2 updates - Francis and Salary Cap

by djudd on Jul 10, 2007 10:11 PM PDT Comment 59 comments

Francis bought out link from O-Live. Steve Francis indeed does not put on a Blazer uni. Gets $30 million of the $33.6 million he was due

NBA announces new salary cap link from ESPN. The new salary cap is $55,630,000. The mid-level exception for over-the-cap teams is $5,356,000, and the luxury tax threshold will be $67,865,000

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Woot woot!

Later Franchise! Not in this house!

by shralpster on Jul 10, 2007 10:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Right now, this is a win-win-win situation. The Knicks got the talent in the trade in Randolph, Francis got his money and will have options galore available to him, and the Blazers gain in cap space and culture by dishing out change found in between Paul Allen's sofa seats in the library den in his third house. No doubt that this is a lot of money,...but it's still money we would have otherwise had to have paid a player like Randolph or Francis in the next few years who wouldn't have fit in our culture or team structure. We just decided to pay Francis now instead of later.

Good day to be a Blazer fan.

by VegasNed on Jul 10, 2007 10:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Ned, I'm

usually with you, but I think Paul will turn around pay Stevie and then spend the same dollars again on additional talent.

I think he'll do whatever it takes to put a championship squad on the floor.

He is, really, the Man.

by ojala on Jul 10, 2007 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

rich people hate to spend money, that's how they usually get/stay rich. I think Paul Allen deserves a lot of credit, he may not be the flashiest owner but he always spends money to improve the team. It always bugs me how unappreciative some Portlanders are of him. For a small-market team such as us he's a godsend.

by jayseyfield on Jul 10, 2007 11:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

its not Paul Allens money I'm worried about

it's the fact this deal give the Blazers virtually no salary cap relief over the next two years from this deal. Is it really worth 30 mil to make him go away?

Also, why should Steve profit, ie make more by being a yahoo, then by being simply overpaid? He'll make the mid-level exception in addition to the 30mil, that means he'll make more being bought out for being a yahoo and not having enough talent to be worth his current salary.

I was expecting 20-25 Mil.

The Blazers should have let him rot on the bench until he and his agent came to their senses.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 10, 2007 11:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Blazers just got Pritch-slapped.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 10, 2007 11:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only problem is...

If we let him rot on the bench, Steve Francis becomes THE story of the season. He'll constantly whine, complain, speak to the media, all the same stuff he did in NY and worse. He'll be a huge distraction. HUGE. HUUUUUUUUGE.

He isn't a bad player if you ignore his ridiculous salary, but his attitude and style of play and EGO go against everything the Blazers are. If you have to pay him one way or another, might as well save some money and NOT have him around. He is virtually untradeable; holding onto him for another year and trading his expiring contract is risky as the last few seasons have shown that expiring contracts aren't as popular on the market as before. Plus, if someone is making as much as Francis is (salaries gotta match after all), and his team wants to trade this well paid player for NOTHING but cap relief, then that player is most likely not worth what he makes... just like Francis.

WE want the cap space that Francis' contract coming off the books brings... it's all he is valuable for, so why trade away what makes him worth something? Us trading him away a year from now, with a year of whining and distractions, and bringing in someone who makes that kind of money on our young team is a verrrrry VERY bad idea. No one who makes Francis money and is a GOOD PLAYER will be available for an expiring contract; we won't package one of our prized hall of fame youngsters to sweeten the pot either.

So, with this buyout, they do save money even if Francis doesn't sign a MLE with someone. But since he likely will, that means we save the money he's getting paid by the new team off our cap numbers... I've read it's the entire amount he's getting paid, and I've read it's HALF-- either way it's saving us more money.

The move opens up 2 roster spots (3 players for Frye), makes us MAJOR players in free agency in 2009 and allows us enough to resign a Martell or Jack AND have enough leftover for a free agent (should we want to re-sign them of course), allows playing time and more importantly TOUCHES for our young trio, and erases a mistake from the past clean from the books.

