Dee Brown, Deron Williams and more
For those wondering how the Jazz wound up retaining the rights to Dee Brown even after he played in Turkey last season, Larry Coon has the answer.
Coon is an invaluable resource to those of us who cover the NBA, with a Web site that explains the ins and outs of the collective bargaining agreement. I talked with him last night and he checked out Brown's status with one of his sources.
It turns out the Jazz tendered Brown another qualifying offer before July 1, thus leaving him a restricted free agent. They did the same thing last summer, though Brown's qualifying offer was believed to be minimally guaranteed.
With the Jazz having signed Jason Hart and Ronnie Price, Brown opted not to come to training camp and headed to Europe. Since he never signed with another NBA team, the Jazz were able to tender Brown another qualifying offer to retain his rights.
If he makes the team in Washington, Brown would play behind Gilbert Arenas and Antonio Daniels as the Wizards' No. 3 point guard.
* * *
It seems like Deron Williams has some pretty savvy people advising him through the McClaren Partners agency. One of the things they're trying to figure out is just how the NBA's next collective bargaining agreement will impact Williams in the future.
If he signs a three-year extension (with a fourth-year option), Williams could be a free-agent as early as the summer of 2012. The NBA's current CBA expires after the 2010-11 season, although the owners have the option to extend it for one more year.
The last time the NBA and Players Association agreed to a CBA in 2005, the new one was less free-agent friendly than the one before.
Free-agent contracts went from seven- and six-year maximums to six- and five-year maximums. Annual raises were reduced from 12.5 percent and 10 percent to 10.5 percent and 8 percent. Signing bonuses were cut from 25 percent to 20 percent.
Under the current CBA, Williams would be eligible to earn up to 30 percent of the salary cap as a max contract player after seven years in the league. But what happens if that percentage shrinks with the next CBA?
Nobody knows what's going to happen, but one Jazz source noted that the players (Raef LaFrentz is a great example) who signed for seven and six years under the old CBA tend to be doing the best under the current one.
Whether that leads Williams to sign a five-year extension with the Jazz remains to be seen. If he were really bold, Williams would sign a one- or two-year extension and try to get a second contract under the terms of the current CBA.
* * *
I've never met Bob McClaren, who represents Williams. We've spoken by phone a couple of times. But he spent 10 years as president of the Houston Astros and was regularly on the other side of negotiations just like the one he's working through now.
The Houston Chronicle wrote a story on McClaren in May, which emphasized that he's trying to do business differently than most agents. I've wondered how much this has been the case throughout the Williams' negotiations.
"Our job is to represent our client," McClaren told the Chronicle. "That doesn't always mean squeezing every last dollar out of every deal. It's about loyalty with the club. Nobody wins if the other side is unhappy."
McClaren's partner in the agency is his college roommate, Tommy Thomas, who was Williams' high school coach in The Colony, Texas.
* * *
How many players with max-contract money on the table would spend two hours signing autographs at the opening of a Sam's Club?
Williams did Thursday, even telling reporters that he was raised on Sam's Club and that buying in bulk is a great way to save money.
By my count, Williams this summer has now played in a Chamber of Commerce golf tournament, appeared at the Miller Motorsports Park and been the guest of honor at the Sam's Club opening.
"It's a busy summer, man," Williams said. "This is a big time in my career, with the Olympics, with the team's success, so you've just got to capitalize on that."
--Ross Siler
Coon is an invaluable resource to those of us who cover the NBA, with a Web site that explains the ins and outs of the collective bargaining agreement. I talked with him last night and he checked out Brown's status with one of his sources.
It turns out the Jazz tendered Brown another qualifying offer before July 1, thus leaving him a restricted free agent. They did the same thing last summer, though Brown's qualifying offer was believed to be minimally guaranteed.
With the Jazz having signed Jason Hart and Ronnie Price, Brown opted not to come to training camp and headed to Europe. Since he never signed with another NBA team, the Jazz were able to tender Brown another qualifying offer to retain his rights.
If he makes the team in Washington, Brown would play behind Gilbert Arenas and Antonio Daniels as the Wizards' No. 3 point guard.
* * *
It seems like Deron Williams has some pretty savvy people advising him through the McClaren Partners agency. One of the things they're trying to figure out is just how the NBA's next collective bargaining agreement will impact Williams in the future.
If he signs a three-year extension (with a fourth-year option), Williams could be a free-agent as early as the summer of 2012. The NBA's current CBA expires after the 2010-11 season, although the owners have the option to extend it for one more year.
The last time the NBA and Players Association agreed to a CBA in 2005, the new one was less free-agent friendly than the one before.
Free-agent contracts went from seven- and six-year maximums to six- and five-year maximums. Annual raises were reduced from 12.5 percent and 10 percent to 10.5 percent and 8 percent. Signing bonuses were cut from 25 percent to 20 percent.
Under the current CBA, Williams would be eligible to earn up to 30 percent of the salary cap as a max contract player after seven years in the league. But what happens if that percentage shrinks with the next CBA?
Nobody knows what's going to happen, but one Jazz source noted that the players (Raef LaFrentz is a great example) who signed for seven and six years under the old CBA tend to be doing the best under the current one.
Whether that leads Williams to sign a five-year extension with the Jazz remains to be seen. If he were really bold, Williams would sign a one- or two-year extension and try to get a second contract under the terms of the current CBA.
* * *
I've never met Bob McClaren, who represents Williams. We've spoken by phone a couple of times. But he spent 10 years as president of the Houston Astros and was regularly on the other side of negotiations just like the one he's working through now.
The Houston Chronicle wrote a story on McClaren in May, which emphasized that he's trying to do business differently than most agents. I've wondered how much this has been the case throughout the Williams' negotiations.
"Our job is to represent our client," McClaren told the Chronicle. "That doesn't always mean squeezing every last dollar out of every deal. It's about loyalty with the club. Nobody wins if the other side is unhappy."
McClaren's partner in the agency is his college roommate, Tommy Thomas, who was Williams' high school coach in The Colony, Texas.
* * *
How many players with max-contract money on the table would spend two hours signing autographs at the opening of a Sam's Club?
Williams did Thursday, even telling reporters that he was raised on Sam's Club and that buying in bulk is a great way to save money.
By my count, Williams this summer has now played in a Chamber of Commerce golf tournament, appeared at the Miller Motorsports Park and been the guest of honor at the Sam's Club opening.
"It's a busy summer, man," Williams said. "This is a big time in my career, with the Olympics, with the team's success, so you've just got to capitalize on that."
--Ross Siler
9:46 AM
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