Denver Post: Agent says Arenas won't come cheap
Robin Miller
[RM: we're f*****.]
Friday, May 30, 2003
Agent says Arenas won't come cheap
By Marc J. Spears, Denver Post Sports Writer
If the Denver Nuggets are intent on signing Golden State Warriors
free-agent guard Gilbert Arenas, it might take a large chunk of their
free-agent dollars.
Arenas's agent, Dan Fegan, said Thursday that projections he has read
about his client signing a contract starting in the $7 million range are
off base.
"If you're asking whether a starting number of $7 million is enough to
sign Gilbert Arenas, the answer is unequivocally no, it's not," Fegan said.
Denver is in desperate need of a starting point guard and has about
$22 million to spend in free agency this summer. Arenas might be the top
prospect on the Nuggets' free-agent wish list. Teams cannot comment on
their interest until the signing period opens July 1.
"Gilbert has the same potential as any of the other top young point
guards in the league, like Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis and Baron
Davis," Fegan said at his downtown Denver hotel. "I want you to name a
point guard at 20 years of age that puts up numbers that were better."
Free agents can begin negotiating with teams July 1 and can sign
contracts starting July 16. The Warriors are expected to try to make
trades to clear salary-cap space in an attempt to re-sign Arenas.
Currently they can offer only a midlevel exception contract expected to
start at about $4.7 million per year. The Utah Jazz, Miami Heat and Los
Angeles Clippers also are believed to be interested in Arenas.
Arenas, 21, averaged 18.3 points, was 11th in the NBA in assists (6.3)
and was 19th in the league in free-throw attempts (468) this past
season. The 6-foot-3, 191-pounder was named the NBA's most improved
player after lifting his scoring average by 7.4 points from his rookie
season.
"Regarding Denver as a possible destination for Gilbert Arenas, I've
got a lot of confidence in (general manager) Kiki Vandeweghe's ability
to build a team," Fegan said. "Having said that, this team has a big
monster to climb before it's considered a premier destination for free
agents who could possibly change that perception immediately."
Fegan was in Denver to meet with two of his clients: Nuggets forward
Donnell Harvey and guard Rodney White. Another Fegan client, Notre Dame
guard Matt Carroll, worked out for the Nuggets on Thursday, along with
Colorado State forward Brian Greene, North Dakota forward Jerome
Beasley, Florida guard Justin Hamilton, Mississippi State guard Derrick
Zimmerman and Arizona State forward Tommy Smith.
Master P back
Percy Miller, also known as rapper Master P, joined voluntary workouts
Thursday with hopes of earning a spot on Denver's summer league team.
The 6-5 Miller previously tried out for the Charlotte Hornets and
Toronto Raptors. He also worked out for the Nuggets last season.
"I will be in shape," said Miller, 31. "My heart is big."
The CEO of No Limit Records said he plans to spend the summer in
Denver and that his business ventures wouldn't get in the way.
Brian
That's the same sentiment on the ESPN.com Insider section today. It's
officially over for GS and Gil...although I think we here knew that long
ago...
Brian
Greg Lentz
wrote:
>
>[RM: we're f*****.]
Fegan's just trying to drive the price up on Denver and (maybe) a few
other teams. Maybe he'll take the exception to play for the Warriors,
maybe he's just trying to drive up the price to see if the Warriors will
scramble to dump players just to keep Arenas.
His biggest problem is that nobody has quite as much cap room and a need
for a scoring pt guard as Denver does. In that sense, Denver is only
bidding against themselves and how bad a team they are.
We're really fortunate Denver didn't win the lottery. Lebron James in the
backcourt with Arenas would be Arenas's dream come true - a big guard who
likes to pass him the ball. Carmelo Anthony duplicates what talent the
Nuggets have.
Greg Lentz
Allen L
Greg Lentz wrote:
On Fri, 30 May 2003 17:27:30 GMT, Robin Miller <compl...@cox.net> wrote:[RM: we're f*****.]Fegan's just trying to drive the price up on Denver and (maybe) a few other teams. Maybe he'll take the exception to play for the Warriors, maybe he's just trying to drive up the price to see if the Warriors will scramble to dump players just to keep Arenas. His biggest problem is that nobody has quite as much cap room and a need for a scoring pt guard as Denver does. In that sense, Denver is only bidding against themselves and how bad a team they are. We're really fortunate Denver didn't win the lottery. Lebron James in the backcourt with Arenas would be Arenas's dream come true - a big guard who likes to pass him the ball. Carmelo Anthony duplicates what talent the Nuggets have.
