Knicks’ Butler Has Offer From the Spurs

ace3g · by **ace3g** on Thu Jul 13, 2006 2:11 am

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Jackie Butler, who finished last season as the Knicks’ crunch-time center, has signed an offer sheet with the San Antonio Spurs. 
 
The contract is believed to be worth about $7 million over three years. Because Butler is a restricted free agent, the Knicks have seven days to match the offer or let him go. Team officials have not yet made a decision, according to a spokesman. 
 
This past season, his second in the N.B.A., the 6-foot-10 Butler played 55 games, averaging 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 54.4 percent from the field. Just 21, Butler was viewed as a promising prospect — particularly by Coach Larry Brown, who often referred to him as the team’s “fourth first-round pick.” 
 
The Spurs have parted with both centers from their 2005 championship run. Nazr Mohammed, the former Knick, signed a free-agent contract with Detroit. Rasho Nesterovic was traded to Toronto. 
 
“We’re excited about it,” Butler’s agent, Keith Glass, said of the offer sheet in a telephone interview. “It puts him at a different level, obviously.” 
 
If Butler stays with the Knicks, he could struggle to earn playing time; the team has nearly $90 million invested in centers Eddy Curry and Jerome James. When James faltered last season, Butler moved into a second-string role. In the final weeks, Brown often played Butler in the fourth quarter rather than Curry. 
 
But the Knicks have 14 players with guaranteed contracts, and — if Curry and James are healthy and in shape — little use for another big man. Rather than extend a contract offer, the Knicks told Glass he should get the best deal he could and let them decide whether to match it. 
 
“They said, ‘Look, it’s nothing personal, but you’re going to have to bring us something,’ ” Glass said. But he expressed gratitude to the Knicks for plucking the undrafted Butler from the Continental Basketball Association in February 2005 and developing him into a solid player. 
 
Under N.B.A. rules, yesterday was the first day teams could sign or trade players. The Knicks have signaled they will not be active but are content to keep the roster as is. If they retain Butler, they will have the maximum number of players.<hr></blockquote> 
 
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/13/sports/basketball/13knicks.html?_r=1&oref=slogin">Link</a> 
 
I still think something big is going to happen during the offseason involving the spurs; such as a trade or another signing because the spurs still have not addressed their need of another SF <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9436/sig4gif8ic.gif"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><blockquote>Quote:<hr>Offense Wins Games...Defense Wins Championships<hr></blockquote></div>

SpursFanIsrael · by **SpursFanIsrael** on Thu Jul 13, 2006 2:17 am

I think the Spurs are focusing right now on big men. 
Right now we don't have a center.We still have a SF for the next 2 seasons.So they have time to try and get one. 
Maybe a trade for Barry and Beno is cooking. <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://sahoops.net/banners/sfi.jpg"/></div> 
 
"Freedom has no price 
It has a date: 27/7/06"

Mongo · by **Mongo** on Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:58 am

90 mil on two centers??? 
 
I hope our 16 mil on two centers is a better deal! <div style="text-align:center"> 
GO SPURS GO  
GO SPURS GO  
GO SPURS GO  
 
"It's officially the Playoffs when Mongo comes out of hiding." (The Blonde One)</div>

ace3g · by **ace3g** on Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:09 am

Spurs offer deals to two centers 
 
Johnny Ludden 
Express-News Staff Writer 
 
<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Allowed, finally, to put pen to paper, the Spurs signed 6-foot-1 veteran Jacque Vaughn on Wednesday, presumably to play point guard, not center, though the latter shouldn't be discounted for another week, at least. 
 
With the NBA ending its free-agent moratorium, the Spurs also tried to address their biggest priority by extending offer sheets to two centers: Denver's Francisco Elson and New York's Jackie Butler. Because Elson and Butler are restricted free agents, their respective teams can keep them by matching the offers within seven days. 
 
The Spurs divided their $5.2million midlevel exception between the two centers. Butler signed a three-year, $7 million offer sheet, while Elson received a two-year deal for close to $6million. 
 
