November 8, 2008 1:42 AM
McDyess gives up big bucks in buyout
By Chris Tomasson
Rocky Mountain News
Score it a victory for the Nuggets.
Yes, they did beat Dallas 108-105 at the Pepsi Center. But also Friday, they got as good of a deal as one could expect in reaching an agreement on a buyout of Antonio McDyess' contract.
A source said McDyess, who was due nearly $15 million, will be bought out for about $6 million. McDyess was acquired last Monday from Detroit (along with Chauncey Billups and Cheikh Samb for Allen Iverson), but didn't want to play for the Nuggets.
A source said McDyess, 34, had little leverage. If he didn't want to play for Denver and was unwilling to take a generous buyout, his only other option would have been retirement, and then he would have gotten nothing.
McDyess' agent, Andy Miller, who wouldn't discuss financial arrangements, said the paperwork likely will be finalized Monday. McDyess would then clear waivers Wednesday, and be a free agent able to immediately sign with any team except Detroit. If it's true McDyess wants to return to the Pistons, NBA rules don't allow him to re-sign with them until 30 days after being waived.
The move will get the Nuggets to around $1 million over the luxury-tax threshold of $71.15 million. Prior to the McDyess negotiations, the Nuggets had a payroll of $75.9 million.
It's believed by many the Nuggets will get under the tax threshold by the end of the season. However, there still is a possibility they will be back in the luxury tax next season due to taking on Billups' long-term contract (Iverson has an expiring deal) and next season having about half of McDyess' buyout amount still on the books.
While many have believed McDyess would return to Detroit, one source wondered if he now might have to go somewhere else to recoup all of the money he's giving back. Miller said 19 teams have contacted him about McDyess, but declined to say if the Pistons are the frontrunner.
"We haven't discussed any teams yet,'' said Miller, who had negotiations with Nuggets officials on Thursday and Friday in Denver. "Once he clears waivers, we'll address the next step.''
McDyess was due to make $6.8 million both this season and next. However, when he was traded, a 10-percent trade kicker was invoked, and his salary rose to $7.48 million for both this season and next.
The most the Pistons could pay McDyess the remainder of this season is $1.91 million. However, the Pistons are in line next season to have cap room, and could make up dollars to McDyess by signing him to a bigger deal then.
If one considers McDyess' original contract, he gave up more than $7 million to not play for the Nuggets. If one takes into account his new numbers after the trade kicker came into play, he gave up more than $8 million.
The Nuggets wanted McDyess to play for them, and Miller confirmed that was the team's wish. So why didn't McDyess want to come to Denver, where he had stints with the team from 1995-97 and 1998-2002?
"It had nothing to do with the Nuggets,'' Miller said. "He wanted flexibility to be able to decide his next step. It had nothing to do with whether he did or didn't want to play for the Nuggets. He had two good experiences here and holds this organization in nothing but the highest regard.''
Published reports have listed Boston and Cleveland among teams that have interest in McDyess, who averaged 8.8 points and 8.5 rebounds last season.
Miller showed appreciation to Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke and vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien for dealing with him on the matter. Miller said negotiations "helped us reach our goal and helped (the Nuggets) reach their goal."
Denver's goal is to get under the dollar-for-dollar tax line by the end of the season or, more realistically, by February's trade deadline. One way to do that could be to trade Chucky Atkins (making $3.24 million this season) or Steven Hunter ($3.86 million), although a team likely would need to be given a draft choice and possibly also cash to take on one of those contracts.
McDyess' exit will leave the Nuggets with 14 players. They might re-sign forward Juwan Howard, who was waived last Monday to make the trade work.
November 8, 2008
7:31 AM
larry mcdermott writes:
when McDyess was here on the two previous occasions I quickly became a fan of his. However as he was preparing to leave denver on the most recent stint I observed some things in Antonio that I did not appreciate mostly attitude, lack of respect etc. when I first heard that he was dragging his heals in coming back, it certainly fit with what I remember about him. I want my sports heros to be respectful and I for one will not miss him here
November 8, 2008
8:25 AM
Anonymous writes:
hes a cry baby always was and always will be. were better of without him here in denver.
November 8, 2008
11:30 AM
Anonymous writes:
Just goes to show that McDyess isn't in the game for a paycheck. He's a warrior and plays with a lot of heart. He wants to win and he knows that the Nuggets have a slim to none chance of making it to the finals. I'll be shocked if you see Dyess in anything but Piston red, white and blue ever again.
