Lee Nailon status

[CeltsSteve@xxxxxxx]

NEWSLINES
Sports agent Larry Fox's resolve has been tested this summer. 

For months, Fox has been shopping the services of his client, Lee Nailon, a restricted free-agent forward for the New Orleans Hornets. 

"We've had good conversations with a lot of teams, but very few are adding players on their roster," Fox said. "It's been like a hurdle race, and the eight-foot wall we've been trying to clear is the uncertainty of the luxury tax," Fox said. "Some general managers have received mandates from owners not to spend. I could have one of the best players in the NBA, and it would still be difficult to get an offer." 

Though the Hornets are above the cap, an exception in the league rules allows them to sign free agents. But they can't exceed $4.5 million on them, and those players must be signed by Oct. 1. "You can't hurry those things," said Bob Bass, the Hornets executive vice president of basketball operations. "If you hurry, you are going to pay too much. You've just got to hang in there and keep negotiating and see what's going on in the league." 

Another factor slowing the movement of restricted free agents is that the player's previous team has 15 days to match his new offer. "You have to believe your offer will succeed, and there is no reason to take a shot if you don't," Walsh said. 

Fox has not ruled out Nailon's possible return to the Hornets. But with Mashburn returning healthy and the team's acquisition of Courtney Alexander, Fox is unsure that the Hornets can provide the playing time that Nailon wants. "We're looking for the best playing situation for Lee," Fox said. READ MORE > > >


Still No Love for Lee Nailon
The New Orleans Hornets were not going to let reserve forward Lee Nailon explore free agency without making an attempt to keep him. 

Bob Bass, the Hornets' executive vice president of basketball operations tendered a qualifying offer of $789,813 to Nailon nearly 2 months ago. Under league rules the Hornets can offer Nailon a 125 percent raise from last year's salary or give him the league's minimum annual salary, plus $150,000.

Nailon is a  restricted free agent who made the league minimum $540,000 as a second-year player last season. The Hornets can match any offer Nailon gets as long as it doesn't put them above the salary cap. 

Nailon is a 6'8 forward that played in 79 games for the Hornets last season and averaged 10.8 points on 48.3% shooting with 74.7% from the free throw line. He also added averages of 3.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and .75 steals in 24.2 minutes a game last season.

Nailon was selected by Charlotte in the second round with the 43rd pick overall of the 1999 NBA Draft on 6/30/99. He played in Italy in 1999-2000 for Adecco Milano in the Italian A-I league where he played in 18 games (all starts) and averaged a team-leading 18.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 32.4 minutes per game while shooting 54% from the field. He was signed late that year. He was re-signed by the Hornets on 9/28/01.

"I think he'll love to stay here, but he's got to look out for his family and his career," Hornets coach Paul Silas said. "The dollars that he's going to get, who knows what that's going to be."