FanPost

Pietrus Heats up about his situation (Update: Holding out?)

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/48112/20070920/heat_abandons_pietrus_talks/

If you're too lazy to read the article, the message in the URL says it all.

Does this mean people will finally stop begging for J-Will? Thank you jeebus! What a serious waste of cap space he would have been; I'm glad Mullin declined those offers.

On another note, though, I genuinely feel bad for Pietrus. Somebody, let this guy play where he wants to! Hopefully, Mullin is just waiting to see if he can get any value out of the Frenchman and will just let him walk if there aren't any good offers that come around. He can be useful, but I don't see him getting much playing time for this team. So it would just result in wasted money and talent if we keep him.

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[Moderator's Note, by OptionZero:] According to an article on NewzFire, Pietrus may threaten to hold out:

Similarly, Pietrus is looking like he won't be around for the long haul with the Warriors -- but there will be no threats of a European escape for Pietrus. His agent, Bill McCandless, says that Pietrus did, in fact, get a one-year offer from a Euroleague team worth more than 2 million Euros, or nearly $3 million. "But the problem is, the restricted tag does not come off when he comes back to the NBA," McCandless says. "We seriously thought about it. He probably would have gone, but in a year, he would come back to the NBA and still be a restricted free agent for the Warriors. We would have been right back where we started."

Instead, McCandless says, Pietrus would choose to simply hold out. Both sides, it seems, have exhausted sign-and-trade possibilities, especially after the Warriors nixed a two-for-one deal (plus a draft pick) the Heat put on the table last week. "There are basically two categories," McCandless says. "Some teams have come to us and worked something out, then presented it to the Warriors. There were two cases like that, where we had an agreement on money, but the Warriors turned it down. Then there are teams that contact the Warriors directly and negotiate that way. But the Warriors don't tell us what is going on with those talks."

Pietrus' best remaining option is to find a multiyear offer sheet, knowing he can give teams some assurance that the Warriors won't match any contract that goes beyond this year. If you're the Warriors, the downside of bringing Pietrus back is the negativity the situation has created. "We had a meeting with the team a couple of weeks ago, and Mickael came out thinking they love him and they're going to make him an offer," McCandless says. "But now, he's not happy. He feels stuck and he feels coerced."

My take in the comments section below below

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!