Here is the Larry Bird rule. Link LARRY BIRD EXCEPTION -- This is the best known one. Players who qualify for this exception are called "Qualifying Veteran Free Agents" in the CBA. This exception allows teams to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents, up to the player's maximum salary. The free agent in question must have played for three seasons without being waived or changing teams as a free agent. This means a player can obtain "Bird rights" by playing under three one-year contracts, a single contract of at least three years, or any combination. It also means that when a player is traded, his Bird rights are traded with him, and his new team can use the Bird exception to re-sign him. These contracts can be up to seven years in length. A player can receive 12.5% raises using this exception. This exception is known as the Larry Bird exception because the Celtics were the first team allowed to exceed the cap to keep their own free agent, and the player happened to be Bird. There is one more limit to the maximum salary that can be given using the Larry Bird exception. If the player was a first round draft pick and just completed his three-year rookie scale contract, but his team did not exercise their option to extend the contract for the fourth season (see question number 38 ), then this exception cannot be used to give him a salary greater than he would have received had the team exercised their fourth year option. For example Devean George was selected by the Lakers with the 23rd pick in the 1999 draft. He finished his three-year rookie scale contract in 2002. The Lakers had the option to extend him for the 02-03 season for $1,415,722 until October31, 2001, but did not do so. So while the Lakers were allowed to use the Larry Bird exception to re-sign George, they were limited to a first-year salary (using this exception) of $1,415,722. They instead used their mid-level exception to re-sign him, which allowed them to give him more money. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, if we choose to NOT excercise his right, we still could have signed him to MORE than what he got in Minnesota, and would thus have not lost our rights. We even could have suspended him for the season, etc.... I have 2 main points. 1. The Rockets were not prepared to draft a 19 year old kid with a history of problems. 2. That the team could have held onto their asset and did a stupid thing by simply releasing him. Number 1 is debatable as none of us really know what the Rockets did or did not do. Number 2, in my opinion is not. DD
Come on, Anything coming from the organization is going to be slanted or tempered to say the least. DD
I've got a grown man crying because he is got the boot from an organization he dedicated 30+ years of his life to. Oh, but you have a quote from the almight-JVG, god forbid I should not believe everything he says.
We can still offer him just as much as Minnesota can this offseason. The bottom line is this- Eddie was AWOL from the team- how were they supposed to get him to rehab? There's a reason he went to Minnesota- fewer distractions there. His life here was a wreck, his life in the northeast was a wreck, and going to a city like LA or Miami probably wouldn't have been good for him.
Hmm, let me get this straight: EG, while in Houston getting paid millions of dollars to play basketball for one of the most respected and lenient coaches in the league, develops MEDICAL PROBLEMS. When said coach gets cancer and is forced to relinquish his position, he is replaced by coach B whose stern demeanor and those MEDICAL PROBLEMS cause EG to pick up a gun and pop off a few rounds at his ex girlfriend. The Rockets are the one at fault here because they did not get EG the necessary "MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR HIS PROBLEMS" that he so deperately needed nor did they help him to get a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Next poor EG finally gets MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR HIS PROBLEMS but is kicked off the team (those cruel Rockets turned their back on him after just one measly felony arrest) and is out on the street where he's taken in by the patron saint of wayward NBA players with drug problems, John Lucas. Master Lucas resurrects the young Jedi's career by teaching him the true meaning of life: that it is FAR better to get paid millions of dollars to play a game than to actually go out and get a real job and work for a living. This knowledge cures our young Jedi of his MEDICAL PROBLEMS and he is welcomed back into the NBA by Minn where armed with the teachings of Master Lucas and the MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR HIS PROBLEMS, the force is now with him at the PF position. Did I miss anything? Oh yeah, and it's all the Rockets' fault...
Right. So, instead, I should listen to the ramblings of an anonymous internet poster with no ties to the Rockets organization. Gotcha. Look, I know spin when I see it. However, no one (this includes you) knows the true story behind Griffin's release, except for the organization. Personally, I believe the decision was mutual. I mean, why would Eddie want to stay in Houston?
