AleksandarN
Starter
Wow that is alot of money to play in europe.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jun/19/navarro-follows-money-to-spain/
The Grizzlies have experienced a different kind of La Bomba than they have become accustomed to.
Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro's chances of returning for a second season in Memphis were blown to pieces Wednesday afternoon when he decided to re-sign with FC Barcelona.
Navarro, who earned $538,000 with the Grizzlies last season, was swayed by a deal that will pay him between $20million and $24 million over the next four years.
After playing 10 seasons in Spain, Navarro nearly set a record for 3-pointers made by an NBA rookie.
The 27-year-old, 6-3 shooting guard proved to be a capable marksman as well as a capable defender.
The money, however, was too much to pass up. Memphis just wasn't going to match what Navarro stood to make in Europe.
The Grizzlies are still on the hook for a first-round draft pick they traded to the Washington Wizards to acquire the rights to Navarro. The pick is protected through 19 this year.
In 2009, picks 1-16 are protected; in 2010-12, picks 1-14 are protected; in 2013, picks 1-12 are protected. If the Wizards haven't used the pick by then, they will receive cash and a second-round pick.
Navarro was selected by the Wizards in the second round of the 2002 draft but never signed and developed into one of the top players in Europe.
Griz general manager Chris Wallace expressed no remorse about the deal.
"We needed to add outside shooting," Wallace said. "And obviously it was an attempt to solidify things with Pau (Gasol). But we're not going to have a Carmelo Anthony situation from it."
Wallace referred to the Vancouver Grizzlies' deal in which they relinquished the No. 2 overall pick in 2003 (which became Anthony) to satisfy a 1997 deal involving Otis Thorpe.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jun/19/navarro-follows-money-to-spain/
The Grizzlies have experienced a different kind of La Bomba than they have become accustomed to.
Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro's chances of returning for a second season in Memphis were blown to pieces Wednesday afternoon when he decided to re-sign with FC Barcelona.
Navarro, who earned $538,000 with the Grizzlies last season, was swayed by a deal that will pay him between $20million and $24 million over the next four years.
After playing 10 seasons in Spain, Navarro nearly set a record for 3-pointers made by an NBA rookie.
The 27-year-old, 6-3 shooting guard proved to be a capable marksman as well as a capable defender.
The money, however, was too much to pass up. Memphis just wasn't going to match what Navarro stood to make in Europe.
The Grizzlies are still on the hook for a first-round draft pick they traded to the Washington Wizards to acquire the rights to Navarro. The pick is protected through 19 this year.
In 2009, picks 1-16 are protected; in 2010-12, picks 1-14 are protected; in 2013, picks 1-12 are protected. If the Wizards haven't used the pick by then, they will receive cash and a second-round pick.
Navarro was selected by the Wizards in the second round of the 2002 draft but never signed and developed into one of the top players in Europe.
Griz general manager Chris Wallace expressed no remorse about the deal.
"We needed to add outside shooting," Wallace said. "And obviously it was an attempt to solidify things with Pau (Gasol). But we're not going to have a Carmelo Anthony situation from it."
Wallace referred to the Vancouver Grizzlies' deal in which they relinquished the No. 2 overall pick in 2003 (which became Anthony) to satisfy a 1997 deal involving Otis Thorpe.
