Ray and Shaq reach out to Rip Hamilton

[arctic 3.0]

maybe someone has already answered this but wouldn't Detroit look to trade him for an expiring or youth before the deadline? maybe if that fails they contemplate on a buyout.

[Chris]

Everyone assuming that Rip is willing to give up 5-10 million dollars to get bought out. That's a ton of money!

Especially given that they're trying to get the team sold, I don't think it can happen until new ownership is in place.

It all comes down to if he wants to play or not. If he does, he would give up some money to play. If he doesn't then he would sit on the bench and collect a lot more money.

Personally if it were me in the Rip situation, I would take the paycut and find somewhere else to play, especially if I have been in the league as long as Rip and had made plenty of money as long as I saved up.

Roughly 5% of your career basketball earnings is a lot to give up. Plus as 'Toine has shown us, we can't assume he's financially secure.

I'm not saying he should or will. I'm just saying what I would do. And I obviously wouldn't manage my money like Mr. Walker.

I would hope that Antoine is the exception not the rule when talking about how professionals handle their earnings.

Here's the thing though...it's in their best interest to trade him.  They want to trade him, and eventually they will trade him.  So why should he give up that money now?

Only way you trade him is as a throw-in to a Melo type deal. There has to be a team getting something considerable to want to take on that contract.

With that Nets deal dead, there aren't a whole lot of teams willing to tie up 25mil over the next two years for a past his prime SG.

Teams traded for Zach Randolph.  A team traded for Corey Maggette.  A team traded for Steven Jackson.  A team traded for Andres Nocioni.  Antawn Jamison brought in a first round pick in a trade.  The Celtics traded Wally Szerbiak to get Ray Allen.  James Posey was traded.  Even Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu, both of whom have worst contracts, and were looking more cooked (or insane) than Rip found a new home.

We all love to talk about untradable contracts, but something we have seen over the last few years is that they really don't exist.  Sometimes you need to send a little enticement (although not nearly as much as we always seem to expect), but particularly when players can still be productive (and Rip can), they can find a taker.  

[Boris Badenov]

I don't see how a buyout can be achieved.

Beyond this season, Rip is owed $12.5 mil next year, and has an ETO for the following year for the same amount.

He may hate what's going on in Detroit, but would he really give up $10-$20 million to play somewhere else, given the uncertainties surrounding the next CBA?

Yeah, this is the big thing - I've never heard of a multi-year buyout at this scale. 

But if the only options are to take a buyout or sit on the bench and age...Rip loves the game and seems like the sort to have saved up a bit. 

Philadelphia bought out Chris Webber when he had two years and $43 million left on his contract. Or 18 months and $30 million. Something like that.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=76erswebber

That's the biggest buyout that I can remember.

To be precise, Webber had 1.5 years, 32 million dollars and zero game left.

[Vermont Green]

I think the issue in Detroit may be a major disconnect between the coach and management.  Right now, just between Hamilton, Gordon, and Maxiel, Detroit has about $26M coming off the bench or not playing.  That is around half of your cap.  It seems obvious at least to this outsider that the team is poorly constructed but why take that out on Rip?

I would take Rip in a second if he were available as a buy out.  I would not worry one bit about his attitude even if he came off the bench.  I don't see a conventional trade that could possibly work though.

Is it possible if he got a BO that a team under the cap could sign/trade him for say $5M and then we trade Nate for him?  If legal, I would be willing to do something like this as well.

[pearljammer10]

I think the issue in Detroit may be a major disconnect between the coach and management.  Right now, just between Hamilton, Gordon, and Maxiel, Detroit has about $26M coming off the bench or not playing.  That is around half of your cap.  It seems obvious at least to this outsider that the team is poorly constructed but why take that out on Rip?

I would take Rip in a second if he were available as a buy out.  I would not worry one bit about his attitude even if he came off the bench.  I don't see a conventional trade that could possibly work though.

Is it possible if he got a BO that a team under the cap could sign/trade him for say $5M and then we trade Nate for him?  If legal, I would be willing to do something like this as well.

I could be mistaken but isnt Gordon a starter now? Especially with RIP nailed to the bench? I could be mistaken but I though i had read that somewhere...

I get what your saying though. Thats a lot of money to just be sitting around... I dont understand what the coach of the Pistons is thinking. Gordon has only started 13 games for them, yeah he's a great 6th man...On a GOOD team, but on a team like the Pistons how do you not start him. In my eyes he's the teams best player.

You can also add Villanueva to that coming off the bench stat, he makes 7 mil and i feel like he should be a starter as well. If I was the coach of the Pistons, my roster would look like this...

