Important: Wang Zhizhi update

What a turn around. Just yesterday the Wang news seemed bad for the Rockets and now it seems that with the additional freedom given to Wang, some of the off the court risks about Ming are decreasing.

 

GATER-Cat signed his contract the offseason before last offseason, going into 2000-2001.

A couple other examples of 2nd round picks that played 2 years, then were restricted are Rashard Lewis and Ruben Patterson. Marc Jackson was ruled restricted by the league, even though he only played technically 1year, but was a 2nd round pick.

We were not under the cap. Dream and his 16+ mill were still on the payroll.

Cat was an Early Bird exception. The MCE for the year Cat was a RFA was 2.25 million (we used that on Mo, if you recall). You can resign Early Bird free agents for the league average salary (108% of it, if I recall), which became the formula for calculating the MCE the next year. The average salary grew, and hence the Cat is making less than the average player in the league (which is what the MCE is for).

Remember, that was the big worry- IIRC, Toronto was under the cap (they must've been, because they offered Mo 6+ mill, and signed Mark Jackson for ~5 mill), and could've outbid us for Cuttino, but Cuttino chose not to sign their offer sheet.

alejandro- Reread what you said-

Dallas only has Early Bird rights which means Dallas can pay Wang the greater of 175% of 465k or the average player salary. Both should be well less than the MCE.

The MCE is the average salary

That is why only a team under the cap by more than the MCE is able to bid on a RFA and be guaranteed to get him. The MCE is the average player salary, and the team that has a restricted free agent's rights is allowed to use the Early Bird Rights to match up to a little more than average player salary, and therefore keep the player.

 

NIKE-
It appears that I have botched up the MCE = avg salary thing, but doesn't the fact that Cuttino chose not to sign the Toronto offer sheet indicate that he was unrestricted? It was his choice were to play.

IIRC, Rashard also had a choice and decided on the short-term deal with the Sonics leading to his current player option status.

 

GATER-

I don't see how Cat not signing the Toronto offer sheet changes anything.

Restricted free agents aren't auction items. They still have to sign the offer sheet. He decided he'd rather play in Houston starting at 4 mill, than Toronto starting at 6 mill. If he had signed the Toronto offer sheet, Houston wouldn't have been able to match, and he'd be a dinosaur.

Just like Rashard Lewis-if he wasn't a restricted free agent, I'd say there's a pretty good chance he'd be a Rocket. But it makes no sense for him to sign a 2.25 mill offer sheet (what the Rockets could've offered) knowing Seattle would match that easily, and be making 2.25 mill, instead of 4+ mill..

Here is a link showing Cuttino as a restricted free agent.

 

Why does everyone want Wang?? Everytime I saw this guy play last year he sucked big time. He got pushed around under the basket, he was slow, and he could barely jump of the ground. I would say he is Collier with a little more range.

 

NIKE -
OK, for now I will concede this to you BUT -

Just because Cat refused the Raptors offer sheet does not mean that Zhi Zhi will turn down an offer sheet from the Clipps as they can exceed the MCE.

Then my question becomes, if both Dallas (limited to the MCE) and the Clipps both bid the same amount, who gets Wang? If it is Wangs choice then the term "restricted" is being used pretty liberally in this context.

 

GATER- Of course. That's all a player's decision whether to sign an offer sheet.

Also, don't be surprised if this is just talk on matching Wang. I think last year, Cuban said the same thing about Calvin Booth, only to let him walk to Seattle for a full MCE deal. It helped Booth probably get more money, and forced a Western rival to pay him more money than he's worth, for fear of Dallas matching. That's why the Rockets offered Jackson such a lucrative deal- in hopes the Warriors wouldn't match.

As for the last part, think about the order of how it'd go down- Clippers would sign him to an offer sheet, and then Dallas has the time to either match or let him go to the Clippers. If Dallas matches the offer, they get to keep him. That's why it's restricted free agency, the team the free agent is coming from has the last say.

For example, when Francis becomes a free agent- Washington could offer him a max contract for the full amount, full signing bonus, the works. But, since we have his LBR, we could match, and he'd stay a Rocket because he's a restricted free agent from our team.

This is also why I'm sort of ticked at Denver-they gave Cuban Raef's LBR, and he's a restricted free agent. With Cuban's lavish spending, someone could offer Raef the max, and he'd match.

 

He can be restricted and still not want to play in Dallas.

If he's offered a contract that is less than the exception Dallas will match it. I have a feeling though that Golden State will offer him a contract larger than the exception though.

 

NIKE -

OK, I'm on board with you now.

For any bid(s) which do not exceed the maximum Dallas can bid (the MCE), it becomes Dallas' choice to match.

For any bid in excess of the MCE, it is Zhi Zhi's choice to accept that bid (offer sheet) or Dallas' if they subsequently make one.

In the absence of a Dallas bid, Wang can take any offer that is made.

I believe the above is also true for Najera.

 

You're right on everything except the Booth situation. Dallas was planning to match any offer up to the 4.5 mil exception. They didn't think any team would offer more than that. The Sonics offered 4.6 and he took it.

 

Now you guys got it. And yes the same applies to Najera.

 

Nike

I cut and pasted the comment in question from a gater post in an attempt to inform him (as you have admirably done) about the MCE. It was not a comment I made.



Also I saw that some one thought that LA Clips or GS might offer Wang in exceess of the MCE? I don't think he will get that money from GS as they have tons of cash tied up. I don't believe they have the 4.6 under the cap anyways. As for the Clips they always have money and never use it. They are trying to figure out what to do with the guys they have to pay big money to in the future like Odom,Maggette,Q, Brand, Kandiman and Miles. The Clips will be pushing the cap envelope here pretty soon that is why if anything I think you guys have a shot at getting Odom and maybe maggette for the number one.

Well i wandered off topic but oh well. In sumation does anyone really think someone will offer Wang 35 mill? I don't think so. I do think he is worth it. I follow most of the young guys in the NBA and think wang has a lot of potential. if he could just spend 2 yrs here developing playing in the summer league and training camp and getting 25 plus minutes a game I think he could be a legit starter. As a Mavs fan I want ajera and Wang locked longer term hopefully cheap as I see them as part of an euight man rotation.

Also off topic but i am not on the ming bandwagon. If I am the Rockets I trade the pick with GS or anyone who want Jay Will for Odom or A pick that enables you to get Caron/Nene or Nick.