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Reading the latest Simmons column on ESPN.com

Bill Simmons wrote:205. Rasho Nesterovic
Check out Rasho's improbable contract run down the stretch. Eighteen points and eight rebounds a game in April???? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Should he hire Jerome James' old agent right now or wait until the playoffs? What a shame Isiah won't be around to shell out the obligatory $30 million free-agent offer. You know he's looking at Rasho's box scores and getting the shakes. It's unfair. It really is.

and of course, Feschuck

Feschuck wrote:The less heart-warming explanation? Nesterovic earns his $7.8 million salary in U.S. dollars. The buck is slumping horribly against the euro, the currency in which Nesterovic pays his off-season bills. Perhaps intent on earning another contract past his current deal, which expires next season, he is rebounding like a champ to stick around until the greenback does likewise.

What the hell! Why are they questioning Rasho's effort?

All I've wanted all year is more Rasho, he's always been this good. We just never made use of him before. When he was in there, he's always given us the same thing.

He was amazing playing for Slovenia last summer.

Chuck and Leo are always acting like they are surprised when he puts up good numbers. Well, I knew and I'm sure the majority of the board knew that, given the chance, Rasho would produce.

I want to support Sam and I think that continuity in coaching and management is important, but how the hell did he miss out on the fact that Rasho is, by far, our second best big?

I don't really think he did. I think to a degree he was given a mandate to develop the rookie/future in Bargs, and so had to rely on him. Plus, Rasho wasn't playing at this level earlier in the year. He was pretty consistent on the glass, but he didn't get any scoring touches really.

[quote="Razzputin"][/quote]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with them. Even Smitch said he had never seen Rasho play this well - and they played together in Minnesota!

It's an accepted fact that players tend to play well close to contract extension time. Jerome James and Erick Dampier are others that come to mind.

Regarding why Smitch didn't play him earlier, could that have been because he was following JC's script and trying to force Andrea to be a Center?

Jason Michaels wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
Regarding why Smitch didn't play him earlier, could that have been because he was following JC's script and trying to force Andrea to be a Center?

Calderon is writing the script? That sneaky bastard!

Jason Michaels wrote:It's an accepted fact that players tend to play well close to contract extension time. Jerome James and Erick Dampier are others that come to mind.

Those had a good run at end of contract. They were pretty uch nothing before that. Rasho is a good center, and is getting more minutes no. Why are people surprised he's playing well?

Rasho's a pro. He's also not going to be opting out of 8 million dollars.

Well, if BC was pulling the strings on this one, he really messed up.

Jason Michaels wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


Unfortunately, I have to agree with them. Even Smitch said he had never seen Rasho play this well - and they played together in Minnesota!

It's an accepted fact that players tend to play well close to contract extension time. Jerome James and Erick Dampier are others that come to mind.

Regarding why Smitch didn't play him earlier, could that have been because he was following JC's script and trying to force Andrea to be a Center?

I know that happens with some players, I just don't think that Rasho not producing the same way had anything to do with a lack of effort.

Also, um, this isn't a contract year for Rasho. He has a player option for $8.4 million next year.

It's simple, really. In his 10 years in the NBA, Rasho never broke the 10 FGA barrier. Also, he has always been a poor FT shooter.

What is happening now is that all of a sudden, Mitchell recognized that Rasho can actually shoot the mid-range with consistency and is crafty enough around the basket, so he's running plays for him in the low post and the high post, and Rasho has been getting 12.1 FGA since March 1st. Plus, he's making his free throws at a pretyt good clip (80%).

Since March 1st (24 games), he's averaging 15/7/1/1 and 0.574 shooting.

Fairview4Life wrote:Rasho's a pro. He's also not going to be opting out of 8 million dollars.

I wouldn't be so sure on that especially if he has a solid playoff run against Dwight.

Yes, he has $7.8 M in a player option, but he can also probably get himself along the lines of $30 M guaranteed over 4 years ... while if he sticks with his current deal he only gets $8 M guaranteed with the risk of a bad year or injury.

I would really like for us to re-sign him to a $21 M / 3 year type deal which keeps him around as he is a steady force in the middle but also makes his contract reasonable enough to trade if necessary.

rasho just got hot. he's been taking that mid range shot forever but this is the first time it's been dropping in enough years.

i doubt the guy has been shooting clankers all season and then decided to start letting his shots fall when his contract is about to be up.

kleatius_01 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Calderon is writing the script? That sneaky bastard!

no, no, not Calderon

Clearly he is implying that the baby Jesus himself wants Andrea to be a center.

orangutooth wrote:rasho just got hot. he's been taking that mid range shot forever but this is the first time it's been dropping in enough years.

i doubt the guy has been shooting clankers all season and then decided to start letting his shots fall when his contract is about to be up.

Nobody is seriously suggesting that he intentionally played worse at any time. The point that is being made is that the way he has been playing of late is not at all representative of how he's played in his career or even to start this season. It's been a great run by Rasho but it is definitely an anomaly. Starting next season he'll likely be back to his regular shooting efficiency and he also will likely not get quite as much time on the court and only get used when he's a good matchup defensively.

Jon_21 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
I wouldn't be so sure on that especially if he has a solid playoff run against Dwight.

Yes, he has $7.8 M in a player option, but he can also probably get himself along the lines of $30 M guaranteed over 4 years ... while if he sticks with his current deal he only gets $8 M guaranteed with the risk of a bad year or injury.