Stuckey(25min)/ Gordon(23min)
Hamilton(32min)/(Mcgrady(15min)
Prince(35min)/Daye(13)
Villanueva(35min)/Wilcox(13)
Wallace(23min)/Wilcox(7)/Monroe(18)


I feel like this lineup, on paper anyway....Should at least be second in the awful Central Division to the Bulls.

[moiso]

I don't think so. He is still a very good player and should be playing and wants to play starters minutes (30+ minutes a night).

I think Dallas and Chicago would be the two frontrunners for his signature should get bought out. Both can offer Rip a starting position and major minutes + would be legitimate contenders with Rip on board.

I suppose on a better team, Hamilton would be more efficient, but he is a scorer who has shot 41% from the field over the last two years.  And that's his main skill.  I agree that Dallas and Chicago would be good homes for him.  Someone like Hamilton needs to play with a better playmaker than Stuckey/McGrady.

[Fafnir]

I think the issue in Detroit may be a major disconnect between the coach and management.  Right now, just between Hamilton, Gordon, and Maxiel, Detroit has about $26M coming off the bench or not playing.  That is around half of your cap.  It seems obvious at least to this outsider that the team is poorly constructed but why take that out on Rip?

I would take Rip in a second if he were available as a buy out.  I would not worry one bit about his attitude even if he came off the bench.  I don't see a conventional trade that could possibly work though.

Is it possible if he got a BO that a team under the cap could sign/trade him for say $5M and then we trade Nate for him?  If legal, I would be willing to do something like this as well.

I could be mistaken but isnt Gordon a starter now? Especially with RIP nailed to the bench? I could be mistaken but I though i had read that somewhere...

Nope they are starting T-Mac at PG, Stuckey at SG, and Prince at SF.....

[Lucky17]

I think the Pistons are giving up on Stuckey as the team's PG. This is a big part of why McGrady has been starting: he's the team's best option, perhaps only option, at PG right now.

Bynum is absolutely fearless, and a great athlete for his size, but he does not do a good job of distributing. He just pounds the rock until he can drive the lane.

Pistons have an imbalanced roster, too guard-heavy. Frankly, I don't know why McGrady is still with the team. Dumars should sell high on him while his value is up. A contender could use him.

[Who]

Frankly, I don't know why McGrady is still with the team. Dumars should sell high on him while his value is up. A contender could use him.

You think they'd be willing to give up anything valuable for McGrady?

I think he's probably only worth a second round pick ... or possibly two second round picks since contenders pick so late in the draft.

[Fafnir]

I think the Pistons are giving up on Stuckey as the team's PG. This is a big part of why McGrady has been starting: he's the team's best option, perhaps only option, at PG right now.

Bynum is absolutely fearless, and a great athlete for his size, but he does not do a good job of distributing. He just pounds the rock until he can drive the lane.

Pistons have an imbalanced roster, too guard-heavy. Frankly, I don't know why McGrady is still with the team. Dumars should sell high on him while his value is up. A contender could use him.

McGrady might prefer to play minutes and rack up stats for a contract. Either way I don't think he's worth it for a contender, he needs the ball so much to be effective and most contending teams have much better options for that.

[Lucky17]

Frankly, I don't know why McGrady is still with the team. Dumars should sell high on him while his value is up. A contender could use him.

You think they'd be willing to give up anything valuable for McGrady?

I think he's probably only worth a second round pick ... or possibly two second round picks since contenders pick so late in the draft.

Yes, I'd definitely trade him for a high 2nd, or multiple 2nds.

He's a FA next year. Are they really going to bring him back? Is he really going to want to resign with Detroit? Get something for him while you can.

EDIT: Trade him to Chicago for the Suns 2011 2nd rounder. Done.

[KobeShesNotConsenting!]

This is GREAT. Looks like LA's finally gonna have to earn their way ot the finals against Spurs home court. Spurs got this locked

[Fafnir]

Frankly, I don't know why McGrady is still with the team. Dumars should sell high on him while his value is up. A contender could use him.

You think they'd be willing to give up anything valuable for McGrady?

I think he's probably only worth a second round pick ... or possibly two second round picks since contenders pick so late in the draft.

Yes, I'd definitely trade him for a high 2nd, or multiple 2nds.

He's a FA next year. Are they really going to bring him back? Is he really going to want to resign with Detroit? Get something for him while you can.

EDIT: Trade him to Chicago for the Suns 2011 2nd rounder. Done.

Chicago already passed on him once due to his poor attitude, plus unless he's on the court without Rose he won't touch the ball.