<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Watson and Stromile Swift will become unrestricted free agents three days after the June 28 draft. "I think free agency for me will be very interesting," Watson said from his Kansas City home. "I'm 25 (years old) and an unrestricted free agent. The thing is, I haven't had any contact with anybody from Memphis. I don't know what that means. I just want to thank the fans for embracing me as a young player coming from the West Coast when they really hadn't seen me play. I grew up in Memphis as an NBA player. It will always be a significant part of my life. I couldn't have asked for anything better." Watson, signed by the Griz as a free agent from Seattle, just completed a three-year deal that paid him $1.4 million last season. More than 20 teams inquired about a trade for Watson last August. Interest in Watson hasn't diminished, even though he would garner contract offers starting at the mid-level exception. That was nearly $5 million last season, or the equivalent of what the Griz used to sign forward Brian Cardinal. "It's not about the money. It's about the team situation and a team being committed to winning as a whole," Watson said. "I came to Memphis because of Jerry West. There's a difference between being winners and champions. And Jerry West is a champion. But the whole team has to be committed to winning, from management to players." </div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"It's not about the money. It's about the team situation and a team being committed to winning as a whole," Watson said. "I came to Memphis because of Jerry West. There's a difference between being winners and champions. And Jerry West is a champion. But the whole team has to be committed to winning, from management to players." </div> That sounds like a shot at Swift, Wells, and Williams. I agree with him though. Why would anyone stay in Memphis? They're a good team, but not a great team. They have no money to offer, and the city is small, segregated, has a very high crime-rate, and doesn't have that much of an interest in pro basketball. I guess the question now is, will he go to the Timberwolves, Lakers, Pacers, or someone else? I think the Lakers make a lot of sense. They're a team who could challenge for the title again if they just made a few more moves, thanks to Kobe Bryant. They're also a team that could offer him the starting job and money he's looking for. Watson is also a UCLA alumn.
