MyHouse!
20 Aug 2002, 02:44 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Shawn Kemp, the former NBA All-Star whose career has crumbled (like a poorly constructed sand castle at high tide) because of weight and drug problems, will be waived Tuesday by the Portland Trail Blazers, The Oregonian reported in its Tuesday edition. (no suprise)
Stunningly, Kemp has agreed to forfeit more than $25 million of the $46.5 million left on his contract, the newspaper said.
(he doesn't deserve 25 cents. He sucks now.)
In the agreement, the Blazers will pay Kemp about $20 million over more than 10 years.
(Is America great or what. In what other country can you smoke crack, father babies, get fired and receive 2 million a year? Someone explain to me why I went law school again?)
It is unknown why Kemp would agree to give up $25 million of his guaranteed contract. His agent, Tony Dutt, was not home when phoned by The Associated Press.
(He was either 1)Smoking crack when he agreed to give it up 2) Had what alcoholics refer to as "a moment of clarity" and realized he would be stealing from Portland if held onto that money)
The Blazers also could not be reached late Monday.
(Unpublished reports suggest that Trailblazer officials were doubled over in laughter repeating over and over "he agreed to what?")
The move has important financial implications for the Blazers, with the team likely to save at least $40 million in NBA luxury taxes.
Cleveland coach John Lucas, who has counseled Kemp (and shared crack cocaine binging stories) in recent years, said he was shocked at the news.
"It's not often you hear of players giving back money, especially one of this magnitude,'' Lucas told the newspaper. "It's a statement for the player, just in the regard that he is willing to give back a year of his money.''
(This further confirms #2, above)
Kemp, 33 (and now weighing 300 lbs), signed a seven-year, $107 million contract in 1997 before he was traded from Seattle to the Cleveland Cavaliers, then traded to the Blazers before the 2000-01 season.
He never regained his All-Star level of play in Portland (crack will do that to a person), averaging 6.3 points in two seasons. (Something Chad Dixon could do for a lot less money)
Kemp entered a drug rehabilitation center for cocaine use in April 2001, near the end of his first season as a Trail Blazer(where he was only patient to be simultaneously treated for crack cocaine addiction and obesity. Marinate on THAT for a second or two.) He returned for the 2001-02 season but was suspended for five games in February for failing to comply with his aftercare program. (Am I the only one to wonder if there was some truth to what Peter Vecsey said about him?)
Kemp appeared in six consecutive All-Star Games from 1993-1998, five with the Seattle SuperSonics and one with the Cavaliers. (He also fathered numerous illegimate children, was ignamously skullfu*ked by Robert Pack in Game 5 of the 1994 First round series and was one of the most overrated players in the league, averaging maybe 18 points on spectacular dunks punctuated by annoying crotch grabbing and primal scrams, obviously his mating call).
To quote Flayva Flav "and awayyyy goes the brother down the drain."
Then again, that may be too harsh, I'm sure soon enough we'll see someone sitting at a booth with a bunch of Xs in front of them and say "Um, yes, I'll take Shawn Kemp for the block"
Stunningly, Kemp has agreed to forfeit more than $25 million of the $46.5 million left on his contract, the newspaper said.
(he doesn't deserve 25 cents. He sucks now.)
In the agreement, the Blazers will pay Kemp about $20 million over more than 10 years.
(Is America great or what. In what other country can you smoke crack, father babies, get fired and receive 2 million a year? Someone explain to me why I went law school again?)
It is unknown why Kemp would agree to give up $25 million of his guaranteed contract. His agent, Tony Dutt, was not home when phoned by The Associated Press.
(He was either 1)Smoking crack when he agreed to give it up 2) Had what alcoholics refer to as "a moment of clarity" and realized he would be stealing from Portland if held onto that money)
The Blazers also could not be reached late Monday.
(Unpublished reports suggest that Trailblazer officials were doubled over in laughter repeating over and over "he agreed to what?")
The move has important financial implications for the Blazers, with the team likely to save at least $40 million in NBA luxury taxes.
Cleveland coach John Lucas, who has counseled Kemp (and shared crack cocaine binging stories) in recent years, said he was shocked at the news.
"It's not often you hear of players giving back money, especially one of this magnitude,'' Lucas told the newspaper. "It's a statement for the player, just in the regard that he is willing to give back a year of his money.''
(This further confirms #2, above)
Kemp, 33 (and now weighing 300 lbs), signed a seven-year, $107 million contract in 1997 before he was traded from Seattle to the Cleveland Cavaliers, then traded to the Blazers before the 2000-01 season.
He never regained his All-Star level of play in Portland (crack will do that to a person), averaging 6.3 points in two seasons. (Something Chad Dixon could do for a lot less money)
Kemp entered a drug rehabilitation center for cocaine use in April 2001, near the end of his first season as a Trail Blazer(where he was only patient to be simultaneously treated for crack cocaine addiction and obesity. Marinate on THAT for a second or two.) He returned for the 2001-02 season but was suspended for five games in February for failing to comply with his aftercare program. (Am I the only one to wonder if there was some truth to what Peter Vecsey said about him?)
Kemp appeared in six consecutive All-Star Games from 1993-1998, five with the Seattle SuperSonics and one with the Cavaliers. (He also fathered numerous illegimate children, was ignamously skullfu*ked by Robert Pack in Game 5 of the 1994 First round series and was one of the most overrated players in the league, averaging maybe 18 points on spectacular dunks punctuated by annoying crotch grabbing and primal scrams, obviously his mating call).
To quote Flayva Flav "and awayyyy goes the brother down the drain."
Then again, that may be too harsh, I'm sure soon enough we'll see someone sitting at a booth with a bunch of Xs in front of them and say "Um, yes, I'll take Shawn Kemp for the block"