whats up with Latrell Sprewell

[Tuomas]

espn.com today brought a story about a reporter of theirs trying to get in contact with spree and to ask about his plans. well, spree shoved the door in his face. I don't know why, but now that page has been removed from espn.com

well, the point is... this reminded me that one of my favourite players is still sitting at home doing nothing? I mean it seems weird that a player of his caliber isn't playing. I learned that he was offered contracts by various teams and he personally was interested in Laker's offer but Minnesota couldn't figure things out. Sprewell wasn't satisfied with the other offers because he thought the salary wasn't "enough". So now he is out of the league and has been for the season. It still possible for him to join any NBA team for the playoffs and that was speculated by the story @ espn.com

what are youre opinions on this? I think that Spree should swallow his big ego and take whatever is still available to his old ass. I have no idea if he can still bring it, but he still seemed to be a good role player in Minnesota. Many teams could use his experience and bench scoring in the playoffs.

[Fitzy]

i agree that he should drop his big ego, he should just focus about playin ball

[alexboom]

he doesn't wanna sign for the minimum, you have to understand you know, he has a family to feed, damn.

[Andrew]

No question, Spree shot himself in the foot with his contract demands. I remember his agent making a comment about the offers being insulting and that Spree might as well retire if that's the best available. Fact of the matter is yes, he might as well retire if he doesn't want to take what was offered earlier this year because there's no way he's going to get top dollar at this stage of his career.

If he wants to play again, he's going to have to take what offered, especially now that he's sat out the whole season. A shame, I've never disliked Spree so I don't enjoy seeing his career end this way...yet another player from the 90s whose career fizzled out rather than ending "properly".

[Fresh8]

As others have said, Spree should make a return to the bench for any team right now. And that's if he wants to play pro basketball again. If he joins a team now, it will probably help his chances in getting offered a new contract for next season.

[xman]

how big is sprees family, cmon he got 13mln or something like that in last season and he can´t feed is family , sorry but this is bullshit.

[Bang]

He has died from starvation. Don't you see that with the minimum he can't give the caviar with ostrich eggs to the 500 kids for breakfast?

[Laxation]

maybe he just isnt very motivated to play another season... obviously what he said about feeding his family was just insulting what contract he was offered

[Tuomas]

I think it's unlikely to see Spree on a NBA floor again, at least with a jersey with his name. At age 35 or something and with a year without playing there should not be very high demands on salary. I think it's not even a money issue anymore, at that point it just should be for the love of the game. Money isn't that great of a motivator at the end.

[Riot]

He was going to go to the Lakers in a sign and trade in the off-season but the two teams couldn't get a deal done. After that, every other team was offering him veteran minimum and he didn't like that.

[IronMan]

He's got some fat kids to be turnin down those contracts...

[BIG GREEN]

Spree was and is my fav player for a long ass time...this is sad to read. The dude should realise that his skill and dwindling..and he needs to humble his fuckin self.

[cyanide]

I liked Spree when he was with Golden State. After that feed the kids comment, though... Serves him right.

[cklitsie]

Spree was and is my fav player for a long ass time...this is sad to read. The dude should realise that his skill and dwindling..and he needs to humble his fuckin self.

I agree with every single word you said, first sentence included.

[Riot]

I liked Spree when he was with Golden State. After that feed the kids comment, though... Serves him right.

He made a stupid comment, so what? He said he was sorry. Let it go.

The guy takes more shit than toliet.

That was a down-right awful joke...

[cklitsie]

That was a down-right awful joke...

..and not only because you spelled "toliet". Quick edit before cyanide returns!

[benji]

The article is still up...on Insider...

RIVER HILLS, Wis. -- Latrell Sprewell answered his front door with his face contorted into his unmistakable scowl, his anger barely under control as he made it clear he was not accepting visitors and was in no mood to talk.

"Get off my property right now or I'll send someone out there to take your head off!"

