Author Topic: NBA - 2002/03  (Read 45728 times)

Offline dustrho

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #180 on: July 16, 2003, 12:30 PM »
Here's the official story from the Associated Press about Karl Malone & Gay Payton signing with the Lakers...  >:(

Lakers sign Malone, Payton to contracts
 
By JOHN NADEL, AP Sports Writer

July 16, 2003

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- True to their word, future Hall of Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton signed contracts with the Los Angeles Lakers. And they did so at just about the earliest possible moment.

Team spokesman John Black said Malone and Payton, who verbally committed to join the Lakers at discount prices last week, signed shortly after midnight EDT on Wednesday.

A moratorium on free agent signings expired Tuesday night. Beginning at 12:01 a.m., free agents were allowed to sign contracts.

Malone, the second-leading scorer in NBA history who is considered perhaps the greatest power forward ever, signed a two-year contract worth just over $3 million, Black said.

Malone, who earned $19 million last season in his 18th and final season with the Utah Jazz, will earn the veteran's exception of $1.5 million next season.

He turns 40 later this month.

Payton, five years younger, also signed a multiyear contract. He established himself as one of the NBA's finest point guards in Seattle, where he played for nearly 12 seasons before being traded to Milwaukee this past season.

The players will be introduced Thursday morning at a news conference at Staples Center.

Payton, who earned $12 million last season, will make $4.9 million in his first year with the Lakers.

Black and Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak had dinner at a West Los Angeles restaurant Tuesday night with Payton and his agent, Aaron Goodwin, and Malone's agent, Dwight Manley.

Lakers front office employees Ronnie Lester and Bill Bertka were also present.

Malone faxed in his contract from Arkansas shortly after it was allowed to be signed.

``We drank a toast and Mitch went home to get some sleep for probably the first time in at least a week,'' Black said.

Malone and Payton will join Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in a star-studded Lakers lineup.

Other Los Angeles returnees next season are Derek Fisher, Devean George, Rick Fox, Slava Medvedenko, Kareem Rush and Jannero Pargo.

The Lakers won three straight NBA championships before being eliminated in six games in the Western Conference semifinals by the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs two months ago.

Kupchak made it clear in the aftermath that major changes were in store.

Neither Malone nor Payton have played on a championship team. Payton and the Sonics played in the NBA Finals once and the Jazz reached the Finals twice during Malone's time there -- all during the 1990s.

In all three cases, the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls won titles.

``When Karl said what he was going to do, I figured I couldn't miss that chance, playing with the Lakers,'' Payton said over the weekend in Miami. ``With four great players like us playing with each other, we're going to have a great chance to win a championship.''
dustrho

Offline Brian

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #181 on: July 16, 2003, 01:37 PM »
Just saw news at ESPN.com that the Miami Heat have offered Elton Brand a 6 year, 82 million dollar deal.  Now we'll have to see if Sterling and the Clips will match....they're going to have a whole different team next year...losing all of their talent.  Oh well, they probably wouldn't have ever put it together anyways :).

Here's the link to the story:

http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0716/1581398.html

Offline JediMAC

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #182 on: July 16, 2003, 05:27 PM »
Oh what a coop!  Losing Rasho was bad but replacing him with the Kandi Man is awesome...

Uh...  Perhaps you've never seen this guy in action Scott, but having had the unfortunate "pleasure" of watching this fat, disgruntled, selfish, unmotivated clown play over the past 5 years, I'm more than a little surprised to see you getting exciting about his acquisition...  This guy's definitely a big body, but that's pretty much where it ends.

Glad to see the Payton/Malone thing finally get done.  Better hang on to your hats and glasses folks, 'cause this here's gonna be the wildest ride in the NBA!

Offline Scott

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #183 on: July 16, 2003, 05:32 PM »
Oh what a coop!  Losing Rasho was bad but replacing him with the Kandi Man is awesome...

Uh...  Perhaps you've never seen this guy in action Scott, but having had the unfortunate "pleasure" of watching this fat, disgruntled, selfish, unmotivated clown play over the past 5 years, I'm more than a little surprised to see you getting exciting about his acquisition...  This guy's definitely a big body, but that's pretty much where it ends.

