Bye Bye Vlade?

[Evilmav2]

Sacbee:Vlade may not stay put

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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports...10936992c.html
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Vlade may not stay put
Divac says the Kings rank fourth right now in the contest for his services next season.
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Friday, July 16, 2004

Free-agent center Vlade Divac said Thursday evening that four teams - the Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, L.A. Clippers and Phoenix Suns - have shown legitimate interest in him for next season.
And as Divac sat in New York City's Trump International hotel during a brief break in travel from Belgrade to Sacramento, he said in a telephone interview the Kings ranked a beaten-down fourth in that group if he had to choose then.

"Those teams all are interested in their own ways," Divac said with a laugh. "You know what I mean. If it was close, I would stay with the Kings. But right now, it's not even close. If I decided I wanted to play for something totally other than money, I would play for Sacramento."

Divac, 37, who made $12 million last season, said none of the teams has discussed extending its mid-level exception ($4.9 million). The Kings are believed to have talked to Divac's agent about playing for less than $2.5 million this season as they attempt to keep their already high payroll around $60 million.

Sacramento is expected to make a luxury tax payment of about $10 million for the second consecutive season. Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie said earlier this week that he does not know what the luxury tax situation will be next season.

Petrie, who did not return phone calls Thursday, said "the luxury tax next year is a total phantom."

Rememebering there were so-called experts who last year predicted there would be no luxury tax this summer, Petrie said, "Of course, you can't find any of those guys right now."

The luxury tax is a figure set by the NBA after the season ends. Teams with payrolls over that figure pay a tax in the amount of the difference. The NBA decides each year whether to impose the luxury tax.

Divac said last season that he didn't want to leave a large amount of money on the table in what will be his 16th - and he suspects final - NBA season.

"What the other teams are talking about is basically double (the amount the Kings say they can pay)," he said. "Phoenix and the Clippers have talked about more than the Lakers. Now it's a matter of whether these teams will give it to me or give the money to someone else. If I had offers, then I'd have a decision to make."

Divac cautioned there is a difference between showing interest and receiving an offer. He plans to meet with agent Marc Fleisher tonight and further discuss the situation the affable center said may take a while to unfold.

Divac and countryman Peja Stojakovic will conduct a fantasy camp for adults this weekend and then hold a two-week camp for kids at Folsom High School.

"I'm going back to Europe on Aug. 1, and I definitely don't want to go back there not knowing where I am going to play," Divac said.

Divac said the Lakers and Kings have the advantage of familiarity because he has enjoyed playing with both organizations and living in both areas.

"I would be a happy man, and my whole family would be happy if we stay here," he said. "This is my team, these are my fans in a great town with great people. The Lakers are in a similar situation where there are people I know who did a lot of good things for me. ... I want to play for a decent team and make some decent money."

[EricaLubarsky]

I'm really not afraid of playing the Lakers this year with or without Vlade at center.

[Dirkenstien]

At this point Vlade is really nothing more than a servicable big man to bring off of the bench and should get payed like one. I wonder who will fork out the most dough.

[Jamisonite]

If the Clips match Qs offer sheet expect PHX to throw him the money

[CaptPsycho]

Vlade's become a non-issue. he can go anywhere. no big deal to anyone.

[capitalcity]

You're right capt. At this point Vlade's playing for cigarette money so maybe he will follow the cash.

Doubt anyone will bite though - Unless they are looking for a true 4th quarter flop artist.

[MavsFanFinley]

By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

Vlade Divac's six-year stay with the Sacramento Kings is apparently over ... and the veteran center told ESPN.com on Sunday night that he's leaning toward a return to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers brought Divac to the United States from the former Yugoslavia as the No. 26 overall pick in the 1989 draft. They traded him to Charlotte in 1996 for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant in a move also aimed at creating some of the salary-cap space that led to the signing of Shaquille O'Neal. Eight years later, L.A. is courting Divac to team with Bryant and help fill the mammoth void created by last week's trade of O'Neal to Miami.

"It looks like right now I'm definitely leaving Sacramento," Divac said in a phone interview, after a meeting with Kings officials earlier Sunday confirmed to the 36-year-old that his current team won't be increasing its offer of $2.5 million for next season.

