The Rashard Lewis contract is frightening.

[shirkkan]

[QUOTE=Se

[Vendetta]

http://forums.floridatoday.com/viewtopic.php?t=41647

By John Denton
FLORIDA TODAY
ORLANDO _ Darko Milicic’s time with the Orlando Magic is apparently over.

``He’s moved on and we’ve moved on, too,’’ Magic general manager Otis Smith said Tuesday.

The Magic withdrew a $6.8 million qualifying offer from Milicic last week, making him an unrestricted free agent. The Magic had still hoped to retain the 22-year-old Serbian center, but those plans to a major detour when Marc Cornstein, Milicic’s agent, blasted the Magic for not courting his client harder.

Smith hasn’t talked to Cornstein and has instead left the negotiating to assistant general manager Dave Twardzik. He is in Las Vegas, scouting the summer league there, and has held several conversations with Cornstein.

The Magic pursued coveted free-agent forward Rashard Lewis on July 1 and reached an agreement with him last week on a maximum contract. Lewis, who turns 28 next month, will officially sign a five- or six-year deal with the Magic on Wednesday.

``We hope to sign a big free agent tomorrow and then that leaves Darko free and clear,’’ said Smith, who isn’t allowed to talk about Lewis until the league’s moratorium is lifted tonight at midnight.

To land Lewis, the Magic still have to clear cap room. One possible option would be renouncing Milicic, meaning the Magic give up all their rights to him.

The Magic have tried to execute a sign-and-trade deal with Milicic around the league, but no team has been willing to offer him a contract starting at more than the mid-level exception ($5.5 million). Milicic can get that deal without needing sign-and-trade assistance from the Magic.

``There just hasn’t been a deal come up that makes sense to us,’’ Smith said.

The exact worth of Lewis’ deal is still unknown because the NBA won't announce the new salary-cap figures until today. Lewis and the Magic agreed last week that he would receive a maximum contract, meaning he will be entitled to 30 percent of next year's salary cap.

If the cap is set at $56 million, as Magic officials expect, that would mean Lewis' starting salary would be $16.8 million. His yearly pay would rise all the way to $22.1 million by the 2011-2012 season when he will be 32 years old. If he signs with the Magic for five years, he's entitled to 8 percent annual raises and his contract would be worth $97.4 million.

If Orlando can execute a sign-and-trade with Seattle, it would be extremely beneficial to Lewis. That kind of deal would give Lewis 10.5 percent annual raises, meaning his contract would go from $16.8 million to $18.5 million to $20.3 million to $22 million to $23.8 million to $25.6 million. The six-year pact would be worth a staggering $127.2 million.

Magic franchise center Dwight Howard is expected to sign his five-year contract extension on Thursday. Howard will get at least $85 million, and the fifth year will be at Howard’s option. The exact amount of his contract won’t be decided until next July when the salary cap for the 2008-09 season is set.





So, let me get this straight. We're going to let Darko walk for nothing in return. We gave up a 1st rounder to see Brian Hill bench him for a year and a half? I can't begin to describe how incredibly shortsighted that is.

And that's just the half of it. So apparently we're going to try to give Lewis a $127 million contract? Yeah, that's genius.

Otis Smith, I thought you were a genius. Turns out you're a moron.

Magic OUT
Hill
Milicic

Magic IN
Rashard Lewis at $127 million

How the **** is that going to make us a better team? If we're a better team next year it'll be because of Stan Van Gundy, not because of roster changes. Roster wise, we just took a step in the WRONG ****ING DIRECTION.

Ok, so we were thin enough inside. Now we have nobody except Dwight. You've got to be ****ing kidding me. Rashard ****ing Lewis for $127 million? Eat **** and die *******. **** YOU!

I hope Otis Smith gets his foot run over by a bus.

[Y2Gezee]

Holy ****. 127million? For Rashard Lewis? Huh?

I thought he was getting 15mil a year, which is too much, but 21mil?

That's ridiculous on so many levels. Even if it doesn't happen, who would even think about giving him that?

[johndeeregreen]

Oh no. How will the Magic EVER replace a player like Milicic?

[GOBB]

Rashard Lewis contract

[Richie2k6]

Well he's officially in the Ugly Contracts group, next to Larry Hughes, Nene, etc.

[GOBB]

[DoubleTech]

beyond ridiculous... magic fans had better hope they're only signing shard to a 5 year pact... potentially paying 25 million for a single season of what lewis brings to the table is mind boggling.

[Vendetta]

GOBB, you need to stfu.

[HaNdLe ThE RoCk]

talk about over paid, damn lewis.

[Y2Gezee]

Well he's officially in the Ugly Contracts group, next to Larry Hughes, Nene, etc.

I wouldn't put Nene in a group with those guys at all. He signed an incentive laced 6 year 60 mil contract and he didn't even get the 10 mil last year, and in the first year of that contract I think he proved that he can be the player they want him to be.

[BFRESH44]

Max contract to a second option...

[Richie2k6]

I wouldn't put Nene in a group with those guys at all. He signed an incentive laced 6 year 60 mil contract and he didn't even get the 10 mil last year, and in the first year of that contract I think he proved that he can be the player they want him to be.

True. He's producing good numbers and is very young, though Hughes' is just hideous.

[Rameek]

Reminds me of the Knicks giving Houston that 100 mill... Another big contract for a non impact non franchise player... This is what makes the NBA so terrible.

They should have been honest with Darko's agent about the scheme and promised him the 6 mill contract if they really wanted him back. But apparantly he's just not that good or worth it....

[BFRESH44]

I thought the reported deal was 5 years in between 75-80 million dollars? Those figures into the article are ridiculous. And the sign and trade one is absurd...