There is nothing wrong with his attitude and he is far from a cry baby. This is a guy who played in the playoffs with a broken nose (which required surgery and 2 plane rides) and got the job done. Denver... you don't know what you're missing. He's a classy athlete and Detroit will welcome him back with open arms.
November 8, 2008
11:31 AM
Matt writes:
Nice buyout Andy! You are officially the worst agent in the NBA. He got half his salary? That's the best you could do? Wow. Good luck getting new clients with that.
November 8, 2008
1:56 PM
Drew writes:
He's going to the Cavs for 5.1 million!
November 8, 2008
3:30 PM
Anonymous cubed writes:
"Isn't in the game for a paycheck".
Yeah, he's only demanded $6 million for doing nothing and not honoring his contract.
November 8, 2008
3:36 PM
Allie writes:
McDyess truly is one of the classiest guys you can have on your team and anyone who says differently doesn't know him at all. And don't even say he does nothing, that is a ridiculous statement. He always fights hard to win. And Drew, you're delirious if you think anyone will believe that he went to the Cav's.
November 8, 2008
5:23 PM
Palmer Lake writes:
McDyess is a selfish ungrateful piece of crap. I wouldn't have paid him a penny in a buyout. I would have made the little ingrate report or retire. Ungrateful, selfish, spoiled little baby.
November 8, 2008
6:54 PM
Flyrockies writes:
Okay, let's play Nuggets front office for a minute. The boss says we need to get under the Luxury Tax Cap, so we give Antonio $6 million dollars to sail off into the sunset. We find out that 19 teams have interest in him. Why the heck didn't we sign and trade him for something? A draft pic?
Although the Thuggets got closer to being under the Luxury Tax Cap, they did the fans a disservice by paying off a selfish player. I would have told his agent to go pound sand.
November 8, 2008
7:45 PM
Bill writes:
Precious Stan Kroenke will save money.
Nuggets fans will get screwed. Anybody who thinks trading Allen Iverson for Chancey Billups even up is a good trade is a complete idiot.
Stan only cares about money. He's drooling in it but his the greedy slut just wants more. Nuggets fans and the remaining players deserve better.
Here's hoping the Nuggets don't even come close to making the playoff and the attendance falls in the dumpster, and Stan loses money.
November 8, 2008
7:48 PM
Bill writes:
McDyess being willing to give up all that money not to come to Denver shows you what a crummy, classless organization Denver has become.
Stan Kroenke -- world's worst owner.
November 9, 2008
12:25 AM
Amanda writes:
I was excited whenI heard that McDyess was gonna be back to denver. I believe that it was a good trade when we had both Mcdyess and Billups but why did we five up Iverson just for Billup!!! I was looking foward to watching play. I remember watching him as a kid. I always try to go t see the detroit piston games at the pepsi center just to see Mcdyess play. I am mad that he didn't at least play one game for those that were excited to see him. I hope the buy-out gets mess up someway so he is with the Nugget!! I will miss you McDyess!
November 9, 2008
5:23 AM
x2pher writes:
if dyess wants 2 win championship, he needs to go to boston... if boston wants to repeat, they need dyess as well, to fill-in the role that pj brown did during the playoffs last yr...
November 9, 2008
7:05 AM
Mark writes:
I thought McDyess made it clear awhile ago that he had a fairly negative experience with the Nuggets and their coaching philosophy last time he was on the team, i.e., they weren't very serious about working hard. Of course, things may have changed since then, but it's easy to imagine despite Andy Miller's claims to the contrary that McDyess wouldn't want to move back into that kind of situation. I predict he'll be back with the Pistons. Other Piston players have remained on the team (e.g., Prince) even when more lucrative opportunities have presented themselves.
November 10, 2008
11:58 AM
kodijack writes:
I would have liked McDyess to come to Denver and be the player that I remember. But this is also a business and he is thinking of himself, as any and all would do if they were in his position. Personally I don't care if the Nuggets are in the luxury tax or not, I want them to play hard, smart, and to the best of their ability. For the past two games I have seen some smart playing. Those are two games the Nuggets should have won anyway so I am not too impressed. Let's see if the Nuggets can play .700 ball for the next couple of weeks while everyone who matters is healthy.
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