ESPN: Magic/Seattle Agree to Sign and Trade

I thought max money was reserved to ponly a few of the brightest stars in the league. This is ridiculous, Shard played second fiddle to Ray Allen in Seattle, and has yet to be first banana in this league, I still donm't think he will be considering the Magic holding Dwight. Max is crazy.

 

I know being a Knick fan I don't have the 'right', if you will, to criticize teams concerning overpaying players, but wow, I don't even think Kobe made that much money when he re-signed in 2004.

I like Lewis, but paying him $20M+ a year? I'm flabbergasted.

 

This is such a terrible deal, Rashard is not even close to a $21 million/year player. Garnett is the highest played played this season and he's making $22 million, this is just sad.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">What's so bad about a lotto season if you can target Gilbert Arenas? You guys paid way too much for Rashard, I actually feel quite sick reading it.</div>
The Magic really wouldn't have much of a chance on Arenas. Arenas would be Washington's FA, and only Washington could offer him 6 years, and only Washington could offer him 10.5% raises as opposed to 8% raises. Washingtou would have enough money under the cap since Jamison's contract expires at the same time, so truthfully that wouldn't be the best decision. Also Arenas doesn't really have any Florida ties, if he had a guy that was his friend there, or if it's where he's from like LA, but just because the Magic would've had cap space doesn't wouldn't make them a main suitor for him.

WAIT! I was just thinking, why did the Magic do a sign and trade if it didn't allow them to clear cap space and still be able to sign Darko? What was the point of signing and trading? All the Magic ended up doing was forcing themselves to give Rashard more money, and give Seattle a second round pick for no reason.

 

<div class="quote_poster">og15 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">WAIT! I was just thinking, why did the Magic do a sign and trade if it didn't allow them to clear cap space and still be able to sign Darko? What was the point of signing and trading? All the Magic ended up doing was forcing themselves to give Rashard more money, and give Seattle a second round pick for no reason.</div>

There is a reason we're the Orlando Tragic..... We gave up a 2nd so that we could pay Shard 30 million more dollars for 1 extra year.

 

I just finished eating breakfast and after I saw Lewis' contract I nearly heaved all of that **** back on to my plate. What the **** are the Magic thinking? There are better players that aren't even going to demand that much money.

 

You guys are literally out of your mind. How in the world can you give Rashard Lewis a 21 million per year contract? To put into perspective, he's getting paid more than Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, and Jason Kidd. Wow

 

I laughed when I saw how much they were gunna pay him. Lewis = Richest player over the next 5 years, wow. He makes baseball player money.

 

Speechless.

 

Were all hating this. But watch Lewis become the greatest player in the East. win MVP,ALL NBA, Allstar starter. hahah

 

This is Otis Smith, right? The Otis Smith? The same guy that traded Cato + a pick for Darko and Arroyo? The same guy that signed Bogans when we lost Stevenson? The same ninja that used smoke screen after smoke screen?

I'm trying to stay optimisitc, but this deal is bigger than Kobe's....and needless to say he isn't even half of what Kobe, LeBron, Duncan, or Kidd are.

What was the point in the S&T?

 

<div class="quote_poster">shapecity Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I'm just curious since Seattle traded Lewis for a 2nd rounder, does Seattle now get a massive trade exception?</div>

Yeah 9 frickin million i believe.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Swish Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Speechless.</div>

yup

 

Just wondering, has Dwight Howard received a contract extension yet? I believe he has, but just imagine the type of money he would demand from you guys after signing Rashard Lewis to this type of contract

I'm still at shock at how a border-line All-Star at best, could receive such a huge contract. He must have a great agent

 

<div class="quote_poster">Brian Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Just wondering, has Dwight Howard received a contract extension yet? I believe he has, but just imagine the type of money he would demand from you guys after signing Rashard Lewis to this type of contract

I'm still at shock at how a border-line All-Star at best, could receive such a huge contract. He must have a great agent</div>

Dwight's getting a 5 year extension worth 85 mil. He's expected to sign by tomorrow. He's not able to receive the same type of contract that Shard got because Shard's been in the league 6 years longer.

Magic continue to just let assets leave for free. In the last 4 years alone we let Zaza Pachilia, Darko, Anderson Varejeao(was a filler in the Gooden for Battie trade), Fran Vasquez, and this years first rounder go for free. Good teams get compensation for their assets, the Magic don't. I mean any of those 4 big guys would be a great young player to put right alongside Dwight. But of course the Magic shows loyalty to their veterans and would rather keep Andrew Declerq, Pat Garrity, and Tony Battie then any of those 4 young guys(well Fran is still possible to keep).

Whenever you only have 1-2 needs and $15 mil in cap space and look to leave the offseason with more holes then you started with, you know you aren't managed very well.

Ariza/JJ/Gortat/Augustine better step up this year or Fran better come over and play effectively or we could be in for a long season.

 

6 years/126 million???? LOL, thank god Otis seems to be just as stupid as MJ is.

 

I have been a big fan of Rashard Lewis for a while but the maximum contract that I would have offered him was a 6 year 80 million dollar deal. And that is the maximum that I would have offered.

I do not know why Orlando would agree to a sign and trade if they didn't get rid of any bad contracts. No one would have offered Sweet Lew any more money than the Magic were offering so why not just stay with the 5 year deal?

I am really interested in who the Sonics are going to acquire with their trade exception. They only have one year to use it. Wow. This is one of the worst signings in NBA history. And this is coming from one of Rashard Lewis' biggest supporters.

 

I'm interested to know how the negotiating process went:

Shard's agent: My client's looking for something around the 6 year/$80 million range.
Otis Smith: I call that and raise you to 6 years/$90 million!
Shard's agent: Mr. Smith, we're not playing poker...
Otis Smith: $100 million!
Shard's agent: We already said we'd be happy with the first amount.
Otis Smith: $110 million!
Shard's agent: Are you seri...
Otis Smith: $126 million!
Shard's agent: Wow! You must really be enamoured with Rashard's skills. I don't see any reason to shop him anywhere else. We gladly accept your offer and I'll fax you all the paperwork tomorrow (leaves room).
Otis Smith: $200 million!

 

^^lmao.