Ive posted it once, and I will post it again: F*ck Mike James for being a wishy washy little girl. F*ck Dallas for being Dallas. F*ck the Rockets brass for getting pounded in the ass this offseason. Ive had enough. I surrender!! Somebody wake me up from this offseason of frustration and hell!!
Losing James would be bad, but to the Mavs would be like death. Watch them pound us 4 times a year. I say overpay for the guy. He can really help us and we would be keeping him away from Cuban.
Good post. The article also mentions that Duffy is trying to get some information from the league office. I'm guessing that Duffy is trying to get the MLE number, so that James will have concrete numbers to consider. Although the difference is somewhat slight, the uncertainty in the numbers makes it a little harder to make a decision.
True. (seems like his agent could have sprung for it though, those guys should all have flex-time deals with jet co-ops) I seem to remember that Cuban has included players in other business transations outside of basketball. I wonder how that is viewed under the CBA (and how it would be policed)
"The front-runner?...it's the Mavericks." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2515905 The NBA's top remaining free-agent point guard should be off the market soon. Mike James is expected to announce his next team Tuesday after meeting face-to-face Monday in Las Vegas with Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson. James then returned to his offseason home in Houston to choose between the Mavericks, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves, all of whom have been negotiating with James during the Vegas Summer League. It's believed that each of those teams is offering the 31-year-old a three-year deal starting at the $5 million mid-level exception. Mike James Point Guard Toronto Raptors Profile 2006 SEASON STATISTICS GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT% 79 20.3 3.3 5.8 .469 .837 The front-runner? Judging by James' comments over the weekend in Los Angeles at a charity basketball game hosted by Baron Davis and Paul Pierce, it's the Mavericks. And that's largely because of the former pass-first point guard chasing the shoot-first point guard who's coming off a breakout season in Toronto. "The biggest 'wow' in this whole situation has been Avery Johnson," James says. "I respect him as a coach, but we have a relationship beyond the court. We've been friends for some years now. I've always respected Avery, even as a player when he had that broke jump shot. But he has a ring and he knows what it takes to win. He's been the person who has wowed me the most through this process." James added that potential suitors must meet two requirements. Championship contention is No. 1. "These three teams want to win," James said. "Kevin Garnett tells me he doesn't want the playoffs, he wants to win the championship. Houston wants to get back to that point, and they've already got two superstars. "Dallas was two games away," James continued, noting that the Mavs are closest to meeting the first prerequisite. "That's a very important factor for me." No. 2? "I want a team that wants to win, but also believes that I'm a significant piece," James said. "It's about trust. That's one of the main things I'm focused on. Do you really believe in me? "These teams tell me they do. For them to say, 'Mike James, you're a significant piece,' that humbles me. With all the stuff I've been through -- everyone telling me I can't, can't, can't -- I'm humbled that these three teams believe in me." While he stops short of requiring a spot in the starting lineup, James isn't shy about his belief that he should remain a starter. "I was top 20 in every category besides rebounding, blocked shots and steals," James said. "There's over 400 players in the NBA, so I think I've proven what I'm capable of. All I can do is continue to work and erase all the critics minds." And according to James, the critics have been hard at work, hounding him throughout his career. Following a stellar college career at Duquesne, James went undrafted before eventually singing with the Heat as a free agent in 2001. Over the next four seasons, James bounced between Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Houston, respectively, before the Rockets dealt him Toronto on the first day of training camp last October. James went on to establish new career bests in minutes per game (37.0), assists (5.8), rebounds (3.3) and points (20.3). He became just the second undrafted player in NBA history, after John Starks, to average 20 points in a season. While some might credit the jump in production to contract-year motivation, James says it was a product of increased playing time, a lifetime of hard work and a love for the game that saved him. "If it wasn't for the game of basketball, I know what I would have done, and it wouldn't have been nice," he said, referring to his rough childhood in Amityville, N.Y. "The only other thing I knew was the streets. Basketball was my way out, so the only thing I can do to give back to the game is play with my heart." While James continues to ponder a decision that will alter the course of his career, he already knows where he'll be when that decision is announced. He dreams of a press conference. "I never had the chance to wear that hat on the podium in front of the media," James said. "I told my wife, I'm going to the podium because I've never done that before. For me to just do that once, I'm awed by it. I'm thankful." Sam Alipour is a contributor to ESPN The Magazine.
All offers are at 4 years because of the over 36 rule. He can't make any more money with a 5 year deal, that is why no-one is offering it or Mike James considering. All the offers are 4 year MLEs, maybe with a player option. There might be a little difference in front loading or whatever, but inconsequential. It is all between Houston and Dallas IMO and non money factors are in play.
http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=2401578#post2401578 Yes, this article was posted. The only new Mike James thread we need right now is the one that says, yes or no. EDIT: Sorry, my link doesn't direct you to the post within that thread. It is a few posts up. #163.
