This topic contains 18 replies, has 12 voices, and was last updated by AvatarAvatar doubledribbler 14 years, 6 months ago.

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  • #8967
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    llperez

    I’m curious how you feel about Carlos Boozer and his business practices in the NBA. He has recieved a lot of flack for showing no loyalty and chasing the money. Here’s a run down of what he has done:

    In 2004, the Cavs had a team option on Boozer for 700k for the next season that they could have exercised. Knowing this was way under his market value, they came to a verbal agreement on a contract for 6 years and 39 million dollars. So they didn’t exercise the team option for 700k figuring they would get him signed to the long term deal. However, as soon as he became a free agent, Utah offered him a 6 year 70 million dollar contract and he took it. Cleavland felt cheated and lied to since they did him a favor by not exercising the team option so he could make more money. Boozer’s agent then left him knowing it was bad for his reputation as an agent to coninue representing Boozer after that move. Boozer has continued to claim that there was never any agreement.

    Now flash forward to last season in Utah, Boozer had a player option for one more season at about 12 million dollars, but Boozer said all season that he was not gonna use it and that he would test the market and be getting a raise regardless. This drew some ire from the Utah fans because it showed his mind was on money more so then loyalty to the franchise. He then found out during the off season that with the economy the way it was, there was no team willing to give him a raise over the 12 million he could get from Utah. So he choose to exercise his player option and reamain a Jazz member for another season. However, immediately after opting into his contract, he started publicly discussing his desire to play elsewhere. The Jazz fans and owners were rightfully upset since it was his decision to return to Utah and talking about playing for other teams shows no loyalty.

    So I’m curious what do you guys think about Booz and how he has handled his situation?

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  • #216388
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    McWinning
    Participant

    i dont know the Jazz just dont have enough talent i can see why he wants to leave he should go to a contender like Cleveland.

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  • #216390
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    llperez

    I think Boozer wants to leave utah because the fans have turned on him. As for playing for a contender, Utah pretty much is a contender. I think Boozer would sign with the Kings or Bucks in a heart beat if they paid him the most.

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  • #216403
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    Blazermann
    Participant

    rite on target man i bet he feal stupid right now when he could of got a ring in 06 king james i would not want him on my team

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  • #216431
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    Henry25
    Participant

    i lost a lot of respect that i had for Boozer. He really seems to only care about the money, and winning is not very high on his priority list. He is still a really good ballplayer and all, but i just dont like those types of athletes who only play for the money instead of the love of the game. As cheesy as that sounds i really believe that. Great ones have a genuine love of the game and the money is an added bonus. Look at guys like Bird, MJ, Magic, Russel, Kobe, Kg… they love the game so much and because they care about the game they end up being great (along with their talent). If u love the game and work hard at it, the money will come

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  • #216433
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    Anton123
    Participant

    What do you think of this trade involving Boozer?

    http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=nyvcqu

    I think this will make both teams playoff contenders

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  • #216434
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    IndianaBasketball
    Participant

    Make no mistake… EVERY player plays for the money. I wouldn’t go as far to say that Boozer doesn’t play for the love of the game. He loves the game. He’s been playing it his whole life… Has dedicated his life to it. The problem with Boozer is simply this…He just doesn’t have a loyal bone in his body and because of that… I don’t respect him. Good ball player, but I don’t respect him.

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  • #216437
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    llperez

    yeah, I’m not sure we can question his love for the game. I can’t even blame any player for wanting the most money possible. But boozer just shows no class with the way he handles things. If he wanted out of Cleavland, then he should have said look if you let me be a free agent, I’m gonna test the market. Had he done that though, Cleavland would have just exercised the team option for 700k and he would have had to wait another year before he made the big bucks. but at least he would have shown some integrity and class.

    As for his Utah situation, players should just leave contract stuff out of the media. How are fans supposed to support any player who is talking about how he can’t wait to be a free agent so he can test the waters. And how is a player gonna opt into a contract and then start saying how he would like to play elsewhere. Utah is not gonna support him with that attitude, no fans would.

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  • #216443
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    doubledribbler
    Participant

    I don’t like that he seems so money hungry, but by the same token lots of NBA players are. There are some guys that care more about winning and some guys that care more about money. A few guys in the league are lucky enough to get both. I mean come on. Joe Johnson went to Atlanta after being in PHX. Sure Atlanta won a few games here and there, but no one would be silly enough to call them contenders at any point during the time he has been there. No one ever points him out. I cannot really question the way Boozer plays though. I think he plays hard when he is in the game. Afterall, that is pretty much how he made a name for himself in the league and he kept developing other aspects of his game.

