Gordon Gund is Wrong.

**Alex** · July 16th, 2004, 06:38 AM

I feel sorry for the people of Cleveland for buying into the Cavs' management position in regards to Carlos Boozer. I feel like I watched a shell game operator put one over on the city of Cleveland.

The whole idea that Carlos lied to management's face belies one very important factor, the Cavs never addressed the issue of what Carlos was actually worth, and what Carlos would be worth for the next six years.

Offering Carlos Boozer a mid level exception of 6 years for 40 million dollars is a nice offer, but what conveniently gets overlooked is that for the next few years, Carlos would be the 3rd, 4th or 5th highest paid player on the Cavs.

I find it disrespecting Carlos, a man who easily would be the number 2 player on the Cavs behind only LeBron James for the next DECADE, to only offer him a contract that will pay him less than the number two salary on the team.

It's Scotti Pippen/Michael Jordan all over again.

That's right, Lebron James and Carlos Boozer could have been as good as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were in Chicago.

Funny how history does not repeat itself. Scottie Pippen was underpaid in Chicago, yet now we see what happens when Scottie Pippen II, aka Carlos Boozer, stands up for himself.

Derek Fisher just signed a 6 year 37 million dollar contract with Golden State. Excuse me, did you say 6.14 million dollars a year, for six years, for Derek Fisher?

That's virtually the same deal that the Cavs offered Carlos Boozer. Hmmmm, which player is more representative of a cornerstone player, Derek Fisher, or Carlos Boozer, Derek Fisher or Carlos Boozer, hmmm....which one is a player you can build a team around for the next decade and which one is a great supporting cast? We all know the answer to that question.

Derek Fisher is good player, but not a great player. Carlos is already bordering on becoming a very good player, and Carlos will probably become a great player for the majority of the six year deal that he has just signed with Utah, and one which the Cavs have 14 more days to match.

But Gordon Gund has borrowed from Robin Hood and come up with Captain Victimhood. Poor, Poor Gordon Gund, Carlos lied to him.

But who lied first? Didn't Gordon Gund lie to Carlos by only offering him a mid level exception when it was clear Carlos was worth far more than that?

Didn't Gordon Gund lie by trying to create a reality that only spoke of the most convenient option for himself and the Cavs?

Didn't Gordon Gund lie by not admitting that he was trying to manipulate Carlos into a much smaller salary cap then Carlos would actually "deserve" when compared to what others make and will make? When your boss tells you you should be grateful to get a small raise, how would you react, especially when you had the press clippings to prove your boss was wrong?

That is the key issue here that no one in ClevLALAland is willing to acknowledge. If Carlos had re-signed for $700,000 for this season, what would have happened next year at this time? I am pretty certain after one more great season, which probably would have also resulted in a playoff appearance, Carlos Boozer would have been looking at 80 million to 100 million dollar contract offers from several teams.

Would the Cavs have matched 80 to 100 million dollars next year? If the Cavs can't match a
reasonable 68 million dollar offer this year, they certainly would not have matched an 80-100 million dollar offer next year.

So the next time someone plays a shell game with you and never shows you what's under the third shell, you'll know how Carlos felt.

[ July 16, 2004 03:54 AM: Message edited by: Alex ]

**Alex** · July 16th, 2004, 06:59 AM

This just in, a quote from the Utah owner, Larry Miller.

But Jazz owner Larry H. Miller sounded quite OK Wednesday about preparing to pay that much for a power forward he says the team has rated as the NBA's fourth-best, behind only two-time MVP Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs, reigning MVP Kevin Garnett of the Minnesota Timberwolves and rising Phoenix Suns star Amare Stoudemire.Boozer rated fourth best power forward in the League behind Garnett, Duncan, Stoudamire. Wow!

**The RotoTribe** · July 18th, 2004, 12:36 AM

I haven't followed the Cavs very closely over the past several years. But, of course, like so many others, when they signed Lebraun, I did.

So, looking at this as an outsider, and with nothing agains Paxson or Gund, I see Boozer as a liar. Boozer convinced Gund to waive the option and said he'd sign with Cleveland. Gund took him at his word.

$40 million over six years is not a small raise. The average bloke won't make half a million over six years. Boozer could have come up with a counter offer for less years. He could have said, okay, pay me six million a year for two years, and then let me see where everyone stands.

But even then, from what I understand, he gave his word. That should have counted for something and I don't blame Gund for that.

**Alex** · July 22nd, 2004, 04:51 AM

The problem is that is not the sole issue on the table. What is Carlos "worth" when compared to other power forwards in the league.