NBA Transaction History: http://n-c-systems.com/hoops/ Here's a partial list of players who were "discharged" from the Mavs since 1995: Doug Christie Shawn Bradley Alan Henderson Mike Finley Dan Dickau Jason Sasser Felipe Lopez Greg Buckner Nick Van Exel Adrian Griffin Raja Bell Antawn Jamison Danny Fortson Antoine Walker Tony Delk Christian Laettner Eduardo Najera Raef LaFrenz Jiri Welsch What's interesting about this list (when you compare it to a similiar list of ex-Rockets is what a HIGH PERCENTAGE of the ex-Mavericks are still in the NBA as compared to the ex-Rockets. We've had very few tradable assets for years now.... Who is churning players? Somehow we need to make the case that wanting Mike James back is bigger than wanting him in the first place.
Correct me if I am wrong but the rockets have a loophole with the TE because the 36 year rule does not apply to sign and trade players. So the Rockets can offer the TE for 5 Years which means we are offering more cash than anyone. He'll have to play an extra year to earn it but it's guaranteed. So why is James delaying and so upset. My guess is his agent didn't understand the CBA (remember this is the guy who screwed Anthony Carter out of 4 million because he forgot to make a call to Miami) and now James is realizing the most he can get is 4 years. Actually he can sign a 5 year contract but he can not recieve more than what the 4 year deal will offer because he will be 36 in the 5th year. So there you have it James will lose 4 or 5 million and he is pissed. He thought the least he would get is 30 million and hopefuly more if Toronto agreed to a sign and trade. And what irks him even more is if Houston hadn't traded him they could have offered him even more and now they are trying to get him for the bargain basement price of less than the MLE. Yeah I can see why he is not smiling. "Don't tell me you love me and then trade me!"
IMO MJ is bluffing and also venting and using the positive characteristics of the Dallas situation/encounter ("trust" "winning a title") to help shape and create the environment and culture he really wants in Houston, but is reluctant to show his hand because of the bargaining process. What one has to wonder is why MJ isn't mentioning his family (a pregnant wife with a baby on the way who's support system family wise is in Houston) when he lists his major desires from a franchise and he's downplaying the money which we all know is crap, with him being 31 and coming off his best year, he HAS to cash in for his family so we can rightfully assume he's bluffing to not expose his hand and trying to manipulate the environment he wants to be in. Also, what family man doesn't mention the city, schools, and quality of the city as it fits his families' needs when considering the biggest career move of his life? I think it's the other way around: MJ is using Dallas and the "trust" factor he has with Avery and commitment to winning a title to manipulate Houston to be in alignment with HIS values especially since he got burned here the first time around. IMO He's just making sure there's a REAL commitment to him this time around and waiting for Houston to slam the jack on the table to back up all the words of "love" which are probably incredulous, patronizing and insulting to him considering how quickly he was dissed. It's not love man, it's about respect and money and that's what he wants for him and his family. Max respect. Phatt payday..... And one last note about Dallas being "two games away from winning it all": that is taken out of context when you look at HOW they were two games from winning it (losing 4 straight after being up 2-0). Dallas has gone down in history as being one of the biggest CHOKES in the history of the NBA finals which shows a lack of heart AND poise and that without a truly dominant center or low post presence, it's difficult to win it all. You don't think MJ knows that? It's a front and he signs with Houston for reasons of family, money, comfort with his environment AND a chance to win it all WITH a dominant center and a superstar who is more multidimensional than anyone on Dallas' team..... Dallas had their chance and pissed it all away.....
I don't think it makes a difference in this case. Using the TE (signed using Bird Rights from Tor 1st) years 5 (and even an allowed year 6) would be considered deferred compensation just as year 5 with a strait MLE would. I think the initial starting salary would have to be under 4.3 mil (TE) including factoring the deferred compensation.
Mike James turned 31 on June 23rd. He will 35 for the entire 5th season of a 5 year contract. The over-36 rule applies to contracts that extend beyond a players' 36th birthday. IMHO, this doesn't.
Well put. I hope Mike James comes but if he doesn't we have noone to blame but overselves. We passed him over intiially (when we signed Sura and Ward instead), finally did trade for him when we were desperate, only to trade him later for a lesser player to a team who not only didn't want to resign him but isn't being helpfull in sign and trades either because they don't want salary. That said, the more time and perspective for James the better, because the more ego and emotional decision would lead him to Dallas.
