Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Detroit Interested?


Could Joe Dumars and the Motor City Pistons be interested in our players? The Detroit Free Press seems to think so. While it's getting redundant and old to talk about Okur, Boozer and Millsap, other teams have started to join in the discussion (and really... it's probably just the newspapers throwing out speculation to the fans). In all seriousness, I don't have a clue whether Detroit will have interest or not.
According to the SL Trib and Ross Siler, Carlos Boozer is expected to opt-out of his contract.

7 comments:

Orlando said...

The more I think about this, the more I think Boozer may opt out and resign with the Jazz. If he does that, we could potentially keep Boozer/Okur/Millsap and not pay the luxury tax. That assumes that we pay Boozer significantly less in year one of the contract (like 8 mill) than he is due right now (14).

But we could structure a deal with large increases like 8 mill, 10 mill, 12 mill, 14 mill, 16 mill. That would allow us to pay Millsap 6 mill or so and stay under the lux tax next year.

Pasty Gangsta said...

Although one thing we all know is that you can't trust Boozer once he opts out. So do the Jazz take his word that he'll opt out and re-sign? Or, more likely, do they pretend to take his word but secretly not care if he opts out and leaves?

The other problem I see with that plan is that you're probably not going to be able to get the Boozer and Millsap contracts done at the exact same time. And if you don't, the guy you don't sign has a ton of leverage because he can just go to Detroit and sign for $8-10 million and put the Jazz in a tough spot (because if they match they have to pay the tax).

I still think Boozer opts out because it just gives him more options. He thinks -- and I think he's probably right -- that based on his numbers he can get a good long-term contract from someone.

Orlando said...

Here's what the Jazz could do: Tell Boozer we're interested in a long term deal in the 10-12 mill a year range, but we also want Millsap back. If Boozer opts out and screws us, so what? We save a ton of cash and he's not a franchise player anyway.

Then, I'd resign Millsap first so that no one else offers. Just let it be known that we will match anything. Then, sign Boozer at a number that keeps us under the cap. If he balks, we again just let him walk.

Pasty Gangsta said...

But doesn't that just kick the can down the road a year if we resign everyone? It seems to me the only way you could get it to work is for Boozer's big pay day to kick in after AK's contract ends. And I don't know if he will wait that long. Nicely tailored Levi capris are not a dime a dozen, Crotty.

Anonymous said...

Why do you say AK's contract going to end, I thought we were planning on signing him to another max deal after this one ends?

Orlando said...

Not necessarily. We're in a much better financial situation next year than we are this year. Even though Kirilenko's deal is still there, next year we get Harpring (thank god) and Korver off the books (not to mention Okur).

If we were to sign Memo, Boozer, and Millsap for a total of, say, $26 mill./yr., we'd be on the hook for $68 million in 2011 - which is less than this year.

Kirilenko's contract is a nightmare, but the Harpring/Korver one-two punch will be nice to be rid of as well.

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