<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> As he approaches free agency this summer, Mavericks point guard Jason Terry hopes he won't experience a repeat of the summer of 2003. Back then, Terry was a restricted free agent with the Atlanta Hawks , and wanted, in the worst possible way, to play for another team. But the Hawks decided to match a three-year offer sheet Terry signed with the Utah Jazz , keeping Terry in the NBA's version of purgatory. With unrestricted free agency looming for Terry on July 1, the seven-year veteran hopes the Mavs will find a way to open their pocketbook so he can make Dallas his permanent home. "I'd love to stay here in Dallas," Terry said. "We've got a great thing going here. It's a great system, great city and great ownership, so this is where I want to be." Going into the 2002-03 season with the Hawks, Terry felt the weight of the free-agency world on his shoulders. Not so this season. "I think the best thing about this year is I'm just not even worrying about [free agency] now," Terry said. "I'm able to just go out and play freely and know what the reward is at the end of the day, so there's no pressure at all. "I just go out and play as hard as I can, and the Lord is going to bless me at the end of the day." Terry earns $7.5 million this season, and early indications are that the Mavs plan to re-sign him; especially since he is one of only seven players in the league who average at least 16 points and shoot at least 45 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range. "I can't foresee him not being on this team," said Donnie Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations. "Obviously you never say never in this industry, but he's become a real fabric of what we're trying to do both on the court and off. "He's a real special player and he's an even better person, so we're blessed to have him, and we're just really, really proud to have him wear Mavericks blue. He's one of my favorite people."</div> http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives...ture_in_dallas/
The Mavs can offer him much more than the MLE can't they? He's probably the best FA PG available next year over Mike James and Speedy Claxton and I'm sure he'll get better offers than the MLE. Also, hasn't the MLE has been changed to once every 2 years? They've used some of it on Christie and Diop this year. EDIT: Its the million dollar exception that's now once every 2 years. Mavs still have the MLE for next year.
Dallas better resign him or forget winning a championship. He reminds me alot of Chauncey Billups. That type of point guard tends to have alot of success in the playoffs.
Yep, when you look at the past few championship point guards you realise you don't need a strictly pass first PG to win the championship Derek Fisher, Chauncey Billups, Ron Harper, Tony Parker Unfortunately, those guys were a bit better at passing than Jason Terry. He works so well for us because he's catching passes and shooting, not just trying to create (ie in Atlanta). But I can see a Devin/Jason lineup if theres an injury in the not too distant future
