Does Al say screw it?

[DrReality]

Does there come a point where Al says screw it to take a one year contract with a desirable team just to put an end to it? I'm sure there would be numerous suitors for a 'modest' contract, but it would get him out of this impasse. And put him in a different situation next year. It would no doubt cost him, but at the same time he seems to be a man of principles who won't put up with it for ever.

I doubt his agent would go for this becasue he's gonna want to get his percentage.

[AHF]

No. He wants to get paid and would rather wait on it and get the $$ than rush into a sub-market contract just to have it resolved.

[CBAreject]

If he signed a 1-year deal with a new team, that team would not have Bird-rights on him the following year. There is an outside shot he will sign a 1-year deal with ATL, but that is the only team.

[Hicks]

If he wanted to go that route, it'd have to be a 3-year deal IIRC.

Unless he got hurt during those seasons, it wouldn't hurt his long-term finances; in summer 2009 he could be back looking for payday again and only be 29.

[Popeye]

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No. He wants to get paid and would rather wait on it and get the $$ than rush into a sub-market contract just to have it resolved.

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Exacly

[OGRat]

That's when he fired his agent. Did I miss a report on the reason he fired his agent?

I think Al wants more than his old agent could get for him and that's the reason the deal is not done. I find it hard to believe that Al is happy with the Pacer deal. This is Al's big pay day, so why would he be happy when Nene is getting $60M and barely played last year? Tellem was hired to get him the contract he wants.

Why else would he fire his agent if he was happy with the deal? Maybe all the pressure is on the Pacers to meet Al's additional contract demands.

OG

[BBallPrincess]

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That's when he fired his agent. Did I miss a report on the reason he fired his agent?

I think Al wants more than his old agent could get for him and that's the reason the deal is not done. I find it hard to believe that Al is happy with the Pacer deal. This is Al's big pay day, so why would he be happy when Nene is getting $60M and barely played last year? Tellem was hired to get him the contract he wants.

Why else would he fire his agent if he was happy with the deal? Maybe all the pressure is on the Pacers to meet Al's additional contract demands.

OG

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I will tell you that you are DEAD wrong!! None of this has to do with Al's BIG demand for Money. Al deserves a raise. His agent was fired for different reasons, not because he couldn't get a NENE type deal.

The pressure is not from Al. He is as frustrated just as any one would be in this situation, and is handling it very well.

We as fans always assume that it's the player that's making all the demands when it comes to biz in the NBA and what I have learned from being on the inside, and talking to these players, is that majority of the time it is not them. We as fans have limited understanding of what goes on behind the scenes.

And you my friend a wrong with your assumptions.

[AHFan]

Since you seem to know, why did he fire his agent?

So you're saying players don't care about earning their market value? They're just content to get whatever someone will pay them?

And since you continually throw it around ad nauseum on this message board, it's only fair to ask what exactly qualifies you as being "on the inside"?

[DrReality]

I feel sorry for Al. He deserves better. At every turn he's acted like a gentleman and he's getting the run around.

Would you give odds whether he's still going to Indy or not?

There are three parties involved in this negotiation. Which one(s) are presenting the obstacles?

[Sothron]

I had heard Al fired Andy Miller over financial issues not because of this deal not going through.

[Lascar78]

you guys are acting like Al's not going to get paid. The man is about to get a huge deal, probably go to the team he most wanted to go to. So he's got to wait a couple extra weeks, who cares? I'm not going to feel bad for a guy about to get nearly 60 MILLION dollars to play the game he loves.

[OGRat]

So why did he fire his agent?

[OGRat]

Did Miller cheat him out of some money or something like that? Please clarify.

[DrReality]

I never said he wasn't gonna get paid. Don't believe that for a minute. The question is how much and by whom!!!!!!!!!!

His situation reminds me of the Joni Mitchell song Woodstock: I feel like a cog in a big wheel that is turning."

[Diesel]

I don't think Al says screw it and take a one year deal. YET!!! Howerver, I do think that Al will say screw it and open up his preferences on where he wants to play. There are some places I'm sure that have good deals for Al but may be places where Al doesn't want to play.

[Sothron]

The only two words I heard were "financial difficulties" but the context in which it was said made me think they really meant "financial irregularities" in regards to Miller handling Al's money.

Princess might be able to clarify further.

[BBallPrincess]

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Since you seem to know, why did he fire his agent?

So you're saying players don't care about earning their market value? They're just content to get whatever someone will pay them?

And since you continually throw it around ad nauseum on this message board, it's only fair to ask what exactly qualifies you as being "on the inside"?

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i never said that players don't care about "earning" their market value. Never. And no, they are not just CONTENT on what someone will give them.

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I think Al wants more than his old agent could get for him and that's the reason the deal is not done.

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This is not the reason his agent was fired.

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I find it hard to believe that Al is happy with the Pacer deal. This is Al's big pay day, so why would he be happy when Nene is getting $60M and barely played last year?

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The only thing about this pacer deal that has anything to do with Al is the money that ATL re-signed him for. Everything else is for ATL and Indy to work out. He agreed to an amount and thats it for him. The rest is up to the front office folks.

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Maybe all the pressure is on the Pacers to meet Al's additional contract demands.

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The pressure is on both the Hawks and the Pacers to decide which is going to give in on the demands of either team. Not AL....

[BBallPrincess]

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"financial irregularities" in regards to Miller handling Al's money.

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You are in the ball park....As I am limited to what I can say cuz of non-disclosures I have agreed to due to a pending feature story.

[DrReality]

BBPrincess wrote:

The only thing about this pacer deal that has anything to do with Al is the money that ATL re-signed him for. Everything else is for ATL and Indy to work out. He agreed to an amount and thats it for him. The rest is up to the front office folks.

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Maybe all the pressure is on the Pacers to meet Al's additional contract demands.

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The pressure is on both the Hawks and the Pacers to decide which is going to give in on the demands of either team. Not AL....

Thank you for this. It is as definitive as anything that we've heard. Basically BK and Indy GM are being hard headed and trying to stare each other down. Hope they both go crosseyed.

No way to know what this whole thing is about, conditions of a pick, money or taking back Edwards. But whatever it is about, what does it translate into as far as money is concerned? A million or two?????? And what will it cost both franchises to counter the negative publicity they've gotten. That's priceless. I'm sure their PR departments are having fits.

[er9dverk]

the only problem with this thing dragging out is that it gives something mildly interesting to hang on the edge of our seats about.

usually, this time of year, we would be relegated to debating the minutes that each guy will get, at which position, and voting in the definitive poll on how many wins next year.

not to mention whether shelden's standing reach trumps his wingspan, and whether solomon jones will get any pt in the big league.

instead, we are prevented from commencing all that excitement because we are holding our breath over whether donnie will agree to our deal, which of course he will. (maybe he can trim 500K off the cash we get). he wants al, and al wants him. we are being reasonable with them. they'll agree to our deal, but there is absolutely no hurry to anybody concerned. there is nothing else going on, and they already know pretty much what is going to happen.