Glad to see the Payton/Malone thing finally get done.  Better hang on to your hats and glasses folks, 'cause this here's gonna be the wildest ride in the NBA!
 And that is worse than Rasho how?

Same guy for less money means we got a steal.  Plus I will say McHale does know how to coach the big guys, just look at where Rasho came from too know

Offline JediMAC

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #184 on: July 21, 2003, 04:18 AM »
I'm frankly more than a little surprised not to find any posts in this thread after a pretty busy several days of NBA news...

Pippen back to the Bulls...   ::)

Clippers actually step up to the plate and resign Brand (and possibly others)   :o

...and oh yeah, some Kobe fella did some sorta bad stuff...  Figured a few of you would be all over this one.  Wassup?  Goin' easy on me these days?   :P   :-*

Offline dustrho

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #185 on: July 21, 2003, 10:06 AM »
Figured a few of you would be all over this one.  Wassup?  Goin' easy on me these days?   :P   :-*

I would have said something about that, but it's really not a joking matter for discussion.  If he is found guilty, then he deserves what's coming to him.  If he's found innocent then that's done & done.  Whatever the case, it's going to hurt him in the long run.  He might have broken some rules in his endorsements, and it will hurt his image.

On other note, someone here heard on our local radio station that Rodman might be coming back to the NBA.  And guess what team he is wanting to come back to?  Da Bulls.   ::)
dustrho

Offline Scott

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #186 on: July 21, 2003, 10:09 AM »
I loved Rodman...kicking cameramen, dating Carmen Electra!  

Pippen is the most overrated player in NBA history...what a joke.  How well did the Bulls do when MJ took those years off?  Mmm hmmm

Kobe...don't get me started!

Offline JediMAC

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #187 on: July 21, 2003, 03:15 PM »
On other note, someone here heard on our local radio station that Rodman might be coming back to the NBA.  And guess what team he is wanting to come back to?  Da Bulls.   ::)

They interviewed Rodman on either ESPN or Fox Sports news last night, and he said he wanted to stay in California and hopefully play for either the Kings or the Lakers.  He also mentioned the Nets as a possibility.  Didn't say a word about Chicago though, but I guess that's always a possibility.

Yeah, I hear ya' on the Kobe thing Chris.  Definitely no laughing matter.  It's just that a lot of non-Laker faithful aren't such big fans of his, and also enjoy harrassing me (**cough**Scott**cough**) about him every chance they get, so I figured there'd be some mention of his troubles in here...   ;)

That said, it's certainly a HUGE blow to Kobe's previously impeccable image.  Him having been one of the very few superstar athletes (in any sport) with a squeeky clean image, along with the rest of his admirable traits like the intelligence, charisma, looks, etc. - this was even more of a shocker and blow to him (and the league).  Like most people, I still can't believe that the charges could possibly be true, but who knows?  Obviously only Kobe and the girl, which will cause it to turn into a "he said, she said" thing in court and will ultimately boil down to who the jury believes more, I'd imagine...  But with the adultery being admitted to already, Kobe's image is already going to take a major hit.  Should be interesting to see what the opposing fans have in store for him when he visits their arenas...

Unfortunate timing with this event, since it's now overshadowing the "should've been" joyful announcements of Malone and Payton signing on with us...   :-\

Offline Reconsgt

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #188 on: July 21, 2003, 03:26 PM »
Well on another note George Karl will be looking for another coaching job. I don't follow basketball that much but i know the Bucks pretty much stunk before he came to Mil. so it will be interesting to see who they will replace him with. Expecially since they paid Karl the big bucks.
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Offline Brian

