Will Al opt out?

Post #1 » by **JDR720** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 5:57 pm

Since this could be a big storyline i decided to make a thread for it. Al has said he doesn't plan on opting out.

On Monday, Jefferson spoke the most extensively to date about his future with the Hornets.
Will he stay or will he go?
"If I had my way, I'd finish my career here," he said. "I feel like I helped start this and I want to finish it. ... I love the city, I love my teammates, I love Coach (Steve Clifford) and the coaching staff. ... It's still something that I have to still talk to my agent any my peeps about, but I can't see myself leaving, honestly. Right here, right now, I can't see myself leaving."
But he did leave himself somewhat of an out.
"Honestly, I can't see myself being somewhere else next year, unless something dramatic changes and I have to do what's best for me and my family, or Charlotte telling me they don't want me no more," Jefferson said. "But I personally can't see myself optioning out and leaving."
"To be honest with you, this is the most I've ever talked about it because I've been dealing with the injuries," Jefferson said. "We haven't discussed it, but Mo wanted to come here last year. He's a great fan of the coaching staff and the things MJ (Michael Jordan) is trying to do around here. He's trying to turn this thing around and we want to be a part of it."
Jefferson said he has no doubt that this is a team that can win and win now, despite what transpired this season.
"Like I said, we started something," he said. "This year didn't go the way we wanted it to, but we've got this offseason. I think guys are motivated and guys now see how hard you've got to work and who you have to be to make it to that next level.
"Everybody's going into this offseason with a chip on their shoulder." http://www.foxsports.com/carolinas/story/jefferson-on-his-hornets-future-i-can-t-see-myself-leaving-041415

Liver_Pooty · Post #2 » by **Liver_Pooty** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 6:01 pm

No way he opts out.

Post #3 » by **yosemiteben** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 6:26 pm

I'm not at all surprised to hear Al say that. Makes you wonder if he'd be saying the same thing even if he turned in another All NBA season. Probably so until his agent got in his ear.

Going to be a very interesting offseason. He could be a prime S&T candidate.

I really don't see him opting out.

tondi123 · Post #4 » by **tondi123** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 6:39 pm

I was going to vote but I didn't see "God I hope so" as an option.

HornetJail · Post #5 » by **HornetJail** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:52 pm

I think he does. He'll make plenty of money off of last season's All-NBA 3rd team performance. I also think he's going to go to a big market like NY and have a great season, while everyone points fingers at us and laughs about the fact we let him go.

tondi123 · Post #6 » by **tondi123** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:08 pm

In fairness, everyone also laughed at us when we signed him in the first place.

Hornet Mania · Post #7 » by **Hornet Mania** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:20 pm

Sounds like he's not opting out unless he gets some really bad signals from Cliff or the front office leading up to free agency. I don't think many other teams will offer him a long-term deal that guarantees significantly more this offseason because they're all preserving space for the 2016 bonanza.

OmegaAtrocity · Post #8 » by **OmegaAtrocity** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:27 pm

Absolutely no way, I would be stunned if he opted out after how this season turned out.

LamarMatic7 · Post #9 » by **LamarMatic7** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:44 pm

Don't show this to catch22. Apparently Mo wanted to come here himself, yet we signed Brian Roberts.

Post #10 » by **fatlever** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:45 pm

OK, so opt in and spend the summer getting your ass in shape so you don't spend the first two months of the season trying to get in shape. If that mother **** shows up to camp out of shape then all of us should go on a national campaign to trash him. You want to win, then start acting like it.

Post #11 » by **JDR720** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:49 pm

fatlever wrote:OK, so opt in and spend the summer getting your ass in shape so you don't spend the first two months of the season trying to get in shape. If that mother **** shows up to camp out of shape then all of us should go on a national campaign to trash him. You want to win, then start acting like it.

he needs one of them exercise bikes

Spoiler:

as for the opt in or out, my gut tells me he opts out to get more guaranteed money since he is breaking down physically.

HornetJail · Post #12 » by **HornetJail** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:43 pm

LamarMatic7 wrote:Don't show this to catch22. Apparently Mo wanted to come here himself, yet we signed Brian Roberts.

I read that and nearly went uptown to punch Rich Cho myself

Post #13 » by **yosemiteben** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:53 pm

BizGilwalker wrote:
LamarMatic7 wrote:Don't show this to catch22. Apparently Mo wanted to come here himself, yet we signed Brian Roberts.

I read that and nearly went uptown to punch Rich Cho myself

It was a simple decision - they had about the same 2013-14 season, but Roberts was younger and cheaper. There wasn't any real basis to assume that Roberts would drop off like he did.

Mo went nuts his first few weeks here but then really struggled mid-March into April. Honestly I don't know what to expect from him next year if we keep him, and I don't really know what I want to pay him.

HornetJail · Post #14 » by **HornetJail** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 9:59 pm

yosemiteben wrote:
BizGilwalker wrote:
LamarMatic7 wrote:Don't show this to catch22. Apparently Mo wanted to come here himself, yet we signed Brian Roberts.

I read that and nearly went uptown to punch Rich Cho myself

It was a simple decision - they had about the same 2013-14 season, but Roberts was younger and cheaper. There wasn't any real basis to assume that Roberts would drop off like he did.

Mo went nuts his first few weeks here but then really struggled mid-March into April. Honestly I don't know what to expect from him next year if we keep him, and I don't really know what I want to pay him.

Cheaper my ass. Mo got less than $1M more than Roberts and signed for only one year instead of two. The talent gap was enormous. Roberts signed that deal three weeks before Mo signed his

Post #15 » by **yosemiteben** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 10:04 pm

BizGilwalker wrote:
yosemiteben wrote:
BizGilwalker wrote:I read that and nearly went uptown to punch Rich Cho myself

It was a simple decision - they had about the same 2013-14 season, but Roberts was younger and cheaper. There wasn't any real basis to assume that Roberts would drop off like he did.

Mo went nuts his first few weeks here but then really struggled mid-March into April. Honestly I don't know what to expect from him next year if we keep him, and I don't really know what I want to pay him.

Cheaper my ass. Mo got less than $1M more than Roberts and signed for only one year instead of two. The talent gap was enormous. Roberts signed that deal three weeks before Mo signed his

Mo is getting up there in age and has a lot of miles. To me it made sense that they'd want a two year deal and they didn't feel confident that Mo would keep up his production given his age and since he was trending downward anyway. Who knows what went on with his contract negotiations, but him holding out that long and then settling on that deal suggests to me that he had a pretty high asking price.

I mean Mo couldn't handle being the man for more than two or three weeks for us, I'm not exactly convinced now that his body is going to hold up for a whole season. He was healthy last year, but he didn't play more than 58 games in each of the previous three seasons due to injury.

BobsBuddy · Post #16 » by **BobsBuddy** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 11:51 pm

Late today, I listened to WFNZ and quite a few folks were expressingtheirconcerns about AL based on age,physical abilites, speed etc.
.How quick we forget the 20/10 double doubles and the nights he brought us back to win over the past two seasons.There is NO ONE PLAYER on this team that has the heart and character on and off the floor that AL Jefferson displays as an NBA Professional.. As to whether he will opt out and pursue a Ring with another team...I hope he does because he isn't going to get it here before his career ends..Since 1988,In all the years of Hornets/Bobcats/Hornets existence here,this team has only made it to the second round of the playoffs once. Owners have come and gone, Teams been moved, Names changed,Names changed back and moved back,Coachs come and gone,Players drafted, traded for and then traded out or paid off....The fans like Al want allot more...An NBA Ring..

The Chemistry in not right for that to happen without major changes now.I'm hoping that Bobcats management thank Al for his two years here and as he opts out, help find him a way for the numbers to work on the Clippers,Warriors,Thunder or Spurs that gives Al the chance to recognize his dream. Who knows we might get some players back that will help the Hornet fans take a step towards their dream of an NBA Championship in Charlotte. I know someday AL Jefferson will be in the NBA Hall of Fame along with previous Hornet Centers, like Alonzo Mourning. Until then he won't ever have to worry about being unemployed in the NBA, because he has already earned the respect of every team in the league. IT was an honor watching you play

Braggins · Post #17 » by **Braggins** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:15 am

My enthusiasm for next season will be completely dead before it even starts if he opts in.

Elden Payton · Post #18 » by **Elden Payton** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:24 am

I highly doubt that Al will leave 13.5m on the table.

If he opts in we should trade him.

Post #19 » by **JDR720** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:37 am

Sik Infant wrote:I highly doubt that Al will leave 13.5m on the table.

If he opts in we should trade him.

My hope is he and his agent realize that his body is breaking down and opts out to get more guaranteed money.

If he has another season like this next season it really tanks his value, he might be smart to opt out and get paid now while people still remember his All-NBA season.

Opt out, get a 3 year 36 million dollar deal from someone (besides us) rather than risk another injury ladened season which takes that 3 year 36 million dollar deal down to a 2 year 18 million dollar deal.

Elden Payton · Post #20 » by **Elden Payton** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:47 am

JDR720 wrote:
Sik Infant wrote:I highly doubt that Al will leave 13.5m on the table.

If he opts in we should trade him.

My hope is he and his agent realize that his body is breaking down and opts out to get more guaranteed money.

If he has another season like this next season it really tanks his value, he might be smart to opt out and get paid now while people still remember his All-NBA season.

Opt out, get a 3 year 36 million dollar deal from someone (besides us) rather than risk another injury ladened season which takes that 3 year 36 million dollar deal down to a 2 year 18 million dollar deal.

I think we win either way as I have no doubt Boston would at least give us Crash+#25 for him at worst.

If he opts out we can move on from the alfense era.