    As for the proposed trade, I think Utah would like those players and they would be great additions, but I have a feeling they don’t want to take back a bunch in money for Boozer. Not saying it’s a bad trade because I think GS would like the cap relief and Utah would get two hard nose players that Sloan would love. They would get depth at center with Turiaf and Jackson would be another nice defender and a guy capable of stretching the defense.

    And for the 06 thing. Cleveland got swept that series. Boozer would not have made enough of a difference in the series.

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  • #216469
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    D Hamp
    Participant

    The NBA is a BUSINESS. And it’s either fly high or get flown over. Even though the Cavs had a player option on Boozer, chances are, he would have been a free-agent and gotten the same amount of money the following year. Yeah, the move was real shady. But it was also shady for the Cavs to sign him for really, really, cheap. So that shows both of their mindsets. The Cavs should have offered him whatever he was worth. And that’s why Utah almost DOUBLED his salary.

    Concerning Utah, Boozer and management haven’t been on the same page in the past two years. He’s was also hurt last year and his first year in Utah.

    Boozer has a family, four kids and a wife. Not to mention his parents. I don’t know about you’ll, but if someone offers me $70 mil compared to $39, I’m gone.

    Again, It’s a business. Fly high or get flown over.

    Dhamp…the greatest basketball mind in the world. Next to Hubie Brown anyway.

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  • #216472
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    llperez

    DHamp, I’m not disagreeing with him taking the money. But he flat out lied to management. Why do you think his agent left him after that? Because you have to have credibility when discussing business. As for his Utah thing, he should just stay quiet with the media. Yes it is a business, but teams and players have to cater to the fans. If you talk about playing for other teams, then you are not doing the fans or yourself any favors. Keep that stuff in doors.

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  • #216474
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    D Hamp
    Participant

    I hear you IIperez22!!! My thing is, how often does management lie to players? It happens quiet a bit.There’s always some type of politics involved. Boozer could have handled the situation in Utah differently, but how often do players, coaches, etc., use the media to fuel their propaganda? As much as I would like honestly in sports, players have to look out for themselves.

    I happen to like Boozer. Nobody knew he was that good at Duke. He didn’t show off that 35 inch verticle leap. These things happen from time to time.

    Dhamp…the greatest basketball mind in the world. Next to Hubie Brown anyway.

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  • #216475
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    llperez

    yeah, I can’t blame anybody for getting their money, especially since teams will trade you in a heartbeat if they feel it benefits them. And honestly, when the whole Booz thing with cleavland went down, I thought the cavs were dumb for not realizing that of course booz was gonna get more money from someone.

    But boozer has made a reputation for being all about the money and whoever pays him the most and he almost seems to flaunt it. I’m not naive to the realities of the business world, but as a fan, it’s hard to root for someone like that. I mean I get tired of hearing these players like Boozer and Stephen Jackson go around and talk about wanting to play elsewhere when they are getting paid over 10 million dollars per year. Neither the owners nor the fans deserve that.

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  • #216477
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    davidnoel
    Participant

    maybe boozer has been hanging out with spree: “I told you I needed to feed my family,” Sprewell said at a press conference yesterday. “They offered me 3 years at $21 million. That’s not going to cut it. And I’m not going to sit here and continue to give my children food while this front office takes money out of my pocket. If [owner Glen] Taylor wants to see my family fed, he better cough up some money. Otherwise, you’re going to see these kids in one of those Sally Struthers commercials soon.”

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  • #216481
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    D Hamp
    Participant

    HA HA HA Sprewell. He did create those “spinners” on those SUVs.

    Illperez, as a fan, I agree with you.

    Dhamp…the greatest basketball mind in the world. Next to Hubie Brown anyway.

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  • #216503
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    eprizzle14
    Participant

    I dont think Sloan would like Jack’s game. Too many illadvised 3’s and turnovers

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  • #216510
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    sheltwon3
    Participant

    You know what is funny, we not on Boozer for this but this happens all the time with companies. It happens with college coaches. Boozer was not wise for saying and doing the stuff he did but this is nothing new and a lot of other people do that same thing but with less scutiny. It would be different if he got the money and stop playing good like some other players that we don’t really talk much about.

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  • #216605
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    thetruth
    Participant

    boozer is disloyal, but he has family to take care of.

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  • #216671
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    doubledribbler
    Participant

    Isn’t that what this country is supposedly all about? When it comes down to it, Boozer capitalized on his situation. He maximized his profit. The more I think about it, he may be getting a bad rep from one incident. There are tons of guys around the league that will sign the biggest contract they can and then in no time demand to be traded. To me that’s just as bad.

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