Also, just having Zach gone represents a complete changing of the guard in the eyes of the casual fan. That kind of stuff is still important for the Trailblazers, as the past still does haunt us a little bit.

You know how tough roster spot decisions are gonna be this year... do you want Miles AND Francis clogging up a spot that could go to Rudy Fernandez, Joel Freeland, Taurean Green, Travis Outlaw, Ime Udoka, Petteri Koponen, Josh McRoberts, AND whatever 3 guys we draft next year? As it is, with Francis gone, we're gonna gave to make tough decisions about who is on our 15 man roster. Having 2 wasted spots by guys who can't/won't play is extremely poor management.

This buyout helps the Blazers in ways that go beyond money-- however, it DOES save them money. If you think wasting money is why it's bad, then you have to realize how much this saves NOW, 2 years from now, and in the years where we will be a luxury tax team and trying to re-sign Roy/Oden/Lamarcus. Not having Z-Bo's or Franchise's huge dumb contracts SAVES money, even if 30 million now causes a sharp pain upon hearing the number. Ya just gotta look past the surface dude, cause money-wise we come out on top.

That's why even the national media thinks it was a great trade for the BLAZERS, even though everyone knows the Knicks got more talent wise.

Cap relief NOW is not only impossible, but not the goal. We don't need more players right now!

And Francis will probably NOT make the full MLE... he'll probably simply make as much as he would have before. He just got an advance of 30 million, and became moveable so we don't have to have his whiny butt around our sparkling clean good attitude-butted team.

I know you're unhappy with the deal and idealistically you're dead-set against it, but just wait till 2009 and you'll be super duper happy that we did this.

Heck, you won't have to wait to be happy: whichever young player who gets Francis' roster spot will make the season all that much more fun. I'd hate to send one of the Euros back to EuroVille and force them to sign a multi-year deal so they can eat, and we can't bring them over for 10 years because of dumb ol' Francis sitting in his own filth at the end of the roster. FUNK THAT, MRWONDERFULL!

That's just my opinion.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Jul 11, 2007 1:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Major props

to PA himself.

It's easy to believe in a team when from the owner to the third string PG everyone says what they mean and then proves they're real sometimes at tremendous expense.

I don't care how rich you are, that is a heck of a $30MM statement of belief and principle.

What a great time and place to be a fan.

Paul is committed to doing this right for all of us, and ultimately all the credit for our success starts and ends with his vision and his ability and willingness to deliver the goods; money, stability, and his hires in KP, Nate and all the kids.

Thank you so much Paul, I am grateful for what you are doing, Sir.

by ojala on Jul 10, 2007 10:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

$30 Million. My Goodness.

We all knew it was coming, but I didn't think it was gunna be THAT much.

So who is keeping track? D. Anderson/Ratliff/LaFrentz/Miles + 30 mil=close to $150 million down the drain when all is said and done? Not to mention the the arena losses. Maybe when you have billions you don't bat an eye. I wouldn't know.

by JMblazerfan on Jul 10, 2007 10:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't call LaFrentz money down the drain...

as he can contribute when needed, and he seems to be a genuinely good guy. With Ratliff, it allowed us to make the trades we needed to get B.Roy and L.A. in the 2006 draft, so that was money well spent. With Miles, it's TBD (if he can come back and actually contribute in a positive manner, then it may not be a complete waste).

I'll give you D.A. was money down the drain. What a loser.

by DonkeyShins on Jul 11, 2007 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Without meaning to

sound insensitive, but Darius Miles handing a homeless guy an unsolicited stack and some positive words seems a little like what PA is doing for the Blazer faithful these days.

by ojala on Jul 10, 2007 10:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Darious

I talked to some sports writers tonight and they think Miles is getting a shaft from most ya'll. Until he has a dog fight or kills a hobo we should cut this guy some slack.

15-6 guy when finally healthy.

I love women and basketball... but not women's basketball.

by T REX on Jul 10, 2007 10:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'll cut Darius some slack...

when he signs the retirement papers next month.

by JMblazerfan on Jul 10, 2007 11:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're hard,

but I'm afraid your right.