So ended the briefest of encounters early Sunday afternoon a few miles north of downtown Milwaukee, the biggest mystery of the NBA season no closer to being explained by the only person who has any of the answers.

...

Seeking some answers, ESPN.com reached out to Sprewell through his agent and his publicist, as well as through voice mails on his cell phone, before resorting to the oldest reporting technique in the book -- showing up on his doorstep in the hopes that the sight of a familiar face from his days in New York might coax him into providing some sort of insight into whether he's considering a return to the NBA before this season ends.

...

The deep thump-thump-thump of a woofer-fueled bass line was causing the windows in Sprewell's front foyer to shimmer as he answered his door on the third ring wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and sweat pants. His order to skedaddle was heeded without hesitation or argument.

"Watch out for the dogs," a Bucks scout had warned.

But judging by Sprewell's demeanor and his growl, the biggest threat to life and limb was standing on two legs, not four. Good luck to the next Jehovah's Witness who tries to engage him in a friendly discussion of the Bible.

"I have no idea what's driving Latrell. I can't figure it out, and he doesn't articulate what he's thinking," said Robert Gist, Sprewell's longtime agent.

The Mavericks called about two weeks ago when they were dealing with a flurry of injuries.

"He said he would call back the next day. He never did. So we dropped the idea," Mavs owner Mark Cuban said via e-mail.

...

According to Gist, Sprewell made the mistake of waiting on the Los Angeles Lakers at a time when the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers all were expressing interest in signing him. But the Timberwolves and Lakers were unable to agree on a sign-and-trade deal that would satisfy both teams, and then other teams turned to other free agents. So by the time training camps started, Sprewell's only choice was to play for the veteran's minimum, which he feels is beneath him.

"It may have been the transition, going from making $14.6 million to $1 million because the rules say you're only worth this much. Making that adjustment probably took some time," said Gist, who believes Sprewell's pride -- and his hesitance to subject himself to public second-guessing over his "family to feed" quote -- is part of what's keeping Sprewell from returning to the NBA.

[cyanide]

..and not only because you spelled "toliet". Quick edit before cyanide returns!

Too late

Ah, I keep forgetting Spree apologized. Even if he did, it's still a retarded comment.

[air gordon]

riot- lighten up. if it was some player that never put on a timberwolf jersey said that feed the kids line, you'd still give him shit too

[Riot]

riot- lighten up. if it was some player that never put on a timberwolf jersey said that feed the kids line, you'd still give him shit too

Plently of players have said stupid things, do you see me going around making fun of them? Plus, it's just an overused joke. Every time someone says the name Latrell Sprewell someone has to follow it up with a the "feed my family" joke. It gets old.

[air gordon]

overused? lol how about your bush b.s?

His line was outrageoulsy stupid. People aren't going to forget it, especially when he's doing nothing to make people forget about it

regardless of his accomplishments, people are going to always rip on one of my favs, Pippen, for migraine headaches or riding Jordan's coattails. what can you do then just let people say what they want

[samson1028]

well i think he should jus accept a small contract for one year at this point of time when teams need players in the playoff. spree though not at his prime, he still can shoot and cut inside. and after the contract, depend on his performance, he can always demand new contracts. tt's wat i'm thinking.

[Riot]

overused? lol how about your bush b.s?

His line was outrageoulsy stupid. People aren't going to forget it, especially when he's doing nothing to make people forget about it

regardless of his accomplishments, people are going to always rip on one of my favs, Pippen, for migraine headaches or riding Jordan's coattails. what can you do then just let people say what they want

Yes, my opinions are b.s and they are overused. Great.

He made a stupid comment, he apologized and I expected it to hang around for a few weeks. It's been well over a year and people are still using it. I find that a little bit overused.

[Andrew]

But as AG said, those kind of things tend to stick with a player for a long time especially if not much is done to repair their image. Unfair? Sure. But not unprecedented and unlikely to stop happening anytime soon.