Knicks officials have intimated to some they intend to match the Spurs' offer. Publicly, they said they haven't decided. 
 
New York has 14 players under contract — one below the league maximum — including centers Eddy Curry, Jerome James and Channing Frye. Curry has five years and $48.6million left on his contract, while James is owed $24 million over the next four seasons. Because the Knicks' payroll exceeds the league's luxury tax, Butler's $7million contract could cost them twice as much. 
 
Butler's agent, Keith Glass, is the son of Joe Glass, the agent for former Knicks coach Larry Brown, who is involved in a dispute with the franchise over the $40 million left on his contract. 
 
How that will affect the Knicks' decision remains to be seen. 
 
Speaking to reporters in Denver on Wednesday, Nuggets coach George Karl said it would "probably be a danger for us to match" the offer for Elson. 
 
"He hated to be called an insurance policy," Karl said, "but he was." 
 
Elson, whose nickname among the Nuggets was "Geico," said he doesn't know whether the Nuggets will keep him. 
 
"My concern right now is that hopefully (my future is) with the Spurs," Elson said. "They're a great organization and championship-caliber type team. Shoot, anyone would like to play for the Spurs." 
 
Not everyone. Joel Przybilla and Nazr Mohammed decided to sign with Portland and Detroit, respectively, because the Spurs offered less money. Miami's Alonzo Mourning also turned down an offer from the Spurs. 
 
Signing Butler and Elson to offer sheets could come at the expense of Robertas Javtokas, the Spurs' 2001 second-round draft pick. The Spurs had projected the 6-11 Javtokas to be their backup center before negotiations broke down this week. 
 
Javtokas signed with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos, said Herb Rudoy, Javtokas' agent. 
 
"Robertas was very disappointed," Rudoy said. "He expected to have serious negotiations, and they didn't want to make him a serious offer. 
 
"It's a shame because we thought this was the summer (for him to come to the NBA)." 
 
Spurs officials declined comment except to say they haven't given up hope of restarting negotiations with Javtokas if they don't get either Butler or Elson. Rudoy did say that Javtokas has until Friday to get out of his Greek contract, after which he would have to wait until next summer. 
 
As evidenced by their negotiations with Argentine forward Luis Scola, the Spurs don't want to spend heavily on an international player until they are sure his skills translate to the NBA. Manu Ginobili signed a two-year, $2.9 million contract when he joined the Spurs four years ago, but his success has prompted the next crop of international players to seek more lucrative deals. 
 
Indiana's Sarunas Jasikevicius, the Spurs' Fabricio Oberto and New Orleans' Arvydas Macijauskas all contributed only modestly to their teams after signing last summer. 
 
If Elson and Butler are retained by their respective teams and Javtokas heads to Greece, the Spurs could be left with their pens in their hands. Utah's Jarron Collins and Memphis' Lorenzen Wright are the top unrestricted free-agent centers, but there's no guarantee they would be on the market by the end of the week. 
 
The Spurs are willing to gamble because they don't consider any of the free-agent big men as definite impact players, and that includes Elson and Butler. 
 
Butler, 21, went undrafted after high school. He signed with New York after Dell Demps, the Spurs' director of pro player personnel then working for the Knicks, saw him in the CBA. He averaged 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes during 55 games last season. 
 
Butler, 6-10, isn't a good defender but can score in the low post. Elson is 7feet, runs the floor well and is a capable shot blocker. He doesn't have good hands and can be slow to react, also problems with Mohammed. 
 
"I've got great speed, and that is something they seem to need," Elson said. "They have fast guards and need some bigs to run up and down the court with them." 
 
Spurs officials acknowledge Elson and Butler might not provide the same level of production as Mohammed and Rasho Nesterovic but are willing to take that risk because they would cost about half as much. 
 
