I'm not playing for YOU!

[Guest Brush with Greatness]

The major draft goofs got me to thinking about all the spoiled guys who refuse to play for the team that drafts them due to market size, team futility, etc.

 

This isn't about established players wanting to play somewhere else, it's about rookies with no experience demanding a trade. So who's all done it?

 

The big hockey one would have to Eric Lindros. Lindros declared that he would not play for Quebec even before they drafted him. He was eventually dealt to the Flyers in a controversial trade where the Rangers had thought they had acquired him.

 

What did the Nord's get in return? Well, among other things, one Peter Forsberg, the best player on the planet. Not to mention a few other good players (Hextall, Duchesne, Ricci, Kerry Huffman, Chris Simon), two first round draft picks, and $15,000,000(!).

 

The foundation of this trade is in large part the reason Colorado is so strong today and have two stanley cups in the past 8 years.

 

What do the Flyers have to show for this trade? One Stanley Cup appearance, no Eric Lindros and huge morale problems.

 

Would Philly have won a cup if they wouldn't have made this trade? Probably not. Clarke would still refuse to get a legit goalie.

 

 

So what other players (good or bad) have refused and how have the situations turned out?

 

Also, who was the first highly regarded player to do this that got mainstream media for it?

 

Was it John Elway back in '83 refusing to play for Baltimore or was there a major one before that?

[Guest DerangedHermit]

Thank god that the Rangers originally didn't get Lindros in 1992 because they would've traded Kovalev, Amonte, Weight, Vanbiesbrouck (other sources say Richter or James Patrick) , 2 1st rounders and $15M. But they got his broken down ass in 2001 and it's salt in the wounds.

 

/hates Crybaby, No-Legs and MEssier (2nd run w. Rangers ruined his legend, 1st run he was the man)

 

I've also heard stories that the Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi trade was fueled by the Ryan's dislike for NY. Stories say he might have retired than playing for the Mets.

[Bored 0]

I don't know about before Elway but I'm sure it happened. Elway of course threatened to play baseball for the Yankees but everyone in the know knew Elway had no intention of quitting football so he whined his way to Denver.

 

Kobe Bryant refused to play for any team not named the Lakers, Bulls, or Knicks and forced a trade from the Hornets to the Lakers.

 

Steve Francis didn't want to play for Vancouver and forced a trade to Houston.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Didn't some NBA-er look less than thrilled a few years ago when (I think it was Vancouver) drafted him? If I was a betting man, I'd say it was Steve Francis, but I'm not 100 percent sure...

[Vern Gagne 0]

Bo Jackson didn't sign with Tampa and instead went to play for the Royals.

[sfaJack 0]

Didn't some NBA-er look less than thrilled a few years ago when (I think it was Vancouver) drafted him? If I was a betting man, I'd say it was Steve Francis, but I'm not 100 percent sure...

You are correct, sir. It was Francis.

[Ripper 0]

I think it worked out for all people involved... Sorta...

[Vern Gagne 0]

I remember when Francis was drafted by the Grizzlies. He did not look happy, and I told my brother...he won't play a game for the Grizzlies.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Well as I've heard it here Steve told Vancouver before the draft that he didn't want to play for them because they already had a veteran starting PG.

 

My gripe would be Jim (call me Chris) Everett. The Oilers took him in the first round and he forced a trade to the Rams because he didn't want to play in Houston for a horrible Oilers team.

[Ripper 0]

I remember that the Clippers were saying they were going to draft Antonio Mcdyess, but he said, HELLS NO. They drafted him anyway but traded him a few minutes later...I think...

[Guest Redhawk]

This topic reminded me of a few draft day trades...

 

The first was when Orlando drafted Chris Webber No. 1, then traded him to Golden State, who had drafted Penny Hardaway No. 3.

 

The other was when Golden State drafted Vince Carter No. 4, then traded him to Toronto for Antwan Jamison, who had been drafted No. 5.

 

I never understood deals like that. Did Webber tell Orlando he didn't want to play for them right after they picked him? If the Magic wanted Penny, why didn't they just draft him at No. 1? Same thing with Vince and Jamison. Why didn't GS just pick Jamison at No. 4?

[Ripper 0]

This topic reminded me of a few draft day trades...

 

The first was when Orlando drafted Chris Webber No. 1, then traded him to Golden State, who had drafted Penny Hardaway No. 3.

 

The other was when Golden State drafted Vince Carter No. 4, then traded him to Toronto for Antwan Jamison, who had been drafted No. 5.

 

I never understood deals like that. Did Webber tell Orlando he didn't want to play for them right after they picked him? If the Magic wanted Penny, why didn't they just draft him at No. 1? Same thing with Vince and Jamison. Why didn't GS just pick Jamison at No. 4?

It was probably, in the Golden State Orlando thing, Golden State thought the Sixers would take Webber at #2 so they worked out a deal with the Magic to take him off the board (since the Sixers needed a big man at the time) and they would get who they wanted and vice versa.

 

The Carter Jamison thing still makes no sense to me, seeing as they went right behind each other.

[Guest Redhawk]

And the Sixers got stuck with Shawn Bradley, if I recall correctly. I guess that makes sense...but why would Orlando give a shit about Golden State's well-being? The only thing I see Orlando getting out of the deal was that they got Penny at a No. 3-pick price tag rather than No. 1-pick price tag.

[Bored 0]

I forget the entire story behind the Carter/Jamison thing but I do know that the Warriors never intended on keeping Carter and Jamison was always the guy they wanted. I think there was some money involved but again I forget the whole story. I remember for a few years EVERYONE thought the Warriors' fucked up by not wanting Carter but really could argue Jamison is the better player right now and at least he stays healthy.

