[bigboydan]

The Bucks I feel do have a nice array, but can you blame the guy for not wanting to play for a team that has no direction at all. At least if he plays for the Heat he's got a legit shot of winning a ring.

Disgruntled Bell signs offer sheet with Heat

MIAMI -- Restricted free-agent guard Charlie Bell signed a $18.5 million, five-year offer sheet with the Miami Heat on Monday, and now will wait to see if the Milwaukee Bucks choose to match that deal.


The 6-foot-3 Bell has made it clear in recent days that he wants to play for the Heat, who were foiled in a bid earlier this offseason to woo guard Mo Williams away from the Bucks. Bell averaged a career-high 13.5 points in a breakout season last year for Milwaukee, making 64 starts.

"It's been a very long and drawn-out process this summer," said Bell's agent, Mark Bartelstein. "And Charlie is at the point where he's kind of broken his emotional ties to the Bucks."

The Bucks have seven days to match Miami's offer.

"I hope they don't match it," Bell said Monday afternoon in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "The Bucks said they didn't have this kind of money and didn't want to give me a long-term deal, so I would hope they stick to what they said and let me go... I'm really thankful Miami stepped up."

Bell signed with Milwaukee two seasons ago after averaging a league-best 27 points for Breogan of the Spanish League. He went undrafted after helping Michigan State win the 2000 national championship, played briefly with Phoenix and Dallas before spending three seasons playing in Italy.

He also had an offer from a Greek team, but South Florida is where he wants to be, Bartelstein said.

"He feels very strongly about it and his mind is made up," Bartelstein said.

Williams was Miami's top point-guard pursuit this summer, but could only offer him a deal worth about $31 million. Milwaukee easily topped that to retain Williams, giving him a six-year pact worth $51.5 million.

Bell's status, meanwhile, remained in limbo.

"I had a really bad summer because of how all of this went down with Milwaukee, so I don't want to be there," Bell said. "I don't think I could give my all to the Bucks anymore, so I hope they respect that."

And with training camp starting in two weeks, Bell hopes his wait is now over.

"The last thing Charlie or I want to do is be disrespectful about this," Bartelstein said. "But he signed the offer sheet with Miami, not with Milwaukee, and there's a reason for that."

[bigboydan]

I would have just let him walk at that price.

Bucks match Heat's offer sheet for Bell

MILWAUKEE -- Against his wishes, the Milwaukee Bucks moved to keep Charlie Bell on Thursday.

The Bucks confirmed they matched an offer sheet Bell signed with the Miami Heat for the restricted free-agent guard, a five-year deal worth $18.5 million.

Agent Mark Bartelstein said that Bell was absorbing what had happened and "getting his thoughts together."

"He's going to get himself prepared to have a great year with the Bucks and play his heart out, the only way he knows how to play," Bartelstein said.

The 6-foot-3 Bell had said he did not want to play for Milwaukee and instead wanted to go to Miami, which failed earlier in the offseason to sign Mo Williams away from the Bucks.

Bell averaged a career-high 13.5 points in a breakout season last year for the Bucks, making 64 starts.

Bell told The Associated Press earlier this week that the Bucks didn't want to give him a long-term deal and didn't have the money available to resign him. Before the Heat moved in, Bell was mulling an offer to play in Greece.

"Restricted free agency is a very tough process," Bartelstein said. "As a player, you don't know where you're going to be ... It's hard, very hard."

Two seasons ago, Bell signed with Milwaukee after averaging a league-best 27 points for Breogan of the Spanish league.

He went undrafted after helping Michigan State win the 2000 national championship, played briefly with Phoenix and Dallas before spending three seasons in Italy.

Williams was Miami's top pursuit at point guard this summer, but could only offer him a deal worth around $31 million. The Bucks re-signed Williams for six years and $51.5 million and now have a talented, young core signed.

"I think the [Bucks] spoke loudly today about how important Charlie is to their team," Bartelstein said. "They're in a position to be really good for a long time to come."

[jonmic]

He ain't worth it.

[BuddyBear]

Journeymen professional athletes do not care about winning championship....they care about getting paid.

[rjt721]

At least if he plays for the Heat he's got a legit shot of winning a ring.

What chance of winning a ring did he have with the Heat?

Miami's not making the playoffs this year. Shaq missing half the season is inevitable, Wade's coming off pretty serious shoulder and knee injuries and could miss the beginning of the season, and the rest of the roster is paper-thin. Miami's run is over.

Milwaukee and Miami have the same chance of winning a title - none.

[bigboydan]

What chance of winning a ring did he have with the Heat?

A lot better one than playing for the Bucks thats for sure.

[LLXC]

Well, Bucks matched offer.