Tonight in the NBA: NY cries WOLF!

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#1
The Knicks defeated the TWolves 100-87 ... and things continue to be interesting throughout the league.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#3
Elsewhere, the Bucks worked their special brand of magic to defeat Orlando 111-105 and the Pacers tamed the Bobcats.
 
#4
VF21 said:
The Knicks defeated the TWolves 100-87 ... and things continue to be interesting throughout the league.
Hmm, no kidding? The score was 78-77 Wolves when I was driving in the car. They were outscored 23-9 to end the game? Yikes, talk about lack of execution down the stretch.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#5
and they now have problems with Troy Hudson to top everything off:


http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/basketball/10517848.htm?1c

Same team and coach that chased Bobby Jackson out of town in favor of William Avery, and Hudson's agent even invokes Bobby's name. Might be a patter n there. Several actually. 1) major chemistry issues; and 2) Flip doesn't like shoot first PGs.

Wonder if they'd be willing to give him to us for...well nothing basically. :)
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#7
Brickie? What does the article say? I hate having to register at newspaper sites to read a stupid article... :D
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#8
Don't have to register to this one I don't think? Anyway:

Posted on Wed, Dec. 29, 2004

Hudson's agent suggests a trade


[size=-1]BY MIKE WELLS[/size]

[size=-1]Pioneer Press[/size]


NEW YORK — The agent for point guard Troy Hudson said Tuesday the Timberwolves should trade him if they continue to single him out for poor play.

"I just don't think it's right," agent Bill Neff said. "It's a negative situation. If they're going to continue not dealing with Troy squarely, I think they should try to move him."

Hudson was benched during Sunday's game against Washington, and it appears he has lost his backup job to Anthony Carter. After practice Monday, Wolves coach Flip Saunders and vice president of operations Kevin McHale criticized Hudson's performance this season. McHale said Hudson is making "15 percent" decisions on the court rather than the "90-95 percent play."

Neff said he hadn't talked to anyone in the Wolves' organization, but he did leave a message for McHale.

Reached at his home Tuesday night, McHale said, "I'm not letting an agent make a trade for me. I've talked to Troy numerous times. I like Troy, but before you can get better you have to look at yourself first. It's on the players to perform."

It would be surprising if the Wolves traded Hudson, considering what happened to them last season at point guard. The Wolves gambled and kept just two point guards on the roster, and that might have cost them a chance at reaching the NBA Finals because Hudson missed most of the season and starter Sam Cassell wore down in the playoffs.

Hudson has a clause in his new six-year contract that requires him to play at least 12 minutes a game and 65 games each season during the first four seasons of the deal. Hudson is averaging 18 minutes, and has played in all 26 games.

It's obvious that the biggest gap between Hudson and the organization has been communication. Hudson said nobody has told him what he should be doing when he's in the game. Saunders countered Monday by saying Hudson has been told "point blank" what he should do.

"I don't understand why they're panicking after 25 games; it's an 82-game season," Neff said. "They're trying to shorten the rotation, but it's my guy that's being singled out."

The biggest gripe within the organization about Hudson has been his defense and shot selection. Some believe Hudson, who is a scoring threat, is trying to get his offensive game going in attempt to stay on the court at the expense of getting his teammates involved.

"They know what type of player he is. He's not a John Stockton, he's a scorer like a Bobby Jackson, so I don't know why they would say something like that," Neff said. "They question his shot selection, but he's playing with the second team. It's not the same as two years ago because he's not playing with the first team like he was then."

Another complaint about Hudson is his health. Saunders wanted to put Hudson, who battled injuries on both ankles in 2003-04, on the injured list earlier this season.

"He basically played on one leg last season for them," Neff said. "Now that he's fully healthy, they're having problems?"

Hudson isn't the first player the Wolves have had trouble with this season. Cassell skipped the first day of training camp to show his displeasure about not getting a contract extension. Latrell Sprewell made national news complaining about his contract situation. And center Michael Olowokandi was arrested early Thanksgiving morning when he refused to leave a nightclub in Indianapolis.
 
#9
Bricklayer said:
and they now have problems with Troy Hudson to top everything off:


http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/basketball/10517848.htm?1c

Same team and coach that chased Bobby Jackson out of town in favor of William Avery, and Hudson's agent even invokes Bobby's name. Might be a patter n there. Several actually. 1) major chemistry issues; and 2) Flip doesn't like shoot first PGs.

Wonder if they'd be willing to give him to us for...well nothing basically. :)
He'd have to change his hairstyle or they shouldn't let him in the building.
 
