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In case you missed it, Boozer told ESPN he will opt out of his contract at the end of the season, play the field and “get a raise regardless.” And considering Boozer has been injured and was talking to ESPN in street clothes, the timing wasn’t exactly impeccable.
Boozer should be applauded for being honest -- and then repeatedly rebuked for the very same thing. Seriously. Come on, Carlos. You got a lot of nerve, man...teammates are busting their tails, trying to stay afloat while you lounge around in a suit … and all you can do is talk business?
Pro Basketball News - The voice of pro basketball (http://www.probasketballnews.com/amico_121908.html - broken link)
Utah shouldn't be surprised at all by his behavior... look at what he did to Cleveland before joining up with Utah. That guy is always looking out for #1, and only #1.
After his disappointing post-season performance ksl.com - Jazz in Boise: Carlos Boozer
maybe he should focus on getting healthy, staying healthy, and playing more consistently through the season and into the playoffs.
Utah shouldn't be surprised at all by his behavior... look at what he did to Cleveland before joining up with Utah. That guy is always looking out for #1, and only #1.
Exactly, as a Cavalier fan, wouldn't expect anything less from Carlos Loozer. The guy was made in Cleveland playing beside Lebron, and dissed them after a hand-shake agreement for the Jazz. Granted, he's been a solid player since going to Utah, but can't seem to stay away from the injuries. Plus, while an All-Star, he's not on the superstar level a la Lebron, Kobe, KG, DWade, etc. Would take Bosh any day over him. I hope he opts out and gets less money, would serve him right. But I'm sure there will be some team that will overpay for his services. Although, if there is going to be one off-season where teams are hesitant to open up the pocket book, one would think it would be 2009 w/the unbelievable pool of free agents in 2010 such as Lebron, Wade, Bosh, and Carmelo that teams will be lining up for.
He is paid $11.5 million per season, and has missed a total of 104 games with various injuries in a little over four seasons. Now he has the gall to disrupt the club with this announcement. The owner wasn't too pleased:
Jazz owner Larry Miller slammed Boozer in his weekly radio appearance on KFAN 1320, saying, "It's one of the top 10 stupidest things I've heard an NBA player do in 20 years."
Miller said Boozer's timing detracted from the Jazz's victory over New Jersey and came not only as he has missed 15 games with a strained left quadriceps tendon but after he missed 80 games early on after coming to the Jazz.
Those memories are hard to shake, with Miller saying, "a lot of people are still suspicious about that, a lot of fans and stuff, and we've covered for him and protected him."
Tribune Blogs -- Jazz Notes: Ross Siler and Steve Luhm (http://blogs.sltrib.com/jazz/2008/12/boozer-fallout.htm - broken link)
He is paid $11.5 million per season, and has missed a total of 104 games with various injuries in a little over four seasons. Now he has the gall to disrupt the club with this announcement. The owner wasn't too pleased:
Jazz owner Larry Miller slammed Boozer in his weekly radio appearance on KFAN 1320, saying, "It's one of the top 10 stupidest things I've heard an NBA player do in 20 years."
Tribune Blogs -- Jazz Notes: Ross Siler and Steve Luhm (http://blogs.sltrib.com/jazz/2008/12/boozer-fallout.htm - broken link)
That would mean Carlos owns 2 of the top 10 as his sly move he pulled on the Cavaliers would rank in that list as well IMO. What a piece of work he is.
That would mean Carlos owns 2 of the top 10 as his sly move he pulled on the Cavaliers would rank in that list as well IMO. What a piece of work he is.
The funny thing about Boozer (who is still not yet playing BTW) is that I can still see him sitting there all upset that he wasn't drafted until the 2nd round, left alone in the audience waiting to be called up when drafted. He was so determined to "show them" that he was a quality player...
Should have "showed them" he was a quality person too...
Before we jump on Boozer, let's recall how his signing with the Jazz came about. The Cavs brass were trying to circumvent the free agent process by trying to secure this "handshake" agreement. They knew they could not legally sign him at the time and so did the rest of the league. When this came to light, the Jazz (and other teams) recognized that they could offer him more money knowing that the Cavs could not make a move based on the offer.
Boozer came out looking like the bad guy, but the Cavs knew they were skating on thin ice. Stern knew it also.
Now, with this last move he is trying to position himself to get out of Utah. However, the stupidity in this is he is bargaining from a weak position. You can't do this when you are riding the bench due to injuries.
Before we jump on Boozer, let's recall how his signing with the Jazz came about. The Cavs brass were trying to circumvent the free agent process by trying to secure this "handshake" agreement. They knew they could not legally sign him at the time and so did the rest of the league. When this came to light, the Jazz (and other teams) recognized that they could offer him more money knowing that the Cavs could not make a move based on the offer.
Boozer came out looking like the bad guy, but the Cavs knew they were skating on thin ice. Stern knew it also.
I agree to some extent that the Cavaliers should shoulder some of the blame for that, however, remember that they had no obligation to let him out of his 2-year contract that he signed as a rookie due to being selected in the 2nd round that would have paid him less than a $1 million for that season, instead they let him out of it and offered him something like 6 years - $40 million, which in essence was like offering a 5 year, $39 million extension for 1 good season he had behind him. They could have forced him to play under that underpaying contract for another season - which in hindsight they probably should have done - but were trying to reward a guy for the good rookie season he had.
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