Amnesty? Jazz fans want to dump this locked-out contract …

As expected, lockout news broke Thursday about the NBA’s forthcoming decision to push back training camp and cut part of the preseason. But another intriguing tidbit about the NBA negotiations emerged, with a report that contract amnesty is being bandied about by owners.

Wrote Oregonian columnist John Canzano: “(An) amnesty clause … would give NBA teams the ability to release one player, pay his salary, take no luxury tax liability, and also, not have that player count against the season salary cap. This is different than the last round of amnesty, which didn’t give the cap relief.”

With that in mind, I asked Jazz fans on Twitter if there was a particular player’s contract they believe the organization should dump (assuming the 2011-12 season eventually happens).

Here are the TP (Twitter Poll) results of our online Jazz general managers:

My_Lo: Andrei Kirilenko…oh wait is it not 2008 anymore?
Clintonite33: My first choice would be Raja Bell, but with the current roster + potential cap reductions Mehmet Okur makes more sense.
My_Lo (in response to Clintonite33): Good thinking. We need Raja for veteran help. Like 30+ minutes of it a night. #TeamSarcasmFont
scrantonicity33: Big Al because of the glut of players at that position and his hefty salary. Youngsters need PT as well.
theofficialddh: Jazz shouldn’t dump anybody. All players have value and they should try to get something in return.
mattfrandsen: With AK off the books the next is Memo. He’ll never be worth 10 million a year again in his career. I’d sign him for 1/2 that
espn700jimmer: Raja Bell for sure. Why? Bcause he is useless. Memo too. Im not confident he returns to form and we hav yth that need the time.
BrianWilliams80: Can Clippers fans get the same clause to get rid of Sterling
hamblindave: Would this be used as a last-resort only if no trades can be made? Otherwise, it’d be a lot of money spent just to dump a guy.
kyle11kirkham: Has to be Memo. Even if he recovers from his injury(s) he is still our oldest big, and would take minutes from a young core.
davidjsmith1232: Raja Bell. His production for his salary doesn’t mesh (low PER, FG, 3%s, D). Hayward, Burks, & Miles need to be on the court.
dianaallen: yep I’d go with Bell also
dianaallen (in response to davidjsmith1232): agreed, that would be a kick in the teeth to do that to Memo after his loyalty and what he has done for Jazz
dianaallen: then again are the Jazz the same loyal franchise that we’ve known for the last 20 years. I have my doubts.
fingersone: While I respect and admire Raja as a person, because of injury and age,I think his best playing days are behind him
davidjsmith1232: Raja has very little value. Memo not only has more value (expr. $), but really is one of the All-time best Jazzmen.
YB85: The Jazz don’t have any contracts worth dumping for amnesty (while still paying), though Bell hitting the road is a good idea.
mikegrantksl: Jefferson please
JediZaugg: I love Memo…but think his contract would be the one to dump.

The poll, not surprisingly, also sparked this interesting conversation about the amnesty possibilities:

UtahJazzBlitz: I think that is a horrible rule that will further benefit large market teams who were irresponsible (and Orlando.)
DJoel12 (in response to UtahJazzBlitz): And Detroit.
My_Lo: It will benefit small teams too. Think about how the 1996 Jazz could have benefited losing Ostertag.
My_Lo: It will also allow small market teams to not have to worry about crippling their franchise.
My_Lo: This will help small market teams spend more. Evening the playing field.
dianaallen: I too worry about franchises who were irresponsible getting a freebie, not really fair.
My_Lo: On the other hand what about the Boris Diaws? Or if a player blows an achilles?
My_Lo: If as an actor I suddenly couldn’t act at the same level I would be replaced immediately.
My_Lo: If you want to be considered talent and make the big bucks you have to accept the risks. #TheTalent
dianaallen: oh I do agree with that in any job (besides maybe gov’t) you would be replaced if you didn’t perform
dianaallen: how you were supposed to, I just think for the most part Jazz have been responsible so seeing other teams
My_Lo: Plus w/ a smart GM, they can take advantage of this. You could “frontload” a contract.
dianaallen: get a jail out of free card kind of hurts. This would be a one time thing though right, not seasonal?
My_Lo: They have been responsible. But you could reward a player for a year then cut the contract.
My_Lo: Then resign them for significantly less. Call it the Millsap treatment.
dianaallen: yeah I can see how a smart GM could really take advantage of this. Though you never know if your plan
dianaallen: can backfire and plan on giving the millsap treatment to a player and end up with diff player injured that you would have to cut instead
My_Lo: Thus it has to be used wisely. So basically it’s good for teams not named T-Wolves/Clippers.
dianaallen: haha I’d really like to see how Donald Sterling uses this amnesty rue
dianaallen: so is it just a one time thing to help teams get under the cap?
My_Lo: He’d probably use it on himself after he calls one of his players a hack from courtside.
dianaallen: haha goes up to Stern ok I’m the person we’re cutting, so good luck with the Clips
UtahJazzBlitz: Thing they’re talking about is a 1-time deal. Would only help teams who CURRENTLY have a horrible contract.
UtahJazzBlitz: Wouldn’t help the Jazz at all right now. Will only help a handful of teams and would be unfair to…the rest of the league who were playing by same rules when these teams signed these horrible deals.
UtahJazzBlitz: What you guys are more talking about is non-guaranteed deals, which would be good for all teams.
My_Lo: Think of the players who are being paid to high but would be great role players for right price.
UtahJazzBlitz: There could be a few of those that could fall to us but it’s mostly guys who now suck- Arenas, Curry, Artest

(And a big THANKS to all of the fans who participated. Next related blog from that TP: Who had the worst amnesty-worthy contract in Jazz history?)