Thursday, July 17, 2008

Azubuike signs with Clippers + Lakers have extra day to match for Turiaf



In the midst of the hours until whether we know Turiaf will remain in LA or come accross state to the Bay Area some bad signs comes in the form of Azubuike signing an offer sheet with the Los Angeles Clippers .Financial terms of the offer were not yet known. Let's hope it's not too much for Mully and Co. to match. Per ESPN

The Warriors will have seven days to match the offer when the deal is completed, but the Clippers would appear to have a good chance of emerging from that wait with Azubuike. Azubuike is still developing after just two seasons in the league but has shown flashes of the ability to score from the wing that the Clippers need after Maggette signed a five-year deal worth an estimated $50 million with Golden State last week


Dissapointing news really especially when the article goes on to state Marco, Maggette Monta, and Jackson are ahead of Azubuike in the rotation but thats plain deciving. Monta no less will be at the Point, Jackson and Maggette will be a Shooting Guard and Small Forward combo. Kelenna still figures to be that first wing off the bench especially now that Marco is still in Nelsons doghouse

If the figure is actually $3mil per I’d say match and keep him here. He is the only guy in that group who has consistently shot the 3 well in the NBA. Because Azubuike is restricted, the Warriors will have seven days to match. According to a team source, the team had yet to receive the signed offer sheet. Plus I'd rather have him at $3million then Magette at $10 million!

Some other bad news is apparently the Lakers have an extra day to decide whether it's worth matching for Turiaf or let him go. The Front Office and fans seemed to think it was suppossed to end today especially considering Warriors put the paperwork in for the Turiaf offer sheet last Thursday, and most of us, I believe including the Warriors’ front-office, believed that the Lakers’ one-week decision window would end today.

If the Lakers are going after Artest heavily or Kurt Thomas I say they don't match. Judging by the fact that they already pay 5 million+ in luxury tax. It doesn’t make sense for them to pay roughly 17 mill in tax over the next 4 year for a player who plays a position that they are stocked in see Andrew Bynum and Chris Mihm. Should Bynum and Mihm stay healthy and Odom isn't traded there probably isn't any need to hang on to Turiaf.

But say Artest is added. That would mean Luke Walton and his horrible contract would be abolished, Odom would be out of there and then the Lakers would then find a way to keep Sasha and Ronny Turiaf and pick up some expandable contracts. Although that scenario is unlilkely considering the bad news we've had recently combined with a potential high rather then low lottery pick things aren't looking up much for your 08-09 Warriors

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