Da, Actually, I do know some of what happened. I do know some of the things they tried to do for EG and many of the things he did in return. I can tell you for fact that you are wrong.
You missed the part of having Lucas teach the young jedi "while still under contract with the Rockets" to return to the Rockets and thus helping the team win games. But since that isnt the case, we can just hope we can trade for Chewbacca to help fill our PF position. At least he is tall. But chances are CD would take a pass because he is too hairy.
I personally think that the Rox did the best thing for themselves and for EG as well. EG needed a wake-up call and that is exactly what he got by being released from his contract. I thought then and I still believe that EG will be a very good player in this league and will probably make several all-star squads. However, the Rox took what appeared to be the only feasable action and it looks like they were right to do so, given that EG signed with and was released by another NBA team last year. However, I think that it is sweet that I will get to give Sam a sig of my choosing after this season. You ready to pay up, Sam?
You know that Clutch and several others have search capability. You better hope that they are busy with other things because I have a feeling that if they go back and find your first couple of posts after we got Griffin, that you NEVER said anything about the Rockets getting him a mentor. If you did, then I will apologize to you, but I really would be surprised if that was the case. I don't understand why this thread was started in this forum and not in the Eddie Griffin Forum, er NBA Dish Forum where there seems to be a new thread (sometimes two!) about him every day!
Be happy for the guy... Give people the benefit of the doubt that they did try to help him while he was here. But like any situation similar to this, the guy has to WANT the help and realize he NEEDS the help before he'll ACCEPt the help. --------- Keep him on the team? I'd rather get a distraction off the team. Or an unproductive player. Actually, answer me this. Do you think the Rockets should have kept Maloney on the team for 7 years since he was an asset and may have regained that form that made him worth that contract for an instant? Of course not. Possibility of being an asset...but we realized it wouldn't be worth it to wait around and find out. Same with EG, though different situation. Wasn't worth the distraction to keep a guy who got multiple chances at this around.
I'm holding out for a Vin Bakeresque relapse! Remember when he put up even better numbers last year and looked like an allstar again? Hey Eddie, they've got some good beer over in Wisconsin... (Just kidding, i would never wish that upon someone.) EDIT, I just looked it up, he needs 13-8-2 in at least 60 games this season for you to take it. He's currently at 11-7-1
Yao about Eddie. This is legit.This is an interview of Yao Ming by the Basketball Pioneers (BP) , the new sports newspaper that his buddy Yang Yi works for. I guess this could be an interview done by Yang Yi over phone. Quote: BP: Feeling much better after 2 consecutive wins? YM: Just felt relieved. Not exactly very happy. BP: Did you feel you've changed? YM: Well, I've turned blue collar (Laugh). Did they not all say so (in their articles)? This is the first time in my life that I'm called a blue collar. Well a 20/10 blue collar. Not bad; not bad at all. BP: Your # of rebounds had significantly increased in the last 3 games? YM: Well, (the reason) the # of my rebounds increased (is simple); the opponents' power forwards are not those who like to play down under the post. If they are, I would have to make position to help defense, and I would be immediately down at the basket. Where then can I grab my rebounds ? In that game with the Mavericks, Nowitzki played like a mad man, but he was hitting his jumpers from a distance; In the game with Philidelphia 76ers, Kenny Thomas, same. Moreover, I am much taller than these guys. As for the game with the Hornets, they did not have any persons (to compete with me). I originally thought I have scored 21 points and 10 rebounds. But then (when I was benched) I found out it was only 9. If I have known earlier, I would have fought my life out to grab 1 more offensive rebound. BP: What tactical adjustment the team is making such that in defense, you could be closer to the basket? YM: Jeff Van Gundy had started (to ask us) to practise zone defense. He never tried that in last season. 