Signed, Sealed and Delivered.
Darko Milicic and Gerald Wallace get (more) paid.
According to that giant network that Dan Patrick is finally leaving, Gerald Wallace and Darko Milicic just got richer.
In Wallace’s case, $57 million richer. The guy who couldn’t get off the Kings bench went to Charlotte in the expansion draft and proved himself to be one hell of a player—good enough to opt out of a deal that was set to pay him $6 million next season.
Good choice.
The 26-year-old wing, who became the first player in over a decade to average over 2 blocks and 2 steals per last season (along with 18 points and seven boards) signed a six-year $57 million deal to stay with the young ‘Cats—a bargain when compared to Rashard Lewis’s double-the-money max deal (is Rashard really twice as good as Gerald?).
Then there’s Darko. Heartlessly abandoned by the Orlando Magic as they went off in pursuit of the aforementioned Lewis ($126 million? Really?), Milicic was an unrestricted free agent for all of a week before the Grizzlies got him (apparently) for an unspecified amount. It’s allegedly only a three-year deal, meaning Darko will be able to go through all of this again in the summer of ‘10—when he’ll still be only 25. Hopefully by then some of the potential will have turned into something we like to call “statistics” or “results.” Regardless, someone will probably give him the max. (And Chad Ford will still be singing his praises.)
35 Responses to “Signed, Sealed and Delivered.”
Jul.11 at 11:20 pm
albie1kenobi says:
really? grizz? from the packing order of the west, there’s no way grizz can make the playoff, but i think they’ll do much better than last year. then again that’s not really saying much.
Jul.11 at 11:26 pm
Jeff says:
I have to echo the sentiments of the Sports Guy in his chat today on the follower. The Rashard Lewis deal right now looks like the worst max deal ever. He’s not top 5 at his position, he’s not gonna sell tickets, he’s not perennially an all star, and he has not proven to be a player who can lead his team to the playoffs (those playoff teams were led by Payton and later Allen) let alone a championship and he has not contributed to or led a team that has made it to the finals (for all those who may bring up Allan Houston). Hopefully for the sake of magic fans who have suffered from the curse of shaq he will prove me and others who are questioning this deal wrong. But until then this looks like a huge mistake that could have crippling effects on a franchise with lots of promise (aka Dwight). Then again its the east or should i say the least so who knows.
Jul.11 at 11:35 pm
Sesa says:
@Jeff.
I thought before they signed another good swingman, somebody must really tutor Dwight Howard to pass out of the double team.
Jul.11 at 11:36 pm
slim says:
Shard doesn’t need to sell tickets..just needs to do his job. Nelson Turk and Lewis are three shooters and then there’s Dwight…I find it hard for the 2 guards and shard to fit in well
Jul.11 at 11:39 pm
Sesa says:
on how to pass out of the double team that is, my bad.
The Magic had a great shooter in Turkoglu, Hill and J.J. Reddick and somehow they don’t get involved very much in a spot up situation.
Jul.11 at 11:45 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I probably should have written more about Rashard as well. Oops. The way I look at it is that he’s a 6-10 shooter who plays smaller than he actually is, he didn’t make 1st, 2nd, OR 3rd team All-NBA last season, and he’s turning 28 in August which means he’s already in his prime. $110 million is COMPLETELY INSANE.
Jul.11 at 11:49 pm
Max Airington says:
Has it really been a decade since a two block two steal guy? Was it Olajuwon or Robinson?
Jul.11 at 11:51 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
The best thing is, according to basketballreference.com (I love that site), he’s already made $48 million for his career despite only appearing in one All-Star game and 16 playoff games in nine seasons. I LOVE THIS GAME.
Jul.11 at 11:58 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
And Max, Hakeem did it five seasons out of six (!) in the late ’80s/early ’90s (and the one season he didn’t he averaged 1.9 and 3.4), but the Admiral did it later, averaging 2.3 steals and 4.5 blocks in ‘91-92. Still, there may have been someone to do it later (the ESPN story said 14 years, which implies the ‘92-93 season). Regardless, we’re talking pretty impressive numbers for a small forward.
