<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Utah Jazz have verbal commitments from restricted free agents Mehmet Okur and Gordan Giricek. The Jazz would not release terms of either agreement, other than to say they were multiyear contracts, Utah vice president for basketball operations Kevin O'Connor said Monday night. Detroit TV station WDIV said the offer to Okur was for between $42 million and $48 million over six years. The Jazz cannot sign Okur before July 14 as the Detroit Pistons center is a restricted free agent, and the Pistons have 15 days to match the Jazz offer. The offer was first reported by the Detroit Free Press, which said the Pistons still were waiting to hear the official news from Okur's agent, Marc Fleisher. Pistons president Joe Dumars said last week that it was unlikely the Pistons could afford to sign Okur as well as Rasheed Wallace, who's an unrestricted free agent.</div> Link I really like this, the Jazz failed to add a Centre in the draft, but have got one in free agency. They have lots of cap space, and they've actually used some of it which is a good start .
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting panfolk:</div><div class="quote_post">are they planning to get ostertag back as a backup?</div> Postertag is testing the free agent waters right now, he's got a few offers already. Utah want to resign him, but if they do he will be taking a big paycut, especially now if Okur officialy joins the Jazz.
So I take it Okur will be the starter for the Jazz next year? Will this be an immediate improvement or will it be a couple of years. Ostertag suprised a lot of people last year the way he played at his age. He would make for a good back up for a lot of teams in the West.
Okur will be starting with or without Ostertag. He should do well, he spent a lot of time on the bench towards the end of the season in Detroit and he wants to prove himself. With Jerry Sloan there to push him along, he should have a career year. Ostertag has been with the Jazz for 9 seasons now and he knows the Jazz system well. He is worth signing, because without him Cutris Borchardt will be the backup C. Over 2 seasons, he has played 16 games. Afer him is Mikki Moore, so Ostertag should be signed if possible. Okur could also play PF, and he may do this if Ostertag is signed.
Yikes, 48 over six? Okur is good, but that's a huge amount for someone who isn't proven playing in a starter's role.
If Rasheed Wallace doesn't return then the Jazz are back to square one again. However I don't expect that to happen, Sheed should sign that big contract and stay a Piston Okur will be a good signing for Utah, when he plays he produces bottom line He is a very good rebounder when given minutes and can score inside, outside and most importantly he is a very steady player in the post.
Boy is that overpaying someone. ESPN.com said it might be as high as 50 Million. I don't see a point in signing him to a contract that long, worth that much when you have you frontcourt players in Humphries and Collins.
