I guess nobody has noticed that we just signed Raef... - Page 2 - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

madape · 08-01-2002, 01:55 AM

<< Because it doesn't make sense. Who cares how much money he'll get in 2009 is worth now? He's going to get $70 million from the Mavs over the next seven years, which is just plain stupid. >>

dude, when you actually move out of your folks house and earn some money, you'll understand. I promise.

Randall The Great · 08-01-2002, 02:11 AM

<< Randall why was denver going to give him a max contract if they didnt trade him because he is worth it. How many centers can you name that are better than him. Not much >>

If he was worth the max, they wouldn't have traded him. Again, if they we're willing to give him the max, why would they trade him for cap room?

Randall The Great · 08-01-2002, 02:14 AM

<<

<< Because it doesn't make sense. Who cares how much money he'll get in 2009 is worth now? He's going to get $70 million from the Mavs over the next seven years, which is just plain stupid. >>

dude, when you actually move out of your folks house and earn some money, you'll understand. I promise. >>

Why don't you explain it better since I'm not getting it? I'm not looking at how much the money is worth now and neither was Raef. He's going to get $70 million over the next seven years, which is $70 million dollars and more than he's worth.

#1MavsFan · 08-01-2002, 02:17 AM

rebember they didnt want to trade raef but they had to because they needed to clear space and dallas wouldnt do the deal unless raef was included.

Randall The Great · 08-01-2002, 02:43 AM

A team clears space to make a run a free agents. Why would they do this if they felt Raef was worth the max? Why wouldn't they just give him the max and build around him? They must of felt they were better off making a run at Duncan and whoever else will be available.

Randall The Great · 08-01-2002, 02:43 AM

A team clears space to make a run a free agents. Why would they do this if they felt Raef was worth the max? Why wouldn't they just give him the max and build around him? They must of felt they were better off making a run at Duncan and whoever else will be available.

#1MavsFan · 08-01-2002, 03:17 AM

They cleared space to avoid the luxury tax.

Randall The Great · 08-01-2002, 04:04 AM

They traded their second best player to avoid the luxury tax? Do you have proof of this? This isn't making sense. They were going to offer him the max, but they decided to trade him to avoid the luxury tax? Not logical.

#1MavsFan · 08-01-2002, 04:18 AM

Before the trade deadline in the the dallas morning news it said they dint want to trade Raef but had to get rid of huge contracts or kiki might have been fired.

dude1394 · 08-01-2002, 06:49 AM

[qDude, you're missing the point. I don't care what Shaq or Alonzo makes. He had no other offers. NO OTHER OFFERS. If no one else wants him, why would we pay him $10 million a year? What team would give him that kind of money next year with Brand, O'Neal and Duncan out there? And even if one did make an offer, we could match it.[/i] >>

Cuban is of the mentatlity that you pay your top performers what they are worth. They don't feel slighted and begin to underperform and the rest of the organization believes that management will reward hard work and dedication. It's just like a dot.com deal. You pay top bucks for people because the people are what makes you a winner. Sure Cuban could have low-balled LaFrentz just like Seattle is trying to do to Rashard. Now Rashard may/may not take the deal, but his performance may suffer and the overall health of the franchise may suffer.

I'm not sure whether you can extrapolate IT business practices to a basketball team, but that is where cuban is coming from.

dude1394 · 08-01-2002, 06:55 AM

And Denver had to throw in Raef because of:

Nick Van Excel and Tariq Abdul Wahad and Avery Johnsons contracts. No one would have taken those on without something in return.

Evilmav2 · 08-01-2002, 07:13 PM

"Randall why was denver going to give him a max contract if they didnt trade him because he is worth it. How many centers can you name that are better than him. "

I think I can think of at least one...

Bayliss · 08-01-2002, 07:58 PM

EvilMav, I love your signature.

I just hope the giant has been working out all summer on his game and been doing some push ups, bench presses, arms curls etc to get his upper body stronger. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

#1MavsFan · 08-01-2002, 08:14 PM

Dallas Mavericks 2002 Offseason Update
(Sports Network) - Mark Cuban can be called a number of things: eccentric, arrogant, irritating and immature top the list assembled by his detractors.

One thing Cuban can never be termed is passive. He didn't buy an NBA team to sit idly by and accept mediocrity. He's this generation's George Steinbrenner: immensely rich and motivated by winning. His players are his investments, thus they are treated like gold.

