Tag: New Year’s Day

Jefferson out, Butler up next?

The Richard Jefferson era in San Antonio appears over.

According to an NBA source, the Spurs plan to exercise their one-time amnesty provision on Jefferson’s contract, once that option becomes available to them upon completion of the new collective bargaining agreement.

A source familiar with the thinking of Spurs front office said decision-makers are awaiting to see the language of the finalized amnesty rule before making a final call, but the team is strongly considering jettisoning Jefferson.

The move, first reported by Yahoo! Sports, would wipe from the books the remaining three years of  Jefferson’s contract worth nearly $30.5 million, $9.2 million of which is due this season, and give the Spurs financial freedom to pursue a new starting small forward in free agency.

That  replacement part, in fact, might be already be in San Antonio.

Not long before word of Jefferson’s impending release broke Wednesday, free agent Caron Butler wrapped up a visit in San Antonio his agent, Raymond Brothers, said “went flawlessly.”

“He felt comfortable here,” Brothers said. “I’m waiting for (the Spurs) to call and discuss it. All I can tell you is, he really liked it.”

Though Butler has already visited the Los Angeles Clippers and still plans to visit the New Jersey Nets — two teams that can offer more than the $5 million mid-level exception that will be available to the Spurs after Jefferson is waived — one league source said the Spurs are now considered the front-runner to land him.

Butler has also met with representatives from Chicago, which can also offer only the $5 million mid-level exception. The Spurs are also considering Washington small forward Josh Howard, who visited Tuesday, among other candidates to fill their small-forward void.

One factor that might entice Butler to San Antonio, his agent said, was the chance to play for coach Gregg Popovich. Asked if he believed the Spurs had a strong chance of signing Butler, Brothers said, “Absolutely.”

“He’s not wasting his time,” Brothers said “He’s wasn’t in San Antonio today to be nice.”

Butler, 31, has averaged 16.6 points over nine NBA seasons but had his 2010-11 campaign cut short in Dallas after tearing his right patella tendon on New Year’s Day. Brothers said Butler passed a physical during his visit with the Clippers earlier this week, and will be cleared for full participation in training camp once he signs with a team.

Butler’s decision is expected to come not long after free agency opens Friday. Brothers said he hopes to have Butler in some team’s camp by the weekend.

“We’ve got one stop left (New Jersey),” Brothers said. “Then it will be time to make a decision.”

With Jefferson, the Spurs appear to have already made their decision, although they can’t formalize it until after the CBA is ratified. Though he averaged 11.6 points in two seasons with the Spurs, Jefferson never lived up to the promise that accompanied his breathless 2009 arrival from Milwaukee.

Jefferson was a good soldier and a well-liked member of the Spurs locker room, but a bad fit on the court. His strengths and a floor-running wingman never quite meshed with the Spurs’ style. His career with the Spurs essentially ended at halftime of the team’s Game 6 ouster in Memphis, with Jefferson being benched for the final two quarters.

Casting off Jefferson’s contract under the upcoming amnesty rule would move the Spurs below the luxury tax line and give them extra cash with which to chase his replacement. Jefferson’s future is as unclear, though it is certain he will find a  job somewhere.

Under the new amnesty rules, teams under the salary cap will be allowed to bid for Jefferson’s services, with the difference between his new contract and old one being returned to the Spurs.

Jefferson’s tenure with Spurs looks to be over

Richard Jefferson arrived from Milwaukee in the summer of 2009, amid so much hope and promise, bringing with him the belief that he would be the missing piece to the Spurs’ latest championship puzzle.

After two mostly disappointing seasons as the Spurs’ starting small forward, it appears Jefferson will not be around for a third.

According to an source with knowledge of the Spurs’ plans, the team will exercise its one-time amnesty clause to waive Jefferson and free itself from the three years and $30.5 million left on his contract.

The move would nudge the Spurs’ payroll below the luxury-tax threshold and allow them full use of the $5 million mid-level exception in pursuit of a new starting small forward.

Jefferson’s replacement, in fact, might already have been present at Spurs headquarters Wednesday afternoon.

In a development perhaps tied to the decision to dismiss Jefferson, free agent was in San Antonio for a sit-down with general manager and coach that his agent, , said “went flawlessly.”

“The meeting went great,” Butler said Wednesday while waiting to board a flight at . “I enjoyed it.”

Though Butler has already visited the and still plans to sit down with the — two teams under the salary cap who could offer more than the mid-level exception — the Spurs have emerged as a strong contender to land him.

“Absolutely,” Brothers said. “He’s not wasting his time. He wasn’t in San Antonio to be nice.”

Butler has also met with representatives from the , who can offer only the $5 million mid-level exception as well. The Spurs also are considering Washington’s , who visited Tuesday, among other candidates to fill their impending void at the three spot.

The 31-year-old Howard, who in February 2010 was traded from Dallas to the Wizards for Butler, left San Antonio with a positive view of the Spurs’ operation. Like Butler, Howard is also weighing New Jersey and Chicago, and could still return to the Wizards.