He'd have to have an idiot for an agent. Look at what opting out/asking for more has gotten people this year? Sideshow bob didn't play until what, late November?

GMs not named Isiah Thomas have pretty consistently not overpaid decent players.

kleatius_01 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Calderon is writing the script? That sneaky bastard!

LOL...I meant BC of course

Razzputin wrote:Well, if BC was pulling the strings on this one, he really messed up.

-= original quote snipped =-



I know that happens with some players, I just don't think that Rasho not producing the same way had anything to do with a lack of effort.

Also, um, this isn't a contract year for Rasho. He has a player option for $8.4 million next year.

Technically, it is. He can opt out and get a "$20m for 3 years" type of contract, which is less than 8m per, but he isn't guaranteed to get that kind of extension next year. These guys (or their agents) know their market values.

I think all Raps fans should thank Matjaz Smodis. Since playing besides the energetic, emotional slovenian star PF in the summer Rasho looks like a new man, in NT and with the Raps.

Razzputin wrote:

Chuck and Leo are always acting like they are surprised when he
puts up good numbers. Well, I knew and I'm sure the majority of the board knew that, given the chance, Rasho would produce.

I want to support Sam and I think that continuity in coaching and management is important, but how the hell did he miss out on the fact that Rasho is, by far, our second best big?

chsh22 wrote:I don't really think he did. I think to a degree he was given a mandate to develop the rookie/future in Bargs, and so had to rely on him. Plus, Rasho wasn't playing at this level earlier in the year. He was pretty consistent on the glass, but he didn't get any scoring touches really.

You can't put it on the playing of Andrea that Sam didn't take advantage of what Rasho could offer. Here's my case:

1: AB started for the first 5 games with Rasho as the back up, after that Rasho started, until Christmas. During that time other bigs like Hump got minutes, Bosh played heavy minutes before getting injured, of which Rasho could have gotten some, also both bosh and Andrea missed time with Injury and it wasn't like Andrea was doing a great job of avoiding fouls and staying on the court, so there was lots of time for Rasho to play and be used if Sam saw fit, even with the idea that he was "mandated" to get Andrea minutes. Again, there's still the minutes Andrea's not on the court, which on average for the season is close to half of the game, the time Bosh is not on the court, minutes other bigs get, and the time that was missed due to injury, by both Bosh and Andrea.

2. Sam's realization: It wasn't until Bosh when out that Rasho really became "Awesome" becasue Rasho got a lot of looks and made the most of them. He could have been doing that all year long, but they never really looked to him until Bosh went out, except for TJ who often found him. Now they look to him more and he's been great. Why didn't we use him like that during the time he played prior? Obviously Sam didn't know it would work. Maybe Sam should have paid more attention and made more use of his skills while he was on the court, sooner, rather than take him for granted. You can't just say Sam either gives Andrea no minutes or plays Rasho, because he could have had a three big rotation of including bosh and Rasho and Bargs, as even Doug Smith lobbied for all season, all of which would be averaging double figures in scoring, which would have still satisfied any mandate to play and develop Andrea.

3. It's not like he couldn't have seen it coming. It was widely talked about, even recently in the papers, by MG, how well Rasho played at the world's. According to many observers he was playing some of, if not the best, basketball of his career at the time coming into the the season. Do you think Sam paid attention to how his guys played in that tournament over the summer? Seriously, do you? I anticipate if he was asked, some response about how it's totally different in the NBA and that someone must have been dropped on their head as a baby for even considering otherwise.

Sam, as fas as I could tell - up till bosh went out, ran plays for Bosh, Parker, TJ and Jos

You can't put it on the playing of Andrea that Sam didn't take advantage of what Rasho could offer.

I should have been clearer; My comment was about whether Sam missed the fact that Rasho is our second best big. I don't think there was any surprise revelations. From watching the games, all it seems is that Sam is encouraging Rasho to shoot now, whereas before he probably just left it up to Rasho, and Rasho generally was good at passing out of the block, so that's what he did.

I was in agreement with you for the most part (that Rasho has game, and can be huge for us), just not about Sam having missed it.
I don't think Sam has made any changes either, other than telling Rasho to score. I think you're giving Mitchell more credit as a coach than he's deserving. Look at some of our best offensive players and how they're suffering. I don't really see us running more plays for Rasho than before, just that he's less hesitant to be an offensive force than before.

Why is everyone so surprised that Rasho is playing well? He has always been regarded as a very talented player.

Rasho is putting up good numbers, because he is now playing starter minutes. If you look at Rasho's historical game log dated back to his T-wolves days, he was putting up solid numbers whenever he got over 35 minutes.

I doubt Rasho opts out, unless his agent his confident that he could land him a 5 year deal at the MLE. That would equate to around 30 million.

chsh22 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


He'd have to have an idiot for an agent. Look at what opting out/asking for more has gotten people this year? Sideshow bob didn't play until what, late November?

GMs not named Isiah Thomas have pretty consistently not overpaid decent players.

Sideshow Bob is a Restricted free agent, and everyone knows that Cleveland will match. That's a big difference.

Rasho on the other hand is having the best year in his career, and if he go on the open market, he could get more money. Remember everyone overpays a center. And besides, what's the chances of him being this good next year?

If Rasho and his agent thinks that he can get a long term deal if he opts, then he will.