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #189 on: July 21, 2003, 05:20 PM »
Agreed about the Kobe Bryant situation, a sad situation indeed.  I will be the first to admit that I haven't ever been the biggest Kobe Bryant fan, although I admit he is a tremendous player, and had begun to like him more and more this past season.  When I first heard about this news, I figured there was no chance that it was true. Even though he seems cocky on the court to me (what players don't though), I never though him capable of anything like this.  I started to wonder a little bit after he first said he did nothing, but then once charged, admitted to adultery. Most likely, he will end up getting off...and it is very possible that he is innocent anyways, we'll probably never know for sure...just like it was said before, it is "he said, she said".  The only thing I don't like about it, is that if he isn't convicted of assault, rape, or whatever they choose to call it, SOME people/commentators think "oh, this was just a girl trying to get rich, and Kobe was an innocent target".  Even if it was consentual, what he did (adultery) is still wrong.  I hope that people remember that.  It seems anymore that athletes/entertainers/celebrities get away with this...and it gets written off.  Bottom line is, adultery is still terrible, and something I think is one of the worst things a person could do.  Sometimes I think our entertainment world forgets that this is still wrong, regardless if it is consentual or not (especially for a married man).  Anyways, I hope that things work out and the real truth is found.  I am sure there will be doubters either way the ruling ends up going, but hopefully the parties involved can move past this eventually.  I am sure it will be a difficult trial, because it is really hard to tell who is telling the truth at this point.  God bless them all, and hopefully truth will be found.

Offline Darth Kenobi

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #190 on: July 21, 2003, 05:45 PM »
The one thing that I will say for now with the Kobe thing is I hope the girl doesn't settle with him and then change her story.  This happens in too many incidents (Micheal Jackson, Tyson and others) which makes it appear that every single person who reports someone rich of rape, assualt, or anything else look like they are just out to get a quick buck.  

Offline JediMAC

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #191 on: July 22, 2003, 09:01 PM »
Wow!  Mega 4-team NBA deal just went down...

Latrell Sprewell to the Timberwolves

Terrell Brandon to the Hawks

Glenn Robinson to the 76'ers

Keith Van Horn to the Knicks

Scott should definitely be happy!  The Pups are really starting to shape up a little - Garnett, Sprewell, Cassell, Kandy, Wally, Hudson...  Not bad!  I don't think the wheelin' and dealin' helps any of the other teams too much though, maybe Philly just a tad.

Don't matter, 'cause Dream Team II shall reign supreme!   ;D   8)

Offline Morgbug

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #192 on: July 22, 2003, 11:50 PM »
Dream Team II? :o

Oh lord, at least wait until training camp starts Matt.  Remember last year?  Remember last week's posts?  Ooh, ick, I don't want Karl ::) :-*
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Offline dustrho

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #193 on: July 23, 2003, 12:03 AM »
Robert Horry signed with the Spurs today.   :-*
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: NBA Off Season News
« Reply #194 on: July 25, 2003, 01:52 PM »
Wow.  Another monster deal just went down.  Check this one out:

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indiana Pacers signed All-Star center Brad Miller on Thursday, then dealt him to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team, sign-and-trade deal that sent Scot Pollard and Danny Ferry to Indiana.

The San Antonio Spurs are the other club involved, and they will get Hedo Turkoglu from Sacramento and Ron Mercer from Indiana.



Crap.  The Spurs just got WAY better!  Turkoglu is a sick outside shooter, and always gives the Lakers fits, and Mercer is a defensive stud, and great player despite hit oft antics.  Maybe I'm missing something here, but it appears all the Spurs gave up to get these two great players was...  Danny Ferry?!?  Say what?  That makes no sense, unless the other teams in the league are intentionally trying to beef the Spurs lineup up as much as possible just to give Dream Team II a run for the money...

Indiana...  What the hell are they thinking?  Giving up Brad Miller and Ron Mercer for... Scot Pollard and Danny Ferry?!?  Uh...  HELLO?!?  Sounds like someone needs to get fired over there!  Even if it was just to free up some money and cap space.  Their team just took a serious hit!

The Kings lose a real good player in Turkoglu and a nice big guy off the bench in Chinstrap... uh - I mean Scot Pollard, but they get a top notch young center in Brad Miller, so those transactions are probably a wash.  Wonder what they plan to do with Vlade now...   :-\

Well, I've got to admit that the Spurs are starting to make me a little nervous.  I think they're much better than last year now, assuming Mercer doesn't cause the team to internally combust!  (hopefully   ;))
« Last Edit: July 25, 2003, 01:56 PM by JediMAC »