Darko is going to be a restricted free agent and there was alot of interest in him at the trade deadline. How much do you think that he is worth (be honest) and what do you think he will actually get? Also, right now, considering that we have to re-sign Chauncy, would you rather have Darko or Orlando's pick?

I read that Orlando had an offer for him and pulled it from the table. I can see some stupid team paying him $6 mil on his alleged potential.

I could be wrong, but aren't there only two teams that can give him more than the MLE? (Orlando being one of them, Charlotte the other).

The Magic might let his agent negotiate with other teams and try to do a S&T, which is exactly what I would do if I was Orlando.

Are you saying that every team is over the cap next year?

All but two, that is my understanding. As I said, I'm not certain and I haven't been sleeping much lately.

6y/60 mil just like Curry, Chandler, Dalembert, Nene

I'm confused. I voted on the question "how much he'll get" but the actual poll question is "how much is he worth". Two separate questions. I feel cheated.

Actually, Milwaukee, Memphis, Chicago, Atlanta, and New Orleans all have some cap room on top of Charlotte and Orlando... Milwaukee is the team that looks to be our competetitor for re-signing Chauncey, but if that did happen, we'd probably some how wind up with Mo Williams.

He will get Nene money. He should get whatever the minimum in Euros is over there, based on how bad of a flop he was.

I think if Darko doesn't get what he wants he will play overseas next season.

Doesn't Toronto have some money as well?

He gets atleast the MLE.

I'm confused. I voted on the question "how much he'll get" but the actual poll question is "how much is he worth". Two separate questions. I feel cheated.

I noticed that too. I haven't voted because I'm not sure which question I am voting on.

I can see him getting 6 years 50 mil with 6 ppg. The NBA is nuts with salaries.

I noticed that too. I haven't voted because I'm not sure which question I am voting on.

I'm sorry about the confusion with the topic title and the poll being different but I thought that it would be weird asking both questions.

I meant for the poll to be a simple question of what he is worth. I meant for the forum to be a discussion of what he actually might get and whether Piston fans are happier with the Orlando pick rather than Darko.

I also voted on what he'll get. I think he'll get at least an MLE, if not a bit more from someone else. I don't think he's worth it until he proves something though.

I wonder if this years really stagnant trade deadline will have any effect on free agent salaries. I think that GM's figured out how hard it is to move overpaid or simply highly paid players. I see quite a few teams worried about the luxury tax too.

Darkness w/ 14/16 and 5 blocks tonight. Somebody'll pay the kid.

Darkness w/ 14/16 and 5 blocks tonight. Somebody'll pay the kid.

DARKNESS?LMFAO

DWight also grabbed 16 boards that game...

Dwight had a triple double -- 21 points, 16 boards, 11 fucking turnovers!

It looks like what happened was that PJ Brown had a sucky game, so there was no one big enough to take on both guys and they had their way with Ben and Sweetney or whoever else they could con into playing PF.

Their whole front court sucked. Brown was 0-7 and Ben was 1-3 (i think). They combined for 3 points between them. Couldn't handle the twin towers I guess.

He's 21 and over 7' tall. 6 mil/year is the minimum he'll get, I voted 8+. NBA bigs are like those magic eye pictures--stare long enough and your eyes will unfocus and see an illusion of depth and talent. I'm not saying he's worth it but some GM will take that long look and see the answer to his team's prayers.

I could be wrong, but aren't there only two teams that can give him more than the MLE? (Orlando being one of them, Charlotte the other).

If I am indeed wrong about this, at least I'm not the only one, lol.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2003591041_soniglance27.html


Forward Rashard Lewis confirmed Monday night that he has no intentions of signing a two-year, $25 million contract extension that the Sonics offered last week.

He stopped short of saying he will opt out of his contract this summer, which would mean forfeiting the final two years and $21 million. Still, Lewis admitted he's giving serious consideration to becoming an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his nine-year career.

"It would be a freedom that I've never had before so, yeah, I'm thinking about it," he said. "You don't have many chances in your career to test the market and see what you're worth."

When told only two teams — Orlando and Charlotte — are going to be under the salary cap next season, Lewis said: "That's not what my agent is telling me. There might be more teams than that."

Lewis said he will decline the Sonics' offer mainly because his agent told him the team will be able to offer a three-year deal after the season.

Different article by a different reporter.


At KeyArena, I spoke with Ray about Rashard's situation. At first he gave me the usual, I think he knows his best place is here, yada yada yada. Then he asked me who else had money. Charlotte and Orlando, I told him. Oh, then I guess I am worried, he said, laughing nervously. He acknowledged that the Magic could be a real player for Rashard, assuming they don't sign Vince Carter, who also has an opt out. Ray said he would try to counsel Rashard and he would definitely let management know what he thinks, which is they should re-sign Rashard.

Are the Sonics writers just getting this wrong or do we need to open up an official WTF investigation?

The bucks could be under by quite a bit (around 38 Millions against the cap) if they let Skinner walk and Boykins opts out)

Other than that, nobody is going to be a lot below the cap. It depends on what the cap is, but every other team can let all their FA's walk, opt out of all their contracts, and the lowest they can get is 42 million against the cap. So, if the cap remains at 50 million or more there are a half dozen teams that could be 8 million under the cap. Most of those teams have to cut some star players though (ie Washington letting Jamison go).

I will make a FA thread with the possible cap room of each team soon.