Dalembert To Stay With Philly By Ryne Nelson
07.15.2005 - Updated on 07.15.2005
|
We all laughed when the Warriors signed
Jason Richardson to a six-year, $70 million deal in November.
But with all the money being thrown around this offseason, Richardson’s signing seems like a coup.
RealGM is reported a rumor Thursday that Sixers center
Samuel Dalembert verbally agreed on a $70-$75 million deal to stick with Philly.
If rumors hold true, Dalembert could end up with more paper than free agents
Larry Hughes and
Joe Johnson over the next five seasons.
Hughes, who sportswriters voted to the NBA All-Defensive team and started every game he played the last two seasons, agreed to a five-year, $65 - $70 million deal with the
Cleveland Cavaliers last Thursday.
Johnson, who finished second in three-point percentage and started all 82 regular season games, received a five-year, $70 million commitment from the
Atlanta Hawks last Friday.
Dalembert, on the other hand, averaged 8.1 points and 7.55 rebounds in the past two seasons and was on the pine for 41 tip-offs, could still be collecting around $12 million the next five seasons.
If not for his numbers, let’s look at how Dalembert was able to score big this summer:
Chicago’s
Tyson Chandler, Eddie Curry and Dalembert round out the Top Three free-agent centers this offseason – not a very formidable or proven bunch. Potential in the NBA reigns supreme, and all three young centers showed glimpses of it in the past few seasons.
The 24-year-old out of Seton Hall keeps hinting at stardom like Nick Cannon. He scored 24 points, grabbed 16 boards and swatted 4 shots in a 115-111 loss to Orlando Jan. 22. Dalembert had 16, 16 and 5 in Sacramento March 28.
A serviceable big man’s asking price is grossly inflated especially with Shaq soon to be locked up for another three-five seasons in the east.
But the final warning call was Atlanta – who’s courting big men for its revamped run at the playoffs next season – when the Hawks publicly announced their intents to woo Dalembert in the next two weeks. Philadelphia felt like it had no choice but to offer a can’t-miss type deal.
Dalembert saw more than what he wanted, and took it…And to think J-Rich was overpaid.