"Let's just say I have no exit strategy," Cuban said after buying the Dallas Mavericks on January 4, 2000.

From that moment on, things took a turn for the better for the Dallas Mavericks. It started with plusher towels and high-tech audio and video equipment in each player's locker. Now, Cuban has assembled a team full of deadly offensive weapons that will compete for years to come.

This summer, Cuban went to work on maintaining one of the weapons he acquired. Mission accomplished. The Mavs got Raef LaFrentz to ink a brand new long-term deal.

"Well, obviously we are very excited to announce that we have signed Raef to a long-term deal and we expect him to be a part of this organization for a long, long time," a beaming Cuban said at the press conference.

"When we made the deal this February [with Denver], one of our goals was to get younger, more athletic and to expand our outside shooting so we can take advantage of some of those slow slugs that stand in the middle a lot. I think we really did that by bringing Raef in.

"We took a risk with Raef being a free agent in making this trade that we might not be able to keep him, but we bent over backwards and he was very fair, and he bent over and we got together and came up with a great deal. I guess the most important part is that we’re excited to announce that we’ve signed Raef to a seven-year deal and he’s going to be part of the Dallas Mavericks for a long, long time to come. Thanks Raef."

LaFrentz seemed equally pleased with the deal.

"I’d just like to say how excited I am as well to be here. I look forward to spending at least seven years here and the future’s very bright and it’s a great team to be on," LaFrentz told a group of assembled media.

"I’d like to thank Mark [Cuban] for being as professional as he was in handling the deal, and making the trade last year to get me here. Both my wife Joie and I are very excited."

Dallas had the look of a team that could win an NBA title last season. Its downfall was its porous defense, which was far too leaky for its high-flying offense to overcome. LaFrentz is a big man who prefers finesse to brawn and treys over dunks. Are the Mavericks in a position to go to the next level?

"Like I said, I think this is the place to be," LaFrentz insisted. "I think this is the team of the future. We are young and very talented. As far as what pieces we’re missing, I don’t know. That really isn’t for me to think about. I just go out and play and I think we’re a very talented bunch."

LaFrentz is probably a fourth or fifth scoring option on the Mavs, as he averaged 10.8 points and 7.4 rebounds (along with 2.2 blocks) in 27 regular-season games with Dallas. Is this deserving of a seven-year deal in the $60 million range?

"We weren't paying for Raef's numbers," Cuban said. "We're paying for the part he can play in winning a championship."

Cuban will now turn his attention to a free agent whom he highly covets: Seattle's Rashard Lewis.

The Mavs owner still feels landing the talented young forward is a possibility.

"All I know is we're still in the running," Cuban said of Lewis.

Lewis told The Dallas Morning News that he's deciding "between Seattle and Dallas," even though the Mavericks can't offer anything more attractive than a three-year deal worth $15 million.

08/01 12:29:30 ET

kg_veteran · 08-01-2002, 08:36 PM

Randall, are you at it again? Taking unpopular positions just to show that you can?

How much do you believe the Mavs should have signed Raef for? Do you KNOW that they COULD have signed him for anything less? Somehow I doubt that you KNOW what Raef would have accepted.

Part of the reason he hadn't had any other offers is that no one wanted to waste their time. They knew that Cuban could offer Raef the most money, and they knew Raef wanted to stay. Cuban actually deserves some credit for not just throwing the max of $84 million out there for Raef.

I probably would have preferred that Raef receive closer to $60 million, but I don't think a 7 year, $69 million deal is all that out of line with today's market. In fact, I think it's a decent buy. Raef was a guy we needed to tie down long-term, and Cuban got it done. Stop complaining. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Evilmav2 · 08-01-2002, 10:58 PM

All Bradley is going to need next year is a lot more playing time...

"...some in the Mavs braintrust will suggest that a Mavs team with a inside “enforcer’’ would be even better... Said top assistant Del Harris: “To be the perfect team, we need a power player, an enforcer who can be a rebounder, a defender inside and our offensive low-post presence... Harris added that that guy might already be on the roster. “Maybe we have that guy. Bradley could come back to life.

Randall The Great · 08-01-2002, 11:28 PM

Randall, are you at it again? Taking unpopular positions just to show that you can?

