The Top 5 Potential NBA Amnesty Clause Victims
Travis Outlaw (photo. Bethany Gilbert)
4. Travis Outlaw - If there was ever a team that wanted a do-over for a bizarre decision, it would be the Nets for their choice to give Travis Outlaw a five-year, $35 million free agent deal before the start of last season. With $24 million left on Outlaw’s deal and the Nets’ desire to open up in Brooklyn with Deron Williams and Dwight Howard on their roster, Outlaw’s a goner.
3. Gilbert Arenas - Gil’s situation in regards to the Amnesty Clause and the $62+ million still owed to him is a complicated one. We’ll let ESPN.com’s Marc Stein and Chad Ford explain:
Amnesty 2011 gives Magic GM Otis Smith an opportunity to undo a gamble on his good buddy Gil that backfired spectacularly and take at least some of the considerable tension out of the air after the toxic end to last season in that first-round exit to Atlanta … at a time when the weight of Dwight Howard’s 2012 free agency happens to hang over all of Central Florida. The Magic, remember, have a deep-pocketed financier in Rich DeVos that would be on the short list of NBA owners who could withstand the huge financial hit required to send Arenas away. So it’s going to happen. It’s just of matter of when.
Rashard Lewis (photo. NBA)
2. Brandon Roy - We broke down the Roy/Portland Trail Blazers situation here. For lots of reasons, B-Roy will be on the market.
1. Rashard Lewis - Ahh, Rashard. Let’s be honest, the Amnesty Clause should really be known as the “Rashard Lewis Clause” – ‘Shard is the poster child for knucklehead contracts being handed out by overzealous owners. As part of the ridiculous $113 million contract the Magic signed him to years ago, the Wizards are on the hook to pay Lewis more than $22 million this season and more than $40 million total. Losing that contract gives the Wizards lots and lots of money to re-tune a large part of their roster to (in theory) build around John Wall.
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Honorable Mention: Elton Brand, Ron Artest, Beno Udrih, Richard Jefferson, Josh Childress, Al Harrington
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November 30th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Lee says:
I never understood the Lewis deal. The magic had him for £90m as a free agent then did a sign and trade for $113m
November 30th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Joe's Momma says:
I think Washington is keeping Lewis.
He only has this year guaranteed, next year is only half guaranteed (around 13 million)
Lewis is tight with all the young pups in Washington’s core, and is a the only veteran presence.
And I think Roy being amnestied is a bit much. Paul Allen only does it to get cap room (if he does it at all) and I still don’t think Portland has enough room to go after a big name if they do. Paul Allen has never been afraid to pony up the loot, let Roy do the bench thing, and if next year he sucks donkey balls, they can amnesty him then.
Boom is gone, its already done. Boom has never been a hard worker, and they want to give the ball to their #1 overall pick Irving. And didn’t B. Scott and Boom have beef back in their Charlotte days? Wasn’t that why Boom was dealt? That might factor into it.
November 30th, 2011 at 8:30 pm
Aleks Kaludjerovic says:
Yes this new clause mean Jose is finally gone!
December 1st, 2011 at 1:51 am
ScoGo says:
Antawn Jamison seems as likely as Baron. But do the Cavs need the space – salary space or spots on the roster?
December 1st, 2011 at 11:13 am
dagwaller says:
These aren’t “victims” – please, they’re going to make millions and millions of dollars still. If their contracts were nullified (as they deserve to be, anyway), then they’d be victims.