Boooooooooozer

[witnessmoboobie]

"I'm opting out. No matter what, I'm going to get a raise regardless," Boozer told ESPN.com. "I am going to opt out, I don't see why I wouldn't, I think it's a very good business decision for me and my family, but I'd also like to see what happens with the Jazz and stay here."

What a dick. Most guys would say that they will deal with it when the time comes and that they are focused the current season. I hate him.

[B Mac]

At least he's being honest this time.

[TheOUTLAW]

It should be rather obvious by now that Boozer is a dollar chaser. He could care less about the opportunity for win a championship, he's going after dollars plain and simple.

[mg]

I wish he was this honest when he was still with the Cavaliers and we could've gotten something for him...or at least never let him out of his rookie contract.

And yes, this guy is still a big sleazebag only out for himself.

I don't feel too bad for the Jazz since they knew from the day they signed him he was a major douche.

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

I wish he was this honest when he was still with the Cavaliers and we could've gotten something for him...or at least never let him out of his rookie contract.

I still don't understand how you can blame anyone but the Cavs front office for this mess.

You can't name me one player in this league who wouldn't have done the same thing.

No player in this league would turn down an offer $36M larger than the one from their current team, especially if they were coming off a contract that didn't even pay them $1M total.

Gilbert Arenas is one of the crazier players in this league. He even took less than max in his 2nd large deal. But even he left the Warriors for a larger offer from the Wizards over his first contract off a 2nd round rookie deal.

[L&H_05]

I see Jazz fans saying stuff like: "I'm losing respect for him" Really ?? Pretty moronic statements for sure..

Personally, I hope he stays there, and stays hurt so he kills their payroll... I hate the Jazz...

[mg]

I wish he was this honest when he was still with the Cavaliers and we could've gotten something for him...or at least never let him out of his rookie contract.

I still don't understand how you can blame anyone but the Cavs front office for this mess.

You can't name me one player in this league who wouldn't have done the same thing.

No player in this league would turn down an offer $36M larger than the one from their current team, especially if they were coming off a contract that didn't even pay them $1M total.

Gilbert Arenas is one of the crazier players in this league. He even took less than max in his 2nd large deal. But even he left the Warriors for a larger offer from the Wizards over his first contract off a 2nd round rookie deal.

It takes a special kind of douchebag to lie to a blind man's face. Let me out of my rookie contract and I will re-sign for the MLE. Boozer and his slimey agent went into hiding until they signed that deal with Utah. Yeah, Paxson was an idiot and thank god he's gone too but Boozer is a special type of sleaze. The rules were different then so the Cavs couldn't match Utah's offer since they were over the cap at the time. Like I said I really don't have much sympathy for Utah at all in this situation. Their once promising season is probably shot with Boozer's selfish move.

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

I wish he was this honest when he was still with the Cavaliers and we could've gotten something for him...or at least never let him out of his rookie contract.

I still don't understand how you can blame anyone but the Cavs front office for this mess.

You can't name me one player in this league who wouldn't have done the same thing.

No player in this league would turn down an offer $36M larger than the one from their current team, especially if they were coming off a contract that didn't even pay them $1M total.

Gilbert Arenas is one of the crazier players in this league. He even took less than max in his 2nd large deal. But even he left the Warriors for a larger offer from the Wizards over his first contract off a 2nd round rookie deal.

It takes a special kind of douchebag to lie to a blind man's face. Let me out of my rookie contract and I will re-sign for the MLE. Boozer and his slimey agent went into hiding until they signed that deal with Utah. Yeah, Paxson was an idiot and thank god he's gone too but Boozer is a special type of sleaze. The rules were different then so the Cavs couldn't match Utah's offer since they were over the cap at the time. Like I said I really don't have much sympathy for Utah at all in this situation. Their once promising season is probably shot with Boozer's selfish move.

I highly doubt Boozer's agent is stupid enough to promise Cleveland anything. The man would lose his agents license with the NBA if he did something like that.

Who knows, maybe there was some illegal agreement between Boozer's agent and the Cavs FO, but I'm doubtful, especially so soon after the Timberwolves got slammed by the NBA for the Joe Smith deal. How many 1st rounders did they lose? The Cavs wouldn't have risked that with LeBron on the team.

