Hawks News (9-12-03)

[HawkTodd]

Hawks Will Match Offer for Terry (9-12-03).

http://hawks.realgm.com/showarticle.php?artid=350

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THE LINKS (9-12-03).

http://www.slamonline.com/links/

Because today will begin in Atlanta, where strange things are going down.

First of all, let's talk about what we already know.

Jason Terry played last season for the Atlanta Hawks. He played both guard spots and averaged 17.2 points per game (more than Baron Davis or Kenyon Martin) and 7.4 assists per game (more than Steve Nash or Steve Francis). In his four years in the NBA, he has missed only four games (playing in a remarkable 322 out of 326). He is one of my main men.

Last summer, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Hawks offered Jason a five-year, $36-million deal. JT did not sign that deal.

This summer, Jason's contract ran out and he became a restricted free agent, meaning he could receive offers from other teams, though once he signed an offer sheet, the Hawks had the opportunity to match that deal.

So, according to the ESPN's Outsider, Linkstigator Chad Ford, the Utah Jazz and restricted free agent Jason Terry (one of my main men) have been negotiating for a few months now, trying to come up with a deal that would make them both happy.

"According to a source close to the situation," writes C-Fizzle, "the Hawks recently gave Terry a 'final offer.' When the Jazz said they would beat it, Terry decided to sign the offer sheet and hope that the Hawks meant what they said about their offer being final."

The Salt Lake City Tribune is reporting today that the deal Terry has signed is "believed to be fairly close to what the Jazz offered the Los Angeles Clipper guard Corey Maggette." (The Jazz signed Maggette to a six-year, $42 million deal, which the Clippers matched, retaining Maggette.)

The only official statement from the Hawks thus far is that "We fully intend to consider the terms of the deal over the next 15 days, and while this process develops we will not make any public comments regarding this matter."

Now for what I've heard.

According to senior sources in the Hawks organization, Terry and his agent, Raymond Brothers, were looking for a maximum contract (7 years, $80-something million). The Hawks had no intention of offering Terry that much money. Earlier this summer, after what my source describes as "negotiating in what we thought was good faith," the Hawks offered Terry a deal that was in the "seven-year, $50 million range, though it wasn't much more than that." Basically it was seven years, a little over $7 million per year. If he had accepted that deal, Terry would have been paid on par with guys like Derek Anderson and Jamal Mashburn.

Terry never accepted the deal, though, and he and his agent, Raymond Brothers, said several times in papers that they were looking for a larger deal elsewhere, as is their right to do in that situation.

Finally, yesterday, JT inked up with the Jazz. But contrary to the aforementioned reports out of Utah, my sources tell me that the contract he inked with the Jazz is a three-year deal for $22 million, with the first year paying "slightly, and I mean just barely" more than the other two years.

"We don't really understand it," says my ATL source. "The money is almost exactly the same, but why wouldn't they want that extra four years of guaranteed money? Who would turn down about $30 million?"

Which is a good point. I suppose it could work in Terry's favor, because if he has three outstanding years he could conceivably demand max money then and get it.

One agent I'm friendly with, though, says you should always get the most guaranteed money possible at any time. "You don't want to gamble with millions like that. Ever. What if, God forbid, something happens like happened to Jay Williams? That guaranteed money can be crucial if you suffer an injury or something like that."

"We are going to match the deal," the source says, "but we'll wait the entire 15 days. It's going to hurt us a little bit this year, because that extra money will prevent from signing any of the other quality guys out there -- if there are any quality guys left."

(There aren't, Hawks. Thanks!)

"We like Jason and want him to be a part of our franchise. We just hope he doesn't come into training camp an angry young man."

On a radio station in Utah yesterday, when asked if he thought the Hawks were going to match the Jazz offer, Terry said, "I sure hope not...I'd like to start my career all over again. It's been very tough this summer, just sitting around and waiting for something to get done. I put the time in. They should have rewarded me."

All of which sounds as if Terry feels slighted by the Hawks not offering him a maximum contract off the bat, that he was hoping to go elsewhere and get both money and respect. But he could have requested and received a one-year deal from the Hawks, played it out and then become an unrestricted free agent next summer, meaning he could signed with any team he wanted to without having to worry about the Hawks keeping him. Which is a gamble, yes, but a one-year gamble is much safer one than a three-year gamble.

Instead, Jason will be tied to the Hawks for the next three season, whether he likes it or not.

As a Hawks fan, I'm very glad we're keeping Jason, because he and Shareef are the only guys that leave it all out on the floor every night. And Jason has been the only really fearless player the last four years, unafraid to try and dunk on people and take clutch shots when we need them.

I'm not sure why he says he's so hot to leave, other than the Hawks are a franchise in limbo and most of the management treats us few remaining Hawks fans like dirt, thinking we'll still care about whatever team they put out there on the floor.

For instance, shouldn't the Hawks management match Jason as soon as possible, just so the five Hawks fans left know that they really do care about him? Maybe it's not the "cool" thing to do, but from a fan standpoint, it's the right thing to do. Also, if they're worried Jason be pissed off about it, shouldn't they give him as much time to adjust as possible?

And if the Hawks keep Terry, the Jazz are going to be sitting there with a ton of money and just a few days before camp starts. They'll have to spent a bunch just to get to the NBA salary minimum. So who's going to cash in? Here's a name: Stephen Jackson.

Anyway, that's what I hear. Maybe it's wrong, maybe it's right. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. I just can't wait until the Hawks bring me in as GM.

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Jazz sign Atlanta's Terry to offer sheet (9-12-03).

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Sep/09122003/sports/91812.asp

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Stotts Calls Season Ticket Holders (9-12-03).

http://www.nba.com/hawks/tickets/Stotts_Ca...l-84132-33.html

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Guard Terry, Jazz agree on offer sheet (9-12-03).

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,510053648,00.html

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NBA Daily Shots (9-12-03).

http://insidehoops.com/daily.shtml

The Utah Jazz have signed Hawks free agent guard Jason Terry to an offer sheet. Terry's a restricted free agent, so Atlanta has 15 days to match the offer if they want to keep him.

The Atlanta Hawks issued the following statement on the news: "This afternoon, we received notification from the Utah Jazz indicating a contract offer had been extended to restricted free agent guard Jason Terry. We fully intend to consider the terms of the deal over the next 15 days, and while this process develops, we will not make any public comments regarding this matter."

The Hawks said all along that they planned on matching offers to Jason Terry. But considering that the team is in the process of being sold, it might be better business sense to not match the offer, and therefore lowering the cost of paying the players. Of course, it should lower the team in the win column, but there isn't too much further they can go in that department, so maybe when you weight both factors, letting Terry go is the better move.

Just an aside: Jason Terry is one of the nicest guys on earth.

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THE DAILY (9-12-03).

http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_5238.shtml

Atlanta - Something finally cracked in the Jason Terry saga, and if the Hawks aren't careful they are going to end up with egg all over their face. Terry has signed an offer sheet with the Utah Jazz, and he doesn't want Atlanta to match.