Jul.12 at 12:32 am
Homie says:
Russ can you handle the glare?
Jul.12 at 12:50 am
Dan says:
I am slightly flabergasted. Although I detect a large degree of sarcasm in relation to how the Magic severed ties with Darko, I know there are people out there who truly feel as though Darko has recieved some sort of poor treatment. Do I need to reming those Darko supporters out there what poor treatment truly is? Poor treatment is being drafted 2nd overall in one of history’s most coveted drafts and contributing nothing but a horrible shade of hair dye. Poor treatment is then being given an opportunity to flourish in a system in desperate need of a complementary big man and never taking full advantage. Poor treatment is whinning when a team won’t give you $6 million-plus a season because you, frankly, don’t deserve it. And finally, poor treatment is me listening to people worldwide b!tch and moan because Orlando “didn’t give Darko a chance”!
Jul.12 at 1:29 am
Boing Dynasty says:
Dan, you care about this waaaay to much.
Jul.12 at 1:32 am
Boing Dynasty says:
Im will now para-phrase a quote from the magazine in NOYZ from about 5 years ago: Rashard Lewis got paid, but Gerald Wallce got the game.(was Des Mason, i think)
Jul.12 at 1:53 am
Dennard says:
Hakeem had 2 seasons with 200(+) blks/stls as well. What the hell is Orlando doing? Rashard Lewis is decent, but Kevin Garnett money? Unbelievable. Look for another decade of mediocrity Magic fans.
Jul.12 at 3:01 am
Drolfe says:
Rashard is still getting paid on the strength of that 50 point game he had at the beginning of the season somewhere in Asia a couple of years ago.
Jul.12 at 4:07 am
Chukaz says:
when the hell is the font gonna be fixed? It’s getting really annoning, like Darko Milibitch. Anyway, I expect that guy to be out of the league by the time he is a free agent again. They won’t give a f*ck about his potential when he is 25, like with Kwame or Darius Miles.
Jul.12 at 4:47 am
Eoin says:
Hey Dennard, looking at it right now, did Kevin Garnett deserve Kevin Garnett money?I mean really, one MVP, one West Finals, the last three years out of the playoffs…And don’t give me the “He had no help” routine cos his team hasn’t been much worse than Kobe’s, and Kobe’s made it the last two years.The fact is,Garnett hasn’t justified his contract, even if his front office has been bad - and it has - but your options are always limited when you’re carrying such a ridiculously huge contract.
Now, Rashard - no, he doesn’t deserve so much money, but Lewis-Howard is a VERY solid one two punch in the East (provided, as mentioned above, the Dwight learns to pass…or shoot…or anything except dunk…).I think there’s a lot of promise there.
Jul.12 at 5:14 am
FLUXLAND says:
Is it $126 or $110 million? Either way, they just got 195 games (2.3 seasons) and 4 playoff games form Grant Hills 7 year $93 million deal. And they signed him knowing he had a bum ankle. Rashards deal doesn’t seem so INSANE now.
Jul.12 at 8:48 am
Cheryl says:
The DeVoses must have mucho dinero to throw away. They have a history of these kinds of deals. What I find strange is the fact that they can’t even get a decent arena built for the team. They want the Orlando tax payers to do it. What’s wrong with that picture?
Jul.12 at 9:40 am
Alex says:
I like how the Grizzlies look this year. I think Milicic will get enough space and opportunity to show the game he is showing in his National team. He will give more space to Gasol on attack. I really like this team up. The way the teams are at the moment grizzlies are in the playoffs.
For Orlando I fear they will not make the playoffs. Celtics are way stronger this year and New York also looks better than last year. Instead of trying to get G Wallace and finding a decent passing PG with keeping Milicic. Now they have 2 stars with no PG and no backup big men.