Is it Machevellian to hype the story now nationally in an effort to enhance any trade value he might have?

Think Zeke, perhaps.

by ojala on Jul 10, 2007 11:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You got it right Ojala

I didn't properly frame my post. My original post was responding to Casey Holdahl's claim that Portland wasn't in a "win" situation with this trade. Here's Casey...

"Isn't really a win-win-lose situation? That's not to say that the Blazers didn't end up with a decent trade, but you certainly can't claim that Paul Allen having to shell out $30 million to a guy who'll never wear a Blazer uniform is a "win."

PA has incredible trust in KP right now and KP spots a player worth the investment, PA is for sure giving the green light...and then wondering if it's too late to diversify in some Google stock to recoup some funds.

by VegasNed on Jul 10, 2007 10:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Got it now. Agreed.

by ojala on Jul 10, 2007 11:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pual Allen's Money

Thank you for spending your money Mr. Allen. I know some people don't think that you will ever miss it but I know that a business man cringes every time he loses money. Taking care of all of your millions made you a billionaire, so I know its hard but that money was well spent and much appreciated by Blazer fans everywhere!

by hightide on Jul 10, 2007 11:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He got out THAT easy?

I'm kind of torn on this one.....

I think its the right thing for the Blazers to do and I buy into the idea that Francis would do more harm than good. On the other side, this type of deal frustrates me about the NBA in general. I don't see it as PA's money, I see it as Blazers money (which a big part comes from fans spending money to watch the team.) If Paul tried to finance this franchise without any fan's providing income, he would go bankrupt shortly thereafter. Ultimately, this buyout does just effect PA's profits, but it just rubs me the wrong way that players get positive reinforcement for being troublesome players. It frustrates me because as a Blazers fan, when spending money on a ticket or Blazers merchandise, a small proportion of that money will go to paying Steve Francis when he plays for another team, in another city, for other fans. I know, this is the business of pro sports. Yet, its just frustrating that Francis made out so well. I don't dislike Francis, but I just hate that a player can get payed so much to not be a bad influence, rather than rewarding players who are good people/good team guys (See: Ime Udoka). I know I'm not throwing out clearcut undenialable reasons here...but for some reason I'm just frustrated that Steve got such an easy way out.

Jeez....I think I said "frustrated" more times than fatty says "bandwagon."

by WarEaglePDX on Jul 10, 2007 11:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's all good brother

Think of it as forgiving an exwife.

You sure aren't doing it for her sake, and the sooner you do it, the sooner your quality of life ticks back up.

by ojala on Jul 10, 2007 11:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gotchya

But its like an arranged marriage where your bride runs off with another dude before you even get to the alter, and than you have to pay her 29% of your income for the next 2 years(Thats how much of the cap he will take up for the Blazers the next two seasons). Just a tuff pill to swallow I suppose.

by WarEaglePDX on Jul 10, 2007 11:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but she's

gonna have a ball spending the money whether you're doing a continual slow burn and hating women universally or not. So go burn everything associated with Stevie Franchise and get a good drunk on, then get back to work with the unsolicited (but excellent) advice we provide to KP.

by ojala on Jul 10, 2007 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Unbelievable

I'm sorry, but this was a mistake. I understand that we never wanted Francis on the team or pouting around the young guys. But by buying him out like this, we are

Paying Francis $30 million to play for, in all likelihood, the LA Clippers, with whom we'll be battling for those last couple of playoff spots.
Rewarding a guy for getting a big contract and becoming a team cancer. While some of you seem to consider making a guy go away and paying him all of his money a punishment, I just don't see it. Great message to put out there.
Dumping what will be, next year, an extremely valuable $16 million expiring contract. He's on the books until then anyway. Why not keep the contract around as leverage?

I'm all for buying out a player if the player concedes SOMETHING to help out the team or the owner. I don't see how $3 million in savings will help Paul Allen. It certainly doesn't help the team. Yeah yeah--it gets him away from the team. But that could just have easily been accomplished by inactivating him and sending him home.

