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JSM
Clublakers Site Manager
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 70472
Location: Atlanta
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 Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject: Wizards agree to a 4-year, $50m extension for Jamison |
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ESPN: The Washington Wizards appear to be getting a jump on their offseason business.
A contract extension with Antawn Jamison that would keep the veteran forward off the free-agent market is "imminent," according to NBA front-office sources.
Sources told ESPN.com on Monday that the Wizards and Jamison would soon finalize terms on a four-year extension believed to be worth around $50 million, mere hours before Jamison was to become an unrestricted free agent.
Free agency in the NBA begins at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and Jamison was expected to draw serious interest from the Philadelphia 76ers, one of the few teams -- along with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Clippers -- to have salary-cap room this summer to bid for top players.
A deal must be completed before midnight or the Wizards would be forced to wait until July 9 to re-sign Jamison when the league's moratorium on signings and trades is lifted. That could also expose Jamison to interest from other teams.
Although he just turned 32, Jamison is coming off his best season as a pro. He averaged 21.4 points and a career-best 10.2 rebounds in 79 games, earning a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team and helping the Wizards (43-39) reach the playoffs as a No. 5 seed despite injuries that limited franchise guard Gilbert Arenas to 13 games and fellow All-Star forward Caron Butler to 58 games.
Securing Jamison's signature would enable the Wizards to focus on re-signing Arenas, who has opted out of next season's $12.8 million salary to become a free agent despite the knee problems that have plagued him for more than a year. Arenas maintains that he intends to represent himself this summer as he seeks a new six-year contract in excess of $100 million.
Jamison earned $16.4 million last season in the final year of max extension he received from the Golden State Warriors back in August 2001. Although he's taking a healthy pay cut in terms of annual average salary, Jamison has maintained for months that he hoped to re-sign with Washington after four successful years with the Wizards following a one-season stint with the Dallas Mavericks in 2003-04, which earned him NBA Sixth Man Award honors.
"This organization has believed in me from Day 1. ... I definitely know they want me to stay and I want to stay," Jamison told ESPN.com in December.
Jamison also spoke fondly at the time of his role as Washington's elder statesman, saying: "You know what? I've been in a lot of situations before. I've been the young fella, I've been the guy who's trying to learn how to be a leader, I've been the guy coming off the bench as a sixth man. And now all of a sudden I'm the old head. It's been 10 years and it's gone by fast. But I'm really enjoying this." |
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Last edited by JSM on Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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lakerswiz
Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 9119
Location: Santa Maria, CA
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popo
Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 4829
Location: Studio City, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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Even though he's gotten better at the later stages of his career, 4 years is too long he will 36 when it expires.
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Thanks Nissan for tha sig
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Big Worm
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Posts: 2924
Location: Don't worry bout that, Pat-Nah
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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Tawn better pay for dinner next time he goes out with Arenas.
i heard that Arenas is getting a 6 year, 100 million bucks.
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"playin' with my money is like playin' with my emotions!" |
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JSM
Clublakers Site Manager
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 70472
Location: Atlanta
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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It's official.
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Yahoo: Two-time All-Star forward Antawn Jamison re-signed with the Washington Wizards on Monday, agreeing to a four-year, $50 million deal.
“I just signed. We got it out of the way,” Jamison told The Associated Press.
The contract clears the way for the team to focus on its other major free agent: three-time All-Star Gilbert Arenas. Arenas has said he would not return unless the team also re-signed Jamison.
“He said he’d take less money if they got me, and they got me,” Jamison said. “So I think everything will get worked out with Gilbert.”
Jamison arrived in Washington on Monday to sign the contract and the Wizards will hold a news conference for him on Tuesday.
“There wasn’t any doubt in my mind that I’d be back,” said Jamison, 32, who has been a strong locker room leader during his four seasons with the Wizards.
Jamison has also been reliable in the stat book. He has averaged at least 19.6 points and 7.6 rebounds each year since his arrival in Washington 2004. Last season was arguably the best in his 10-year NBA career—21.4 points and a career-high 10.2 rebounds—as he and Caron Butler helped lead the Wizards to a fourth consecutive playoff berth.
Jamison previously played five seasons with Golden State and one with Dallas. His career averages are 19.6 points and 7.9 rebounds.
“Signing Antawn to a contract extension was a top priority for us this summer,” team president Ernie Grunfeld said. “He has been a leader for us both on and off the court over the last four seasons, and we’re proud to reward his efforts by bringing him back.”
The Wizards were able to negotiate with Jamison because he became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but talks with Arenas can’t begin until Tuesday because the point guard opted out of his contract.
“Once he heard that I had reached a deal, he congratulated me,” said Jamison, repeating a text message conversation he had with Arenas. “And I said ‘I can’t wait to congratulate you tomorrow.”’
Arenas has said he took the opt-out so he could sign a more lucrative deal, which means talks will likely hover in the $100 range for a six-year contract.
Arenas is acting as his own agent and is known for doing the unexpected— and negotiations could be complicated by the fact that he plans to leave for a sponsor-related trip to China on Tuesday—but Jamison is confident his teammate will be back.
“Let me ask you: If somebody offered you, what is it, $100 million?” Jamison said. “I don’t care if you’re Gil or you’re so-and-so, would you take the deal?” |
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FabFourLakers
Joined: 26 Jul 2003
Posts: 8050
Location: Irvine, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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WHY?
they could have used antawn's contract as trade bait at teh deadline to acquire a LEGIT big man (ELTON BRAND?)....washington is stupid and they will regret this....50 million is a lot to someone who is going to be washed up very soon....
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Peter: "Michael, I did nothing, and it was everything I thought it could be"
-Office Space, greatest line ever |
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