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Serious Shawn
wrote:
>Agreed. Fegan's statement didn't surprise me. I would have been
>surprised had he NOT said something like that. Negotiations have indeed
>begun. Arenas' past statements have been all over the lot, and he's
>shown an independent streak and isn't shy about reigning in others who
>have made statements on his behalf. We will shortly see whether it's all
>about the money, or whether any of those statements about not liking
>cold weather, wanting to be close to LA, etc etc were sincere or not.
>The cynic in me thinks it's all about the money and he's outta here. But
>the rationalist in me thinks nobody knows for sure and that includes
>Fegan (heck, Arenas himself may not have made his final decision yet).
>
I'm a little alarmed to hear people talking about the Clippers as a
contender. Is that possible? Could they let Olo go, have some cap
room, and then offer him a contract that he would actually accept? If
that happened, we might be back in the Pacific cellar. The thought of
Ridenour in a W's jersey trying to guard Arenas gives me chills, and
not the good kind.
Shawn
Barry Wong
I can't see this happening. Maybe I just don't have enough imagination.
But for Arenas to sign a max type contract (both money and length) with
the Clippers? ONLY if it's all about the money.
BTW, it's where we should have traded Spree and Webber, no matter what
we got back -- there, or Cleveland.
Greg Lentz
<seriou...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>On Fri, 30 May 2003 14:30:35 -0700, Allen L <alz...@netscape.net>
>wrote:
>
>>Agreed. Fegan's statement didn't surprise me. I would have been
>>surprised had he NOT said something like that. Negotiations have indeed
>>begun. Arenas' past statements have been all over the lot, and he's
>>shown an independent streak and isn't shy about reigning in others who
>>have made statements on his behalf. We will shortly see whether it's all
>>about the money, or whether any of those statements about not liking
>>cold weather, wanting to be close to LA, etc etc were sincere or not.
>>The cynic in me thinks it's all about the money and he's outta here. But
>>the rationalist in me thinks nobody knows for sure and that includes
>>Fegan (heck, Arenas himself may not have made his final decision yet).
>>
>I'm a little alarmed to hear people talking about the Clippers as a
>contender. Is that possible? Could they let Olo go, have some cap
>room, and then offer him a contract that he would actually accept?
Let's see the last big ticket free agent the Clippers signed was....
Greg Lentz
BUGGZY650
>But for Arenas to sign a max type contract (both money and length) with
>the Clippers? ONLY if it's all about the money.
I think you have it backwards. I think that should read: "But for the Clippers
to sign Arenas to a max type contract? Only if Sterling croaks and someone else
takes over the team." I mean seriously, after letting so many valuable pieces
get away out of cheapness, why would the Clips pick NOW to change their ways?
The Doomster
Greg Lentz wrote:
> Let's see the last big ticket free agent the Clippers signed was....
>
> Greg Lentz
Sean Rooks?
Doomster
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Greg Lentz
<elect...@netgate.net> wrote:
>
>Greg Lentz wrote:
>
>> Let's see the last big ticket free agent the Clippers signed was....
>
>Sean Rooks?
I was going to say Wang Zhi Zhi. At any rate, it makes the point
quite nicely.
Greg Lentz
Jim Corbelli
God help me if I ever start taking Chad Ford's word as Bible. I don't
pretend to know which way Gil will jump, but Ford is wrong so
frequently that I almost take comfort in his "Gilbert is Gone" line.
Ford's been beating that drum so long I think he's in bed with Kiki.
Jim Corbelli
And the last max contract they gave out was to . . . .?
Greg Lentz
wrote:
>On Fri, 30 May 2003 19:35:30 GMT, "Brian" <br...@nospam.com> wrote:
>
>>> [RM: we're f*****.]
>>
>>That's the same sentiment on the ESPN.com Insider section today. It's
>>officially over for GS and Gil...although I think we here knew that long
>>ago...
>
>God help me if I ever start taking Chad Ford's word as Bible. I don't
>pretend to know which way Gil will jump, but Ford is wrong so
>frequently that I almost take comfort in his "Gilbert is Gone" line.
>Ford's been beating that drum so long I think he's in bed with Kiki.
A-friggin-men. Which of Ford's Euro-stars will bust this year? I got
my money on Pavel.
Greg Lentz