Jul.12 at 10:08 am
Jas says:
The Grizz are a playoff squad. Startig line-up: Milicic, Gasol, Gay, Miller and Lowry. That’s a lot of talent. They have a pretty solid bench too.
Jul.12 at 10:52 am
Gilbert0 says:
Memphis is not a playoff squad. In the east, definitely.
Jul.12 at 10:55 am
DLinkWit says:
Welcome back, Gerald! Thanks for staying.
Jul.12 at 11:15 am
Detroit11 says:
Yeah, Russ, I agree. The Rashard deal is comepletely insane. He is a one trick pony and no where near worth the money he will be making.
Jul.12 at 11:56 am
nothin _personal says:
The Iavaroni Grizzlies might just surprise you. Besides, they can’t go wrong, if they suck this year, they’ll have OJ Mayo fall in their lap in the late lottery, and THEN watch out!
P.S. Darco Milibleach?
Jul.12 at 12:19 pm
Dennard says:
@Eoin - All I am saying is Rashard Lewis isn’t a max player. Am I wrong? I think not, at the most they will win 8 or 9 more games than they did last year and they will not make it past the first round. Besides the Magic franchise has been cursed ever since that let Shaq go, and the curse will continue.
Jul.12 at 12:26 pm
jon says:
‘darko milibitch’ is really good. the name, not the player of course. but i’m upset. the original figures that i wrote in this site’s initial report on lewis were for 75 to 85 million, which still is way too much. but 100 mil plus? i’m takin wallace for half that much any day of the week. good read russ
Jul.12 at 12:26 pm
albie1kenobi says:
Does KG deserve Kevin Garnett money? yes. i don’t think you can argue his contribution on the court. should KG get Kevin Garnett money? no. because he killed the cap space for wolves and basically drove stephon out of town (don’t tell me money has nothing to do with marbury wanted out). and for those who says look what kobe did with his supporting cast as oppose to what KG couldn’t do with similar scrubporting cast, i have two words for you: phil jackson. don’t underestimate what coaching can do in this league. and as incompetent as kupchuk (sp?) is as a GM, i have another two words for you regarding to mchale: joe smith. that effing fiasco set the franchise back 5 years or so, losing a bunch of first round picks.
rashad reminds me of that juwan howard deal back in the days, a complete panic move.
oh and Admiral’s 2.3 steals and 4.5 blocks seems ridiculous absurd (i miss the good old days when nicknames are not simply initials). is it possible to do that in today’s NBA?
Jul.12 at 1:52 pm
Steve O says:
All this talk about huge oversized contracts had me look at the highest paid players for the upcoming season. Now I know Rashard might not be worth 126 million but can anyone explain how Michael Finley will be making 21 million plus next season?????
Jul.12 at 2:17 pm
Dennard says:
Steve O, two words - Mark Cuban.
Jul.12 at 2:22 pm
Ronald says:
He’s only getting 21 mill due to the Allen Houston rule. In addition it doesn’t cut into the Spurs cap. So, if I’m right, your point is moot.
Jul.12 at 2:31 pm
dpak says:
20ppg = 20mill
Jul.12 at 2:36 pm
Steve O says:
3 mil counts against the Spurs and the remaining 18 mil against the Mavs. My point is who in their right mind would spend that much on Finley? and only 21 mil? I would take only 21 mill any day of the week.
Jul.12 at 7:04 pm
nothin _personal says:
hmmm… If you see it this way (http://mikebarrettsblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/francis-gone-ny-trade-finalized.html), that deal doesn’t look so bad for Portland.
Jul.13 at 11:07 am
Silky Slim says:
Gerald Wallace is the most underrated player in the NBA. Only franchise players should be making that much money. Is Rashard Lewis using the same agent that Allan Houston used to get $100 mil from the Knicks? Rashard is too injury prone. He’s going to miss at least 15 games this season due to various injuries.