Jameer's Extension: Otis "tells it like it is"! (Denton article)

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

"His extension depends on how our team performs," Smith said recently. "It's not my style to give away money just because the rules say that I can. You have to show your worth, and with (34) wins, I'm not sure exactly what that value is right now."

 

Smith is as close to Nelson as he is with any Magic player, and needling the point guard is usually his way of pushing him to do more.

 

To his credit, Nelson said he's been "inconsistent," and points out that "it's been a learning process" trying to figure out how to run a team when you are still learning the ropes as a third-year point guard.

 

 

The Magic were comfortable enough with Nelson's leadership skills that the team voted him a co-captain before the year. And while he's become the Magic's third-leading scorer and their go-to shooter in the clutch, some have wondered about Nelson's viability as a point guard.

 

The Magic's offense ranks at or near the bottom in several telling categories. Orlando is 29th in scoring (94.1), 30th in assists (18.2) and 30th in turnovers (17.1). Some might say that is a poor reflection on the point guard.

 

Whether or not Nelson has shown enough progress to earn a long-term contract extension is yet to be seen.

 

Just how much money Nelson deserves is yet to be seen also. He likely won't get a deal similar to the five-year, $47 million pact that Kirk Hinrich signed with the Chicago Bulls, and he should get more than the $24 million Luke Ridnour agreed to with Seattle. A comparable deal might be the $33 million contract T.J. Ford inked with Toronto.

 

 

 

I have some serious reservations about making this guy our point guard of the future. Now it is true that sometimes the point guard position takes longer to get an understanding of how to run a team efficiently. But right now these stats listed above speak "volumnes"!

 

On top of that I've heard rumblings that Jameer's agent and Otis are "miles" apart on estimating what Jameer's value is.

 

I wish you well Jameer. You've got 8 games and hopefully the playoffs to "up" your value.

 

 

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/...04070331/1002/SPORTS

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

"His extension depends on how our team performs," Smith said recently. "It's not my style to give away money just because the rules say that I can. You have to show your worth, and with (34) wins, I'm not sure exactly what that value is right now."

 

Smith is as close to Nelson as he is with any Magic player, and needling the point guard is usually his way of pushing him to do more.

 

To his credit, Nelson said he's been "inconsistent," and points out that "it's been a learning process" trying to figure out how to run a team when you are still learning the ropes as a third-year point guard.

 

 

The Magic were comfortable enough with Nelson's leadership skills that the team voted him a co-captain before the year. And while he's become the Magic's third-leading scorer and their go-to shooter in the clutch, some have wondered about Nelson's viability as a point guard.

 

The Magic's offense ranks at or near the bottom in several telling categories. Orlando is 29th in scoring (94.1), 30th in assists (18.2) and 30th in turnovers (17.1). Some might say that is a poor reflection on the point guard.

 

Whether or not Nelson has shown enough progress to earn a long-term contract extension is yet to be seen.

 

Just how much money Nelson deserves is yet to be seen also. He likely won't get a deal similar to the five-year, $47 million pact that Kirk Hinrich signed with the Chicago Bulls, and he should get more than the $24 million Luke Ridnour agreed to with Seattle. A comparable deal might be the $33 million contract T.J. Ford inked with Toronto.

 

 

 

I have some serious reservations about making this guy our point guard of the future. Now it is true that sometimes the point guard position takes longer to get an understanding of how to run a team efficiently. But right now these stats listed above speak "volumnes"!

 

On top of that I've heard rumblings that Jameer's agent and Otis are "miles" apart on estimating what Jameer's value is.

 

I wish you well Jameer. You've got 8 games and hopefully the playoffs to "up" your value.

 

 

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/...04070331/1002/SPORTS

[nate dizzy 0]

Yeah I agree. I think he has potential to be a good PG. It is good that he has the hunger to be a leader, but it hasn't translated to the court yet. I like the way he tried to pull the team together in the offseason, but hopefully he takes this offseason to work on his own game.

[EnFuego 1]

quote:

Originally posted by ball junkie:

"His extension depends on how our team performs," Smith said recently. "It's not my style to give away money just because the rules say that I can. You have to show your worth, and with (34) wins, I'm not sure exactly what that value is right now."

 

 

That is a curious statement. If we go by how the team performs then Dwight would not be worth and extension either and we know we're going max money with Dwight. I don't know if Jameer is worth an extension but Otis doesn't tell it like it is. He just comes up with some ridiculous statements sometimes.

[SmackDaddy 30]

A contract similar to TJ Ford's???

 

Ford has outplayed Jameer all season and has torched him each time they have matched up.

 

Nelson deserves Travis Diener money because that's how he's playing. Like a 3rd string PG.

