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The most intriguing move of the off-season so far has been the “swap” that resulted in forwards Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza changing teams. Ariza was miffed that the Los Angeles Lakers offered him a contract only in the range of $5.8 million a year and went shopping for other offers. The Lakers, figuring they had lost their starting small forward, moved quickly and signed Artest, formerly of the Houston Rockets, to a three-year deal worth $18 million. Meanwhile, Ariza signed with Houston for five years and approximately $36 million.
The deals help both teams. Artest is a stellar defender, an important factor given that the Lakers’ title defense likely takes them through several teams with exceptional weak side forwards—most notably, Richard Jefferson of the San Antonio Spurs, Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets and possibly some guy named LeBron.
The risk is twofold. Artest is a notoriously volatile player, and he’s not an efficient one, often jacking up shots on whim. Last season with the Houston Rockets, he used 24.7 percent of his team’s possessions. He’s replacing a player who used only 16.7 percent of his team’s possessions. Maybe Artest will adjust; maybe not. I did mention he’s volatile, right? It’s a big risk, but it’s one I’d take.
Ariza makes the Rockets younger and more athletic, and if he continues the improvement he showed in the playoffs, then the Rockets will have another cornerstone toward a team that isn’t so dependent on the oft-injured Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. The Rockets took an interest in Ariza when it appeared that their conference rivals, the Dallas Mavericks, had worked out a deal with former Orlando reserve center Marcin Gortat. Gortat played very well backing up Dwight Howard and was due a long-term contract. He will likely receive five years from the Mavericks.
Gortat, Ariza, Gordon and Villanueva are young players and offering them five-year deals makes sense. Barring injury, each will still be at the peak of their athletic prowess toward the end of the contracts. That the Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers played tug-of-war to offer former Magic swingman Hedo Turkoglu a five-year deal is just plain silly. Turkoglu turned 30 in March, and players with his skill set typically decline in their early 30s. There is no need to clog precious cap space with players on the verge of their decline years.
It’s unusual for players deep into their 30s to reverse their decline, but guard Jason Kidd, 36, did that last season and was rewarded with an extraordinarily lucrative three-year deal by the Dallas Mavericks. (I think Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is still trying to justify the deal that brought Kidd to Dallas for all-star Devin Harris.) Boston must be hoping that Rasheed Wallace has some of Kidd’s mojo. Otherwise. their two-year, $11 million deal with him is wasted money.
The fact that the news in the first week of free agency even involves a player like Wallace, who turns 35 just before camp opens, is a sure sign of a weak market. Most teams are sitting tight, and some are conserving money for next year’s free-agent market, which will be full of star talent. Two of the best moves so far this summer came from Utah Jazz teammates Mehmet Okur and Carlos Boozer. Each could have opted out of their contracts to become free agents, but sensing greener opportunities next summer, both decided to stay on for one more season in Salt Lake City. In this market, thinking outside the box means avoiding risks, not taking them.
Martin Johnson is a regular contributor to The Root.
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Only the Toronto Raptors blundered badly, inking Hedo Turkoglu, 30, to a five-year deal. Let’s look at the action off the hardwood so far. free online games
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Martin, I appreciate your response, but definitely disagree with your opinion. Yes, it can be enjoyable to watch good athletic competition but most of these guys do end up broke after blowing their millions on foolish things, five or six baby mamas’ bills, eight or nine cars, stupid run ends with the law, etc. Sports Illustrated recently did an article on this subject but I was aware of this years before SI decided to print it.
And why do you regulate it to “Dicey business” if funds are used to create real opportunities in the black community? I am not suggesting pouring money out to people who are not responsible or if they have a crooked background. There will be always a couple who are crooks but not all us are.
During the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s when blacks were excluded from participating in “ White“ professional sports many Irish, Jewish, Italian, and other white ethnic players did exactly what you describe as dicey with their respected communities. Some eventually leading true ownership and management of ball clubs, this had a substantial economic ripple effect throughout their communities. These white ethnic players dam well made sure that the money they made from their sweat and blood on the field was turned over few times in their communities.
And as far as the organizations you mentioned, NBA cares and others, are well intended but are quite small and have no real lasting impact.
Frank
Athletes young and old capture the imagination and inspire people in their own competitive situations.
The vast majority of them do give back substantially to the community (programs like NBA Cares and RBI insure that) and most finish their careers with a comfortable nest egg.
Teams and how they manage their finances, the subject of this story, provide a great microcosm for people who run small businesses.
Those are my reasons.
You're welcome to your antipathies, but it's dicey business expecting large numbers of strangers to share them.
-MJ
Why are black people so infatuated with black athletes and entertainers? Has any one ever thought about asking questions like “what do these young millionaires do for the black community in general? Do they ever really make a meaningful contribution back to the black community by using their celebrity status to bring economic development, therefore jobs, to the black community?
The short and long answer is hell no... So why all the brouhaha about a bunch of guys who 99% of the time will become an embarrassment to black people and be financially broke a few years after their game days are over.
Please I would like to hear responses or comments about this issue.
With Rasheed Wallace, don't you think Boston is primed for a return to the glass slipper. Can I get an AMEN?
Detroit will be sorry they signed Gordon and Villanueva. Gordon can score in bunches, but he will give up as many points as he scores. He also is turnover prone. He'll want to start, given that he's being paid top dollars. So what do the Pistons do with Rip Hamilton? He's the incumbent starter, and I doubt he will go to the bench willingly. Villanueva has a history of disappearing in games. These will not be the Pistons of recent memory. They've got a new coach who has yet to be a head coach at any level. He'll be thrown into an already volitile situation. Good luck.