Boiven of AZ Republic says Clips won't match for Q!

[Yuma]

I was reading a Boiven article about JJ, and she threw in a quote saying even if Kobe signs with the Lakers, word is the Clippers won't match the Q contract. Any thoughts on this?

 

[George O'Brien]

I was reading a Boiven article about JJ, and she threw in a quote saying even if Kobe signs with the Lakers, word is the Clippers won't match the Q contract. Any thoughts on this?

The Clippers have a reputation for being cheap. Uhfortunately, they also have a history of matching on RFA's.

 

[cly2tw]

The Clippers have a reputation for being cheap. Uhfortunately, they also have a history of matching on RFA's.

50% chance that is!

 

[scotsman13]

here is the piece.

Suns' changes spur Johnson into motion





Paola Boivin
Republic columnist
Jul. 12, 2004 12:00 AM


Joe Johnson navigated through one circus at America West Arena Sunday to contend with another: the uncertainty that has accompanied the Suns' off-season dealings.

Just past Clown Alley and the pachyderm parade, Johnson worked out on the team's practice court with newcomers at the Suns rookie/free agent camp. That the 23-year-old guard left his home in Little Rock, Ark., to voluntarily join the young group suggests that even he is a bit befuddled by the team's off-season pursuit of two guards, Steve Nash and Quentin Richardson, and is eager to solidify his role on the team.

"He called me a few days ago and said he wanted to come and work out," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I thought that was great."

Johnson said he learned of the team's negotiations with free agents Nash and Richardson on the Internet. The Nash acquisition made sense for a team in need of a mentor for Leandro Barbosa. The interest in Richardson was more surprising because Richardson, like Johnson, plays primarily at shooting guard, and the Suns have been in the hunt for a big man.

Johnson insists he's not worried about the changes.

"It doesn't really matter what position they want me to play. I'll do whatever they want to help the team," he said.

Richardson's future with the Suns remains uncertain. After agreeing to terms of a six-year offer sheet worth nearly $50 million last week, he can sign the sheet after 9 p.m. Tuesday. The Clippers then would have 15 days to match the offer or lose the rights to their third-leading scorer from last season.

With Shaquille O'Neal likely headed to Miami, the odds that Kobe Bryant remains with the Los Angeles Lakers increase. If the Clippers fail to lure Bryant as hoped, the chance that they'll match the Suns' offer and keep Richardson improves. Recent signals from Los Angeles, however, suggest that the Clippers may not be willing to match the Suns' offer, even if Bryant rejects them.

Why Richardson? The Suns wanted a big man, but the salary numbers being courted by the best available free-agent big men, such as Golden State's Adonal Foyle, were comical, so they shifted to a best-player-available mode. Enter Richardson.

If Richardson joins the Suns, Johnson may be held to his word of a willingness to play any position. The Suns perhaps would be headed for a small-ball lineup featuring Nash and Richardson in the backcourt, with Johnson, Shawn Marion and Amaré Stoudemire up front.

That lineup could be effective against an array of Western Conference teams, especially if O'Neal is in Miami.

But it will only work if the players accept the changes. Stoudemire is much more comfortable at power forward. Johnson would need to feel at ease on a roster heavy on guards and in a starting lineup heavy on scorers.

This has the potential to be a good thing for the Suns if Johnson embraces the position. He is young, talented and coachable, but he has a tendency to defer to others when overshadowed. Former coach Frank Johnson once pointed out how much Johnson's body language changed after a healthy Penny Hardaway replaced him in the lineup.

When his confidence is shaken, Johnson retreats. He plays less aggressively. It's one of the few negative traits of a player with a lot more upside.

"We can't have another season like last year," Johnson said. "I'll do whatever's necessary to make this organization better."

For the Suns to succeed, that's exactly the attitude Johnson needs to maintain.

 

[scotsman13]

The Clippers have a reputation for being cheap. Uhfortunately, they also have a history of matching on RFA's.

out of 4 rfa they had in the past couple years, 2 they they have matched (brand and maggette), 1 they let go (odom), and one was signed to a 1 year contract to become a free agent (kandi).

to top everything else off the clippers only reached the nba min. salery cap when they signed brand and maggette (clippers had the lowest total salery of any nba team last year). so it is very likely that the clipper will let Q go. if he does sign with the suns, there is only one real sticking point. if he ever does that fist to the head thing again it should cost him haft of his salery for the year.

 

[cly2tw]

They didn't match Denver's offer for Miller either.

 

[Djaughe]

.... to voluntarily join the young group suggests that even he is a bit befuddled by the team's off-season pursuit of two guards, Steve Nash and Quentin Richardson, and is eager to solidify his role on the team.

"He called me a few days ago and said he wanted to come and work out," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I thought that was great."

At the very least if we don't get Q...we got JJ working out ahead of schedule!

 

[cepstrum]

They didn't match Denver's offer for Miller either.

But miller sucked for them and they didnt match odom's offer because it had some things in there that made it less desirable. As far as the Q goes, I just dont see why they wouldnt match. A 24 year old strong 2 guard that makes reasonable money compared to what others are getting paid.

 

[Joe Mama]

But miller sucked for them and they didnt match odom's offer because it had some things in there that made it less desirable. As far as the Q goes, I just dont see why they wouldnt match. A 24 year old strong 2 guard that makes reasonable money compared to what others are getting paid.

I agree. Supposedly the Clippers really like Quentin Richardson. The offer sheet he is going to sign with the Phoenix Suns is not unreasonable. I have a hard time believing Clippers won't match it.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

If I remember correctly there were a number of off the court issues related to Odom. But the other problem was that the Miami offer was pretty rich.

In his last season with the Clips, Odom scored 14.6 ppg (43.9%), had 6.7 rpg. Solid numbers, but he got a six year deal starting just under $9 million.

For the SF position, they went with Maggette. This year Corie is making $6.1. His 2002-03 numbers with the Clippers was 16.8 ppg, 44.4% shooting and 5 rpg.

Odom put up much better numbers this season, but I'm not sure that any other team wouldn't have made the choice of Maggette over Odom considering the huge price difference.

 

[NJYAJ09]

Clips might just want to focus on Brand, Magette, and the HS point guard. Him and Magette are very similar players, so they might just want to jocus on Magette instead of QRich.

 

[George O'Brien]

Clips might just want to focus on Brand, Magette, and the HS point guard. Him and Magette are very similar players, so they might just want to jocus on Magette instead of QRich.

I'm not sure that is quite true, but it is true that Q likes to play close to the basket which is more of an SF role than SG. However, that might be more of an argument for them doing a sign and trade than to just let him leave.

 

[dbUNIT16]

It was a good article, she really made some good points. I think JJ should beable to handle SF, he's a big boy.

 

[capologist]

The way this roster looks right now, he’ll probably have to handle C.