Boozer Agrees to Terms With Bulls (5 yrs/80 mil)

[Darkwing Duck]

This comes as no surprise. I already posted why in another thread. Bulls missed out on Wade, Bosh and Amare (and likely James) and after giving away so much talent for nothing just to clear CAP room, they really had no choice. Jazz really dropped the ball on that one a year ago. And extension would have cost a lot less than 80 mil too. This is a huge blow to franchise. To lose a 20 and 11 guy for nothing is not very good. Oh well, at least KOC was smart enough to keep Millsap last year by matching Blazers offer, so he will be our stating PF. What would be great now is to get a trade exception out of this from Bulls, but I doubt this will happen, since there is simply no reason for Chicago to do that.

The good news though is that there may be some interest in AK from the teams under the CAP who failed to get Lebron (if indeed LeBron does not go to one of them), Boozer, Wade, and Bosh, and still have loads of CAP available: Nets and Knicks. If let's say LeBron stays in Cleveland, NY and especially Nets, who have Russian owner now, might take on AK's salary, thus removing further salary from us, giving us big trade exception, and maybe even an asset in the process.

Boozer wasn't going to sign an extension for less money than he made last year, which was around 12.8 I think. If the Jazz had extended, it would have started at about the same salary he got from the Bulls, so no, it would not have been less than 80 million, unless the Jazz went for fewer years and Boozer accepted that, which I doubt would have happened.

 

[calijazz]

I'm told Jazz were given last shot to keep Boozer but didn't want to go as high as Chicago.

https://twitter.com/tribjazz/status/17981972478

 

[infection]

Dear Jazz fans,

Please re-acquaint yourselves with this thread before continuing down the path that will lead to complete disillusionment by summer's end https://jazzfanz.com/showthread.php/657-Dispelling-some-myths-about-this-off-season

Your friend,
infection

 

[Jeditiger]

Anyone else surprised Boozer got a contract before David Lee?

There we all go, hating on whitey again.

 

[vslice02]

You are delusional if you don't think the Jazz just took a MAJOR step back. We just lost a 20/10 guy, we still have an undersized PF that we don't know can last a whole season and who has no backup, and we have NO NBA centers.

This.

 

[jimmy eat jazz]

adios carlos

Well, I hope the Boozer haters are happy. IMO we are now a significantly worse team. While I have defended the Jazz FO, I am extremely frustrated that we appear to have gotten nothing in exchange for Boozer. Absent further information, I conclude the KOC and the rest of the FO have really let the fans down on this one.

While I do believe Boozer far more valuable than others here and have defended him, I will not give him a pass for sitting out the final game against Phoenix last season. If we had won that game, our path to the WC finals was clear. He could have and should have played.

Crap. While I agree that the Jazz could/should not pay Boozer what Chicago is, I'm not looking at our current front line and feeling confident. I'm trying hard to be optimistic here, but right now it's difficult.

 

[billyshelby]

Anyone upset about loosing Boozer need to forget the 16mil per year average. If the deal stays at 5 years, the Bulls will be paying him salaries like 16, 17.5, and 19 in years 3 through 5 when he is 31, 32, and 33 years old. That barely makes sense for a big market team like Chicago. It's suicide in Utah.

 

[David Stern]

Now lets dump AK and rebuild.

 

[UB]

KOC was feeling lazy this past week.

KOC was really hoping to get a Slurpee, 'cause it's so gosh darn hot ouside.

 

[Sean]

I wonder how long Williams sticks around to watch this rebuilding project? haha

My guess is he's gone when his contract is up. Can't blame him, either. I wouldn't want to play for a 40-win team knowing I was the best at my position.

 

[Fakers Luck]

I'm happy for Booze. That's a lot of money. Good luck.

The contract will be a terrible albatross in a few years whether or not they get LeBron.

 

[infection]

Now lets dump AK and rebuild.

Quit furthering the delusions.

