garnett

[MBerry@mail.journalink.com (MBerry)]

          Everyone bashing Garnett is missing the point. He was
          involved in negotiations. He didn't accept the team's first
          offer -- albeit a huge offer. That isn't being greedy, it's
          being shrewd. When a person enters into negotiations, he
          does so with the assumption that the first offer he receives
          is not going to be the best offer -- and that his first
          counteroffer is not going to be his final counteroffer. So
          Garnett turned down $102 mill and said he wants $132 mill.
          The truth is, he is negotiating for something in between.
          It's called good business. Remember, he will get paid what
          the market demands -- but he doesn't control that market. If
          a team is willing to pay $132 mill for Garnett, why should
          he sell himself short.

          If you have a problem with that, then you should fault the
          NBA and players association for the system that allows
          players to become free agents after three seasons. Remember,
          this system was instituted to control rookie salaries, which
          everyone agreed at the time were getting out of hand. Well,
          in return, the league agreed to allow all rookies to sign
          slotted contracts, but only for three years. So now all
          rookies can become free agents after three years. Garnett
          and the rest of his class (Joe Smith, Antonio McDyess, Damon
          Stoudamire) are just the first to take advantage of it.

          And in Garnett's case, the owner was out of line for making
          the negotiaitons public. He would have cried foul if the
          player or agent did that. All he has done is alienate his
          best player and possibly turn the fans against the
          franchise's most popular player. That was an inexcusable
          mistake. Negotiations should be kept private until an
          agreement is reached.

          Is Garnett worth $132 million? No. Will he get it, or
          something close, either from Minnesota or someone else
          (Phoenix or Chicago)? Absolutely.

          Mark