Hold onto your shorts!

[Mediocre Man]

5 years 34 million per his agent to Woj

http://twitter.com/wojyahoonba

 

[Nikolokolus]

This is hilarious. I will have to tune in to th local radio station on Monday (via the internet)to hear Kevin O'connors reaction. The Blazers are playing hard ball. As far as i can see resigning Matthews (With this deal) would hurt their chances of going after a solid "big" that they so desperately want.

I thought they got a big trade exception with Boozer going to Chicago?

 

[Pinwheel1]

If Kevin O'Connor would make an offer to his free agents first, instead of waiting to see "market Value" he probably could have kept him (and Milsap) from looking around. Thus getting them cheaper. He may want to re think that

 

[Pinwheel1]

I thought they got a big trade exception with Boozer going to Chicago?

I think they did. But will they want to go over the salary cap again. This would put them at about 66 million before taking on another salary.

 

[Erroneous Subterfuge]

i just had a thought. does the fact they're trying so hard to get a perimeter defender at the 2/3 mean they may trade Batum? because it seems matthews game is closer to batum's than rudy's. or are they really spending 34 million to back up Roy/rudy & batum/bibbity bobbity babbitt?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Ha! He went undrafted and in one year he's making more than #1 overall pick, Blake Griffin!

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think they did. But will they want to go over the salary cap again. This would put them at about 66 million before taking on another salary.

Well ... I don't know. I do know that O'Connor has some tough decisions to make. But let's say he matches, in addition to that big trade exception he's also going to have Kirilenko's 17 million dollar expiring contract to work with up until this year's trading deadline.

 

[Nikolokolus]

i just had a thought. does the fact they're trying so hard to get a perimeter defender at the 2/3 mean they may trade Batum? because it seems matthews game is closer to batum's than rudy's. or are they really spending 34 million to back up Roy/rudy & batum/bibbity bobbity babbitt?

The writing is already on the wall as far as I'm concerned: Rudy is gone, Bayless might be too by the end of summer all because the team realized that it was woefully deficient in perimeter defense (especially at the guard spots). I don't think it really affects Batum's prospects as the team's long term starter but I think you can pretty much expect almost anybody on the bench (and Miller too) to be expendable at this point.

 

[J_Ray]

Damn the Blazers and their rich owner. Have fun with Matthews, he's a good defensive player and shooter, but no way is he worth $9M right now. He'll instantly become the highest paid SG out of the guys on his level in free agency, which is crazy. I love the guy to death, but this is just another toxic offer from Portland and I don't see Utah matching this deal when they've been talking to Ronnie Brewer and have 2 huge TPE.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Damn the Blazers and their rich owner. Have fun with Matthews, he's a good defensive player and shooter, but no way is he worth $9M right now. He'll instantly become the highest paid SG out of the guys on his level in free agency, which is crazy. I love the guy to death, but this is just another toxic offer from Portland and I don't see Utah matching this deal when they've been talking to Ronnie Brewer and have 2 huge TPE.

In reality, it's just a MLE deal.

 

[Erroneous Subterfuge]

The writing is already on the wall as far as I'm concerned: Rudy is gone, Bayless might be too by the end of summer all because the team realized that it was woefully deficient in perimeter defense (especially at the guard spots). I don't think it really affects Batum's prospects as the team's long term starter but I think you can pretty much expect almost anybody on the bench (and Miller too) to be expendable at this point.

But we need outside shooting maybe even more than perimeter defense. we've gotten rid of blake, outlaw, & webster. if we also get rid of rudy, we're hurting in that department. maybe Lorraine Bobbit will provide that.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Damn the Blazers and their rich owner. Have fun with Matthews, he's a good defensive player and shooter, but no way is he worth $9M right now. He'll instantly become the highest paid SG out of the guys on his level in free agency, which is crazy. I love the guy to death, but this is just another toxic offer from Portland and I don't see Utah matching this deal when they've been talking to Ronnie Brewer and have 2 huge TPE.

True but just like Milsap, the next 4 years will only be 6 million a year.....................Not too bad

 

[Nikolokolus]

In reality, it's just a MLE deal.

Yeah, his deal will de-escalate (similar to Kirk Hinrich's contract).

 

[Tortimer]

In reality, it's just a MLE deal.

