최근 바이아웃해서 보스턴으로 갈 거라는 소문이 돌았던 클리퍼스의 샘 카셀.
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그가 입장을 밝혔는데요. AP 통신과의 전화 인터뷰에서 바이아웃설은 사실이 아니라고 밝혔습니다.
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카셀은 자신의 팀이 지는 것이 행복하지는 않지만 좋은 동료들이 많은 팀이고 선수 생활이 얼마 남지 않았기에 될 수 있으면 클리퍼스에 있고 싶다라는 뜻을 밝혔습니다. 올 시즌 시작하기 전 브랜드가 다쳤을 때 클리퍼스의 호성적은 이미 물 건너간 상황이었으니까요.
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올 시즌 610만 달러의 연봉을 받게 되는 카셀은 올 시즌 끝나면 FA가 되는데, 다음 시즌이 그의 마지막 시즌이 될 것 같다는 입장을 밝혔네요. 이제 카셀도 어느덧 만 40세를 바라보는 노장이니까요.
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Clippers point guard Sam Cassell says he's not trying to buy out his contract, despite report
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By JOHN NADEL, AP Sports Writer
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February 7, 2008
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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- While Sam Cassell acknowledges he's unhappy the Los Angeles Clippers are losing, the veteran point guard made it clear Thursday he's not lobbying to play elsewhere.
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The Boston Globe reported Cassell was trying to buy out his contract so he could play for the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics. Cassell, averaging 13.1 points and a team-leading 4.5 assists in 34 games, is earning $6.1 million this season -- the final year of his contract.
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"There's no truth to it," Cassell said by telephone from Toronto, where the Clippers play Friday night. "I never said I wanted to buy out my contract. There have been no negotiations, the team hasn't come to me about that, I have not gone to them about that."
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The 38-year-old Cassell had 10 points and three assists in the Clippers' 111-100 loss to the Celtics in Boston on Wednesday night.
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"They misquoted me drastically," Cassell said of the report. "It's just not right for my teammates to hear I'd be a perfect fit in Boston."
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The Globe said late Thursday night all the Cassell quotes were accurate.
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Cassell referred to television coverage of the published report.
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"That's not what I said," Cassell said. "The reporter said I'd be a perfect fit in Boston. I'm still a member of the Los Angeles Clippers and I want to win as many games as possible with the Clippers. I'm not happy that we're losing, but I have a lot of good teammates on this ballclub that I really enjoy being around."
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Mark J. Spears, the Globe reporter who quoted Cassell, said "I stand by my story. I have the entire interview on tape and after talking to me on Wednesday morning, he was quoted saying similar things to other Boston media outlets."
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Cassell said he'd probably like to play one more season before retiring.
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Cassell, a member of NBA championship teams in Houston in 1994-95, has said on several occasions he'd like to go into coaching when his playing career is over.
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The Clippers (15-31) have played without injured star forward Elton Brand and outstanding young point guard Shaun Livingston all season because of injuries. They hope to get both back before season's end, but it's a virtual certainty that won't be enough to help them contend for a playoff berth because of the outstanding competition in the Western Conference.
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With Brand and Cassell leading the way, the Clippers beat Denver in the first round of the 2006 playoffs before losing to Phoenix in the second round. They were eliminated from playoff contention on the final day last season.
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Updated on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 11:27 pm, EST
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첫댓글 zzzzzzzzzzz
덴버로 오시라니까
카셀도 이제 말년이 가까워지니, 여기저기 떠돌아 다니기는 싫은가 봅니다. 반지야 이미 휴스턴 시절에 두 개를 수집했으니....
젠장....ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
된장 ㅠㅠㅠ
아쉽다
셀틱스로 오시지...
덴버 좀 살려줘요~~
말년에도 아직 폭발적인 점퍼를 보여주시는 카셀옹~ 보스통오셔
덴버 좋다구 하셨잖아요 ^^; 덴버로 오셔서, 딱 한시즌 더 뛰시구 앤써 멜로 캠비랑 함께 반지 하나만 더 ^^;;
벌써 40인가요..? ㅡ/ㅡ