<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Sean Williams at #17 in the draft, a risk vs. reward situation. ( Without his drug problems at BC, Williams would have been a top 10 pick based solely on his uncanny athleticism. The Nets had considered Jason Smith of Colorado State, but Williams had outplayed Smith during a multi-team workout in Charlotte the before the draft. The same night, the Nets and Pacers were involved in another RJ trade scenario, this one involving Jermaine O’Neal. Depending on who you believe, the deal fell through because the Nets were unwilling to give up a) Nenad Krstic or Marcus Williams</p> July 2007 - Signed Vince Carter to a new 5-year, $81 million contract, $66 million of which is guaranteed. (B+) Vince Carter is a future Hall of Famer. He won’t make on the first ballot, unless he is wearing a ring the day he steps off the court for the last time. Few players in the NBA are capable of playing four positions like he is and fewer players can average 25, 6 and 4. He can sell tickets. He is one of the game’s good guys. BUT he can still drive fans, coaches and teammates crazy too. (You know the story.) The main question is what will this hyper athletic superstar be like at age 33 through 35, when the Nets will be paying him stratospheric salaries? Could still be a B+, but maybe not. As part of his deal, he renounced a $16.4 million salary this year in return for $13 million…and the long term guarantee, which helps the team’s cap situation.</p> July 2007 - Signed Jamaal Magloire to a one-year $4 million contract. ( Magloire had received interest from the Lakers, Sixers, Wizards and Jazz, but chose the Nets. A former All-Star, the Nets hope his toughness, rebounding and shot-blocking will be worth what is a minimal investment. Without Carter agreeing to take a lower salary in return for longer term security, the Nets would have been hard-pressed to sign the Canadian big man. No NBA team used more of their MLE this off-season than the Nets did on Magloire. </p> July 2007 - Declined team option on Cliff Robinson, but still has to pay him $500,000 buyout fee. (F) Not a smart deal in retrospect. Cliffy retires.</p> July 2007 - Declined team option on Hassan Adams. © Nothing personal, just business, everyone tells the press, but fans go crazy. It’s way to reduce luxury tax exposure. The team drops below the threshold as a result. Still, Adams has a difficult time hooking up with another team in training camp, winning a last-minute invite from Cleveland after Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic stay home in contract protests. Ultimately, he gets cut.</p> August 2007 - Signed Robert Hite to a partially guaranteed contract. © Hite looked more like an NBA two guard than Adams in the summer league and he only cost the team $25,000. When Marcus Williams went down with a broken foot, Hite’s fate was sealed. The Nets needed to find a third string PG desperately. He gets waived by the Nets the day after Adams is waived by the Cavs.</p> September 2007 - Signed Malik Allen to a non-guaranteed make-good contract. (B+) How smart was this deal? Nets took no risks on this New Jersey native (Willingboro) and he looks terrific in training camp and preaseason. Signed as an insurance policy after Krstic’s recovery had been slowed by a knee sprain, he reminds people of Mikki Moore…but Mikki cost the Nets a second round pick. Malik didn’t even cost them that. </p> October 2007 - Signed Darrell Armstrong to a partially guaranteed deal. (B+) Armstrong is this year’s Cliff Robinson…superannuated in basketball terms, but someone who has been around, learned the ropes and is willing to share the lessons. More importantly, he and Marcus Williams can back up Kidd, play next to him or next to each other. Also, like Cliffy, Armstrong has Finals experience, having made to the 2006 championship round with Dallas. October 2007 - Declined fourth year option on Antoine Wright (D) The Nets say they want financial flexibility, but what is unspoken is that the Nets don’t think Wright will be worth $2.57 million next season. Basically, this is a surrender to those who have called him a bust. If Wright has a good year, he is unlikely to re-sign with the Nets. Why would he want to back up Jefferson and Carter, who both have three and four years to go on their contracts? If he doesn’t play well, it just adds to their embarrassment.</div></p> </p> </p> Thornski Report Card: Revised, Updated and Renamed</p>
Interesting. The poor grades speak to the original act themselves, rather than a more recent development. For instance he talks about how embarassing the Wright situation is, so wouldn't the act of not picking up his option be a good thing? Likewise having to buyout Cliffy stinks, but wasn't waiving him the right thing to do? Hell most of us here want Rod to do the same thing with Illic.</p> Food for thought.</p>
I'll thank NI again for this excellent reference.</p> Whether you agree with the grades or not, it's terrific to have all of this information compiled in one place.</p>
