Yesterday, things turned from us giving up a first round pick, to not giving up a pick, to getting a 2nd rounder in return. This trade may continue to get better. Charley Rosen reported Vin Baker's contract expires this July. At first, considering he also reported on Zendon Hamilton eventually replacing Mutombo, James being a subpar defender, Gaines being a viable ball handling option, failing to mention Moochie's value to us primarily as a shorter contract, and us giving up a first rounder, I assumed an erroneous report, but upon further review... Hoopshype lists Baker's 2nd year as guaranteed. Bender lists it as a player option. However, here is what her daily signings for August 18 lists...News from August 18. New York re-signed Vin Baker to a 1 year, $3.5 million contract. Link From NY Daily News...What might not be a good sign is that only Cleveland expressed any interest in Baker, who signed a two-year deal worth $7.35 million. Link From ESPN, some interesting reports..."Vin is done," Goodwin told Ford. "The [Knicks] mid-level is gone. ... Vin [contract] starts at $3.5 [million], which negates Dampier for mid-level." While there had been previous rumblings about the Knicks' interest in re-signing Baker, talk of the team using part of its larger exception to get him comes as a surprise. There had been previous suggestions that Baker might take the Knicks $1.6 million veteran's exception instead. Thursday's The Journal News (Westchester/Putnam counties, NY) reported that a source confirmed that the Knicks had used the smaller exception to keep Baker for this season, with a team option for a second year. Link That is an interesting one. The original report had Baker signing for the LLE, with year two being a team option. We know the LLE report is false, but is team option correct? This random site reports it as 1 year... [i[ New York re-signed Vin Baker to a 1 year, $3.5 million contract.[/i]Link I'm still rummaging through some sources. I think it's very much in the air. If we possibly got out of Mo's contract with only 4 mill to Moochie committed...Isiah just gave us a 2nd round pick to clear 14 mill in committed salary. Wow.
The site that reports Vin having just 1 yr contract is a fantasy sport site. The other is ESPN prelim report before he signed. I seriously doubt their accuracy. Patricia, HoopsHype and other news sources said 2 yr contract, 2nd yr is player option. These are more credible sources.
Patricia's own transaction listing called it a one year contract. I have yet to find a report that mentions a player option. Both Patricia and Hoopshype have been wrong before. Patricia, for example, doesn't list Moochie Norris' player option on her page.
Nike- Besides saving Les some money how big of a deal is it if Vin's contract expires a year earlier? Obviously, it may be a trade asset but it doesn't get us under the cap this summer does it?
Have you seen this one? http://www.dfw.net/~patricia/contracts Not to say they are 100% correct but they have been right about most everything.
I think this IS the site (=Patricia) NIKE was talking about. Btw, I suppose NIKE has seen ANYTHING that has something to do with NBA contracts
I am more inclined to believe the Knicks signed Baker to a 1 year deal given he had no bargaining power after the Boston fiasco, then again we are talking about Zeke and the Knicks. I don't think one way or the other its important whether his contract expires this year or next, what could be important is if he revs up his game and plays D and rebounds.
Under JVG, Vin either plays his ass off or rides the pine. The players that currently put in minutes play their asses off. If he has any chance of getting back to being a portion of what he once was, this is where it begins. Everybody currently on the roster that has made statements about JVG have said that he is the best coach that they have ever had. Positive attitudes can go a long way on a team. I just hope that if Vin does start working out that he doesn't hit the sauce again and ruin it. Alcohol giveth, but it will taketh away.
That should answer your question, rF. Patricia's own site has conflicting reports. tshay- In truth, not much, but another 4 mill saved is another 4 mill that can be applied into taking a bad contract later with a talent upgrade. One note I've realized. I'm certain Baker COULD NOT have signed a 1 year contract. That would've have left him with "Early Bird" rights at the end of the year, and thus he could not have been traded like he was. It is possible that he signed a deal with year 2 being a team option- considering a 2 year deal with the 2nd year being a team option an initial report, and Goodwin not mentioning multiple guaranteed years. We'll find out in a few months, I suppose.
It will be huge if the fact is that his second year is a team option. It is rumoured that Alan Henderson is going to waived by the Bucks. We could waive Baker as well and pick up Alan Henderson and his the remain $2M-$3M left on his contract for the rest of the season. Alan Henderson will be a free agent this summer according to HH. Henderson will be a major upgrade over Weatherspoon and of course Vin Baker.
That is so true and I was about to raise that as well. It is one of the problems with CBA that I hope gets changed. That is why I believe Charlie Ward is not a one year deal rather one guarantee and one team option. Patricia and HH have been wrong before. I believe Vin's in a multiple year deal with only one guaranteed. Now why would a team give Vin a player option? The Knicks did him a favor so they are the ones who should in a logical scenario have the option to keep him or let him go. But then again it is Isiah Thomas and the curse of Layden we are talking about here. I hereby stand firmly on the belief that Vin's second year is a team option. But if it is not, I am convinced he will be back after this season unless he encounters a 3rd revival.
This is from Chron, don't know it's correct of not. " .....Norris, 31, has one more season — worth $4.2 million — left on the contract he signed with the Rockets, with the team holding an option for an additional season. The contract for Baker, 33, includes one more season, at his option, worth $3.85 million......" http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3056661
Maybe someone will start a Vin Baker slush fund to raise $3.85 million to donate to Vin to not exercise his option????????
Just curious, if Yao Ming went to New York, what will that team look like now? Maybe Layden would have kept his job...
I decided to email Jonathan Feigen to ask if the Rockets was his source on the contracts. Maybe he will answer and settle this. I hope he is right. That means counting the rest of this season he saved nearly 11.2M total with 9.75M being in 06/07 cap space alone. Very nice move by CD.
