Shawn Kemp leaves Portland Trailblazers

[Guest Sandman9000]

Blatantly stolen from espn.comPORTLAND, Ore. -- Shawn Kemp, the former NBA All-Star whose career has crumbled because of weight and drug problems, will be waived Tuesday by the Portland Trail Blazers, The Oregonian reported in its Tuesday edition.

 

 

Stunningly, Kemp has agreed to forfeit more than $25 million of the $46.5 million left on his contract, the newspaper said.

 

 

In the agreement, the Blazers will pay Kemp about $20 million over more than 10 years.

 

 

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.

 

 

The Blazers also could not be reached late Monday.

 

 

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 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.''

 

 

Kemp, 33, 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, averaging 6.3 points in two seasons.

 

 

Kemp entered a drug rehabilitation center for cocaine use in April 2001, near the end of his first season as a Trail Blazer. He returned for the 2001-02 season but was suspended for five games in February for failing to comply with his aftercare program.

 

 

Kemp appeared in six consecutive All-Star Games from 1993-1998, five with the Seattle SuperSonics and one with the Cavaliers.

 

 

 

Well, Kemp has gone from an All-Star to a useless piece of shit.

 

He used to be my favorite player, but when he started bitching about money in Seattle and forced the trade to Cleveland, I started to dislike him.

 

And once I found out that Kemp had seven children by six different women, (at that point, god knows how many he has now) he was officially no longer my favorite player.

 

I hope this is the end of his career, before he gets kicked out of the league for drug abuse and becomes an even bigger bust than Roy Tarpley.

[Guest bob_barron]

Maybe he was on crack when he agreed to this?

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Why does everyone on this board like calling athletes peices of shit? He felt that he was undercompensated on the Sonics, so he wanted to go to a different team. Everyone that makes mistakes isn't a peice of shit.

[Guest Sandman9000]

Pinnacle, you can't argue that Kemp is a grossly overcompensated athlete making little use of his talents.

 

For his Seattle days, I can understand being mad with Jim McIlvane is being paid more then you. That's not the issue at hand.

 

The Shawn Kemp that we know is a known drug-user who has not been in shape since the lockout. Cleveland was forced to trade Kemp since he could not be counted on to lead the team. He rode the bench in Portland, struggling to put up numbers that he used to put up in his sleep. You could make a case that Shawn Kemp is everything that is wrong with sports.

 

That is why, in MY opinion, that Shawn Kemp is a useless piece of shit.

[Guest meanmaisch]

How is he going to pay child support for his 75 kids?

[Guest franchise632]

He should have to give that money back, if you dont play, <unless a carrer ending, in-action injury occurs> they shouldnt have to pay anyone. He may have earned that big contract with his play in Seattle but he should have had the self discipline that most great athletes have and not shown up 50 pounds over weight after the lock out, or after being traded to Portland, not doing so much cocaine that before the season was over and just prior to a playoff run he has to go to rehab. That is why he should give it all back, but he is getting 20 million over then next 10 + years. Not a bad little retirement package if you ask me. But then again, no one did.

 

B.T.W. Im a life long Blazer fan and followed the team extensivly while Kemp was there so Im not just getting my info from sportscenter.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

"How is he going to pay child support for his 75 kids?"

 

Are you sure he paid child support while he was gainfully employed?

[Guest Human Fly]

How is he going to pay child support for his 75 kids?

 

He'll ask Larry Johnson for advice.

[Guest Bloodice]

Kemp is overweight and he has a drug problem but the lakers and the mavs are the top two teams in contention for him. But Phil Jackson is just the key Kemp needs to kick start his career and I think Jackson could do it. He did have Rodman.

[Guest Ripper]

Why does everyone keep acting like Jackson started Rodmans career. He was the league leader in rebounds before he got to chicago and while he was there. He got MORE technicals and suspensions as a Bull, yet people act like Phil did this great job of controlling him.

[Guest The Man in Blak]

The key to jumpstarting Shawn Kemp's career is Jenny Craig - the man needs to lose some flab before he ever thinks on becoming a premier player again...and I think giving the money back may have been more of a stipulation from the Blazers than a "goodwill" gesture from Kemp.

 

And yeah, Jackson really didn't do anything with Rodman. Phil Jackson as a good coach - one of the great misunderstandings in sports today.

[Guest Just call me Dan]

What the hell happened to LJ? After his back injury he never brought shit to the court.

[Guest Black Lushus]

ah, farewell to the Goodyear Kemp...

[Guest TestKick]

LJ was a good role-player for the Knicks, when he wasn't out with injuries. He wasn't durable enough to be scoring 20 a night like he used to.

[Guest imajackoff?]

He didnt father any children on his way out the door did he?