Ray and Shaq reach out to Rip Hamilton

[rondohondo]

Hamilton said in recent weeks Shaquille O'Neal and Ray Allen of Boston, Rudy Gay of Memphis and the Suns' Vince Carter on Saturday night have given him words of support.

http://www.freep.com/article/20110124/SPORTS03/101240346/Pistons--Richard-Hamilton-offended-by-the-way-coach-John-Kuester-reached-%20out

and this was in Marc Stein's power rankings today

A second straight road L -- at lowly Washington even with KG back -- generated not-so-surprising rumbles that the C's still dream of luring Sheed out of retirement ... then swiping Rip Hamilton from Detroit via buyout.

http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings/_/season/2011/week/13

Saw this on the realgm message boards . Would Hamilton really be willing to get bought out to come join the C's? I think its highly doubtful, but Rip was mentioned in the boston globe article yesterday so makes you wonder if it is a real possibility...

[Who]

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.

[rondohondo]

and this was in Marc Stein's power rankings today

A second straight road L -- at lowly Washington even with KG back -- generated not-so-surprising rumbles that the C's still dream of luring Sheed out of retirement ... then swiping Rip Hamilton from Detroit via buyout.

http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings/_/season/2011/week/13

[Lucky17]

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?

[fairweatherfan]

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. 

[Greenbean]

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.

Chicago getting him would be scary.

[Who]

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.

------------------------------------------------

I don't think Rip Hamilton gets bought out. I don't think the Pistons will green light any expenditure of that magnitude while trying to sell the team.

Too much dead weight.

[Sizzlack]

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.

------------------------------------------------

I don't think Rip Hamilton gets bought out. I don't think the Pistons will green light any expenditure of that magnitude while trying to sell the team.

Too much dead weight.

Their going to have to pay him either way, whether they do it now, or in the future, does it really matter?

And if they can get Rip to agree to a smaller % buyout, say half the total value of the contract, wouldn't you jump at a chance to save the team the kind of money over the length of it?

Granted they will obviously try to trade him if they can, but if (when) no team will bite, what would be better; pay the guy a 20million buyout and move on, or pay him 45 million over the next 3 years to sit on your bench?

[Sizzlack]

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. 

If he's bought out, he's still going to walk away from the contract pocketing 15-20 million... he's not exactly going to be living on the streets if he then went an signed a contract to play out the year on a prorated veteran minimum.

Pocket 20 million and have a chance to go play for a contender for the rest of the year? Yep, no brainer.

[BballTim]

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.

------------------------------------------------

I don't think Rip Hamilton gets bought out. I don't think the Pistons will green light any expenditure of that magnitude while trying to sell the team.

Too much dead weight.

  Finley, although a special case, was over $50M, wasn't he?

[indeedproceed]

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. 

If he's bought out, he's still going to walk away from the contract pocketing 15-20 million... he's not exactly going to be living on the streets if he then went an signed a contract to play out the year on a prorated veteran minimum.

Pocket 20 million and have a chance to go play for a contender for the rest of the year? Yep, no brainer.

Rip Hamilton is owed roughly 38 million over the next 3 seasons.

Teams have inquired about him recently, and will inquire about him again.

If the Pistons allow a buyout, they'll be paying him atleast 30 million of that 38, so best option is that they save 8 million out of a possible 38.

If the Pistons allow Rip to walk though, I believe they forfeit any rights to him as a tradeable asset.

That means even when the contract is expiring, they won't be able to trade him. They're just stuck with his 12.5million cap figure for the next 3 years.

On top of that, teams have inquired as recently as 3 weeks ago about Rip's availability. They'll inquire again. Rip Hamilton is and will remain a desired trade asset. If the Pistons let him walk, not only will they still pay more of his salary, they will see absolutely zero return on that.

Beyond ice cream cones and puppy-dog dreams, what is in it for Detroit if they buy him out?

[Fafnir]

The only reason for Detroit to buy out Hamilton is if he takes a massive haircut on his owed salary. I don't see that happening.

[indeedproceed]

The only reason for Detroit to buy out Hamilton is if he takes a massive haircut on his owed salary. I don't see that happening.

I mean, you're talking upwards of 10 million or so, maybe more. There is no incentive for Detroit to waive Rip from a financial point, and there is little incentive for Rip to walk away from the 38 million he's still owed.

[rondohondo]

• Speaking of Hamilton, who hasn't played for the Pistons since Jan. 10 while the trade talks swirled, a buyout might be his best chance of getting out of Detroit. As of Wednesday night, when Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov backed out of the Anthony trade, Pistons president Joe Dumars had not yet engaged other potential suitors for Hamilton. Heading into what some executives are beginning to fear will be a hard-cap system, few -- if any -- teams will be willing to take on $21.5 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons for a player who will turn 33 next month. The problem for Dumars is that a buyout will have to be an ownership decision, and the Pistons are in the midst of an ownership change. Going from saving $17 million in the deal that would've sent Hamilton to New Jersey to eating close to that amount in a buyout will be tough for any prospective owner to swallow.

• While we're on the Pistons: Of all the teams struggling and/or underachieving at roughly the halfway point of the season, industry sources say Detroit is the most likely to make an in-season coaching change. John Kuester clearly is at odds with Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, the holdovers from the Pistons' glory years, and there's an experienced former head coach, Brian Hill, on the bench. Detroit wouldn't make a move solely for this reason, but a coaching change might be a way to work Hamilton back into the rotation if the Pistons can't trade him or negotiate a buyout. But as with Hamilton's buyout, "Nothing happens until a new owner is in place," a source said.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/14584064/postups-nene-impatient-with-nuggets-focus-on-melo

Here's another article about a possible Rip buyout . The more I think about it , it does make some sense. If Detroit can't find a trade partner, it would be pretty pointless to hang onto rip.

and with the new CBA possibly having a hard cap, there is no way a team is going to take on that salary. So their options are to either buy him out and save about 8 mil or have him rot on the bench and save no money

[GreenEnvy]

We'd have to dump someone (Luke or Von) or make a trade. The best assets we have besides the obvious are Nate and BBD. Both offer good production for their salary and are expiring contracts.

If we move both for a solid player, and sign Rip (doubtful), we might as well go all out and bring 'Sheed back (seemingly more likely).

The only reason for Detroit to buy out Hamilton is if he takes a massive haircut on his owed salary. I don't see that happening.

Even if they save $5-10 million (that he WILL get back with a new team in the next 3 season), it's worth it for Detroit. He won't single-handedly win them extra games (enough to make the playoffs) and he doesn't sell seats.