I just really hope we're not sitting in the 9th position next year, watching a resurgent Steve Francis leading the Clippers into the playoffs. That wouldn't feel so great.

by HarryManback on Jul 10, 2007 11:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Contract is guaranteed

There isn't much else you can do. If you don't want him taking up a roster spot you have to buy him out. The $3 million plus the relief they get from him signing with another team will be just enough to allow them to use their mid-level exception without going over the luxury tax level. (or at least keep them within a couple million of it.)

Pretty amazing when you think that they were well over $100 million in salaries not too long ago. And go look at what NY has to pay Zach over the next four years. NY is over this years salary cap already for the next three years.

by tssbro on Jul 10, 2007 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

3 million, nothing

The blazers should have gotten at least 10 million in cap relief and more of the same in luxury tax savings, and if Steve doesn't think so he can rot on the bench until next year where, as other's have pointed out, a 16 million expiring contract is worth something. With that bargaining position the Blazers should have come out a lot better then a paltry 3 million savings. What's 3 million in this business?

The Blazers just got Pritch-slapped. Francis has just made whining and not having a enought talent to justify his contract a profitable enterprise. He should start whining again as soon as the Clippers sign him. Maybe he can be bought out again.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 10, 2007 11:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It works for Francis

The NBA has been Francis' biggest enablers, anytime he's cried about something they give him his way. Why not whine again? It's pretty disappointing to say the least.

Bingo Bango Bungo

by DetriquesAngst on Jul 11, 2007 1:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree 100%

I don't understand why we would buy him out so quickly. You'd think that they would try to scare him into at least accepting a lesser buyout. I'd rather keep him on the team (as player #15) for 3 million more than just pay most of it off and allow him to play for a rival. The man didn't even have the decency to show up to Portland, he just went strait to negotiations with other teams. I believe we could have played a little hard ball with him since he already had his mind set to play elsewhere.

On another note if we're not worried about the cap for the next two years why don't we at least pay a quality human and a key player (that fellow players love) from last year the mid-level exception or a chunk of it? Ime already has done some great charity work for our community while being broke, by NBA standards, and I believe he deserves to be payed by us after his performance last year. Why not if we're just throwing money around the next two years? Ime is the player from LA and the Spurs that has killed us in the past with clutch shooting and defense

Bingo Bango Bungo

by DetriquesAngst on Jul 10, 2007 11:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If it's truly about culture

then Ime stays.

I say it's about corporate culture.

I'm pullin for you Ime.

by ojala on Jul 10, 2007 11:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

WOW

67 mill for the luxury tax? That means you can only go 12 over and your taxed. That sucks. That's not alot of flex room.

Welcome Greg Oden

by junit3123 on Jul 10, 2007 11:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm looking at

HooppsHype.com/portland/salaries.htm

If you send Kopenen back to Scandahoovia, replace him with a similarly priced Freeland, add J Jones at a couple mil, and give Trout a raise, you're at the tax......

It really is Ime OR Trout, isn't it?!?

by ojala on Jul 10, 2007 11:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Trout is coming back Ime is not regardless of the

... cap situation.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 10, 2007 11:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Paul took one for the team

Allowing Steve Francis to stay on the team would have washed all that cultue talk down the drain. Does it suck to pay a guy 30 mil to not play? Of course but whatever contract Francis signs, half of that money comes off our cap, correct? Not to mention it frees up a roster spot for someone who can contribute more than a gimpy knee and a bad attitude.

My hats off to Paul Allen for being a stand up owner and taking one for the team.

by JPop on Jul 10, 2007 11:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

wrong half of what Francis makes does not come off

.. the cap. I wonder how these ideas get started?
Whatever the Blazers shell out in the buy out aportioned over the number of years left on the contract (2 years) is what the Blazers are charged for the salary cap and luxury tax calulations. That makes sense doesn't it. What you pay is what your charged?

Why would the league give an incentive to overpay someone so the team benefits from the mistake and buy the contract out?

by mrwonderfull on Jul 10, 2007 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

JPOP means--

Half of what Francis makes on the NEW team comes off our cap. Not half of what we give him.

