Bonzi deal
the Bee just picked up on this:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14276837p-15086115c.html
Wells may be traded to Pacers
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 11:22 am PDT Tuesday, July 11, 2006
LAS VEGAS - Bonzi Wells may be going home again.
According to draftexpress.com, the Kings and Indiana Pacers are discussing a sign-and-trade that would send the free-agent shooting guard to his home state and bring center Jeff Foster and point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius to Sacramento.
Reached late Monday night, Wells' agent, William Phillips, told The Bee that a sign-and-trade was a definite part of the slow-moving discussions, and that one team had "come up the board" among the six teams he's been negotiating with. Reportedly, the Kings' contract offer was for five years and $36 million, which would be a pay cut from the $8 million Wells earned last season.
But doing the deal involving Foster - a 6-11 center/forward who will make $5.2 million this season - and Jasikevicius - a 6-4 guard who will make $4 million - would certainly give Wells the money he desires while giving the Kings the depth down low they need, not to mention a promising point guard.
Per the terms of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, the salaries of the players in sign-and-trade deals must be within 25 percent of each other, meaning Wells' salary could range from $6.9 million to $11.5 million.
"That's part of (the discussions)," Phillips said regarding sign-and-trades. "Straight signings are part of it. We're talking with Sacramento. We're talking with other teams, some teams that that are over the (salary) cap and some who are under. ... One team has come up the board. I'll know a lot more in the next 24 to 48 hours."
While free agents can't be signed until Wednesday, the significance of the July 12 date goes beyond that. The coming season's exact salary cap figure will be known by then, as well as the luxury tax threshhold. The Kings worked hard to get under the tax last season, finally doing so with the trade that sent Brian Skinner to Portland and brought Vitaly Potapenko and Sergei Monia to Sacramento. Teams that are over the tax have to pay an extra dollar for each dollar they spend over the tax, a costly price they'd rather not pay.
Phillips told the Associated Press last week that Wells - who is a native of Muncie, Ind., and played at Ball State - would enjoy going back.
"Anytime you have an opportunity to come home, it's a great opportunity," Phillips said last week. "Initially, I mentioned the Pacers to Bonzi, and based off his reaction, I could tell he was pretty excited." Foster has two seasons left on his contract, with a player option for 2008-09. Jasikevicius has two seasons remaining on his deal.