[TheOUTLAW]

I don't think there was anything illegal about the Cavs treatment of Boozer. Fact is, Boozer begged (along with his wife) to be let out of the contract. That is the problem that I have. He knew how much the Cavs could offer and he said that he'd show them the same respect that they'd shown him. Fact is, he just wanted his money sooner. And, the rule was bad enough that the NBA did away with it after him.

[witnessmoboobie]

I did mean to say that at least was honest this time, but I still have no respect for the slimeball.

[SportsInfoBar]

I guess I don't understand what Boozer did now that is any different than Lebron? Umm, Lebron has pretty much said he is opting out in 2010, heck he even knows the exact date of when he is opting out.

What Boozer did to the Cavs was probably wrong, but none of us knows the WHOLE/REAL story. In the business world, Boozer would have been considered a "smart" business man.. And most of you forget he was very unhappy that Silas said he would NEVER be an All-Star.... If Silas wouldn't have been so down on Boozer's overall potential things may have been different.

You have to remember to most of these guys this is JUST A JOB, they weren't a fan of the team they are playing for..not even Lebron was a Cavs fan...he was a Bulls fan.

[rjgraca]

Well in the real current Business world, Boo$er would be held with the same high esteem as those bankers on Wall Street that acted in their own best interests rather than those of their company which is the root cause of our financial meltdown in this country. Saying that greed is good in the business world is misleading and leads to the eventual down fall of those institutions.

I agree with those who say -- at least he trying to be honest this time which makes him a sleazy honest business person now. I guess it's safe to say that he has no gratitude for Utah being his so-called savior for his current contract. With Boo$er's wife wearing the pants in his family -- Utah would be wise to trade Boo$er before the trading deadline unless they would like karma to catch up with them and Boo$er leaves them with nothing but empty words like he did to the CAVs.

[fivas14]

I see Jazz fans saying stuff like: "I'm losing respect for him" Really ?? Pretty moronic statements for sure..

Personally, I hope he stays there, and stays hurt so he kills their payroll... I hate the Jazz...

U mad?

[L&H_05]

<----- Driving the Salt truck....

Can't stand the Jazz...Really hope they f-up this situation...

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

Well in the real current Business world, Boo$er would be held with the same high esteem as those bankers on Wall Street that acted in their own best interests rather than those of their company which is the root cause of our financial meltdown in this country. Saying that greed is good in the business world is misleading and leads to the eventual down fall of those institutions.

A company doesn't act in the best interest of its employees. A company is responsible above all to its shareholders. That's why perfectly profitable companies downsize and lay off employees.

So I should hope employees have their own interests at heart. Its in an employees best interest to do their job to the best of their ability to create value for the shareholder legally and responsibly. But its not the employee's job to hold the interests of the company above his own.

I don't see the parallels. Boozer didn't do anything illegal (unless he really did promise something, in which case he was wrong, and the Cleveland Cavaliers were in the wrong for agreeing to it). If Boozer made an under the table agreement with the Cavs, it would be equivalent to Merrill Lynch (the Cavs) finding a fraud problem with one of their employees, and trying to cover it up. You think that would be a responsible (or legal) thing to do?

And greed has been good in the business world. Where would this world be without the equities market? A financial instrument created to feed "Wall Street greed". The CDS market was just a new phenomenon and grew too quickly before anyone realized the problem. The catalyst for the crash though was an overstimulated real estate bubble caused by main street and Congress, not solely wall street.

Just because you can finance a second (or first) home with no money down doesn't mean you should. Is that Wall Street's problem that you did, and helped cause an economic crash?

[DowJones]

LeBron circles the date that he is going to opt out in 2 years...everything is ok.

Boozer says he will opt out a few months before the date...he is scum.

Whatever

[rjgraca]

Well in the real current Business world, Boo$er would be held with the same high esteem as those bankers on Wall Street that acted in their own best interests rather than those of their company which is the root cause of our financial meltdown in this country. Saying that greed is good in the business world is misleading and leads to the eventual down fall of those institutions.

A company doesn't act in the best interest of its employees. A company is responsible above all to its shareholders. That's why perfectly profitable companies downsize and lay off employees.

So I should hope employees have their own interests at heart. Its in an employees best interest to do their job to the best of their ability to create value for the shareholder legally and responsibly. But its not the employee's job to hold the interests of the company above his own.