1-3-1 zone defense. If we can play 1-3-1 zone defense, that'll be awesome. But we dared not try it yet in the previous 2 games. BP: Prior to the game with the Mavericks, JVG talked with you and T-Mac. The media reported that JVG has asked T-Mac to be the nucleus on offense. So does he restrict you from shooting? YM: Just the opposite. JVG asked me not to hesitate if I have the offense opportunity; be decisive and shoot when the ball is passed to me. But after our talk, I did not disclose to the reporters about what we've discussed. And T-Mac told the reporters that JVG asked him to shoot more. So it has become JVG has asked T-Mac to shoot more, and I to shoot less. Just look at our statistics. We have approximately same number of shot attempts. BP: Did you read that article from Houston Chronicle? YM: Up till now, I have not read it. I knew which old man wrote it. The same guy that criticized me last year (Columnist John Lopez). In Houston, he is the only guy that had scolded me. BP: Well in that article, to a certain degree, he was peronal-attacking you. Why do you think he write such article ? YM: Well I think he could not stand it any longer. 5 consecutive defeats, and 2 very miserable losses. Who can stand (such humiliation)? It is very similar to the domestic media reaction (in China) during the Olympic. At that time, forget about techniques and tactics; it is no use to analyse those things anymore. Just scold and attack the others, then they will feel better. BP: So you now take these things easy? YM: You're right. After that Olympic saga, I've learned to take it easy (with the media). All it requires is just one night (of great performance), and everything will be different. All the scoldings will turn into praises and applause. You should not pay too much attention to these, otherwise you will think ÊÀ̬Ñ×Á¹ (i.e. people's attitude (i.e. friendly or unfriendly) is ever changing, dependent on whether you're successful or not.) BP: After that loss to the Denver Nuggets on home court, you said it was the most depressed day of your life. Looking back, was it really that bad ? YM: It was really pretty frustrated. You see, in all these years that I play, I never lost that badly. Remember my final 2 seasons in CBA: 11 consecutive wins in one, 23 consecutive wins in another. We did bad in the Olympic, but the win over Serbia & Montenegro compensated it all. But that loss (to the Nuggets) was most unbearable. But afterwards I comforted myself; I knew the season before I arrived into Houston, the Rockets lost 19 consecutive games. I told myself, no matter how bad we played, we could never be worst. BP: So you were very upset those days ? YM: I was just thinking. How those players all improved once they left Houston? Just look at them: Steve Francis, Old Cat. Same for Kenny Thomas. And there is Eddie Griffin too; dumped out by us but he now plays so well at Minnesota. When they were in Houston, they seemed to have been limited. BP: So, who has limited them ? YM: It's me !! You don't need to circle around. I understood it deep down inside. Well just let me shoulder all these pains and frustrations. It is here in Houston that I will stay. BP: Are there any progress in your relationship with McGrady ? YM: We still don't talk much so far. Up till now, if I have to add up the time that we've talked, possibly, that is not even equal to what I used to do with Steve Francis in 1 day. Steve Francis is a chatterbox. Ha ha, Franics is really really a very funny person. BP: Can you 2 become the best combo in the entire league if you 2 never exchange much off court ? YM: This will be decided by our gifted talents. BP: So you think both you and T-Mac have gifted talents? YM: I don't know. BP: You don't know whether you have the talents or T-Mac has the talents? YM: Both. I dare not think too much about it. I am already too afraid to lose. I just want to focus on my play/game. BP: So you went out to play yesterday? YM: Right. The Rockets treated all the season ticket fans to an outing at an amusement hall. We were all there. Each of us was given some chips worth of US$4000. We played black jack and roulette. Eventually I had US$25,000. This could be beginner's luck. But it is not real money. It is forbidden to gamble by law in Texas. I could not exchange those chips back into money. It was just like playing Mahjong for fun. BP: But still you were happy ?? YM: Sure. Maybe the luck will bring back my shooting touch !!!
