PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Denied a contract extension and caught off-guard by his team's courtship of Derek Anderson, Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Steve Smith has asked to be traded. Smith drove to Seattle on Friday and met with Blazers general manager Bob Whitsitt for 50 minutes, during which Smith asked Whitsitt for a two-year contract extension, The Oregonian reported. The request was denied. Around the same time, Anderson agreed in principle on a deal with the Blazers. Anderson, a free agent who plays the same position as Smith and Bonzi Wells, had broken off negotiations with the San Antonio Spurs. "I have only one option: I told Bob that I seek to be traded," Smith said. "What else can I do? Then you sign Derek Anderson? So there are going to be three guards for one position? It's nothing against Derek, it's nothing against anybody, but I don't see that working." Smith, 32, has two years left on a contract that will pay him $9 million during the 2001-02 season and $10 million in 2002-03. He has been seeking a two-year extension with the Blazers since he was traded from Atlanta in August 1999. "Steve very much wants us to extend his contract, and we've said that as much as we like Steve, and he's been an excellent player for us and all those things ... with the kind of dollars that players are making today, we think it's best to wait until a guy's contract gets to the end," Whitsitt said. Smith said he has earned the right to be rewarded. He averaged 14.9 points his first season in Portland and 13.6 points last season, when he lost his starting job to Wells. "I've earned it," Smith said. "I've been the ultimate team player, I've taken a lot of issues thrown at me last year, I've proven what I can do playing-wise, I've proven that my knees are good. ... What else can I do? "I'm not a guy who runs and complains but I need a little respect. I mean, golly, I'm not asking for the world. I'm just saying what is fair for me." Smith becomes the odd man out in the lineup after the Blazers stumbled into getting Anderson. The 27-year-old player averaged 15.5 points for the Spurs last season, after signing a one-year free-agent deal worth $2.25 million. San Antonio had offered him $43 million over six years, but the deal was incentive-heavy, and Anderson didn't like that the final season wasn't fully guaranteed. Anderson has agreed to take Portland's mid-level salary-cap exception of $4.5 million, and the team has agreed to extend the deal to six season for up to $34 million. The Blazers and Spurs also are trying to work out a sign-and-trade deal that could boost Anderson's salary and free up the exception so Portland could sign another player. Smith said he told his agent, Dr. Charles Tucker, to start looking for a trade immediately. He said he wouldn't mind playing for San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia or Miami. He said he wants to resolve the issue quickly because his wife is expecting their second child in January. "If they want to get rid of me, if they don't think I'm valuable here, why not do it now and pull the trigger?" ------------------
Don't worry Steve, they'll trade you if they can! What is Steve Smith thinking!? A 2 year extension? I guess he's threatened by the potential signing of Derek Anderson, but his bad knees cost him his starting job and is causing his game to decline severely, why would they want to lock him up for an ADDITIONAL 2 years!? ------------------ "Instruments are like women: After a while, you want to make love to another." - Nicolas Godin of the musical duo Air
His PT probably isn't in jeaopardy as rumor has it that Derek Anderson just might be traded to San Antonio. Yeah, I don't get it either, but that's the word that is going around. ------------------ Anger is a weed. Hate is a tree.
Smith said he has earned the right to be rewarded. He averaged 14.9 points his first season in Portland and 13.6 points last season, when he lost his starting job to Wells. Yeah... you've earned the right for two more years at about 23 million.... sure..... ------------------
Smith's reasoning is somewhat valid, he is 32 possibly in the prime of his career but you would never know it because he is on the bench and his stats are weakened by the team of stars (Wallace doesnt have stellar stats either), he wants a chance to really play at this point in his career but would not mind sacrificing the PT for more money. Thats a fair enough trade off if you ask me. ------------------ "banging Shaq is a whole different expirience"-Pete Babcock Behold the power of quotation
Ziggy, Smith is nowhere near in the prime of his career. Knee injuries have robbed him of the explosiveness and speed that made him a hell of a force at the guard position. Maybe 5 or 6 years ago I would've loved to have had him on the Rockets, but to say he's even 50% of the player he used to be is a reach. Bonzi beat Smith out for that position simply because he was more explosive on offense than Smith is now. Five or 6 years ago, there's no way I'd take Bonzi over a (semi)healthy Steve Smith. ------------------ "I'll tell you this, the older I get, the less I trust people. It's true. It's damn true." -- gr8-1 going through some growing pains.
Where did you hear that? Not that I doubt you, but I'm interested in finding out more . . . ------------------ I'm looking for a job, so hire me "And I just have to smile and say 'well, I hope so' while I'm really thinking inside how I'd like to just strangle them and take their job."
His PT probably isn't in jeaopardy as rumor has it that Derek Anderson just might be traded to San Antonio. Yeah, I don't get it either, but that's the word that is going around. Teams aren't allowed to sign-and-trade other team's free agents. The only way that could work is if Portland signed Derek Anderson, and then dealt him to the Spurs 2 months later, which I'm pretty sure the NBA would look into. ------------------ "Instruments are like women: After a while, you want to make love to another." - Nicolas Godin of the musical duo Air
