July 24, 2008, 3:12PM
Rockets forward Landry considering options
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
The agent for Rockets restricted free agent Carl Landry said Thursday that Landry is not considering any specific offer, that no decision is imminent and that nothing has changed in Landry?s options.
Buddy Baker said he could give any one of several NBA teams the go-ahead to present an offer, but that Landry is still weighing his options.
?We?ve had teams interested in what we think Carl?s value is and saying what they think Carl?s value is,? Baker said. ?We?re waiting to finalize that. It?s not, ?We?ll give you this.? It?s more, ?We?re very interested, what are you thinking??
?If he wanted to me to close deals, I could close it, yes. We?re not going to rush through this process. We?re going to go through this process, pursuing all of his options.?
Baker would not specify which teams have expressed interest. He said there have also been inquiries from several teams overseas. But though he said Landry would consider any offer, he downplayed the likelihood Landry choosing to leave the NBA.
?It?s somewhat common sense. You?re going to consider all offers you receive,? Baker said. ?He?s not looking to do something, but you never know. You leave open all doors.?
Baker said he does not have a specific offer for Landry to consider.
?The way I define ?offer? is something we would respond to,? Baker said. ?He has significant interest, as I would state it. We have to explore the economic structures of those clubs. If I said ?make me an offer,? they would make me an offer. I don?t think these particular clubs have the resources it would take to make an offer that we would entertain.?
The Rockets have the right to match any NBA offer that Landry receives, but have not made an offer other than the qualifying offer necessary to keep their right to match. They have instead asked that Landry take a more extensive medical examination to help determine his long-term prognosis.
Landry, 24, missed seven games with what was termed a sore right knee. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 42 games, making 61.6 percent of his shots.
Landry said at the end of the season that he wanted to return to the Rockets. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said the team plans to match any offer Landry receives and has saved his mid-level exception to keep Landry.
"We?re in the same place,? Morey said. ?Both of us would like to try to get it to resolution. We?re both struggling with the next steps a little bit.
"I don?t think those (the request for further medical testing and the plan to match offers) are inconsistent. We want him back, obviously. There?s a natural tension between a player and a team when (a player is) a free agent. Our job is to get the best players and fit them under the cap. His job is to get the most money for his client. That is a natural tension that does not go away.
"We?ll clearly pay what the market will bear, but the market is not clearly defined due to lack of information (regarding his medical situation). Someone is worth what someone will pay. As a club we?ll go with the market, or with what allows us to get other good players with him. I do think we?ll get this figured out. We?re optimistic."
Baker would not predict whether Landry would return to the Rockets, but said he was still open to that.
?At the end of the year, it was an unequivocal desire to remain with the Houston Rockets,? Baker said. ?Has that changed? I?m not going to say that. Carl loves the city of Houston, the coaches and his teammates. He certainly would be excited about a future there, but he understands this is a business. He has to make prudent business decisions. A lot of things go into that. They have an opportunity to be a championship club. He would be excited if he was back.
?Everyone has reasons. We?re not here to criticize them or try to make sense of them. We move on and are negotiating with other clubs. If something makes sense, we?ll explore all opportunities.?
