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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, July 6, 2009

NBA: New Maverick Gortat is ready to cash in Cuban�s millions


By Josh Robbins
The Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. � Marcin Gortat walked into the Orlando Magic�s gym at RDV Sportsplex on Monday wearing a piece of clothing that perfectly summed up his current situation. The front of his Sean John T-shirt featured the unfinished pyramid that�s found on the back of a one-dollar bill.

Gortat insisted that he didn�t wear the shirt to make a statement, but even he acknowledged the unintended irony. On Wednesday, the first day players can sign contracts with new teams, the Dallas Mavericks are expected to ink the 6-foot-11 post player to an offer sheet so lucrative � worth so many of those dollar bills � that the Magic won�t dare match it.
�Either way, Dallas or Orlando, I�m going to be a happy man,� Gortat said, a smile on his face.
He spent part of late Monday afternoon sitting in the Sportsplex bleachers, watching a handful of first-round draft picks and a larger group of NBA wannabes begin play in the weeklong 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League.
Just last year and the three years before that, Gortat was an NBA summer-league player himself, trying to prove he belonged.
This summer, however, the affable 25-year-old from Poland is one of the NBA�s most coveted free-agent centers. After earning $770,000 last season, he likely will become a multi-millionaire within days. The Mavericks could offer him the full mid-level exception, beginning at $5.6 million per season.
Because Gortat is a restricted free agent, the Magic would have seven days to match any offer sheet that Gortat signs. But Orlando General Manager Otis Smith has said the Magic won�t match a deal worth more than $5 million per season for a backup to Dwight Howard.
Smith apparently hasn�t budged. He said Monday that he doesn�t feel any more pressure to keep Gortat just because Eastern Conference rival Boston reportedly has reached an agreement with power forward Rasheed Wallace.
�I have to round out the roster; that goes without saying,� Smith said. �But I�m not so sure that you feel any more pressure to (re-sign Gortat). I mean, he�s still playing behind my best player. I�d like to have him back at a number that�s reasonable.�
Still, there�s no denying Gortat�s value to the Magic.
He provided a rebounding boost and defensive presence off the bench during the team�s run to the NBA Finals. He came up big in Game 6 of Orlando�s first-round series against Philadelphia; with Howard serving a one-game suspension, Gortat scored 11 points and collected 15 rebounds as the Magic beat the 76ers in Philly and clinched the series.
The Houston Rockets, in need of a post player to replace injured star Yao Ming, campaigned hard to lure Gortat. Houston General Manager Daryl Morey posted a message on Twitter saying he was about to meet with Gortat; he also asked Rockets fans to send e-mail messages to a special account and urge Gortat to sign with the team.
But in the end, the �Polish Hammer� chose Dallas, a place where he would be the top candidate to start at center.
�I just think that Dallas was a better fit for me,� Gortat said. �They have Jason Kidd, and he�s a great point guard. They�ve got Dirk Nowitzki, who is the best power forward in the league. They just pushed more. They just pushed more. It�s up to the people. Who wants me more? I�m going to go over to who wants me.�
And, right now, it looks like the Mavericks want him more.