about the luxery cap Posey does not have a choice but to play for what the market will bare if he wants to play at all. How many teams have givin their intire exception to just one player this year? Minnesota and Orlando are the only teams that I am sure did it with Kandi and Howard. You cant compare what Moochie got paid and what Posey is going to get paid because the Market for NBA players is with out question much different than it was a when Moochie signed his contract. You just don't see the Shandon Andersons of the world getting mega deals this year (with the exception of KT's deal in Philly). You can count me as one of the people that would not be shocked if all Posey gets is a short contract worth 3 million a year.
Are you saying that a lifetime backup will receive the same amount of money for a longer period of time than a legitimate starting SF?
Cleveland hasn't proven themselves to be a terribly smart decision-making team, other than having LeBron fall into their laps. Ollie's contract is obviously an outlier (re: overpaid) and not something to judge the remainder of contracts in the league by.
Ollie is just a reference point. You look at the contracts, the majority of FA Starters are getting $5-$6 million per year. Good bench players will probably average between $2-2.5 million. Getting Posey for $3.2 million would be a steal anyway you look at it.