That's the word on the street anyways.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Jul 11, 2007 1:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

that is exactly what I meant. When Francis signs with Miami or the Clips for the mid-level exception, half of that contract comes off our books. and even if it didn't, this is still a good move.

by JPop on Jul 11, 2007 4:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

well it turned out that way

You must have heard a rumour with substance because the two parties agreed to exactly what you said. I thought you were saying that the 50% thing was an automatic part of any buy-out.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 12, 2007 1:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Capitalism is a bitch sometimes

I guess it started when we started handing out huge contract extensions to players like Rasheed, Damon, Derek Anderson, Randolph, Miles, etc...at the time, the organization justified the long term costs of these contracts because we were consistently playoff bound and believed we were just a player away from being a championship team.

I can't blame KP and PA for trying to the correct the mistakes we made years ago with their aggressive, unorthodox moves they are making at the present time. Certainly accountability belongs at the hands of Blazer Mgmt in the early nineties for setting a poor precedent for the organization. Certainly Jim Collins (author "good to great") would agree that the enormous costs of buying Steve's contract is worth putting the "right people on the bus" to build the culture of the org. and reconnect the team with the community. I don't know where I pulled that from...but after re-reading this post, it's time for bed.

by VegasNed on Jul 10, 2007 11:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

got your point but for the record...

None of the big contracts the Blazers have today were signed in the nineties, they were signed this century by John Nash and Paterson. Two guys highered to bring down salary cap.

To me an aggressive stance would be to make Steve sit on the bench til he agrees to a 20mil buy out. $30 mill is not aggressive, it's weak.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 10, 2007 11:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you telling me...

that none of the big contracts we signed happened 5-7 years ago?....that's ridiculous....oh crap...we aren't in 1997, we are in 2007.

I would still pay Steve the $10 million dollars difference NOT to sit on the Blazer bench, not corrupt the locker room and the young Blazers on the team, and to leave a valuable spot on the roster for somebody willing to sacrifice for the team. If the reports are accurate, and our current mgmt really did negotiate with Steve's agent, then I trust KP's judgment in spending a ridiculous sum to buy out Francis and respect his stance and building a strong culture within the organization. He seems to be a man that stands by his word, despite the costs.

by VegasNed on Jul 11, 2007 12:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hardball

If we sat Francis and he never had a sniff of the court, would he have opted out of his 2nd year? Wouldn't that saved the $17,180,000 in his player option year? What would have been the ramifications of playing hardball with Francis? Would it have looked bad on the Blazers to the fans? To other GM's/Players around the league? Would of it been a distraction to the team?

Interesting stat of the night: I think the Blazers 3 highest paid players this season will average more minutes for another team than for the Blazers. Ahhh, the rebuilding process takes patience, doesn't it sometimes?

by WarEaglePDX on Jul 10, 2007 11:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well,

I think hardball wouldn't work... something tells me Francis would shoot himself in the head before not exercising his player option for 17 million. His alleged "love of the game" ain't worth 17 large!

Since Francis just wants to get paid and if he has to stick around he'll stick in the craw of the team and whine to the media and cause the lockerroom to not be the fun place it is now... ya gotta get him out of here. We don't have much leverage: HE has the guaranteed contract, he'll get paid no matter what. We can only hope to save a little bit of money, open another roster spot, and get some bad attitude out the door before it walks in. We did all of those things AND made us free agent dabblers in 2009.

Trust me, idealistically, I HATE that a guy like Francis can hold a franchise hostage and whine his way to 30 million... but he'd get the money either way so I can't complain too much. The blame isn't on us, it's on whoever gave him that dumb contract. I want NBA contracts to remain guaranteed, so I can't argue for them not to be, but this is obviously a case where signing dumb contracts bites you in the patootie every time down the line.

The Blazers, however, traded 4 years of a bad contract for only 2, and gained important roster spots. I bet a lot of teams would kill for that.