In that case, 11 million a year for 6 years is actually a good solid deal and a deal that represents a 32 million dollar discount over what th Cavs would have to fork over next year to keep Carlos long term.

Isn't that the real issue, keeping Carlos long term in Cleveland?

**Alex** · July 22nd, 2004, 04:55 AM

The Cleveland live Cavs forum has been off the charts ever since Carlos announced the Utah offer sheet.

Unfortunately, most of the activity is for lane brained fantasy league neer-do-wells who come up with the dumbest "solutions" to Carlos leaving yet they will be screaming bloody murder the loudest once the losses pile up and LeBron wants out.

The Cavs forum out of control energy level just proves that we all know how perfect Carlos was for Cleveland, and for LeBron James. If the Cavs were going to match any offer next year for Carlos, they might as well match the offer this year, AND SAVE 32 MILLION DOLLARS in the process.

With the midlevel exception and trading
Snow for a few draft picks, the Cavs could afford to keep Boozer.

Boozer is LeBron's right hand man, LeBron has said it, we all know it.

Gund is a philanthropist too self absorbed to turn Carlos into his protoge. Instead of encouraging Carlos to learn to give back, Gund wanted to hogtie Carlos to a way below market value midlevel exception and then spend the savings on his own philanthropic activities.

Did you know that the Gunds donated $250 dollars to some Alaskian charity. $250 dollars. What a joke. Was that supposed to mean something to Carlos?

How about forking over the 11 million dollars a year to Carlos NOW, and nurturing and teaching Carlos to give some of that back to the Cleveland area.

Show this guy some love here in Cleveland, and Carlos will prove he's a top dog here in Cleveland. Gund needs to take Carlos under his wing and acknowledge that the young can give back just as well as he can.

Gund is a conflicted man who can't fathom Carlos's selfishness and can't see giving Carlos additional money that could be going to charities and other needy organizations.

What Gund fails to see is that Carlos has laid down the gauntlet, "I am worth this much" now pay me but don't play me like the best you can do is a mid level exception".

I say teach Carlos that with great money comes great responsibility, and teach Carlos that those responsibilities lie in Cleveland.

Gund has nurtured hate where love once flowed, just what kind of a "philanthropist" is Gund anyway?

[ July 23, 2004 06:48 PM: Message edited by: Alex ]

**Alex** · July 23rd, 2004, 09:53 PM

Rasheed Wallaced just re-signed with the Detroit Tigers for 57 million for 5 years. What's interesting about this figure is that it represents a fraction more than what Carlos Boozer will be making with Utah, (assuming we do the wrong thing and don't match Utah's offer sheet).

If Carlos had signed for the mid-level exception, isn't it possible that other players would have been lowballed to contracts near what Carlos was being paid simply because it looks like Carlos will be the one of the premiere power forwards in the league?

I find it very interesting that Rasheed's contract is just every so slightly more money a year than Carlos's. I'm sure that was a stipulation Rasheed's agent put into the contract, "do not pay a guy who was instrumental to the Pistons defeating the Lakers for the Championship less than what Carlos will be making annually.

**Alex** · July 23rd, 2004, 09:56 PM

Rasheed Wallace gets 57 million for 5 years, which equals 11.40 million a year.

Carlos gets 68 million a year for 6 years, = 11.33 million a year.

I am pretty certain that is not a coincidence.

Rasheed was making 17 million a year, so for Rasheed to barely make more than what Carlos will be getting proves that Carlos IS valued around the league, far more than what Gund had proposed.

**Alex** · August 6th, 2004, 01:23 PM

Richard Jeffersont was signed this year because next year he was a restricted free agent.

We let E W go for nothing. We couldn't have done a sign and trade with E will then add the mid level exception to afford Boozers contract, or at least get us close enough so that we could engineer another trade to be able to pay Boozer what he was worth?

Or should Boozer have signed for the mid level then play along side guys making double what he's making, for the next six years, starting with the All Star game.

The Cleveland Live Cavs forum is overrun by fantasy league neerdowells who not once, not once, came up with a way to keep Boozer with the minimum of roster moves. Not once was such a scenario proposed. Quite odd for a forum that thrives on fantasy BS.

Why is that? Because Boozer wanted to be paid similarly to what others of his calibur make?

What a pathetic forum that doesn't represent Cleveland fairly. Gund is from Boston, the Cleveland Live forum has Boston roots, it doesn't take a whiz to figure out why a few so dominate the Cleveland Live Cavs forum to turn the city of Cleveland against Boozer.

Gund will be selling this team within two years, I guarantee it. He may be blind but he's not deaf.

[ August 15, 2004 02:30 AM: Message edited by: Alex ]