| Dalembert agrees to 6-year deal with Sixers |
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By Phil Jasner
Samuel Dalembert was first in Argentina, then in China on behalf of "Basketball Without Borders," the NBA's global outreach program. Marc Cornstein, Dal-embert's agent, was, again and again, at the bargaining table with 76ers president/general manager Billy King, working to finalize a new contract for the 6-11 restricted free-agent center.
They broke the tape at the finish line at roughly 10 o'clock Saturday night, but because of the moratorium on signing anyone other than draft choices, Dalembert will not be able to place his signature on the document until 6 p.m. Thursday. That's the new target date as league and players union officials put the final touches on a new 6-year collective bargaining agreement.
As did fellow Sixers restricted free agents Kyle Korver and Willie Green, Dalembert accepted a 6-year deal. Although no one was revealing the value of Dalembert's contract, it is likely to be somewhere between $50 million and $75 million. To wit: If the starting point was $7 million, with the maximum permissible annual raises of 10.5 percent from the base year, it would be worth about $51.5 million. At $8 million, it would be worth $60.6 million. If the starting point was $9 million, it would escalate to $69.68 million; at $10 million, it would vault to more than $82 million.
In any case, Cornstein quickly canceled a scheduled visit for Dalembert with the Atlanta Hawks. The Sixers would have had the right to match any offer from the Hawks or any other team.
When the Hawks recently entertained Chicago Bulls restricted free-agent center Eddy Curry, they showed highlight tapes of Curry's high school career on the Philips Arena screens and had Hawks jerseys displayed at strategic spots with Curry's name inscribed. While touring with "Basketball Without Borders," Dalembert received a personalized DVD from the Sixers; he also met recently with new head coach Maurice Cheeks.
His agreement completes a vow made by King to re-sign all three restricted free agents and maintain the young core of the team that also includes second-year guard/forward Andre Iguodala. Korver's deal is thought to be worth about $27 million, while Green's package is thought be worth about $20 million.
Dalembert and Cornstein had said all along that Dalembert, 24, wanted to be with an organization that believed in him not only for the future, but in the coming season. He averaged an impressive 11.6 points, 12.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while shooting 55.3 percent from the floor in the five-game first-round playoff loss to the Detroit Pistons. He averaged 8.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.68 blocks during the regular season. That's a long way from the raw, gangly, fundamentally challenged kid from Seton Hall who was the No. 26 overall pick in the first round in 2001.
Cornstein said the Sixers' approach changed "in every which way" once free-agency negotiations were permitted July 1.
"Sammy felt it was essential that he feel wanted by the entire organization, not just portions," Cornstein said. "From July 1 to now, they let that be known in every commitment possible, from top to bottom. I don't know that Sammy felt that during his first 4 years, but he feels it now. He felt this was the team that coveted him the most. We're extremely grateful and happy for that commitment, and Sammy fully expects to repay that over the next 6 years."
Dalembert came late to the sport, growing up in his native Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, then moving to Montreal at age 14; he didn't begin playing competitively until his sophomore year in high school. He eventually transferred to Saint Patrick's High in Elizabeth, N.J., then spent two seasons at Seton Hall.
He holds three-season Sixers' career averages of 6.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. He sat out the entire '02-03 season after undergoing surgery on his left knee.
Used courtesy of: Philadelphia Daily News |
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