I don't see the parallels. Boozer didn't do anything illegal (unless he really did promise something, in which case he was wrong, and the Cleveland Cavaliers were in the wrong for agreeing to it). If Boozer made an under the table agreement with the Cavs, it would be equivalent to Merrill Lynch (the Cavs) finding a fraud problem with one of their employees, and trying to cover it up. You think that would be a responsible (or legal) thing to do?

And greed has been good in the business world. Where would this world be without the equities market? A financial instrument created to feed "Wall Street greed". The CDS market was just a new phenomenon and grew too quickly before anyone realized the problem. The catalyst for the crash though was an overstimulated real estate bubble caused by main street and Congress, not solely wall street.

Just because you can finance a second (or first) home with no money down doesn't mean you should. Is that Wall Street's problem that you did, and helped cause an economic crash?

I really don't get your spin doctoring here in defense of Boo$er. Yes, a company's top managers are supposed to be responsible to it's to his share holders -- but the Wall Street Melt down points Managers being greedy for themselves rather than the best interests of the company which first applies to the stock holders and then the employees. You over simplify in that the CDS market is the first time it happened. We know from Enron that this country's history is full of greed that brings down institutions and it brought on the Great Depression. It isn't by mistake that there is a saying that those who don't take lessons from history are destined to repeat it.

What happens to employees under personal services contract that fraudulently exit that contract causing their employer harm? So you are saying that you condone injuring your employer as long as it is a benefit to you despite your personal services contract that you fraudulently exited. This is why they make laws to prevent abuse that you are proposing. Even the NBA changed the rule after the Boo$er abuse of the process. You know that company's change their employment contracts once they been screwed ... I guess your implying that company's bend over and take it to cover up an abuse instead of making light of it and using legal recourse and contracts written to prevent these type of situations. You know that the NBA changed that rule the next year's CBA to prevent that abuse... so don't use the innocent card for Boo$er like he was an employee victim when the majority of the people understand the situation otherwise.

Boo$er is trying to spin it now (like your trying to defend him) that his interview with Sheridan of ESPN was taken out of context about him wanting to opt out ... the only problem is that Sheridan recorded the interview and it speaks other wise.

"I'm opting out. No matter what, I'm going to get a raise regardless," Boozer said. "I am going to opt out, I don't see why I wouldn't, I think it's a very good business decision for me and my family, but I'd also like to see what happens with the Jazz and stay here."

That quote rippled through the Jazz organization, all the way up to owner Larry Miller, who blistered Boozer on his weekly radio show Thursday.

"It's one of the top 10 stupidest things I've heard an NBA player do in 20 years," Miller said.

Boozer and the Jazz tried to blame the messenger, a standard media relations ploy when someone says something controversial. The spin was that Boozer thought he was simply chatting off the record with Sheridan, who spent a lot of time with Boozer and teammate Deron Williams while covering Team USA's gold medal run in Beijing. Boozer even invoked the old "the reporter put words in my mouth" tactic. Don't believe it.


http://ken-berger.blogs.sportsline.com/ ... 3/12389855

In case anyone in Utah wasn’t sure about Carlos Boozer’s plans for this summer, he was helpful enough to clear up the confusion, in an interview with ESPN.

Boozer emphatically declared that he’s looking for a raise after the season, and may the highest bidder win.

“I’m opting out. No matter what, I’m going to get a raise regardless,” Boozer told ESPN.com.

The Utah Jazz, who claim to have never been previously informed by Boozer of this fact, were caught more than a little surprised.

The injured Boozer - he had a second MRI yesterday on his quadriceps tendon - has missed 15 consecutive games.

http://slamonline.com/online/nba/2008/1 ... ace-in-it/

Carlos Clarifies: Leave it to Jazz owner Larry Miller to shoot from the hip calling this week's ESPN story quoting Carlos Boozer "one of the stupidest things he's heard." Boozer was quoted saying empathically that he would "opt out" of his Jazz contract this summer and become an unrestricted free agent. Miller who takes part in a weekly radio show on KFNZ 1320 AM in Salt Lake to discuss all thing Jazz took some shots at Boozer, saying the statement was easily one of the dumbest things he's heard a player say.
"It's one of the top 10 stupidest things I've ever heard an NBA player do in 24 years."

"Carlos knows better," Miller added. "He told Kevin he just screwed up, but that doesn't fix it, so what do the fans think now?"

For his part Carlos Boozer is now doing damage control, holding an impromptu press conference via conference call arranged by the Jazz with area reporters. Boozer said the quotes, while accurate, were not said in a formal interview, rather in an informal chat with ESPN's Chris Sheridan, who is among the best in the business. Carlos was clear - stating several times - that he had an unwavering commitment to the Jazz and that fans should not be concerned that he's looking past the team or this season.

