The Celtics and Sonics are expected to complete a trade as early as today. Boston Sends: Anderson, Potapenko, Forte Sonics Send: Baker & Williams (Shammond) With Bakers 86 million-dollar contract gone, they now can offer Lewis a much better contract. Maybe not the 102 million, but they have a lot of cap space to work with now. Now it's up to Lewis: Follow the Money or Come home. http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/203/sports/Celtics_and_Sonics_set_to_close_the_deal+.shtml
how does this free up money .. . maybe next year or so becaus eof contracts dropping off. . but they have to take at least within 15% of the same salary. Rocket River
It doesn't free money for this year, but this year's payroll wasn't a concern anyway. He has Bird Rights. What is a concern is paying the luxury tax year after year, which they're less likely to do with Baker gone. Probably a good move by Seattle. It's unfortunate they'll use their new found freedom to overpay Lewis.
The Vin Baker deal is going to be announced within the next hour according to KJR Radio in Seattle. Boston gets: Vin Baker Shammond Williams Seattle gets: Kenny Anderson Joe Forte Vitali Potapenko and/ or Eric Williams *This is a great deal for Seattle on paper, but supposedly Anderson & Forte are a "cancer" in the locker room. If you want to listen you can click the link below and they are talking about this major trade & Rashard Lewis was supposed to be interviewed live via phone this morning but he disconnected the phone and is nowhere to be found so they are talking about that also http://www.kjram.com/pics.cfm?page=pics
I could care less if we don't get Lewis and instead I would make an offer to Donyell Marshal who is more capable of molding the young rocks in a sense that his stats when he was playing with the Jazz last season was just great! Not only that I think he would take less money but he will be more aggressive than the homeboy, Lewis!!
Seattle already low-balled Lewis with a 7-year $49,000,000 offer. OK, I'd take it, sure; but he can get more (just not the max). If Seattle wants to start Rashard at $5mil per year, what's wrong with 3 years starting at $4.5, with a sweeter contract afterward? Come on home, Rashard.
I'd really like to see Baker rejuvenate his career in Boston if this trade happens. He really was a solid player back in Mil.
Seattle already told him they would give him a sweeter contract when he signed with them over Toronto, but they haven't offered the sweeter contract yet. I don't think Lewis wants to take another "if you....then we will" deal. He either wants the money now or never (with Seattle)
But if Seattle gives him a "never," then he wouldn't lose much in 3 years in Houston, provided he gets a decent contract at that time. The amount he receives from Houston in 2005 would depend on how much better he gets; but if he's gonna get low-balled (as many players will; the money just isn't there), I think better for him in Houston than Seattle. Of course, we've been told to basically forget Rashard, and we would have Rashard/Rice/Boki/T-Mo. Boki might or might not equal Rashard in value, plus come at a cheaper price. HOWEVER, what an off-season: 1.3 billion new fans AND the prodigal son returns? I don't think we'll get Rashard (playing time? money?) but I'd love to see it happen.
Yea...I've got a few nice Baker cards that I'm embarrassed to own. Him and Kemp - though I've lost all hope for Kemp every coming a"round".
i heard that seattle will buy out anderson's contract. any knowlege on how much that will change the offer to lewis?
