Post by BTriggs on Aug 27, 2003 8:52:38 GMT -5
Troubled Forte no longer in Sonics' plans, unless it's a trade
FRANK HUGHES; The News Tribune
The Seattle SuperSonics have decided not to invite Joseph Forte to their training camp, despite his $1.1 million guaranteed salary that they are required to pay.
The Sonics have not yet officially waived Forte, but only because they are waiting to see if they can either trade him, or if he is needed in a multi-player trade to meet salary-cap requirements. Seattle still is trying to deal one of its post players, and would like to package Forte in any deal.
Barring those scenarios, Forte will be waived when players with less than three years of service report to the team's training camp in a month.
Although he has only two years of NBA experience, Forte was not invited to participate on the team's summer league team, which competed in Los Angeles and on which youngsters Vladimir Radmanovic, Ronald Murray, Ansu Sesay and rookie Nick Collison played.
Forte also has been excluded from the team's travel plans to Tokyo, where it opens the season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 31. The team has been making plans for several months.
Forte began to irk the Sonics early last season, when he was a distraction during practices. He then made things worse when he refused the team's request to place him on the injured list.
Soon thereafter, Forte got into a locker room fight with center Jerome James. The Sonics suspended Forte for a game, though it did not punish James.
The Sonics said Forte was suspended because the fight was part of a larger pattern of disruption that it no longer wanted to tolerate.
Forte sealed his fate then. But if there was any doubt, he solidified his future when he was arrested for misdemeanor assault for punching a man in the face during a pickup game at his alma mater, North Carolina, on May 1. He reached a settlement with the man.
Then Forte was arrested for misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and possession of a handgun. He is scheduled to appear in court in Belair, Md. on Oct. 23.
The Sonics will be in training camp then, but Forte should be free to make the court date.
Frank Hughes: 253-597-8742, ext. 6120
frank.hughes@mail.tribnet.com
All i can say is that at least we do not have him any more. to bad we did not get Parker with that pick.
FRANK HUGHES; The News Tribune
The Seattle SuperSonics have decided not to invite Joseph Forte to their training camp, despite his $1.1 million guaranteed salary that they are required to pay.
The Sonics have not yet officially waived Forte, but only because they are waiting to see if they can either trade him, or if he is needed in a multi-player trade to meet salary-cap requirements. Seattle still is trying to deal one of its post players, and would like to package Forte in any deal.
Barring those scenarios, Forte will be waived when players with less than three years of service report to the team's training camp in a month.
Although he has only two years of NBA experience, Forte was not invited to participate on the team's summer league team, which competed in Los Angeles and on which youngsters Vladimir Radmanovic, Ronald Murray, Ansu Sesay and rookie Nick Collison played.
Forte also has been excluded from the team's travel plans to Tokyo, where it opens the season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 31. The team has been making plans for several months.
Forte began to irk the Sonics early last season, when he was a distraction during practices. He then made things worse when he refused the team's request to place him on the injured list.
Soon thereafter, Forte got into a locker room fight with center Jerome James. The Sonics suspended Forte for a game, though it did not punish James.
The Sonics said Forte was suspended because the fight was part of a larger pattern of disruption that it no longer wanted to tolerate.
Forte sealed his fate then. But if there was any doubt, he solidified his future when he was arrested for misdemeanor assault for punching a man in the face during a pickup game at his alma mater, North Carolina, on May 1. He reached a settlement with the man.
Then Forte was arrested for misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and possession of a handgun. He is scheduled to appear in court in Belair, Md. on Oct. 23.
The Sonics will be in training camp then, but Forte should be free to make the court date.
Frank Hughes: 253-597-8742, ext. 6120
frank.hughes@mail.tribnet.com
All i can say is that at least we do not have him any more. to bad we did not get Parker with that pick.