"They shouldn't, they shouldn't," Boozer said in the phone interview. "I'm a Jazzman. Obviously, I've been an integral part of getting this team back to the level that we are and hopefully leading us to a championship level."

Carlos went on to say that staying in Utah on a new deal was the end goal in opting out - "that would be a beautiful thing, especially if we're able to keep the pieces around us and have a chance to win a championship."

"In light of the conversations that we have had, it's been about me staying and them wanting me to stay here."

"In every conversation I have, that's not what they're going to do," Boozer said of the possibility of being traded by the Jazz. "Obviously, we've seen things happen in the past with other teams, other organizations, but I haven't got any indication at all that they want to trade me. I don't anticipate that at all."

Boozer is currently earning $12.7 million this season. In opting out of his deal he would be eligible for a new contract worth almost $130 million over six-years. There is a legitimacy to the notion that Carlos has dumped teams before – leaving the Cavaliers at the altar in 2004, after they allowed him out of his deal a year early in hopes of signing him to a longer term deal. There is justifiable fear from fans that Carlos cannot be trusted, however people close to this situation have maintained that Carlos can be paid more by the Jazz and unless they chose to give someone room to talk to him, through hardball negotiations or tearing the roster apart that Carlos is far more likely to take a new deal in Utah than leave money on the table to go elsewhere.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10979

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

What happens to employees under personal services contract that fraudulently exit that contract causing their employer harm? So you are saying that you condone injuring your employer as long as it is a benefit to you despite your personal services contract that you fraudulently exited.

I said legally and responsibly. It is not in a person's best interest to act illegally and irresponsibly.

You know that the NBA changed that rule the next year's CBA to prevent that abuse... so don't use the innocent card for Boo$er like he was an employee victim when the majority of the people understand the situation otherwise.

Might want to check the current CBA. In Boozer's case, the max salary is still the MLE. The change was to add the Early Bird exception after two years, which is capped at the MLE, but the Cavs still would have had to keep him 3 years to gain full Bird rights.

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm

Boo$er is trying to spin it now (like your trying to defend him) that his interview with Sheridan of ESPN was taken out of context about him wanting to opt out ... the only problem is that Sheridan recorded the interview and it speaks other wise.

I don't defend that he's not a douche bag. His comments were unnecessary and seemed to be a jab at the Jazz organization, but there's nothing wrong with him opting out. He will do it because he can make more money doing it, just like LeBron will do the same.

Its funny that Cavs fans get mad at Boozer for jumping at the money, when LeBron is one of the greediest players in the NBA, and very public about it (and I don't mean to say there's anything wrong with that, he's not out shooting off guns in public - Plaxico - so what do I care how much he gets paid).

[rjgraca]

I said legally and responsibly. It is not in a person's best interest to act illegally and irresponsibly.

I don't think you can categorize Boo$er action responsible and due to the CBA it was borderline legal which isn't an endorsement of his action considering the NBA's changed the CBA to prevent such and abuse. With Boo$er compensation level.. he's classification is toward an upper management position in a business example.

Might want to check the current CBA. In Boozer's case, the max salary is still the MLE. The change was to add the Early Bird exception after two years, which is capped at the MLE, but the Cavs still would have had to keep him 3 years to gain full Bird rights.

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm

That is one of the CBA changes that I am keenly aware of given Boo$ers past abuse of a loop hole which has since been closed as you mention.

I don't defend that he's not a douche bag. His comments were unnecessary and seemed to be a jab at the Jazz organization, but there's nothing wrong with him opting out. He will do it because he can make more money doing it, just like LeBron will do the same.

Its funny that Cavs fans get mad at Boozer for jumping at the money, when LeBron is one of the greediest players in the NBA, and very public about it (and I don't mean to say there's anything wrong with that, he's not out shooting off guns in public - Plaxico - so what do I care how much he gets paid).

Lebron does it following the rules which is the right way to go while Boo$er goes about it milking injuries -- but this time there isn't a loop hole for him and his agent to abuse. Yes, Lebron is addicted to attention just as some have posted previously and has come accross like a jerk in New York. At least he has kind of shut the heck up like Charles Barkely suggested and is one of the few things that I have agreed with Barkley with. Lebron knows he's a max player and his aim is to keep management focused on surrounding him with the right players for championship runs. Boo$er in contrast is still about himself, but he's got no where to hide this time.