 

[JoseOrtiz]

I wouldn't match 5 years for 80 Million either. I do hope there is some sort of sign and trade involved here, but the Bulls won't be giving up their best assets (Rose, Noah) obviously.

 

[prodigal punk]

I wonder how long Williams sticks around to watch this rebuilding project? haha

My guess is he's gone when his contract is up. Can't blame him, either. I wouldn't want to play for a 40-win team knowing I was the best at my position.

If DWill thinks this was a good contract, so long. This is going to burden Chicago for a while. Especially when he only plays in 65% of the games he's under contract for.

 

[cowhide]

The Jazz had no choice but to let him go. Bulls overpaid quite a bit for him. I don't blame KOC at ALL.

KOC certainly does share some of the blame. He is the GM who is suppose to manage the financial end of the roster. Having AK on the books, screwed the Jazz and KOC should have known that he was going to be up against it when he signed an extension with Okur and Harping.

I will miss Boozer's scoring ability. I won't miss his lack of defense and his injuries. The biggest problem is that KOC has been talking about all the "assets" the Jazz have but all I see is a bunch of nothing if Boozer leaves without a S&T. The Jazz should have traded either Boozer, Okur or AK last year so they wouldn't be in this position.

Now I can see KOC overpaying for some washed up veteran or extending AK. Just plain stupid.

 

[Borat]

Boozer wasn't going to sign an extension for less money than he made last year, which was around 12.8 I think. If the Jazz had extended, it would have started at about the same salary he got from the Bulls, so no, it would not have been less than 80 million, unless the Jazz went for fewer years and Boozer accepted that, which I doubt would have happened.

Boozer accepted 1 year 12 mil dollar offer right before that. Why did he do that you think after he was saying he was going to get a raise regardless? Because his value was at all time low. if Jazz came in with 5 year 60 mill extension, he would have to seriously consider. There is no way he could possibly demand 80 mil after just accepting 1 year 12 mil and coming off poor season and with no one else to make an offer, and with Jazz offering long term security before his deal is even over. But Jazz didn't attempt to negotiate. They told Booz to screw himself. Now that Booz had 20 and 11 season, 20 and 13 play-offs, and Jazz have no leverage at all, with several teams looking at him, of course his value is A LOT higher than last summer when he had a poor year and only Jazz could have given him contract. Greg Miller was the guy who fumbled the ball here when he told Booz to screw himself and instead extended Memo. Well, guess who is screwed now? It certainly ain't Booz, that's for sure.

 

[Sean]

If DWill thinks this was a good contract, so long. This is going to burden Chicago for a while. Especially when he only plays in 65% of the games he's under contract for.

It might burden Chicago. But that doesn't change the fact Utah will still be worse off than they were with Boozer.

Williams isn't going to stick around and wait patiently as the Jazz try to get the talent needed to return to where they were last year.

 

[mrob]

I think it is very possible to both be unhappy about losing a good player like Boozer, but still recognizing that the Jazz could not match that offer. I'm worried about the team next year and worried about what this may mean for Deron when his contract comes up. But that doesn't change the fact that this contract would have hurt the Jazz just as much as the Kirilenko contract has over the last few years.

To those spouting off about a sign & trade, Chicago got their guy for what they were offering. They don't need to give away any players ... and certainly not anyone we would want.

 

[prodigal punk]

It might burden Chicago. But that doesn't change the fact Utah will still be worse off than they were with Boozer.

Williams isn't going to stick around and wait patiently as the Jazz try to get the talent needed to return to where they were last year.

So, you would have paid Boozer $80mil for 5 years? That is ridiculous. I understand the pessimism, but how about being realistic. Nevermind, the fact that saying the team will be worse is nothing but pure speculation.

 

[Kenwood]

To those spouting off about a sign & trade, Chicago got their guy for what they were offering. They don't need to give away any players ... and certainly not anyone we would want.

It can still benefit them to ditch a small contract AND give Boozer a smaller starting salary (but still 5 years $80M). That way Bulls are sure they have room to keep a max offer open to LBJ.

The benefit to the Jazz is the TPE.