Travis

["hironaka@xxxxxxxxx"<hironaka@xxxxxxxxx>]

FWIW, Travis Best earned 3.5 million last year, and has 
banked 13 million off his now expired 4-year deal 
(source: Patricia Bender's site). So I'd suppose he's 
fairly comfortable financially...probably half the year, 
these guys are way too busy to be emptying their bank 
accounts (and he made around 300 large per month before 
taxes).

In terms of playing time, he was doing fine at Chicago, 
averaging over 26 minutes per game. He ended last season 
on a fairly high note, averaging 10ppg and 5.3 assists 
with .507 shooting in the final month (nine games 
played). 

Last season, he ranked in the NBA top ten in assist-
turnover ratio (3.27) and steal-turnover ratio. Whatever. 
Seeing these elite stats caught me by surprise frankly. 
The Bulls obviously seem to think he's got nothing to 
teach Jay Williams. At this age, I wonder if we are just 
getting another 5-10 Dana Barros type guy (although his 
stats defy such a characterization).

If it comes down to Chris Wallace versus "El Greasy One" 
in Miami, the first thing I'd note is that both teams can 
pitch starter minutes to Best. Basically, Pat Riley's 
point guard pretenders are Anthony Carter (.342FG% and 
just 1-19 on threes last year) and Eddie "Brick" House 
(1.9 assists, 1.25 turnovers). Carter is set to make over 
7.5 million over the next two years. How the heck did 
that happen? He must have weeped tears of joy, like in 
the Jerry Maguire movie.

A veteran's minimum offer from Miami would put that team 
a shade over 54 million, with just 11 players under 
contract if they elect to retain Ernest Brown. The Heat 
will only have a projected 30 million payroll next summer 
with 'Zo off the books.

But Boston won't have the easiest time offering a multi-
year either (not that Best would have reason to sign one 
at the vet minimum). Signing Best would put Boston's 
payroll at 52.6 this year, but closer to 54 million next 
summer: with just 8 roster spots filled. Hopefully that 
will be the year that Gaston sells, but I doubt it.

I'm actually still fuming over the Bulpett interview with 
Pond Scum this weekend. Bul-puppet wrote that 
Pond's "logic was fairly solid" after Pond, permit me to 
cut&paste, said the following:

(quote) "Using raw numbers and some estimates, let's say 
our profit could be $10-15 million if we stay out of the 
luxury tax this year. I'm not sure we could have gotten 
Rodney for what New Jersey did (a deal starting at some 
$2.7 million), so let's say we had to give him the full 
exception of around $4.5 million. Now, if we're over the 
tax threshold, you double that to $9 million. 
``Then by going into the luxury tax area, you're voiding 
your chance to get any of the tax money back. From the 
numbers being talked about, that could be around $5 
million, so that takes you to a cost of $14 million for 
Rodney Rogers. We'd also lose our portion of the escrow 
money that comes from the players, so there's another $2 
million. That means our decision to go the way we did 
with Rodney could have been a $16-million decision for 
the team.'' 

----

Even using these same "raw numbers", if Rogers had signed 
for the 2.7 million amount with the Celtics (something he 
told the paper he would happily have done as I hope you 
recall), Gaston stood to pocket millions in profit after 
all wages and expenses using the same formula. And 
considering that the Boston Celtics also further reduced 
payroll by one million in the Baker trade, Rogers total 
salary plus cap hit figures to have been no more than 3.3 
million: not the 9 million Pond Facial Cream Boy is 
claiming to Bulpuppet.

BTW, that's IF there was a luxury cap imposed on Boston's 
53.8 payroll including Rogers' 2.7 million. 

What burns my butt more than anything is this spin that 
the Baker trade made Rogers superfluous: since they play 
the same center position and Baker is even better. 

The 6-7 Rogers was a 3 and 4 player his entire, 
successful pro career. He never complained about being 
forced to guard centers at that height, and did his job 
well. But that doesn't mean he's a damn center in this 
league. He was our elite sixth man, on what was then a 
thin bench and is all the more so now.

Joe H.

p.s. I haven't caught up to reading this week's posts so 
I apologize if I'm repeating anything. I'm glad to see 
Tammo and Lance posting to this list(assuming they get 
along)  as well as JB's excellent Yahoo! list.





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