And like I said before, there will be ZERO good players who make around 17 million who will be AVAILABLE for just an expiring contract. His expiring contract is ALL he is valuable for, and we'll want to keep it so we can play the free agency game. Shawn Marion or Jeff Green or whoever fits us perfect are NOT available for an expiring contract, and we don't want anyone who makes that much AND his team wants to get rid of him for nothing.

We just have no leverage here, so ending the Francis era as quickly as possible is the best thing we can do. It sucks, but the sooner it's forgotten and we enjoy all that roomy cap room we got in our 1st class seat on the way to DYNASTY-LAND, the better.

Trust me, I don't want Francis to get paid. But there is no chance of avoiding that. I want the story of next season (and the next after that) to be how much we're improving and how we got the best young players ever put together-- I don't wanna hear nothing else.

Know what I mean?

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Jul 11, 2007 1:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great point...

and if he didn't opt out. An expiring $17 mil contract is great trade bait. Really there is little incentive to buy him out at $30mil except to clear a slot or make sure he can not contaminate the locker room. But Steve shouldn't profit from such a threat. And Blazer players shouldn't be vulnerable to his whining.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 10, 2007 11:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Penn

I think Penn is behind a lot of what we are seeing with all the Cap stuff right now. He is too smart when it comes to all this. We got Frye for a steal if you look a couple years down the road and not at the immediate impact. Rebuilding does take time. Might as well make sure when we get to that spot of being done rebuilding that we are in the best position possible to make an impact.

From what it sounds like, Penn, PA, and KP are making sure "The Buffet" will be worth much more then people realize.

by Blazer on Jul 11, 2007 1:18 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Does Frye get a cut?

It seems Francis should give Frye some of that bye out. Frye's the main reason he got it.

Bingo Bango Bungo

by DetriquesAngst on Jul 11, 2007 1:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

My 2 cents (which is probably worth squat)

I doubt that the Blazers bought him out for 30 million only. I wouldn't be shocked if that went down for any contract he signs. So that the most he will get for the next 2 seasons is 30 million dollars. That may mean the Blazers only pay 24 million of it. Which will lower the cap number further. With Tom Penn around I doubt the Blazers would take a bath with leverage of keeping Stevie from FA. Not enough of this story has been reported yet I don't think. And if they agreed to the 30 million deal regardless of what he gets elsewhere I'll be shocked.

Who needs Greg Oden? We got Pete Carril....

by pookeyguru on Jul 11, 2007 1:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

A buffet of goodness in this.

Sends a message. We aren't going to put up with bad attitudes on this team. In the next 2-3 years, we are going to be a team that star players want to come to. Grant Hill went to Phoenix because it was a chance to win a championship. 2-3 years, people will want to come to Portland. Fine -- but check your ego at the door.
Sends the same message to our current players. Attitude matters.
Sends the same message to the fans. Attitude matters, even if it costs.
Keeps a roster slot free for developing players. It is going to hurt to get down to 15. Who really wants to see Green get cut, or Koponen sent back to Europe and disappear for years? You keep Francis on the bench, perhaps both of those things happen.
He might help the Clippers knock us out of the eighth playoff spot. Please explain to me how this is a bad thing. Sure, we'd like to get in the playoffs this year, but we would then lose in the first round, if we're #8. Alternatively, we're in the lottery, we've had a year to see how our young PGs develop, and we can decide whether to draft PG, SF (most likely), or best available player. Maybe lightning strikes twice and we're in the top three picks again.

Thanks, Paul Allen.

by jscot on Jul 11, 2007 2:03 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think Pritchard had to do this at any cost

Sure, it stings to have 30 million be the buyout price, but Francis' agent had the leverage of Pritchard's favorite word: culture. If he had not been bought out today, speculation would have started that maybe we're keeping Francis. And if so, wouldn't that make Pritchard look like a hypocrite?

