Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Sonics set meeting with Wilcox
Sonics looking at final pitch to forward for 3-year deal
By GARY WASHBURN
P-I REPORTER
The fate of Chris Wilcox's long-term future in Seattle could be determined by a critical Thursday meeting between the power forward, his agent and Sonics general manager Rick Sund.
It will be just the second time the sides have met face-to-face this summer and perhaps the final time they negotiate before Wilcox decides to accept the team's one-year, $3.7 million qualifying offer.
Wilcox will meet with Sund for the first time since April. It could be one final effort to secure a three-year contract. The sides appear firm on their stance and are about $5 million apart, NBA sources said.
The Sonics have offered $19 million over three years -- more than the league's $5.2 million per year midlevel exception. Jeff Fried, who represents Wilcox, has asked for $24 million. Fried said he has "several" teams who would pay Wilcox that amount if the Sonics agreed to a sign-and-trade deal.
"We're not just going to let this sit anymore," Fried said Monday. "We needed to be respectful of ownership change issues, but each and every offer, Rick Sund is turning down. That doesn't seem to make much sense. If you don't believe in Chris and other teams believe in Chris and other teams are willing to do fair deals all the way around, I am questioning those motives."
A sign-and-trade is a long shot. The Sonics have apparently received just one concrete deal and they quickly rejected Phoenix's package that included aging veteran center Kurt Thomas and the $16.3 million remaining on the final two years of his contract.
The Golden State Warriors also appear interested in Wilcox, but have yet to make the Sonics a sign-and-trade offer.
"Rick doesn't seem to have confidence in Chris as a player," Fried said. "In light of that, we want to have one of these sign and trades. These teams are being aggressive. They are being fair with Chris. The only option would be the one-year qualifying offer."
If Wilcox accepted the Sonics' one-year qualifying offer, he would become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The drawback in that strategy is that if Wilcox, 23, has a subpar season, he would perhaps receive the midlevel exception in free agency, which is less than the Sonics are offering
Fried would like his client to play somewhere else if Thursday's negotiations don't produce a lucrative deal.
"We've given enough time," Fried said.
Sund would not comment on the Wilcox negotiations.
"As has been with our policy with all negotiations, we would not negotiate in the newspaper," he said. "We continue to have discussions with Chris' agent."
As a restricted free agent, Wilcox is eligible to sign an offer sheet from any NBA club and the Sonics have the first right to match that offer.
NOTE: New Sonics owner Clay Bennett arrived in Seattle on Monday and will spend the next three days discussing the future of the team with Sund, team president Wally Walker and city officials. He will hold an informal news conference on Wednesday.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Sonics set meeting with Wilcox
Sonics looking at final pitch to forward for 3-year deal
By GARY WASHBURN
P-I REPORTER
The fate of Chris Wilcox's long-term future in Seattle could be determined by a critical Thursday meeting between the power forward, his agent and Sonics general manager Rick Sund.
It will be just the second time the sides have met face-to-face this summer and perhaps the final time they negotiate before Wilcox decides to accept the team's one-year, $3.7 million qualifying offer.
Wilcox will meet with Sund for the first time since April. It could be one final effort to secure a three-year contract. The sides appear firm on their stance and are about $5 million apart, NBA sources said.
The Sonics have offered $19 million over three years -- more than the league's $5.2 million per year midlevel exception. Jeff Fried, who represents Wilcox, has asked for $24 million. Fried said he has "several" teams who would pay Wilcox that amount if the Sonics agreed to a sign-and-trade deal.
"We're not just going to let this sit anymore," Fried said Monday. "We needed to be respectful of ownership change issues, but each and every offer, Rick Sund is turning down. That doesn't seem to make much sense. If you don't believe in Chris and other teams believe in Chris and other teams are willing to do fair deals all the way around, I am questioning those motives."
A sign-and-trade is a long shot. The Sonics have apparently received just one concrete deal and they quickly rejected Phoenix's package that included aging veteran center Kurt Thomas and the $16.3 million remaining on the final two years of his contract.
The Golden State Warriors also appear interested in Wilcox, but have yet to make the Sonics a sign-and-trade offer.
"Rick doesn't seem to have confidence in Chris as a player," Fried said. "In light of that, we want to have one of these sign and trades. These teams are being aggressive. They are being fair with Chris. The only option would be the one-year qualifying offer."
If Wilcox accepted the Sonics' one-year qualifying offer, he would become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The drawback in that strategy is that if Wilcox, 23, has a subpar season, he would perhaps receive the midlevel exception in free agency, which is less than the Sonics are offering
Fried would like his client to play somewhere else if Thursday's negotiations don't produce a lucrative deal.
"We've given enough time," Fried said.
Sund would not comment on the Wilcox negotiations.
"As has been with our policy with all negotiations, we would not negotiate in the newspaper," he said. "We continue to have discussions with Chris' agent."
As a restricted free agent, Wilcox is eligible to sign an offer sheet from any NBA club and the Sonics have the first right to match that offer.
NOTE: New Sonics owner Clay Bennett arrived in Seattle on Monday and will spend the next three days discussing the future of the team with Sund, team president Wally Walker and city officials. He will hold an informal news conference on Wednesday.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