[Soul Bro 1,419]

quote:

Originally posted by SmackDaddy:

A contract similar to TJ Ford's???

 

Ford has outplayed Jameer all season and has torched him each time they have matched up.

 

Nelson deserves Travis Diener money because that's how he's playing. Like a 3rd string PG.

 

Bump

[jack daniel 999 27]

When Jameer Nelson was young, maybe 9 or 10 years old, an older kid had designs on Jameer's new bicycle, a Mongoose model that literally had all the bells and whistles.

 

"Meer Meer" asked him to leave it alone, but he refused. As the story goes, Jameer mustered all his strength, picked up the older guy and flipped him to the ground with a pro wrestling move. Word of his body slam spread through his hardscrabble hometown of Chester, Pa., and no one messed with him again.

 

"I've had to fight for stuff my whole life," said Nelson, a 5-foot-10 point guard. "People saying I couldn't do this or that at my size. . . . Nothing has ever been easy."

 

The season has been particularly hard, and Nelson finds himself at something of a career crossroads with the Orlando Magic.

 

He has, all at once, had to handle being a team captain (along with Grant Hill), a full-time starter and a go-to guy . . . while playing for his basketball future.

 

Before the season, it was widely assumed the Magic would automatically sign Nelson to a contract extension this summer. General Manager Otis Smith said several weeks ago that might be no longer the case as he wants to "see more out of Jameer."

 

Is Nelson the point guard with more tomorrows in Orlando -- or have the Magic decided the position still needs to be filled?

 

"It's been up and down for me as far as consistency," Nelson said.

 

As he leads the Magic into tonight's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Nelson said he has no ready answers. But to his credit, just like taking the last shot in a tight game, he doesn't run from the responsibility.

 

"I think it's a learning process," he said. "I've got to handle it better. Guys like Steve Nash and certain guys who are the faces of the NBA, they didn't get it in one year or two. They got better after the things they went through."

 

He said he feels no extra pressure with the contract extension hanging over his head, but adds, "You're a human being. For the most part, it's not on my mind and not during the course of a game.

 

"I want to see more from myself. Nobody can guarantee that you're going to sign an extension. I can't worry about that."

 

The Magic expected Nelson to take a big leap in his development, in this, his third season. But he has, at times, struggled running the offense and making decisions, causing the veins in Coach Brian Hill's neck to bulge after a turnover or failed possession.

 

Nelson seemingly wages an eternal battle within: When to pass, when to score.

 

He was more of a scoring guard during a decorated career at Saint Joseph's, and it is still his natural inclination, his strength.

 

He came off the bench as a rookie and had freedom to find the basket. He continued to play behind Steve Francis until Francis was traded late last season. Nelson flourished and was given the reins as the starter this season. The adjustment hasn't been smooth.

 

Nelson starts games trying to get Magic teammates involved, then looks for his shots, especially late in games or when big buckets are needed. He is trying to learn the balancing act.

 

He hasn't cracked double figures in scoring the past four games, making just 12 of 43 shots. He had averaged 17.8 points per game in the previous five games.

 

And thus the search for consistency. "I know what I do wrong," Nelson said. "You have to be honest with yourself. "

 

Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/...story?coll=orl-magic

[OsoTommy 0]

Yikes! 24 Mil in what, 4 years contract??? Now more than ever the contract of Arroyo looks like a huge sale! 4 Mil? Is that what we are paying Arroyo? These two have proven that are in the same tier. Why spending so much money in Jameer? LET HIM GO! Sign Carlos for 4 Mil a year with a 2 year contract and use him as your regular point guard. If he can't run the team then trade him at the end of the season. For that amount I would take that chance but not for 24 or more for Jameer. It's nuts! He is who he is, a second shooting guard who will never be confortable at the point guard position unless he can shoot the ball all the time, so those stats will never look much different than what they look now. With some rest after the end of the season and some practice he might play a little better next year but never will be a playmaker.

[SmackDaddy 30]

quote:

"I've had to fight for stuff my whole life," said Nelson, a 5-foot-10 point guard. "People saying I couldn't do this or that at my size. . . . Nothing has ever been easy."

 

Well, I say he can't pass or play defense. Hopefully he feels inclined to prove me wrong too.

[nbr 15]

I don't even want to consider what he is worth but for the labelled values, I laugh. Ridnour money, max.

[bhnole 153]

At this point I would say skip doing any extension this summer and let the market decide as a restricted FA next summer.

[MilitaryMagic 0]

quote:

Originally posted by bhnole:

At this point I would say skip doing any extension this summer and let the market decide as a restricted FA next summer.

 

Agreed.