Raja Bell headed to Jazz...

[mrhonline]

Oh well... he would have been a nice piece:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/da...e.2164a147.html

In reply to:

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Bell headed to Jazz

06:43 PM CDT on Monday, September 22, 2003

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

Looking for playing time and something beyond a minimum contract, Raja Bell's search has landed him with the Utah Jazz.

The 6-5 guard played for the Mavericks last season but found no roster spot available after the team picked up two rookie shooting guards earlier this summer and added backup point guard Travis Best last month.

"It's been a long summer for me, but I'm going to sign with Utah in the next few days," Bell said Monday from Miami. "I would have liked to stay with Dallas, but I understand it's a business. Going to Utah will be a good opportunity for me to play and a better opportunity to support my family."

Utah has a payroll of less than $27 million, which is more than $5 million shy of the minimum salary that teams must spend this season. The Jazz also have signed Atlanta point guard Jason Terry to an offer sheet, which the Hawks are expected to match. Regardless, Bell is set to join the Jazz with a two-year guaranteed contract that will pay him more than the minimum, which is about $665,000 annually for a player with three years of NBA experience.

Earlier this summer, the Mavericks talked to Bell about a two-year contract starting at the minimum salary. But with the Mavericks now having 15 players under contract, Bell would have difficulty getting playing time. In addition, the Mavericks have been unwilling to budge off the minimum contract.

"I feel like I can get on the court with anybody because not very many players like to do what I do," said the defensive-minded Bell. "I respect the Mavericks. But I didn't appreciate anybody saying I was pricing myself out of a job. I never gave them a dollar figure. The only thing I said was I didn't want to play for the minimum."

Bell's first preseason game with the Jazz will be against the Mavericks Oct. 5 at Mexico City. He averaged 3.1 points in 15.6 minutes, starting 32 times last season and 5.7 points and 3 rebounds in the playoffs, starting seven times.

Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said the club understood Bell's priorities.

"We're not optimistic that we'll be able to come to terms with Raja," Nelson said. "We wish him the best. We're not holding out hope at this point. He was an integral part of what we did last season, but in all likelihood, it's in Raja's best interest to go some place where he'll have more of an opportunity (to play)."

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[Gray Mule]

"Sometimes you're the windshield and

sometimes you're the bug."

The prospect list just became one player shorter.

Can't have them all. Wonder who we WILL sign?

[hds428]

MrH, is your sig picture supposed to be funny or scary?

[OGRat]

The owners don't seem too positive about what we can do in Free Agency. Desired players may demand too much money. Looks like Billy is just going to have to dig deep and find some unrealized talent.

The rockets have quite a few free agents that were expected to do well in the NBA, but that seem to have not received a lot of playing time behind Franchis, Mobley, Rice and Griffin.

What about a Jauquin Hawkins who earned playing time last year because of his defense, or Terrence Morris whom Atlanta actually drafted and traded and has proven to be a decent player when given pt? I am sure they would come cheap and could make valuable contributions.

[Guest]

This is simply a year of going through the motions. C'mon,

you can't really not sign any talent and then try and say

you are trying to fight for the playoffs.