Antoine Walker to be bought out today?

[.s31t]

Dealt 14 months ago by the Heat to the Timberwolves, and then traded in the offseason by Minnesota to Memphis, Walker said Sunday he expects to receive a buyout today from the Grizzlies. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The former Heat forward not only has not appeared in a game for Memphis since he was acquired in the draft-night deal for O.J. Mayo that sent Kevin Love to the Timberwolves, but he has not appeared in a regular-season game since playing eight minutes for Minnesota on Feb. 19 of last season against Philadelphia. "Hopefully, with this buyout, the opportunity is going to be there for me," Walker said before Sunday's game against the Heat. "Maybe I can go and talk to a few teams and hopefully move on to a better situation very soon." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

After being caught in youth movements on his last two teams, Walker said showing, at 32, that he still can be a contributor is his goal. "I just want to play," he said. "I've been fortunate enough to make a lot of money in this league, but I want to play the games." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

 

[jarrod2323]

I remember him and his UK and Boston days - guy was studly.

 

[.s31t]

I remember him and his UK and Boston days - guy was studly.

He was very sexy.
Side note: Pierce would like him back.

 

[.s31t]

fter 24 games, the Memphis Grizzlies have apparently agreed to a buyout of Antoine Walker's contract. While terms have yet to be announced, the NBA's version of divorce papers will allow the 32-year-old veteran to become a free agent and negotiate with any of the other 29 NBA teams that might consider him valuable. For those interested in the continued rebuilding of the Griz, this development is every bit as welcome as the team's first four-game winning streak since April 2006.

I enjoyed what may have been the team's finest start-to-finish performance this season on December 8th, a 109-97 victory over the Houston Rockets (the first game of the current winning streak). O.J. Mayo stole the show after the opening tip, with 10 points in the game's first nine minutes, and an admonished Rudy Gay -- he was late for that morning's shootaround -- came off the bench to score a game-high 20. But I left FedExForum with two fairly ugly images in the back of my mind: thousands of empty seats and Antoine Walker in a sport coat at the end of the Memphis bench.

The NBA's business plan doesn't work. Not any longer. Not in 2008. And this has everything to do with the skewed structure of the players' contracts, inflated salaries that drive up the cost of game tickets, leaving entire sections -- almost entire levels -- of NBA arenas empty. CEOs -- those still with their jobs -- can certainly shell out four figures for season tickets, or three figures for a few seats to a big game. But your average Memphis consumer (let's exaggerate and identify that person as someone making less than $100,000 a year) is tightening his budget and, if he's paying attention, wondering about the accounting department at his local NBA outfit.

Walker was never a part of the plan being implemented by Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace and coach Marc Iavaroni. His contract merely balanced the trade last summer that sent Mike Miller to Minnesota and brought O.J. Mayo to Memphis. For his toil at the end of the Grizzlies' roster (and bench), Walker was scheduled to earn $9,320,500 this season. For additional perspective, consider that Gay -- simply the team's best and most important player -- will earn $2,579,400, roughly twenty-five percent of Walker's pre-buyout take-home. There's no other company on the planet with that kind of salary structure for its staff.

The NBA has rules that don't allow a player's contract to be ripped apart (as they can be in the NFL). A franchise cannot tell the Antoine Walkers of the world to go away (at least not without paying him what his contract stipulates or offering a buyout which, in Walker's case, will include six zeroes). And this is precisely the breaking point -- in public perception -- with the NBA's business plan. Because the rest of us are learning the hard way how easy it is for bosses to say "go away". . . and without a seven-figure guaranteed contract (or buyout) to cushion the fall.

The Grizzlies deserve more fans in their arena, particularly to watch a club with the kind of youth, energy, and yes, talent that should lead to good things around the bend. But the scales of what the Grizzlies spend and what they ask of their consumers must find a sense of balance before those seats will begin filling. Among the empty seats at FedExForum, the first one to actually bring a smile this season will be Antoine Walker's.

 

[travesy3]

Pierce returning to the Celtics could/would be an interesting scenario, although I wouldn't figure it to be very likely unless he was willing to take a role playing position, even less than in Miami.

I figure he'd go to a team like Miami or Houston who is looking to improve right now.

 

[dez]

Walker is way past his prime, honestly I dont think he would be a good piece for any contender to pick up, considering his shot selection.

BUT they did love him in Boston and I dont think there are many teams he would want to play for. I could see him signing a veterans minimum contract with them (if its possible)

 

[DJT]

Making room for D.Miles...alright!

Wonder where Walker will end up...

 

[555666]

Boston would probably be the only team interested in him.

 

[The Young One]

Boston could use the shimmy on their team.

 

[The Guid]

bring back the jiggle!

 

[yezzir]

I could see him possibly taking Posey's old position last year on the Celtics. As long as he stays away from LA, I'm good.

 

[The Young One]

I could see him possibly taking Posey's old position last year on the Celtics. As long as he stays away from LA, I'm good.

LOL i was on some other board and they were joking around making comparisons with old legends and players of today. They called Magic Johnson a less athletic version of Antoine Walker. I couldnt help but to die laughing.