Even the Jazz are starting to tire of Boo$ers act and Milsap is showing that a good point guard and system can make a similar player just as valuable and probably for a lower prices. Many fans confuse Boo$er's rebounding with being a good defender which he is not. While Lebron is definitely a max salary player... I am not sold that Boo$er is a max salary player either.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has been uncharacteristically effusive in his praise for Millsap during Boozer's absence, and O'Connor told ESPN.com on Wednesday: "We intend to keep Paul Millsap. I don't know how much more succinct I can be."

Upon hearing that remark, Millsap replied: "Bit of a relief, knowing your team wants you. I would love to be here, great system, playing with one of the best point guards in the league, it can't get no better."

When he hears of Boozer's plans to opt out, it may get even better. That'll mean the money will be there to pay Millsap and keep Miller under the luxury tax, although it would come at the cost of letting Boozer -- their leading scorer and rebounder -- walk away with Utah getting nothing in return.

Nothing, that is, except for the chance to have the financial flexibility to lock up a rebounding machine who has shown over the past 13 games -- especially in Boston on Monday night when Millsap scored 32 points as Kevin Garnett, according to one Jazz player, kept calling over to teammate Kendrick Perkins: "You take him, Perk."

But if what Boozer was saying Wednesday night comes to fruition, or if the Jazz can find a taker for Kirilenko in a trade -- there's going to be nobody taking Millsap. The Jazz will keep him.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3777170

And a recap for some fans that Boo$er just hasn't changed much since his CAV mess over days.

Thankless job
Paxson, Cavaliers pay price for trying to do right by Boozer


Boozer was a second-round pick by the Cavaliers in the 2002 NBA Draft. Despite being a three-year star at Duke, he was ignored in the first round because many NBA teams believed he was too unathletic and small at 6-foot-8 (which is his true height, though he is listed as 6-9) to excel at power forward. But Paxson saw Boozer's potential and signed him to a two-year guaranteed contract for $989,000 (more than the minimum salary awarded to most second-rounders) with a team option for the third year.

Boozer turned out to be a steal. He averaged 15.5 points and 11.4 rebounds last year and earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. But Boozer was apparently worried about his longterm financial future. That's why he asked the Cavaliers to cancel their option for next season and instead allow him to become a free agent. In that case, Boozer promised (according to sources -- and common sense) that he would then re-sign with the Cavaliers for as much as $41 million over six years, the maximum they could offer a free agent with fewer than three years experience under their salary-cap constraints.

Paxson held all the cards on this deal. He could have ignored Boozer's pleas and forced him to fulfill the team option at a salary of $695,000 in 2004-05. Next summer Boozer would have been a restricted free agent, giving the Cavs the right to pay him as much as they wished along with the ability to match any offer Boozer received.

Instead, Paxson and Cleveland owner Gordon Gund nullified their option. They gambled on Boozer's word and set him free. According to a source who was in the room at the time the verbal deal was struck, Boozer told Gund, "If you respect me by not picking up the option, I'll show trust and loyalty to you by signing with you."

But instead of keeping to his word, Boozer agreed this week to a six-year, $68 million contract with Utah. (I tried, through a variety of sources, to give Boozer's agent, Rob Pelinka an opportunity to respond, but I was unable to reach him.)

Cleveland cannot match the offer because the Cavaliers are over the salary cap. The only way Cleveland could retain Boozer would be to dump several players and create more than $10 million of cap space, because Pelinka negotiated an offer that is front-loaded to make it that much harder for Cleveland to match.

"This is the worst thing I've ever seen," a top NBA agent told me. A respected NBA team executive confirmed the opinion in a separate conversation.

"There is no honor in this," the agent said. "You don't shake a man's hand, get him to do something nice for you, and then turn around and screw him."

The executive echoed the sentiments. "That was so bad. [Boozer and his agent] convinced Cleveland to let them out, and then instead of saying thanks, they said, '(expletive) you.'"

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/w ... index.html

[chrome381]

“I’m opting out. No matter what, I’m going to get a raise regardless,” Boozer told ESPN.com."

wow this guys greeeeeeedy what a jacka$$ i feel bad for deron apparently he tried to convince boozer to stay but booz is an selfish looser who only thinks about himself