Orlando's take on the Hedo to Toronto signing

Here's a taste:

On Friday, Turkoglu agreed to terms with the Toronto Raptors, a move he will surely regret at some point over the next five years. Trading away the chance to play alongside four potential All-Stars and contend for the rest of his career, Turkoglu took Toronto's offer of $53 million over five years and ran with it.

But was the extra $8 million dollars really worth it?

If Bosh does indeed leave next summer as reports indicate, Turkoglu will be forced to spend the next five years of his career, and prime, with a perennial cellar dweller.

At least Portland made sense.

Like Orlando a year or two ago, they are an up-and-coming team that can contend in the near future. But Toronto? Clearly money is Turkoglu's priority, and it's a shame because many never expected it out of him.

4 months ago JasonT 26 comments 2 recs |

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nice find

by twggyy on Jul 5, 2009 6:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

more money plus a shorter season (no playoffs to worry about)

ignacio

by ignacio on Jul 5, 2009 6:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

People forget about Canada's tax rate.

He’s gonna pay through the nose, making that money north of the border. I don’t know if the Canadian govt makes some sort of exception/incentive in cases like this. They might considering they have but one team in the league. Anyone on here know more about this?

But I doubt he’ll actually take home anymore than he would here. The rumour is that Portland was willing to up to $58m anyway.

An Oregonian in Texas.

by NoiseMekanik on Jul 5, 2009 7:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think the taxes there are actually a little less than Oregon.

by Nick Van Excellent on Jul 5, 2009 7:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Canadian tax system is crazy high

I believe that athletes are also required to pay the state taxes in each state they played and earned money. That means Hedo will be paying Oregon income taxes for 2 game checks earned while getting beat by us.

Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I remember reading about athletes and taxes a while back.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Jul 6, 2009 9:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

which means that Wade pays less tax's

Because he plays more than half his games in a state with no state income tax.

by southern oregon on Jul 6, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

irrelevant.

Wife wears the pants.

by ericande on Jul 5, 2009 8:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or the wife is an excuse

He doesn’t seem like a guy who has a great passion for the game or being a dominant figure in the game.

He shows up out of shape and eats pizza right before games—these things can only hinder his performance. I think he’s clearly happier to have a fatter paycheck and to live in a place he likes than to seriously vie for another title.

by ninjasocks on Jul 5, 2009 9:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dude if you knew what some of the other players eat and drink before games (Blazers included) you wouldn't see the pizza as an issue.

by Escrote on Jul 6, 2009 8:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, the blazers are not included in this.

The Team feeds the players before the games. They have a nutritionist draw up a menu for them.

by geoffm on Jul 6, 2009 8:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Most players don't eat right before games, they eat after games

Hedo eats heavy food right before games. There’s no way it could help his performance.

by ninjasocks on Jul 6, 2009 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm soooo glad we didn't sign turkey-glue

If Hedo really wanted a shot at a championship, he would have stayed in Orlando. All he wanted was a ton of money and a nice little house in Toronto. He could care less that the Raptors are going to suck for the next 5 years. Hedo might be a veteran, but he certainly isn’t going to provide any ‘veteran leadership’

Blessing in disguise.

by Docproc on Jul 5, 2009 9:32 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Good point about being a poor role model

Also he only put up good numbers the two years before pay day, theres the motivation for him to try so hard if he is already getting paid.

"Knowledge will get you from A to B. Creativity will get you anywhere." Einstein

by Garden of ODEN on Jul 5, 2009 10:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Alongside four potential allstars"

Might be a stretch

Dictated, not read. The management.

by Samsara on Jul 5, 2009 9:57 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I was going to ask the question:

Who’s the potential fourth? Bayless? Batum?

Roy is. I could see LMA and Greg but who’s the fourth?

"SAY NO TO HEDO." Well that campaign FAILed.... Success!

by dpnim on Jul 5, 2009 10:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think that was referring to the Magic-- Nelson, Carter, Lewis, Howard

by jksnake99 on Jul 5, 2009 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I took it as Rudy, Roy, LMA, and Greg.

by Cablinasian on Jul 5, 2009 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

notice he mentions the 4 all-stars before saying Hedo took an extra 8 million

Hedo took 3 million more than Portland reportedly offered, so that to me makes it apparent that the previous paragraph refers to the Magic. The words starting with “At least Portland made sense” refer to the Blazers. At least that’s my read.

by jksnake99 on Jul 5, 2009 11:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I could see that.

"SAY NO TO HEDO." Well that campaign FAILed.... Success!

by dpnim on Jul 6, 2009 12:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think we actually offered 45M, not 50M as reported

That makes sense, considering we have close to 9M in cap space. To get the extra 1M per, we would have had to renounce the rights to a Euro or two.

Maybe not, but that’s what I’ve been thinking.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Jul 6, 2009 9:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

the Magic only offered him 35 million… right?

by Cablinasian on Jul 6, 2009 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They offered 4/35, we (reportedly) offered 5/50

by ninjasocks on Jul 6, 2009 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He had to of meant Portland's players

The whole article is about Hedo going to Toronto instead of Portland.

Orlando wasn’t in the running after the Vince trade. No way, no how.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Jul 6, 2009 9:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

He was definitely refering to Orlando's players

There was an offer on the table to stay with a team that made the finals this year, and has a great chance for the next five years. This is a comment by an Orlando source as far as I understand it, so of course they are high on their players, not ours. We are just a team that lost in the first round, and we only have one all-star currently, while Orlando had two, plus they’ve added Carter.

by wingzeta on Jul 6, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually 4 if you count Lewis...

who was an all star in Seattle.

by JasonT on Jul 6, 2009 1:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hedo signed for ALOT more than $8 Million

Remember, he was in the last year of his contract. He was a top free agent. If he does not opt out, he is looking at competing with Kobe, LeBron, etc. No way he gets 4 years $45 million, then. If Orlando would have offered a contract extension, he might have stayed. Otherwise, gotta CTC.

by LaoTzu on Jul 6, 2009 1:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs