http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...YF?slug=aw-turkoglu070309&prov=yhoo&type=lgns Source: Turkoglu changes mind on Blazers By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports 22 minutes ago Free agent Hedo Turkoglu(notes) has backed out of his commitment to the Portland Trail Blazers and could be signing with the Toronto Raptors, a source close to the talks told Yahoo! Sports on Friday night. Turkoglu had agreed on a five-year, $50 million deal with the Blazers, but changed his mind and could be headed for a five-year, $56 million deal with the Raptors. Toronto would have to renounce three free agents – Shawn Marion(notes), Carlos Delfino(notes) and Anthony Parker(notes) – to create the cap space for Turkoglu. Apparently, the Blazers are already busy exploring other free-agent options for the $9 million in salary-cap space. Five years ago, Turkoglu was close to signing with the Phoenix Suns that now-Toronto GM Bryan Colangelo was running, but changed his mind and went to the Orlando Magic.
Jesus! 5 yrs $56 mil? Colangelo is not the GM I thought he was. Looks like someone's smoking some of that good BC bud. I can't believe Hedo would fetch that much
Just tells you how verbal commitments are not necessary final. Things can still change. Hope Ariza sticks to his commitment to the Rockets.
I think Kurt Thomas made a verbal commitment many years ago to Dallas and then backed out. I could be wrong about him, but these things are not that uncommon.
The money these athletes get paid is crazy. For what they do, is just insane. No wonder so many teams go over the salary cap.
Funny tweet by Simmons. sportsguy33 FYI: Hedo changed his mind in Portland after seeing Greg Oden limp towards him for a handshake. (Waiting.) What, too soon?
Not that I begrudge the guy an extra $1mil a year. But he needs to look at the other guys around the league chasing after a ring, working for the Vet min etc. One of these days he'll realize he has plenty of jack and a ring would make him feel better. He coulda went from a contender to a contender. Instead for a 'measly' extra $1mil/yr he went to a perennial hell hole. And with the high Canadian tax... is he even making more money?!
But what if his wife was a strong influence because she liked Toronto so much? Don't discount that. A happy wife + $6MM more = the right decision for Turkey-Glue. I was unaware that Toronto had a lot of Turks living there.
It's kinda tough thinking that way when you have a teammate with similar skills making double what you make. I'm not going to lie, it would kinda bug me if my coworker made double what I made doing the same work. 120 mill for Rashard Lewis, god bless that alief kid...
But would you go work for another company where you'll likely be unhappy, even though you got paid a little more? Because him going to Toronto won't make Rashard make any less money.
As I told my friend, I'd rather lose $6 million than live in Canada. Having a chance at winning is also an incentive.
He's a veteran, the fresh eyed newness of playing in the NBA is gone. Business is business and whichever team he goes to it's still playing basketball. He may not be in a team that's as far along in championship aspirations like the Magic, but I bet he won't lose any sleep over that. The ridiculous money kinda numbs the losing night after night. Money and ego go hand in hand in the NBA.
I'd be even more unhappy working for a company that is taking advantage of my loyalties by under paying me.
Guess it's a big enough difference for him. Maybe his wife actually does love the city. Who knows but 6 mill is alot of scratch to leave on the table even with the taxation, which I myself wouldn't know the actual numbers after taxation. Beltran signed with the Mets even when the Stros offer would have been the same after accounting the no state income tax, so go figure (ok Houston can't compare to NY as a city).
