Freeland agent's turn to play with Blazers's back office's nerves
by raph on Feb 5, 2012 9:54 AM PST
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According to a recent article from "la opinion de malaga" (Freeland plays in Malaga for people who forgot it), freeland's agent would welcome a new and improved contract between his player and Malaga's team (unicaja is the name of their sponsor).
The new contract would provide him a better salary and other advantages, and set a new buy out for 2,7M€ (about 3M$).
He has two years left on his current contract.
More to read in this article (in spanish though).
If Freeland insists on staying in Europe, i think the Blazers should really consider trading his rights. It's not really smart from his agent, moving to Portland in 2012 would grant him the playing time and role he wishes. He might not have the mindset to play in the NBA though, which would be a pity.
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The article is pretty clear, the amount of the buy out for this new contract would be 2.7M€, regardless of the buyer (nba or european team). As a counterpart for his payroll raise (and tax incentive etc).
Ahh, my apologies, I saw this tuesday
http://hoopshype.com/rumors/tag/joel_freeland
The second one down says that it would be $1.3mil for the NBA
I hate the fact that...
A player can declare for the draft and down even come to the NBA the same year.
Seriously if they are going to not come just dont even declare for the draft.
by Hoi on Feb 5, 2012 10:27 AM PST via mobile reply actions
A lot of teams (the Blazer included)
like to pick guys they know wont take up a roster spot in the upcoming year. get to watch them over seas for a bit at the same time making sure no other team can sign them
by MattyDread on Feb 5, 2012 11:03 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Or a few years, as it were. Example: Nikola Pekovic.
"There is nothing shrewd about running a red light and later finding out it kept you from being hit by an asteroid." - philofthenorth
by KeepItCopacetic on Feb 6, 2012 1:14 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
tiago splitter
manu ginobili
luis scola
i keep dancing on my own.
by atomiccafe on Feb 6, 2012 3:41 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
It's the rookie salay schedule. Good Euro's have to be willing to take a hosing salary wise for four years
just to get a chance at a good NBA contract. Why would they do that unless they were going to a team which offers a realistic chance of getting enough meaningful minutes to get that good second contract?
Yes you can say well, it’s up to them to earn those minutes. True, but they’ve already done that in Europe, playing a forty game schedule on the beach in spain.
Warming a bench in Portland for about a quarter of the money for twice as many games? Who wouldn’t jump at that?
I don't know about warming the bench
Freeland has a chance to start next season
by Daddygr33nJeans on Feb 5, 2012 2:52 PM PST up reply actions
Over Aldridge?
Or is Freeland considered a Center?
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Feb 7, 2012 12:49 PM PST up reply actions
all rookies get hosed
i don’t see how it’s any worse for euros. they in fact have it much better as they are payed to play as teenagers.
by colinmarsh on Feb 5, 2012 7:28 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
The Blazers can pay Freeland anything they want that fits under the salary cap, or use the MLE,
because he was drafted more than 3 years ago. i.e. the rookie salary scale no longer applies.
That said, I think the guy may be afraid to play in the NBA. If signs another deal in Europe than forget about him, because he doesn’t want to be here. Big fish in little pond syndrome.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Feb 5, 2012 9:46 PM PST up reply actions
Question isn't whether he wants to play or not
It’s whether he wants to play HERE or not.
"Luke is our go-to Chalupa man," Matthews said. "Designated."
This isn't Frederic Weis situation where a European first-rounder went to camp and couldn't hack it.
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/23/sports/basketball-weis-shows-some-flair-but-needs-work.html
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/more_sports/item_gD5A2O3LZ9ucUd7PLkztuM/1
This is a Fran Vazquez situation where a European first-rounder decided to stay on his home continent rather than cross the Atlantic.
Two entirely different sets of circumstances.
"I Am Mine"
He's said numerous times he wouldn't come over unless he was certain of playing time.
That sounds like he lacks the confidence that he can earn playing time.
