ESPN reported we got Ray back. I think this has got to be considered absolutely great news. Not only did we get are best player back but that has to help make Nate feel more comfortable reupping with the Sonics. Hopefully he will be back with the team in the next couple of days as well.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Ray Allen was wooed by LeBron James, Mike Dunleavy and that Atlanta Hawks for the last five days. In the end, he decided that there was no place like home. Allen's agent, Lon Babby, said Tuesday morning that Allen has agreed to terms with the Sonics on a five-year deal. Babby refused to divulge the contract amount. The Sonics' last known offer was for 5 years, $75 million, and their latest offer is expected to exceed that. </div> Link
This absolutely great news. Now we should be hearing some news on Nate within the next couple of days.
Good new for Seattle, they just need to continue to lock people up and improve, and they can make some noise this coming season also.
Good news. Glad to see him back. If we get Nate and Vlade signed I'll be satisified with our offseason. JJ and AD would be plusses but probably longshots. EDIT: Vlade's likely improbable too.
I hope the Sonics can have another great season like last year, but something inside of me always wants to doubt the sonics.
Fantastic news. This is most likely the single most important move we could've made this offseason. Now we need to get Nate back and our core + coaching will go untouched.
With incentives Ray's contract adds up to be about 17 million dollars a year. This is a great signing in the short term, but it is really going to limit our ability to make competitive offers to our other free agents. We are going to be held hostage by this offer for years to come. I'm going to be very interested how much of a "team leader" Ray will be in the next coming years knowing that he hit the jackpot w/ this contract. Ray is undoubtedly one of the premier guards in this league, but I think that the 5 year 75 million dollar offer was a fair offer and would have enabled us to sign a core guy that we probably can't sign now. This signing has also unofficially made Flip's resigning impossible. I know that it is in the best interest of the Supes to keep Ray (at least for the next couple years) but I did want to see Flip emerge in the green and gold. I'll just have to keep a watchful eye whereever he ends up. This is definitely a bitter sweet signing for me.
I agree that the contract could easily turn into a waste of cap room in two or three years, but it was the only choice management had unless they wanted to start rebuilding all over again.
I think Nate will be back with Ray Allen agreeing this early on a deal. I remember on a radio show he said he would take himself off the market if the Sonics brought Nate back. I'm curious to see what other Free Agents they can bring back now. There should be more confidence the team wants to continue building on last year's success instead of being forced to rebuild again.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Nate will be back with Ray Allen agreeing this early on a deal. I remember on a radio show he said he would take himself off the market if the Sonics brought Nate back. I'm curious to see what other Free Agents they can bring back now. There should be more confidence the team wants to continue building on last year's success instead of being forced to rebuild again.</div> I agree. I think daniels is gone but Vlade could very well be back I think.
I also think this deal might come back to haunt the Sonics later on when the contract is in his latter years... Ray is what 30 years old? In about 4 years he could just be a spot up shooter getting paid over 17 million a year... Right now though, it's a great move.
Ray is not officially signed yet, he can pull a Carlos Boozer on us, but hopefully he doesnt because Nate is gone, and without Ray will be going into rebuilding mode.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Casual:</div><div class="quote_post">I agree that the contract could easily turn into a waste of cap room in two or three years, but it was the only choice management had unless they wanted to start rebuilding all over again.</div> Exactly right - Ray's free agency fell in a very awkward situation, but at the end of the day, you can't strip off and rebuild everytime just to avoid paying money. Phoenix I felt overpaid Steve Nash given his age, but if they get a ring in the next few seasons, then it will be worth it. I feel we can get at least three more All-Star seasons out of Ray, and with Luke, Nick, Rashard and whoever else growing around him, in a couple of seasons we could really be in the thick of contention.