“I know San Antonio is an , as far as everything they do,” Howard told the Washington Post on Wednesday. “It’s kind of like a mirror image of Dallas or vice versa. I know everything down there is cool.”

Butler, 6-foot-7, has averaged 16.6 points in nine seasons but had his 2010-11 campaign in Dallas cut short by a torn right patella tendon suffered on New Year’s Day.

With the Mavericks disinclined to offer more than a one-year deal, the 31-year-old Butler is not considering a return to Dallas. One factor that might lure Butler to San Antonio is a chance to play for Popovich, a coach he holds in high esteem, Brothers said.

The agent said Butler’s rebuilt knee passed a physical exam during his visit with the Clippers earlier this week, and he will be cleared for full participation in training camp once he signs with a team.

“We’ve got one stop left (New Jersey),” Brothers said. “Then it will be time to make a decision.”

With Jefferson, the Spurs seem to have already made theirs, although they can’t formalize his departure until the new collective bargaining agreement is ratified. A source with knowledge of the Spurs’ thinking says team decision-makers are waiting to double-check the exact language in the amnesty clause before making a final call.

Jefferson’s agent, , declined comment Wednesday.

For Jefferson, who signed a four-year, $39 million deal before last season and is scheduled to make a pro-rated $9.2 million in the shortened season to come, amnesty will mark an inglorious end to a tumultuous Spurs tenure. Yet it also offers the prospect of a much-needed fresh start.

Jefferson, 31, was a good soldier and a well-liked member of the Spurs’ locker room but a poor fit on the court. He averaged 11.6 points in two seasons and in 2010-11 shot a career-best 44 percent from 3-point range, but his uptempo strengths never quite meshed with the Spurs’ style.

Once waived, Jefferson — who signed a four-year, $39 million deal before last season and is due a pro-rated $9.2 million for the shortened season to come — will still be paid every cent he’s owed. His salary just won’t count against the Spurs’ payroll for tax and salary-cap purposes.

After amnesty, under the new CBA Jefferson’s rights will be auctioned off to the highest bidder, with teams under the salary cap given first crack. If a team claims Jefferson off waivers, the value of his new contract would be deducted from the amount the Spurs still owe him.

 

Spurs notebook: Players arrive in ship shape

For the first time in nearly six months, Spurs forward Matt Bonner stood before a bank of television cameras Tuesday wearing sweat-stained workout gear, not a sport coat.

A leading voice for the National Basketball Players Association during the NBA lockout, Bonner was happy to be back inside the Spurs’ practice facility, even if it meant passing a grueling fitness test administered by new strength and conditioning coach Matt Herring.

“It was not tougher than running up the mountains in New Hampshire,” said Bonner, referring to his usual lockout workout. “But it was not easy, regardless.”

By lunchtime Tuesday, 10 Spurs players had graced the door of the practice gym: Bonner, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Gary Neal, Richard Jefferson, James Anderson, Da’Sean Butler, Danny Green and rookies Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph.

Manu Ginobili was expected to arrive late Tuesday, with DeJuan Blair also en route.

Until the league’s new collective bargaining agreement is ratified, coaches are not allowed to supervise on-court workouts. Though facilities across the league have been unlocked since Thursday, players’ activities have been limited to physical exams, conditioning work and light shooting drills.

“Everybody seems in pretty good shape,” said Bonner, who was headed to New York for a final round of collective bargaining meetings this afternoon. “The person I worried about most was myself. I passed the fitness test this morning, so I was pretty excited.”

One player who arrived in peak physical condition was Parker. The 29-year-old point guard began his offseason leading the French national team to its first Olympic berth since 2000. Since early October, Parker had been playing with ASVEL Villeurbanne, the French League team he co-owns.

He played his final game with ASVEL last week.

“I’m just happy to be home and happy to be back to my normal life,” Parker said. “It was fun in France, but definitely better here.”

FREE AGENTS IN TOWN: Free-agent small forward Caron Butler made his visit to Spurs headquarters Tuesday as scheduled, his agent, Raymond Brothers confirmed via text message.

Butler, 31, has averaged 16.6 points in a nine-season career. He had last season cut short in Dallas after tearing his right patella tendon in a game on New Year’s Day.

Also scheduled for a Tuesday visit to San Antonio was Washington swingman Josh Howard, who has averaged 15.1 points over eight seasons, most of them spent in Dallas.

BRING ‘EM ON: Parker said he was looking forward to opening the season Dec. 26 at home against Memphis, the team that bounced the Spurs from the first round of the postseason last April.

The Grizzlies defeated the top-seeded Spurs in six games, becoming just the second No. 8 seed in the best-of-7 era to advance past the first round.

“There’s definitely a lot of motivation there,” Parker said. “I want to play them in the playoffs, but I’ll start with the first game of the season.”