Better alternative to K-Mart

[Admin]

I just read that Denver is talking to Boozer and that Cleveland is talking to Boozer for something like 6 years and 41 million. Considering that last year he was a 15.5ppg/11.5rpg player that is still very young and is one of the best rebounders and hardest workers in the game.....why not trump Cleveland and offer him 6 years 50+ and dare or force Cleveland to spend more money to retain him? Even if we lose out and dont get him, at least the Cavs are on the hook for 10 mil more than they wanted to offer him.

[jezmund]

Yeah if 6 yr 80+M is fair for K-Mart, I would definitely throw 6 yr 55-60M at Boozer. The only problem is that he is loyal to Cleveland. That is the only reason he opted out. He will sign an extension with them. Boozer would be much more affordable. It would allow us to throw some money at a Turkoglu or a Ginobili as well.

[Nicholasp27]

i would LOVE to get boozer

but i don't see him doing that to cleveland

altho, he has really [censored] himself over, with that long and low of a contract

he's gonna lose out on at least 20 mil because of this contract

[Admin]

Everybody has a price I think.........and I doubt that Boozer with his Duke education is an exception. If we offer him 10-15 million more over the same 6 year time period, he might just go for it. Cleveland might match it and if so then hey at least we screw them for more cap money. Boozer might not sign an offer like that from us knowing that it would screw Cleveland, but he has to know that he is worth much more than what they are offering him if K-Mart is any indication of value and he might feel slighted by that.

Its probably just a dream to think of getting him.....but its nice to dream though.

[Blunt91]

Why not just go and sign Swift and Pyzbilla and stop wasting time chasing after guys like Martin and Boozer?

[Traceman]

No way in heck they let him opt out without a handshake agreement in place. They could have simply picked up his option for a 3rd season at $690,000 and then had his full Bird Rights for the following season. Doing that would have allowed them to exceed the cap to match any offer. Basically, Boozer is accepting a deal that will pay him $5M this season rather than $690,000. He loses out on a POSSIBLE big payday next year in exchange for long term security now.

[Admin]

I know that comparing basketball to baseball is strange.......but I just have to look back to this past offseason when David Wells had a handshake deal with the Yankees to come back this year and then he turned his back on them and signed with the Padres.......which is the same thing that he did to the D-Backs 2 years ago when he signed with the Yankees.........so even though players may agree to a handshake deal, until they sign on the dotted line its never finalized. I am sure that its doubtful that he will leave Cleveland because he seems like a team player, but he also has his own family to worry about and if we can give him 2-4 million more per year over the same period, he would have to consider that, right?

[Weez]

Boozer is worth much more than current pay. and he's giving Cleveland a chance to show it. Depending on how much of the heart and soul you believe him to be, you decide. That contract's tremendous...probably too high.

Boozer, unlike Martin, takes over much, much fewer games. Has a much lower ceiling on his talent level...but yet, he plays hard, and works so well with James that it might be worth it.

would I pay him that, if I could get Swift and Pryz for equal money...no way. He's not good enough to carry a team that way, on nearly any given night. IMO, Boozer should be a role model for every college player. Here's a guy who gets the most out of his talents. He isn't the most skilled athletically, doesn't have all the moves...but he's learned fundamentals, knows how to box out, how to play in general...and gives it his all every night, hustling...like Nash. The pin-ultimate of a guy like that...see guys like Scott Skiles, Dan Marjle (sp big time), Ainge...or the pinacle, Bird. These guys got the most out of their talents, and their contributions cannot be overlooked. Redd is doing the same thing...and yo'uve got to respect that.

but he's not worth that contract, for nearly ANY team, but especially for the Hawks.

[Traceman]

That is less than $7M a season to start. Okur and Foyle signed for at least $6.5M a season to start and both are FAR less acoomplished than Boozer. Booz was 11th in the NBA in efficiency rating and #5 in rebounding. He shot well over 50% from the field (over 15 ppg) and over 75% from the line. He's tough, durable and athletic enough to run the floor. I'd take K-Mart if the money were the same but I'd be more than happy to have Booz.

[Admin]

How is a PF that averages nearly 16 points and 12 rebounds per game, in only his 2nd year in the league not worth an average salary of 8-9 million? That would be what, about 6 million or so this first year? Look at 2002 before they had James.......when he averaged 11 points and 8 boards a game in only 25 minutes. That was in his rookie year. Sure he isnt a great scorer, but he is the 5th best rebounder in the game today and a hell of a defensive PF. Show me anyone in the league who hustles as much as Boozer does on the court. Show me one good reason why K-Mart is worth so much more money than Boozer.

[DominiqueWilkins]

If we could get into the Boozer sweepstakes I would be stoked, and the Hawks would defently be on the right track. He would cost a great deal less than Kenyon Martin, and Boozer is capable of doing the samethings.

Boozer will become a much better player down the road, than Kenyon Martin has become.

[Packfill]

Boozer is a good player - and I would love to have him on the Hawks - but he does not have the athletic upside or overall defensive presence of Kenyon Martin. I doubt he ever improves significantly on his current numbers but he is the type of hard worker I wouldn't bet against.

Imagine a guy like Swift or Kwame Brown with Boozer's work ethic and fundamentals!