hey could we lock this thread its quite disheartening to read about EG doing well somewhere else. at least for SF3/Cat/Cato we received compensation (kind of) KT we rented JPosey *that was a waste too. but for EG we didnt get anything in return and to see him flourish somewhere else is killing me. J
You didn't really believe him, did you? http://bbs2.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=1087932#post1087932 But in all fairness, I think he was just overreacting in that post, and didn't want the Rockets to actually cut him, as evidenced by this thread after they cut him. http://bbs2.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=1173170#post1173170 (my bad - had originally posted a deleted thread link) In general though, people forget a couple of things -- 1) Eddie was screwed up then... badly. New Jersey won the Eddie sweepstakes, and it didn't take long for them to cut him too. 2) Eddie really didn't play very well for us. I can't figure out his three-point stroke this year... he had open looks in the past and did not shoot well from downtown. He had his games, but a lot of 3-15 nights for Eddie also. His 3-point shooting has been outrageously good so far this season (though it's early), but inside the arc he is still a pathetic 37%. Terrible for an inside player. What should the Rockets have done really? To be honest, I don't know. This mess blew up just before they could pick up his option, and they opted not to. If they had kept him on, not cutting him, I'm guessing he is a restricted free agent in that case? I guess it wouldn't have hurt any. My main problem in general is the Rockets have done a terrible job of building assets. Griffin had tremendous trade value at one point. There was the whole rumor about balking at giving up Griffin for Rashard Lewis, which I even agreed with at the time. But Houston knew about a lot of these problems with Eddie, and if they weren't going to do much about it, they should have dumped him off. Remember, after Griffin was cut, one GM said anonymously: "Now that's a guy you gamble on," he said. "The right age. The right position, which is inside, where most teams need help. There was a time when I would have considered trading almost everyone on my team for him." If Eddie keeps this up, Minnesota made out like bandits.
Blame Eddie, Blame the Rockets, Blame New Jersey, doesn't change the fact that drafting Eddie was a blunder. I thought it was good at the time, so did the Rockets, but it has proven to be a blunder. Not drafting Rasheed Lewis was a blunder. Signing MoTaylor was a blunder. Mat Maloney's contract was a blunder. Langhi and Collier= blunders The list goes on- blunder, blunder, blunder I don't care how you slice it - it is undeniable that good teams become contenders by making good moves. Lottery teams make blunders. It is up to TMac and Yao to rescue the Rockets. Our we make a couple more blunders the whole thing is going to stink. Look at us, we have TMac, Yao and a bunch of end of the bench players who are not quick, good shooters, rebounders or anything else that would take us to the upper tier of teams in the league. I wish we had Griffin, or Jefferson, or Lewis any other good player right now that would take pressure off of TMac and Yao. Right now we need to make a move and we just can't afford to blunder. If we don't make a personel move soon we will be back in the Lottery. O well, then we just wait and see what happens over the summer.
Clutch you NAILED it! I know you guys have seen me post time and time again that this team has done a terrible job in "building ASSETS" and Clutch really nailed it there. The Rockets had two choices when it came to Eddie (knowing his problems). They should have traded him as soon as he was a problem. They could have gotten something GOOD for him. But they believe in him so they kept him. Unfortunately the Rockets didnt FOLLOW THROUGH with their plan and eventually cut him. And now they have NOTHING to show for it. So either trade him EARLY at first signs of trouble, OR try to hang onto him to see if there is ANY way they could parlay him into something down the road. They did neither, and thus have nothing. When you ask yourself where are the tradable assets on this team to make future moves or ask yourself where is the Youth just look at Eddie Griffin, Terence Morris, Bostjan Nachbar, James Posey(KT). Nothing!
Clutch, Haha! I knew I could count on you, especially when that post of mine was pretty much lobbing a softball to the plate! In a way, I don't blame Dakota as it does suck that we aren't going to ever get any compensation out of this situation. But it kills me that we have people here who act like Eddie never got a second chance. From what I read, he got a third, fourth, hell, maybe even a fifth chance. What else are the Rockets suppose to do in a case like this? About all you can do, I think, is cut your losses and try to learn from that experience.
I just don't believe releasing him was the right thing to do. You basically let an asset walk, and got nothing in return. We had to pay him anyway, why not help him? Sure, Jeff...I know I know your friends all said they tried, and it didn't work out. I just don't believe the organization had any clue in how to handle a young man with problems. Maybe he had to be cut to bottom out...maybe not..... But we just gave up......gave UP our options, and that is not only stupid, it is bad business. DD