In the meantime, the Spurs filled another need by signing Vaughn, a nine-year veteran who averaged 3.4 points and 1.5 assists in 80 games with New Jersey last season. He gives the Spurs a point guard to help back up Tony Parker if Beno Udrih isn't up to the task. 
 
Provided, of course, none of them must jump center. <hr></blockquote> 
 
<a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA071306.1C.BKNspurs.vaughn.1585d2f.html">Link</a> 
 
well I guess that leaves some hope that if either the nuggets or knicks match our offer (hopefully only nuggets do)by Friday, the spurs can use the rest of the MLE on Javtokas <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9436/sig4gif8ic.gif"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><blockquote>Quote:<hr>Offense Wins Games...Defense Wins Championships<hr></blockquote></div>

GrandeDavid · by **GrandeDavid** on Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:14 am

This has been a depressing offseason to say the very least. I also thought the Spurs were gonna make Javtokas a legit offer to come over. Unfortunately the Spurs saw something they weren't willing to risk right now. <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.sahoops.net/banners/gd06.jpg"/></div>

gameFACE sa · by **gameFACE sa** on Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:16 am

Don't think the Knicks can trade Curry or James with their undesireable so the chances of them not matching are pretty good. At least Butler is young. Last summer Steven hunter inked a deal worth approximately $3mil per year so the Spurs offer isn't that far off. Especially considering cost of living in SA. 
 
Elson should be very excited about getting an offer from the Spurs. He's part of the free agent scrap bin. <hr /> 
<img src="http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j173/gameFACEsa/mavcrash.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

ace3g · by **ace3g** on Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:18 am

yeah I also thought Javtokas was a lock after reading all those positive articles about him just waiting for his contract to be finalized. 
 
I hope the spurs have other plans because using the MLE on Elson and Butler was not my idea of an ideal offseason. I mean we still have the LLE, I mean use all the resources you have to bring players over. <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9436/sig4gif8ic.gif"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><blockquote>Quote:<hr>Offense Wins Games...Defense Wins Championships<hr></blockquote></div>

ace3g · by **ace3g** on Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:28 am

BUTLER SIGNS SPURS' $7M OFFER 
 
<img src="http://www.nypost.com/photos/knicks071306085.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
 
<blockquote>Quote:<hr>July 13, 2006 -- In a shock to the Knicks, center Jackie Butler signed a staggering three-year, $7 million offer sheet with the Spurs on the first day of the free-agent signing period yesterday, according to sources. 
 
The Knicks have seven days to match the offer but it's unlikely they will go that high. Isiah Thomas said through a spokesman that no decision has been made. The Knicks made Butler a $920,000 qualifying offer to keep him restricted. Butler is their third-string center, but is viewed as valuable in case Jerome James were to report out of shape. Butler, 21, showed potential in parts of two seasons with the Knicks as a low-post scorer. 
 
The Spurs are desperate for a big man after losing their two centers - Nazr Mohammed and Rasho Nesterovic. Thomas said Monday he expected it to be "a long summer" regarding Butler's situation. 
 
"My summer just got a lot shorter," said agent Keith Glass, who is close friends with Larry Brown. "We're grateful the Knicks pulled him out of the CBA. They were obviously correct to do that. I think San Antonio is a great place for him. If the Knicks choose to match, it shows they wanted him as well."<hr></blockquote> 
 
 
 
<a href="http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/butler_signs_spurs_7m_offer_knicks_marc_berman.htm">Link</a> <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9436/sig4gif8ic.gif"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><blockquote>Quote:<hr>Offense Wins Games...Defense Wins Championships<hr></blockquote></div>

ace3g · by **ace3g** on Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:43 am

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQJI0ksD0O4">www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQJI0ksD0O4</a> 
 
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4arhcNa2Ko&search=butler%20knicks">www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4arhcNa2Ko&search=butler%20knicks</a> 
 
some in game footage of Butler <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9436/sig4gif8ic.gif"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><blockquote>Quote:<hr>Offense Wins Games...Defense Wins Championships<hr></blockquote></div>

Knicks’ Butler Has Offer From the Spurs