McLeod gets one year GUARANTEED contract!!!
Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 8:46 pm
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Cate ... 184972&r=7
McLeod signs deal with Jazz
Friday, October 1, 2004
By JOSH WEIR Repository sports writer
In the fickle world of NBA labor, Keith McLeod just got a bit of security.
The former McKinley High School basketball star signed a one-year guaranteed contract with the Utah Jazz on Thursday afternoon.
“I feel like this is a great opportunity to be in,” McLeod said. “They’re one of the rising teams in the league with one of the best coaches (in Jerry Sloan). I definitely feel like I can keep progressing there and learn.”
After appearing in 33 games as a free-agent rookie with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, McLeod was waived a day before his contract would have been guaranteed for the season. He averaged 2.7 points, 1.8 assists and 1.0 rebounds in almost 12 minutes with Minnesota.
He now joins a Jazz team that added Carlos Boozer and Memhet Okur this offseason to the nucleus of Andrei Kirilenko, Gordan Giricek, Matt Harpring and Carlos Arroyo.
“He’s on the continuation of an upward path that a lot of guys that were undrafted have traveled,” McLeod’s agent Mark Termini said, mentioning veterans Earl Boykins, Damon Jones, Chucky Atkins and Darrell Armstrong as examples.
The 6-foot-2 McLeod — the 2002 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year while at Bowling Green — opened some eyes recently with his play on Minnesota’s summer league team. He averaged a team-high 13.8 points and 4.5 assists in four games, finishing second in the league in assists and fifth in scoring.
McLeod also worked out with San Antonio and Denver.
“Going in, I didn’t know what they wanted,” McLeod said of the Jazz workout last week. “I just figured I would play hard, give great effort and play tough (defense), laying what I had on the table. They must of saw something they liked.”
McLeod’s contract is worth $750,000, with $250,000 guaranteed. He’s expected to be the third point guard behind Arroyo and Raul Lopez when Utah opens training camp Tuesday.
McLeod signs deal with Jazz
Friday, October 1, 2004
By JOSH WEIR Repository sports writer
In the fickle world of NBA labor, Keith McLeod just got a bit of security.
The former McKinley High School basketball star signed a one-year guaranteed contract with the Utah Jazz on Thursday afternoon.
“I feel like this is a great opportunity to be in,” McLeod said. “They’re one of the rising teams in the league with one of the best coaches (in Jerry Sloan). I definitely feel like I can keep progressing there and learn.”
After appearing in 33 games as a free-agent rookie with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, McLeod was waived a day before his contract would have been guaranteed for the season. He averaged 2.7 points, 1.8 assists and 1.0 rebounds in almost 12 minutes with Minnesota.
He now joins a Jazz team that added Carlos Boozer and Memhet Okur this offseason to the nucleus of Andrei Kirilenko, Gordan Giricek, Matt Harpring and Carlos Arroyo.
“He’s on the continuation of an upward path that a lot of guys that were undrafted have traveled,” McLeod’s agent Mark Termini said, mentioning veterans Earl Boykins, Damon Jones, Chucky Atkins and Darrell Armstrong as examples.
The 6-foot-2 McLeod — the 2002 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year while at Bowling Green — opened some eyes recently with his play on Minnesota’s summer league team. He averaged a team-high 13.8 points and 4.5 assists in four games, finishing second in the league in assists and fifth in scoring.
McLeod also worked out with San Antonio and Denver.
“Going in, I didn’t know what they wanted,” McLeod said of the Jazz workout last week. “I just figured I would play hard, give great effort and play tough (defense), laying what I had on the table. They must of saw something they liked.”
McLeod’s contract is worth $750,000, with $250,000 guaranteed. He’s expected to be the third point guard behind Arroyo and Raul Lopez when Utah opens training camp Tuesday.
It's about time somone noticed that Keith's got skills. Although I'm not Utah Jazz fan by any means. Would've been nice if the Spurs could've gotten him. :-\