Fan's may not be happy at the price, but would we be more upset if we thought that Pritchard had been blowing smoke this whole time? This may not have been the optimal buyout, but I'll take it.

by T Darkstar on Jul 11, 2007 4:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

well like i said

it's a very bad message to send,because some of you guys don't realize,portland is as least desirable a place to play as utah.most nba players who have status would take the same stance s.francis did.i know you guys hate when i say this but pdx is'nt a place most bros of the hip*hop nba culture wannabe.most of today's nba is from that culture,you guys should be happy that you have guys like roy,aldridge,oden who likes being in portland.because most a.american players would take the s.francis route if they had a choice playing in cities like pdx,s.lake,boston,s.antonio ,milw,not the most desirable places for the hip*hop ballplayer.that's why those teams especially the jazz,spurs,blazers draft the way they do now.like k.pricthard ask each person that ?,do you want to play in portland.if he feels they really do then welcome aboard,if not well just look at guys like sheed,bonzi,zbo,anderson,davis leonard all guys for example who really did'nt want to be there.and of course s.francis also.. yi is another example he'll never play in milwaukee,why no parties in b.hills and of course not enough asian's,and yi loves what gang hip*hop.

by fatty on Jul 11, 2007 6:29 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Great

That's more than fine with me. I'm completely tired of this hip-hop (bling generation). Personally I think they're the ones that have ruined the NBA. You look at any player that's visibly into the Hip-Hop era and they have a very poor work ethic. Those other teams can have 'em, I don't need my players 'makin it rain' at strip clubs or carrying a gun everywhere they go. I'll take my Roy's, LMA's, Jack's, Ime's.....etc any day over the bling generation.

Besides old school west-coast rap's where it's at. haha

Bingo Bango Bungo

by DetriquesAngst on Jul 11, 2007 7:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

fatty, detriques...

according to fatty, black players who like hip hop dont want to play in portland. and detriques thinks these players have ruined the nba. How many NBA players do you actually know? How can you guys possible put a big lable across a big group of nba players. I figured with the Darius story yesterday, we all learned a lesson about not snap judging people by 1 or 2 actions on or off the court.

Thats some seriously ill stuff guys, what does one jackass named packman makin it rain have to do with hip hop music.

This is one of the sickest stereotypes around to me, people that believe the black hip-hop as a huge negative thing should just keep their mouths shut. Its a terrible stereotype and honestly its discrimination.

by myemic23 on Jul 11, 2007 8:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry

But anyone that portrays themselves in a matter that resembles a Hip-Hop video is a pretty disrespectful person. Furthermore, in my observation that person doesn't usually have a great work ethic. However, they do know how to spend the cash. I don't need to know a person personally to observe that they're an A$#.

Don't make this a race issue, that's completely ignorant on your part. I said nothing about race here. In fact I said quite the contrary by naming Roy, LMA, JJ, and Ime as our solid human beings on our team, didn't name Pryz or Raef or McRoberts. You want to start a debate about race go somewhere else, you're way out of line here.

There is a big movement of thugs in all of sports due in part to the over glorification of bling in the Hip-Hop videos and everything else that they represent. If you don't believe me start looking at the police reports and articles nation wide as it pertains to professional athletes. Then look back to the early 90's late 80's. They had rap back then and I'm sure many athletes listened to it, but they still worked hard and were respectful to the fans, the media, and the general public with the exception of a few.

I listen to rap, have for two decades now, as do the respectful Blazers that I have listed, but I don't behave in the ways that most of the Hip-Hop videos portray that I should, and neither do said Blazers. I'm not speaking of everyone that listens to Hip-Hop, just the ones that 'act a fool'.

So myemic23, keep my name out your mouth if you want to call me a racist, or being too stereotypical. If the shoe fits wear it, and for some in the NBA and all of sports the shoe fits. I'd rather not have them on my team thank you.