The Blazers are going to be desperate for a big this summer. If Camby retires (I doubt) or leaves because he wants more money or years than the Blazers will offer, which seems likely, Freeland could potentially start here next year. Even if Camby stays, Freeland would get big minutes behind him. There couldn’t be a better time to come over and get playing time. So the playing time excuse is gone. If Freeland stays in Europe now he’s either afraid of the NBA or just prefers being the big fish in a small pond.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Feb 6, 2012 12:23 PM PST up reply actions
but really the idea of “earning” playing time is a farce. Most minutes are allocated based on a player’s reputation or experience, their pedigree (if they are a rookie) or the lack of other better options (in New York). If a player is relegated to a fringe role, it’s pretty rare for him to “earn” minutes barring an injury to someone ahead of him. The number of apparently pretty talented players who just wash out because they don’t get the minutes speaks to that. Brandan Wright is an example of that, and there are many others.
Faced with the reality that most rotation minutes are predetermined at the start of a season, isn’t a player who’s in a decent situation in Europe doing the smart thing by seeking assurances that he will have a concrete role with the team?
i keep dancing on my own.
How many good bigs are sitting on the bench not playing in the NBA?
There are many more bad bigs playing because there simply are never enough good bigs to go around.
I could sort of agree to your argument is we were talking about a PG, or SG, or even a small forward. There’s lots of players in the middle that might excel with more playing time. You can debate whether a Rudy or Batum should get more than 25 minutes a game, even when playing behind a Gerald Wallace. But if a guy 6’-10" can play, he usually plays. If you can list a few that aren’t playing we should be trying to get them.
In Portland’s case, if there is no Camby (likely) and no Oden (almost for sure) next year, there’s going to be a lot of playing time to fill.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Feb 6, 2012 6:18 PM PST up reply actions
someone like Shavlik Randolph who put up good per minute numbers wherever he went after injury but never got all that much time springs to mind. Josh McRoberts also got nearly no run for three years before turning out to be pretty good in his 4th season.
i keep dancing on my own.
Randolph? The guy was pitiful.
He played 25 games of mostly garbage time in 3 years because he was awful. He’s been out of the league for 2 years. How is he a example of a good player stuck on the bench? Are 30 teams crazy that he isn’t in the league anymore?
McRoberts is averaging less than 3 points a game for the Lakers this year.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Feb 6, 2012 10:56 PM PST up reply actions
McBob had a 16 PER in over 1500 minutes with the Pacers last year. Obviously it is hard to say who is good and not playing, but others who got little opportunity but seem competent are Brandan Wright (never played over 600 minutes a season in GS despite excellent per minute numbers) Ian Mahinmi (numbers less good than Wright, but still definitely serviceable) Jeremy Evans (efficient dunking d-league callup) Hamed Haddadi (squeezed by Memphis’s big depth). In my opinion these guys would all be better options than terrible retreads like Juwan Howard or Mehmet Okur, but they end up being picked up by the more clever teams like the Jazz or Mavs as opposed to the teams that really need them, like the Heat.
i keep dancing on my own.
I'm pretty sure LA will be our starting PF next year.
Loud pipes save lives!
Bad knees break hearts!
Time for an exorcism.
who cares
i’ve never thought this guy was coming over and even if he does, he’s hardly going to be a difference maker. i’d stay in europe for more money too.
i just am amazed at how much attention people pay to this guy. eurostashes rarely come over, it just doesn’t make much sense.
With all due respect,
the Blazers have had plenty of time to give Freeland a contract and bring him over – but didn’t. Instead, they kept saying that they were watching his “progress” in Europe, and letting him stay there so he could play and get minutes to improve. Their position has never indicated that they think he could be a difference maker. If they thought that – he’d be playing here now – but he’s not. Freeland’s value to the team he play’s for has risen, and he and his agent are negotiating more money. If Portland wants him, they need to fish or cut bait – or pay the new buyout clause downstream.
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