 

Oh and remember on the Webber/Hardaway trade the Warriors gave up a ton of draft picks in the deal so I'm sure that's why Orlando did it.

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

I remember that the Clippers were saying they were going to draft Antonio Mcdyess, but he said, HELLS NO. They drafted him anyway but traded him a few minutes later...I think...

Yeah, we traded him for Rodney Rogers, the late Brian Williams and Brent Barry. It was a good trade for the Clips for a couple of seasons and it would have been better if they would've paid some of them and brought in some more talent but I'm happy with our team now.

[ant_7000 0]

JD Drew and the Phillies. The Francis thing was funny because it showed he was not happy and was about to cry. I did like that Sportscenter Commericial with Francis not liking Canadian Bacon.

[Guest Bricks]

The Carter (who was the 5th pick, not 4th) for Jamison (4th pick) trade was Carter and cash for Jamison. The Raps needed some money and knowing that GS wanted Jamison, they took him with their pick so they can make a trade for Vince and cash.

 

Chris Webber wanted to play for Orlando as even before he started he was saying that him and Shaq would be an unstoppable duo. But Golden State offered Orlando Penny AND 3 first round draft picks and that was too tempting for Orlando not to take.

 

And I'm still puzzled on why the Grizzlies took Steve Francis. They took Mike Bibby in the draft the year before and Francis even said that he didn't want to play for the Griz and they still took him.

[Vern Gagne 0]

JD Drew and the Phillies. The Francis thing was funny because it showed he was not happy and was about to cry. I did like that Sportscenter Commericial with Francis not liking Canadian Bacon.

Snubs happen alot in the baseball draft. Sometimes the team is too cheap, and other times the player just asks for too much.

[Ripper 0]

The Carter (who was the 5th pick, not 4th) for Jamison (4th pick) trade was Carter and cash for Jamison. The Raps needed some money and knowing that GS wanted Jamison, they took him with their pick so they can make a trade for Vince and cash.

 

Chris Webber wanted to play for Orlando as even before he started he was saying that him and Shaq would be an unstoppable duo. But Golden State offered Orlando Penny AND 3 first round draft picks and that was too tempting for Orlando not to take.

 

And I'm still puzzled on why the Grizzlies took Steve Francis. They took Mike Bibby in the draft the year before and Francis even said that he didn't want to play for the Griz and they still took him.

They had ultimate trade bait on their hands then.

[nl5xsk1 0]

I'm pretty sure Jim Kelly didn't want to play for the Bills when they drafted him so we went to the USFL instead. Once that league folded he ended up going to Buffalo anyways, though.

[DerangedHermit 0]

Snubs happen alot in the baseball draft. Sometimes the team is too cheap, and other times the player just asks for too much.

Yeah...the Mets originally drafted Roger Clemens out of high school in 1981 and decided he wasn't worth it after he asked for a $25,000 signing bonus (the Mets exec, Lou Gorman drew the line at $20,000). He went to college for 2 yrs. and the rest was history.

 

Also, the Braves originally drafted some guy named Randy Johnson, but he decided to go to USC. I wonder what he's doing now?

[starvenger 0]

The Carter (who was the 5th pick, not 4th) for Jamison (4th pick) trade was Carter and cash for Jamison. The Raps needed some money and knowing that GS wanted Jamison, they took him with their pick so they can make a trade for Vince and cash.

That sounds about right. Remember, the NBA is not only about getting the best players, but working the salary cap as well.

 

As an aside, I don't like how ESPN named Carter as the most overrated player today. If you're on the injury list for almost a whole season (or two) should you even be rated? Maybe they're still mad over the whole All-Star game thing...

 

Regarding stuff like Lindros, Francis et al, logic dictates you take the best player available (exception: In the NBA, you can take a very good centre over any other GREAT player, even if they have the potential to be the greatest basketball player of all time), so even if they say that they're not gonna play for you, you make the pick, knowing that other teams are gonna make some offers for your guy.

 

Quebec did a really good job in parlaying Lindros into the nucleus of a Stanley Cup winning team. Vancouver managed to fuck up the Francis trade like just about everything else that they did in their short NBA tenure.

[Sandman9000 0]

(exception: In the NBA, you can take a very good centre over any other GREAT player, even if they have the potential to be the greatest basketball player of all time

Yeah, that Sam Bowie sure did have a hell of a career for the Trail Blazers, didn't he?

[alfdogg 0]

Rick Mahorn refused to play for the T-Wolves when they picked him in the expansion draft and was traded to Philly.

 

Also, I heard somewhere a while back that the Heat and Hornets got draft picks from the Celtics and Lakers for not taking Dennis Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, respectively, in their expansion draft. I don't know if they actually refused to play for those teams, I just read that in some old book.

[Guest MD2020]

And the Sixers got stuck with Shawn Bradley, if I recall correctly.

I scoff at your thought that the Sixers got "stuck" with Shawn Bradley. I don't remember seeing either Webber or Hardaway in Space Jam--do you?

 

 

Didn't John Elway refuse to play for someone--Colts, maybe? And this led to the process in which the team with the first pick can negotiate a deal before the NFL draft? This might be incorrect, but I think something like this did happen.

[starvenger 0]

(exception: In the NBA, you can take a very good centre over any other GREAT player, even if they have the potential to be the greatest basketball player of all time

Yeah, that Sam Bowie sure did have a hell of a career for the Trail Blazers, didn't he?

Hell yeah he did. What did that Jordan guy ever do? You think McMahon has a big guy fetish? Check out the NBA...