Bingo Bango Bungo

by DetriquesAngst on Jul 11, 2007 9:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

detriques

more power to you dude.my example under myemic23 says it all dude.s.francis is the perfect example. s.marbury jealous of k.g. years ago ruined a good young minny team.a.i. it's just practice.bonzi while i'll be bagin you'll will be getting up at 6:00 a.m. to go to work in the morning.yeah haha why was the dress code implimented,yeah because of rich guys wearing suits to press conferences,they were wearing throwback jerseys and condoms on their heads.gold and plantinium jewelry around their necks,letting you and i know that they're always be better than the average joe.so my man myemic dude where have you been the last decade dude.

by fatty on Jul 11, 2007 9:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

Hip hop and the players that live that lifestyle are not what I really want to see in Portland. I want players like Roy, LMA or Oden, good players who are grounded and realize life is more than rap, hoes, cars, and bling.

by usmcr3049 on Jul 11, 2007 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

myemic

dude not the music dude,the culture man.i live right outside the bronx dude.i see it everyday. o.k. guy if a player like let's say c.anthony had a choice between portland and the hornets, which 1 you think he'll choose dude.let's see a city that's very beautiful,but nothing but strip clubs,and not too many places where the bros*sistas hook up.or n.orleans where 70% of the population is bros*sistas,clubs everywhere to get your groove on,and the weather is always warm.enough said!! and guys like melo and other bros in the nba will be right behind him dude. it's just reality dude,and like i said thank-god you have guys like roy,aldridge,oden,frye.guys who are opened minded and just cares about playing*winning in the nba very refreshing.

by fatty on Jul 11, 2007 9:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think you have a small point

but I also think that the city is just one small selling point when talking about FA's coming to Portland or any other city. Cash is what brings these type of players to a team, not the city. Using your example, do you think C.Anthony goes to NO if Portland offers him 3-4 million more per season? (not that we want him, just an example).

The point being, while Portland does have its issues as a city, none of them will really deter a FA from coming to Portland if we have a championship caliber team. Most players want to win, and those that don't do we really want them here? Again using your same example, would C. Anthony go to NO if they were bottom dewellers with no hope for the future, instead of portland if portland was a championship caliber team offering the same amount of cash?

by usmcr3049 on Jul 11, 2007 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There are lots of little savings that add up.

We are going to be very close to the luxury tax so there are a number of places we could be benefitting that aren't all that obvious. I'd love to see the math on this after the FA contracts are signed.

Here are some possible areas where we save:
-buyout of 33m down to 30m = 3m
-dollar for dollar over the luxury tax = 3m x 2 or 6m
-half of his new contract comes off the cap keeping us further below luxury tax
-this lets us potentially resign Trout and Ime (or another FA) without exceeding the luxury tax so Ime's contract is truly 2-3m versus 4-6m in real dollars

Like I said, this Penn guy is crafty so keep in mind all or any of these items I listed above and possibly others eat into that 30m just by staying below the luxury tax versus having Stevie rot on the bench. I'm just sayin' it might not be as bad as it looks.

They've got enough of a track record for me to give them the benefit of the doubt that we haven't seen the whole plan and it's not as bad as it looks right now.

I'm a buffet of goodness.

by TP43 on Jul 11, 2007 1:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Ime and Trout please

by ojala on Jul 11, 2007 10:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

partially right...

Your analysys of the impact of Steves numbers is pretty good, but the Blazers are above the Salary cap in any case with regard to Ime and Trout or any other free agent. No savings there. Based on Barrets blog (Francis gave up 4 mil on draft day) and J.Q's article (Steve to get 1mil this year and 5mil next) the numbers come to.
4/2 + 1/2 = 2.5 mil payroll savings + 2.5 tax savings = 5mil savings this year.
4/2 + 5/2 = 4.5 mil payroll savings + 4.5 tax savings = 9mil savings this year.

I'm not feeling so bad about the buy-out now. Last night I was ready to burn my Blazers tickets if I had them.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 12, 2007 2:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

oops the 9mil savings comes the year after this.

by mrwonderfull on Jul 12, 2007 2:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

dude

i'll say it again s.francis,here's a chance for francis to give this team the veteran leadership and guidence it sorely needs,and what does he do he wants no part of it.dude be honest who has a brighter future the clippers,heat or blazers. you should know that awnser to that 1 dude...

by fatty on Jul 11, 2007 2:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs