OT: Thunder/Joe Smith Reach Buyout Agreement

[Jammer]

A couple of things, and why Joe Smith was probably never in the cards,
even if the Celtics was his preferred destination.

1. Celts have about $2 million of MLE left and LLE left ($1.8 million).

2. Cavs have full MLE.

3. Peter Vecsey, in today's NY Post, reports that Joe Smith gave up
the entire guaranteed portion of his remaining salary to be set free.

4. Cleveland can sign Smith not only for this season, for future seasons, with
the prorated portion of their full MLE. Vecsey reports that the Lakers and
Hornets will make serious runs at Smith, but Peter Vecsey should have
mentioned that the Hornets spent their full MLE last summer on James Posey.

5. Joe Smith probably already knows the answer to the question
of whether the Celtics would have offered him their full MLE this summer,
and for how many years,
versus offering it to someone like Rasheed Wallace
or whoever else.

6. I think the answer to number 5 above means the Celtics did not want to go
full MLE with Joe Smith this summer, and that may explain why Joe is looking
to a full MLE deal with Cleveland or the Lakers NOW
(although this season would be prorated, future years would be full MLE).

7. Peter Vecsey also reported that Drew Gooden gave up about
$1.8 million of his approximately $7 million remaining salary,
and that Steph Marbury gave up about $2.2 million of his $20.8 million
($4.4 Mil with lux tax).

[sully00]

Nobody is likely give Joe Smith the Full MLE this summer, how exactly is he a better player than he was two years ago the guy only makes a little less than 5 mil now. Absolutely no one is going to engage in a any kind of prearranged wink wink with this guy either hell that is already called a Joe Smith deal.

[shrink]

So Peter Vescey is saying that if Joe Smith is willing to sign a contract this season, then a team will promise him a future contract with a future MLE? Under the table again, right?

[MyInsatiableOne]

^Who knows, with all the "catastrophic" injuries LeBron acts out, he may be done by then too!

Coming from a fan of Paul "bring out the wheelchair" Pierce

At least he grabbed the correct leg!