#10
T-Wolves in Dissaray

Jeez First Wally, Then Spree, Then Golem, and Now Hudson! Is anyone happy on that frickin team?? Trust me as bad as we feel losing to the Good teams.. losing to the bad teams(as much as they have) is almost worse. Plus they've lost to Seattle and San Anton, they barely beat Dallas once and then lost to them the 2nd game. So they aren't beating all the good teams they play either.
 
#11
wow the woofs have had a wierd season. losing to the likes ot the bulls, raptors, knicks, yet somehow they keep on beating us *pissed off expression*

as for pippi longstockings JR, i wouldn't mind the kings trying to persue him, as long as they didn't have to give anyone signifigant up. it would be great while bobby is gone, but after that... oh boy. also, i've heard he'd not happy with being a backup, and he'd be a backup in sacramento. i'd chase him down with an electic shaver as well, that hair has GOT to go :D
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#12
BTW guys, not in a million zillion years would Minnesota let us have Hudson -- just bemusement on my part since we could desperately use him as Bobby-lite. Another Microwave=esque scoring PG to power our bench. And after Minnesota was stupid enough too give us our last one.

But contenders don't give other contenders key pieces during the season. San Antonio isn't going to give us Brent Barry either (who I also would love to have) no matter how unhappy they are with him.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#14
My major beef with this? Once again, an agent is commenting that a team should trade a player. Especially interesting that Neff admits he hasn't talked to anyone in the Wovles organization, but did leave Kevin McHale a message...

:rolleyes:

IMHO some of these bleeping agents are getting way too big for their client's britches.

I thought this was pretty interesting:

Hudson has a clause in his new six-year contract that requires him to play at least 12 minutes a game and 65 games each season during the first four seasons of the deal. Hudson is averaging 18 minutes, and has played in all 26 games.

..."I don't understand why they're panicking after 25 games; it's an 82-game season," Neff said. "They're trying to shorten the rotation, but it's my guy that's being singled out."
Hudson has a clause in his contract guaranteeing playing time. The Wolves are meeting that clause...

Neff says he doesn't understand why the Wolves are panicking? Oh, excuse me! I don't understand why NEFF is panicking...

It's obvious that the biggest gap between Hudson and the organization has been communication. Hudson said nobody has told him what he should be doing when he's in the game. Saunders countered Monday by saying Hudson has been told "point blank" what he should do.
Nobody has told him what he should be doing? How long has he been in the league? One would suspect he should at least have a clue...and watching the Wolves, I don't think Flip is ignoring Hudson. In fact, I kinda remember him screaming at him at the top of his voice on at least one occasion. Perhaps he was talking about the hairdo???

;)
 
#15
Hudson has a clause in his contract guaranteeing playing time. The Wolves are meeting that clause...
Actually, he is REQUIRED to meet those criteria. The clause is for the wolves benefit, a hedge against him never getting healthy again. At least that's the way I read it.

Hudson has a clause in his new six-year contract that requires him to play at least 12 minutes a game and 65 games each season during the first four seasons of the deal.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#16
Regardless of being REQUIRED to meet the criteria, he's still ending up with guaranteed playing time, right?

My main complaint is about the agent anyway. Once again, a player's representative is trying to use the media to force a team to do something about his client. I personally hope it comes back and bites said agent in the part of the body most normally touching the chair when said agent is sitting down...

;)
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#17
No guaranteed playing time.

That clause is very bad for him. Means if he gets hurt, contract is void. If he falls out of favor, contract is void. And from his perspective at least, if Minnesota decides to try to screw him out of his money/contract, they just bench him so he doesn't reach his numbers and again the contract is void. So far from guaranteeing playing time, there is always the suspicion he could actually lose playing time artirficially because of such a clause.

I could see there being a very slight chance of Hudson's agent putting such a clause in so that his player had an "out" if he ended up getting benched, so he could go off and sign with somebody else. But that seems doubtful, since in that case it would just make more sense to sign a one or two year short term contract so that his staying wasn't left in Minnesota's control.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#18
Brickie - If an employer creates a situation where an employee is unable to fulfill his contract although he is willing and able to do so, isn't it voidable but not necessarily void?
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#19
VF21 said:
Brickie - If an employer creates a situation where an employee is unable to fulfill his contract although he is willing and able to do so, isn't it voidable but not necessarily void?
Sure...but you can't prove it when you are talking about playing time. Employer says he thinks the other guy gives his team a better chance to win and Hudson's response is...what, to sue and try to porvie in court that not only were the Wolves wrong, but they KNEW they were wrong and should have played him? Be virtually impossible unless you had some sort of smoking gun like McHale writing a memo to Flip or...oh wait...this is the Wolves...who knows? ;)