I think with the way this offer is with 9.2m the first year the Jazz have a good chance to not match. I think they would match a normal MLE offer for sure. They got the TPE from the Boozer sign n trade and want to use it but if they match Matthews they will be well over the luxury cap and won't be able to take on another big contract with the TPE. They also need front court help worse then keeping Matthews. Boozer is gone their center out for the first few months next year and AK leaving after next year.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Yeah, his deal will de-escalate (similar to Kirk Hinrich's contract).

Yep. Smart move by our non GM

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think with the way this offer is with 9.2m the first year the Jazz have a good chance to not match. I think they would match a normal MLE offer for sure. They got the TPE from the Boozer sign n trade and want to use it but if they match Matthews they will be well over the luxury cap and won't be able to take on another big contract with the TPE. They also need front court help worse then keeping Matthews. Boozer is gone their center out for the first few months next year and AK leaving after next year.

Man, I'd forgotten all about Memo and his achilles ... Damn, yeah they're in a tough way with if they match this contract. On the flipside I think the Blazers just way overpaid for a second year backup shooting guard if they let him walk. The Jazz could be the ones with the last laugh here.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Yep. Smart move by our non GM

Look, you need to cut it out with this crap. How can people properly villify Paul Allen for firing KP if you keep cluttering up the argument with "facts" and stuff?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Look, you need to cut it out with this crap. How can people properly villify Paul Allen for firing KP if you keep cluttering up the argument with "facts" and stuff?

More fun with facts coming soon


Note for salary cap pedants: If $9.2M upfront payment to Matthews is correct, total for deal is only $32.7M, not $34M.

 

[Tortimer]

Man, I'd forgotten all about Memo and his achilles ... Damn, yeah they're in a tough way with if they match this contract. On the flipside I think the Blazers just way overpaid for a second year backup shooting guard if they let him walk. The Jazz could be the ones with the last laugh here.

Maybe but if you really want him that is our only chance of getting the Jazz not to match. What good is having all PA's money if he can't over pay for Matthews. It's not my money and maybe PA just looks at it like paying 3m for another draft pick with the luxury tax this year. The contract scales less after the first year so it isn't like it is a longterm luxury tax hit for PA.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Lots of messages from jazz fans in the last hour on my phone. This one sums them up best. "will you at least take me out to dinner b4 you fuck me?"

Not a lot of laughter right now.

 

[Mediocre Man]

From Hollinger on twitter

Random tought: Blazers with Matthews, Batum, Oden and Camby will be about 10,000 times better defensively than at midpoint of last season.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

@tribjazz: Young on Matthews' role in Portland vs. Utah: "We talked about that and obviously he thinks he's going to be a starter anywhere he goes."

Hmm, you know he's not going to start at SG but SF could be interesting if Batum is packaged.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Hmm, you know he's not going to start at SG but SF could be interesting if Batum is packaged.

That IS an interesting quote

 

[Masbee]

Hopefully they front load the hell out of it (again) I don't really care if we get Matthews or not, but I'm never unhappy to see the Jazz put in uncomfortable situations.

The Jazz must feel like we are stalking them at this point.

"Please. Just leave us ALONE."

 

[Pinwheel1]

Sounds like there is more to the quote.

 

[Mediocre Man]

The Jazz must feel like we are stalking them at this point.

"Please. Just leave us ALONE."

1 year to the day that we offered the toxic contract to Milsap

 

[Nikolokolus]

Hmm, you know he's not going to start at SG but SF could be interesting if Batum is packaged.

That remains to be seen, but at this kind of money I'm guessing they expect WM to be able to play about 30 minutes a night covering the small forward and shooting guard spots. The "Starter" designation may not mean all that much.

In any case whatever Nate/Buchanan/LM said to him they must have convinced him that he'd have a role of some significance.

 

[Ed O]

Hmm, you know he's not going to start at SG but SF could be interesting if Batum is packaged.

I think it's MUCH more likely that Matthews thinks he's a superior player to Batum, and that the Blazers have promised an open competition at the small forward starting spot.

It wasn't clear that Batum was going to start ahead of Webster at the beginning of last year, and while we all like Batum and love his potential, I can see how Mattews and his representatives think Wes might start over Nic.

Ed O.

 

[RoyToy]

That remains to be seen, but at this kind of money I'm guessing they expect WM to be able to play about 30 minutes a night covering the small forward and shooting guard spots. The "Starter" designation may not mean all that much.

In any case whatever Nate/Buchanan/LM said to him they must have convinced him that he'd have a role of some significance.

Money also talks.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Hmm, you know he's not going to start at SG but SF could be interesting if Batum is packaged.

Or finally moving Roy to the point?