Some interesting stuff coming from Salt Lake City

[mrhonline]

http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,510044456,00.html

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The Jazz will offer reasonable money for Jackson, but nothing more. There's no need. He isn't the answer to their predicament. The "worst" that can happen to them now is to endure a losing season next year, then look forward to getting their highest draft pick in decades, next June. Plus, they'll still have piles of salary-cap money.

At a time when most Americans fail to save a dime, the Jazz actually will have put a little something (about $10 million) away for a rainy day. They'll have even more available if they don't pick up expired contracts.

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http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,510044457,00.html

In reply to:

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The Jazz have been negotiating with Atlanta combo guard Jason Terry, and still might tender an offer sheet. But they simply won't overpay for him. They also played host Friday to San Antonio shooting guard Stephen Jackson, and may or may not eventually make an offer. But they certainly aren't about to get into a bidding war with anyone over him, either.

"If you look at the history over the last five or six years, even before I came," said O'Connor, who arrived in Utah in 1999, just after Anderson decided to leave and a year before Eisley opted to bolt as well, "I think the Jazz have done a pretty good job at evaluating who can play and who can't."

Eisley and Anderson, both now with the New York Knicks, have struggled to produce since leaving Utah — failing to live up to expectations by most accounts.

There are other examples of so-called "bad contracts," too.

Jazz center Greg Ostertag has one. Former Jazz swingman Bryon Russell wanted one, but did not get it.

Always in O'Connor's mind, then, is this thought: "What some of the people are making now, and the fact they might be overpaid."

The cost of such prudence, however, is having virtually nothing to show for all that money.

Still, no regrets from O'Connor.

"We realized we could be in this position," he said. "But I don't think we wanted to put ourselves in a position to where we paid $11 million for a $6 million player.

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I've been reading at RealGM that overall salaries are going down - could NBA owners actually be getting some financial sense?

It looks like Terry is Atlanta's for the keeping, and there's still a very good chance that SJax could sign a two-year deal with a team option for the third.

That would be a good start in restructuring the squad, IMHO.

[Gray Mule]

My gosh, someone finally comes up with something that

actually makes sense!

Basically, "We are not running up the salary of players

who are worth $5 Million per year to $8 Million per year

just to soothe our ego and keep or sign someone"

Wow! How refreshing! Willing to pay a player his actual

market value. Paying what we feel is right for each

player.

Not willing to spend enormous sums just to keep someone

else from signing a player. "If you really want him bad

enough to over pay him, go ahead, you have our blessings."

If this sensible, reasonable thinking catches on in the

N.B.A. it could change a lot of things. Just think, a

player with a contract which is close to his actual

value.

[Diesel]

Reading between the lines a bit, He's saying that Terry is really not worth that much? He says "I think the Jazz have done a pretty good job at evaluating who can play and who can't." That's a strong snipe at JT.

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