Like when I tried to convince everyone that Shawn Bradley sucked and that Mark Cuban was stupid for giving him a contract? Or when I argued that Juwan wasn't one of the top power forwards in the game?

How much do you believe the Mavs should have signed Raef for? Do you KNOW that they COULD have signed him for anything less? Somehow I doubt that you KNOW what Raef would have accepted.

They probably couldn't have because Mark has a problem overpaying players. Now, role players like Najera are demanding starter money.

What choice what he have had? What team could and would have offered him more, this year or next?

Part of the reason he hadn't had any other offers is that no one wanted to waste their time. They knew that Cuban could offer Raef the most money, and they knew Raef wanted to stay. Cuban actually deserves some credit for not just throwing the max of $84 million out there for Raef.

Would that not have been the case next year? Who would have been able to offer him more than us? A team would have to be out of their minds to give Raef that kind of money. He's not in the same league with any of the other players getting the max, except Juwan.

I probably would have preferred that Raef receive closer to $60 million, but I don't think a 7 year, $69 million deal is all that out of line with today's market. In fact, I think it's a decent buy. Raef was a guy we needed to tie down long-term, and Cuban got it done. Stop complaining. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

I'm not complaining. I think Cuban should give every player anything they want. Najera wants $6 million a year? Give it to him. Wang wants $5 million a year? What's he done in the league? Absolutely nothing, you say? Give it to him anyway.

MFFL · 08-01-2002, 11:36 PM

<< All Bradley is going to need next year is a lot more playing time >>

I don't mind Bradley getting 30+ minutes a game if he earns the minutes. Last year he didn't earn many minutes.

Evilmav2 · 08-02-2002, 12:25 AM

Bradley was hampered by injuries early last season and he was never really given a chance to prove himself in the regular rotation when he regained his health... When Donnie takes over as head coach, a lot of people are going to be surprised with the prolific production of a Bradley actually playing for thirty minutes a game...

kg_veteran · 08-02-2002, 09:47 PM

<< Randall, are you at it again? Taking unpopular positions just to show that you can?

Like when I tried to convince everyone that Shawn Bradley sucked and that Mark Cuban was stupid for giving him a contract? Or when I argued that Juwan wasn't one of the top power forwards in the game? >>

I hope you didn't have to try too hard to convince people that Bradley sucked, since that's a pretty widely held belief.

Your argument wasn't that Juwan wasn't a top power forward, it was essentially that Christian Laettner was a better player than Juwan. That was, and still is, a ludicrous argument.

How much do you believe the Mavs should have signed Raef for? Do you KNOW that they COULD have signed him for anything less? Somehow I doubt that you KNOW what Raef would have accepted.

<< They probably couldn't have because Mark has a problem overpaying players. Now, role players like Najera are demanding starter money.

What choice what he have had? What team could and would have offered him more, this year or next? >>

Answer my question. How much do you think they should have signed him for? Also, I don't see the Mavs rushing to sign Najera for whatever he asks, so don't jump to conclusions just yet.

What choice would Raef have had? If we had done what you propose, he could have placed us in a situation similar to what Lewis is doing to Seattle. I'm sure your retort is, "Let him leave." But if he had, who in the hell would we have replaced him with? That's where your logic falls short. We needed to keep LaFrentz, and Cuban did what was necessary to get that done.

Part of the reason he hadn't had any other offers is that no one wanted to waste their time. They knew that Cuban could offer Raef the most money, and they knew Raef wanted to stay. Cuban actually deserves some credit for not just throwing the max of $84 million out there for Raef.

<< Would that not have been the case next year? Who would have been able to offer him more than us? A team would have to be out of their minds to give Raef that kind of money. He's not in the same league with any of the other players getting the max, except Juwan. >>

Next year? What's your point? Would you have signed him to a one-year deal? You say that teams would be out of their minds to give Raef what Cuban gave him, but that doesn't tell me they wouldn't. Raef didn't get a max deal, so the argument that he's not worthy of a max contract is irrelevant.

<< I'm not complaining. I think Cuban should give every player anything they want. Najera wants $6 million a year? Give it to him. Wang wants $5 million a year? What's he done in the league? Absolutely nothing, you say? Give it to him anyway. >>

Sarcasm never did become you. You are complaining, and it's unjustified. Are you now going to ride Raef all season long like you did Juwan, and complain about how he's not much better than Christian Laettner? If so, I look forward to this season. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]