Jan. 8, 2004, 11:50AM Rockets set sights on ex-Knick Ward By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Rockets began their pursuit of point guard Charlie Ward on Wednesday with general manager Carroll Dawson starting "preliminary talks" with Ward's agent, Craig McKenzie. Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy and assistant coach Patrick Ewing tried to call Ward, McKenzie said, though he thought they had not spoken before the Rockets faced the Pistons on Wednesday. "I think that's a big deal that those guys reached out to him," McKenzie said. "That made him feel good. It's going to be a tough decision for him" McKenzie said 12 teams have shown interest in Ward since he was waived by the Suns on Tuesday. The competition could be stiff. McKenzie mentioned only the Rockets, Spurs, Lakers, Nets and Knicks, who traded Ward to the Suns on Monday. "They have a lot of respect for Charlie," McKenzie said. "I've talked to Isiah (Thomas, the Knicks general manager) and he said he is trying to do some things." The Rockets can offer Ward their $1.5 million veterans exception, although that would trigger a significant luxury tax hit. Teams without salary cap exceptions -- including the Nets and Spurs, the other favorites to land Ward -- can only offer a pro-rated portion of the minimum. Teams under the salary cap or with mid-level exception money left could offer Ward significantly more. "He'll probably make a decision over the weekend," McKenzie said. League sources said if Thomas can trade point guard Frank Williams, he plans to make an offer to bring Ward back to New York. McKenzie said staying in the New York area is "a priority" for Ward. "He's stayed in one area for 10 years," McKenzie said. "He has a wife and two kids. They moved in a new home. It's a priority to stay. It also a priority to go to a situation he feels comfortable with the playing situation, the community, the surroundings, the guys he's playing with. "In Houston, Carroll has turned that team upside down. They are now winning and they have a chance to do something in the playoffs. Houston is right there." Van Gundy, who coached Ward in New York, praise on the guard on Wednesday. "Charlie has always been more respected by people inside basketball than people outside," Van Gundy said. "People outside tend to have a fantasy league mentality. Charlie Ward is more of a coach's fantasy." Ward, 33, was averaging a career-high 8.7 points and four assists this season. In 9 1/2 seasons, all in New York, he averaged 6.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists after picking the NBA over football or baseball. He won the 1993 Heisman Trophy as a quarterback at Florida State. I don't consider him a solution for the long haul, but his veteran pressence would be useful for our young guard tandem this year and he already knows what to expect from JVG.
I love this comment from Van Gundy: ""Charlie has always been more respected by people inside basketball than people outside," Van Gundy said. "People outside tend to have a fantasy league mentality. Charlie Ward is more of a coach's fantasy." Doesn't that kind of sum up what's wrong with the NBA?
I thought I heard something about no luxury tax next year...? Well, I hope we get the guy. He's a solid pickup and might even start if we end up trading Francis. Who knows?
There is luxury tax this year though. Just crossing it by a dollar means you don't get the "rebate" for staying under, which, thanks to half the league being over it, will likely be somewhere around 11 Million. If you're CD, and you KNOW this year is shot in terms of doing something real in the plaoffs, would YOU be so quick to pay Charlie Ward essentially 12+ million to be a back up? To be fair, I don't think signing him to a contract below 2 mill would push the Rockets over but it depends on where the luxury tax threshold is exactly (Should be close to 55 Mill, Rox sitting at 50). Evan
My 2 cents.... 1) The Nets paid into the LTax last season with a salary of around $61m. When the LTax money was redistributed, they received more back than they paid in. 2) Due to shedding Glen Rice's contract, the Rockets pay roll is less than $51m. Given this and point #1, the LTax is a non-issue regarding the signing of Ward IMO. 3) I don't play in fantasy league hoops and Van Gundy is surely more knowledgable than I....but Ward's numbers at this stage in his career are outright journeyman at best.
I believe you are incorrect. Over the LTax teams are not excluded from the redistribution. NJN got one last season IIRC. Anyway, you are correct about the Rox total payroll so Ward @ $1.5m is not a problem.
The Houston Knickets will not get Ward. My money says he's going to NJ or back to NY. He has the home and family thing going....
yeah and im still not sure wilkes isnt the right guy for the moment. and im getting sick of being linked with the knicks.
You and me both... First JVG and his whole quitter staff. Then Ewing. Then Spoon. Now Ward. Uggghhhhhh..... Stop already!
I'm pretty sure the teams over the luxury tax threshold do not get any money from the luxury tax rebate. I believe they do get a portion of the players escrow money, but a smaller share than the teams under the luxury tax threshold.
The funny thing is that Charlie Ward is a really good (and often overlooked) fantasy basketball player - many threes, steals and assists, decent rebounds, good %% - the only things you will not get from him are scoring (which is why people tend to overlook him) and blocks. When he gets the minutes, he is a top 50 fantasy basketball player...
According to Coon, they get both: "Also note that every team receives at least some of the escrow & tax money. In many cases, the money received more than offsets any luxury tax they pay."
link A "cliff provision" was established to protect teams that end up slightly over the tax threshold (essentially protecting them from "falling off a cliff:"). This is important because the tax threshold isn't determined until many months after teams make their personnel decisions. A "cliff threshold" is designated at 65% of BRI. Teams above the tax threshold (approximately 61.1% of BRI) but below the cliff threshold (65% of BRI) are penalized less severely than teams above the cliff threshold. Teams under the tax threshold receive a full share (1/29) of the tax money. Teams over the cliff threshold do not receive any of the tax money. Teams between the tax threshold and cliff threshold receive a pro-rated amount between $0 and a full share, based on where they are between the two thresholds. For example, a team midway between the tax threshold and cliff threshold in 02-03 receives 50% of a share of tax money. All teams receive at least a minimum share of the escrow money. In 02-03, a minimum share is 70% of a full share. In 03-04 it is 40%, and in 04-05 it is 0% (so in 04-05, teams over the cliff threshold receive no money from escrow). The money each team receives is this minimum share, or their tax share, whichever is greater. For example, in 02-03 a team that gets an 80% tax share also gets an 80% escrow share, and a team that gets a 50% tax share gets a (minimum) 70% escrow share. The above formulas do not result in all of the tax and escrow money being distributed (for example, in 02-03 $106.9 million was left over). Some of this money (about $3 million in 02-03) goes to the Toronto Raptors to help account for currency differences. Some (about $24.2 million in 02-03) goes to teams with permanently disabled players (see question number 15). The rest (about $79.7 million in 02-03) is divided evenly among all NBA teams. So once teams cross the tax threshold, they start forfeiting both luxury tax and escrow distributions. They stop losing escrow distributions 30% (60% in 03-04) of the way to the cliff threshold. They lose tax distributions in the entire range between the tax threshold and cliff threshold He seems to contradict himself. Unless he means that all teams get a share of the surplus.
"While Ward's agent, Craig McKenzie, maintained that "New Jersey is obviously a viable option because Charlie doesn't have to move" [from the metropolitan area], sources said Ward, who was waived by the Suns on Tuesday, is seeking a two- or three-year deal and that might send him to the Rockets or Spurs. Sources also maintained the Knicks are heavily in the mix. The Texas teams don't have money beyond the minimum but can offer years the Nets would not. McKenzie said he has been contacted by 10 teams." NY Post