"After the season, if you asked me who's the favorite, I would always say the Kings. In my mind I thought I was going to stay here. The town and the fans ... it's been a beautiful six years. I feel sad leaving, but [the Kings] didn't show any kind of interest to keep me here. I was ready to come back to stay here for less, but a little bit [less], not such a big difference."

"If you ask me right now," Divac added, "it's going to be the Lakers."

Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie could not be immediately reached, but team sources said Sacramento had hoped to bring back Divac at a pay cut of nearly $10 million and then sign multiple players with its $4.9 million mid-level exception to fill out its roster.

With the Lakers, Divac can nearly double the $2.5 million offered by the Kings if L.A. presents all or the bulk of its $4.9 million exception. He can likely make even more if he chooses instead to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, who have the salary-cap room to far exceed the $4.9 million.

It's believed the Lakers have reserved that $4.9 million slot for either Divac or bringing back Karl Malone, who has said he wants to make a decision about next season later in the summer after undergoing knee surgery. Miami or San Antonio are also options for Malone if Divac lands the Lakers' exception.

Phoenix would also love to sign Divac and has chased him before, but Divac said he hopes to make a decision as soon as Monday or Tuesday. The Suns' remaining free-agent funds are tied up through July 29 for having signed Clippers restricted free agent Quentin Richardson to an offer sheet.

Sacramento co-owner Joe Maloof told ESPN.com last week that he feared losing Divac to the Lakers because the Kings, for the second successive summer, are trying to reduce payroll to avoid future luxury-tax payments. The strategy, however, could backfire if there is no luxury tax after next season, as some teams are forecasting.

Maloof insisted that the Kings don't want to part with Divac, a fan favorite who doubles as Sacramento's locker-room glue and as a surrogate brother to star forward Peja Stojakovic. Yet Sacramento is reluctant to offer more than $2.5 million as it tries to gets its payroll as far below $60 million as it can. The Kings carried a payroll of nearly $65 million last season, resulting in nearly $10 million in luxury tax. Divac earned $12.1 million last season in completing a six-year pact worth nearly $63 million.

Divac concedes that rejoining the Lakers now after so many bitter Sacramento-L.A. battles in recent seasons won't be the easiest move. "I know how people here feel about the Lakers," he said.

He quickly adds, though, that playing in Los Angeles for his original team is the most comfortable decision for his family, although Divac said the Clippers remain a consideration.

"I played for the Lakers for seven years and for the Kings for six years," Divac said. "Both teams have a special place in my heart."

Divac averaged 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 28.6 minutes per game last season before his playoff minutes were cut in a run-and-gun series with Dallas in the first round. He has flirted with the idea of finishing his career with one season at a top European club in Italy or Spain -- so his kids can experience a bit of full-time European life -- but Divac insists that "I know I can be productive [in the NBA] for one or two more years."

"A friend of mine said it would be kind of nice to finish with the team I started with," Divac said. "If I do go back to the Lakers, it will be because of Dr. [Jerry] Buss. We've always had a great relationship."

Since returning from Europe late last week, Divac said he has been approached by numerous Kings fans pleading with him to stay. As for Stojakovic's reaction, Divac said: "He's sad, but so am I."

[EricaLubarsky]

The Kings get shallower again.

[endtroducing]

put in anyone with quickness against Vlade, and in comes Brad Miller. except Miller only plays for one team, not four. later Vlade.

[CaptPsycho]

Divac's lungs are going to collapse. Kobe, Gary, Lamar, and Butler are gonna be running all over the place and pushing the ball. he's gonna collapse on the court.

[jabbadahut]

same goes with the mavs, with or without shawn bradley.

[MavsFanFinley]

Vlade to the Lakers

Vlade Divac has reached an agreement to rejoin the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving the Sacramento Kings after six seasons, an NBA source told The Associated Press.

The deal with the 36-year-old Serbian center was expected to be finalized by Tuesday, the source said on condition of anonymity.

[mavsfanforever]

From what I hear he went for the full MLE.

[#41]

Lakers got a really good team now with Vlade in the middle. And yes of course "Kobe, Gary, Lamar, and Butler are gonna be running all over the place and pushing the ball.", but that's the same thing Peja, Bibby, Christie and Co. did in Sacramento and he fitted in there pretty well, too, if you remember those Miller/Divac-fastbreaks...

[EricaLubarsky]

Kings are looking pretty darn shallow.