All of you international basketball fans, tell me about this guy, how could is he? Beause apparently theyre willing to lower the buyout clause which likely means hes coming to the NBA once and for all. Heres the story, posted from Wizards beat writer, courtesy of the Washington Post.com ...
An update on Washington's favorite Spanish basketball star, the elusive Juan Carlos Navarro: word is that JCN met with F.C. Barcelona president Joan Laporta yesterday and Laporta agreed to lower the buyout sum in his contract. Assuming this is true (as of this morning the Wiz had yet to hear from F.C. Barcelona or Navarro's European rep) Navarro would be able to negotiate a contract with the Wiz and use that money for his buyout (2-3 million would make sense).
The Wiz also have the option of trading Navarro's NBA rights and I hear that at least five teams have already called to gauge interest in such a deal. It's no secret that Miami has liked JCN for a long time and one source just told me that the Wizards and Heat have discussed a a sign-and-trade that would send Navarro's rights to South Beach for James Posey.
This makes sense when you consider that the Miami Herald reported yesterday that Posey has agreed to a sign-and-trade deal if the Heat don't offer him a "suitable" contract to stay. Posey, 30, made $6.3 million last season and according to the Herald, is looking to get some team's mid-level.
Now, keep in mind that the Wiz are approaching this whole JCN thing with caution because they've gone through this every summer: JCN does an interview in Spain saying he wants to try the NBA but at the end of the day, he never leaves. There is one theory out there that JCN is simply talking the NBA talk right now to drive his price up in Europe so he can get a fat offer from a team like Madrid. Here's what I do know: the Wiz have scouted JCN heavily and believe he can be a quality backup guard on a playoff-level team.
To me, that kind of player commands a solid chunk of the ML which could come in as a high as $5.8 or $5.9 million when the CBA drops next week. Keep in mind, Matt Carroll just signed a six-year, $27 million deal with Charlotte and Jason Kapono recently left Miami to ink a four-year, $24 million deal with Toronto (which is another reason I could see the Heat wanting Navarro. He'd fill an immediate need at the guard spot. I also hear that Miami is a possible destination for Derek Fisher though he'll most likely be a Laker next year.
I do not believe that the Wiz view this whole thing as a JCN or DeShawn Stevenson situation. Ideally, they want to keep DeShawn and keep the door open to adding JCN if the money works out. The big question right now is, how do the Carroll and Kapono contracts relate to DeShawn's contract expectations? DeShawn wants as much of that ML as he get. The Wiz want to keep him but feel they have to do so at their price and obviously, any sign-and-trade involving Navarro and Posey would use up the money earmarked for DeShawn. One of the interesting things about the Navarro/Posey/DeShawn situation is that Posey and DeShawn are both represented by the same agent, Mark Bartelstein. I asked Bartelstein today for an update on DeShawn's negotiations (that's right folks. it's July 4 and your faithful beat writer is on the job) and he said this: "We're talking. Right now everything is day-to-day." Bartelstein didn't have much to say about the Navarro/Posey talks.
On the Etan Thomas front: the Wiz have received some nibbles but the major issue right now is the nasty trade kicker attached to Etan's contract. The kicker is 15 percent and that would mean Etan's cap number would be around the $7.3 or $7.4 million range for next season. Also, the Wiz remain confident that they'll get a deal done for Andray Blatche.
He's a good scoring SG, led the ACB in points this year. Can be a little streaky.
That said, I don't think his game will fit well in the NBA due to athleticism.
Last European Championships he was matching Nowitzki in PPG, they were like 5-8PPG over the rest of the players, so go figure. IŽd rather try him before I throw him away for Miami trash. People also said AI was too small for the NBA. There is always agent zero to tell him: Impossible is nothing.
His game is not suited for the NBA, though he can do well as spot up shooter.
No way he plays SF
Some people said exactly same about Jose Calderon, and he is now one of the best PG's of the league, and improving more every year. Or about Manu, and he is an all-star now. We'll see.
Some people said exactly same about Jose Calderon, and he is now one of the best PG's of the league, and improving more every year. Or about Manu, and he is an all-star now. We'll see.
I still don't get why Etan is considered a "bad contract." he's one of the best defensive players on the Wizards and is paid about 1 mil more per year than Haywood is. and now we're giving up JCN just so we can dump him? that's stupid. I don't follow.
Eh he's a 6'4" SG but they talk of him playing the point. Great range with his shot, stepped up his D recently and recently shut down Rudy Fernandez who was just a 1st round pick. I see him kinda as a Juan Dixon with more potential (I'll always love Juan BTW.) I'm not real big on Posey but I trust Grunfeld to do the right thing.
Last edited by insidehoops : 07-05-2007 at 05:13 PM.
JCN is to much like Arenas, what the wizards need is a big point gaurd who can play next to Arenas and just get him the ball in the right spots. Actually they just need a point gaurd period. Someone who can move Arenas to the two.
Juan Carlos Navarro
