Former Bruin Kapono signs with Raptors

by sfatoo on Jul 2, 2007 12:19 AM PDT

Jason Kapono was the first player in this year's free agency pool to switch teams and was paid well for it. He picked up a four year, 24 million dollar contract with the Toronto Raptors.

Free-agent sharpshooter Jason Kapono became the first player to commit to switching teams this summer when he reached a quick agreement Sunday to leave the Miami Heat and join the Toronto Raptors for what is believed to be a four-year deal worth roughly $24 million.

Jason was bouncing around the league a bit, but finally put up some good numbers in Miami this past year:

After playing for three teams in his first three pro seasons -- Cleveland, Charlotte and Miami -- Kapono enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2006-07, leading the league in 3-point percentage (.514) and winning the 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend in addition to averaging a career-best 10.9 points for the Heat.

He was actually on pace to set the all-time record for 3pt % at the all-star break, but fell off a bit down the stretch but still ended up leading the league.

Kapono came to the Bruins as an All-American and probably could have left after his first year for guaranteed millions as a lottery pick. Unfortunately for him, he came to UCLA while the old coach (who needs not be named) was wasting talent away and fell to a second round pick after his senior year.

Seems like a great time for former Bruins in the NBA. Afflalo got picked in the first round, Kapono got some job security with Matt Barnes soon to follow. And undoubtedly, with Howland in charge, the good times are just starting for our Bruins in the NBA. Go UCLA!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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That is great

Congrats to Jason.

by Nestor on Jul 2, 2007 5:17 AM PDT reply actions

And you know who confirmed the deal?

Kapono's agent...

BOB MYERS, baby!

WHY NOT US? WHY NOT NOW?

by Meriones on Jul 2, 2007 12:02 PM PDT reply actions

We have him to thank for the 11 year streak

If he hadn't stayed all four years, there wouldn't have been a Bruin chosen in the 2003 draft.

by SuperBruinMan on Jul 2, 2007 2:16 PM PDT reply actions

I Hope He's Getting Paid In American Dollars

Years ago, I represented an NHL player from a small town in the northwoods in Wisconsin.

He was accused of throwing someone through a window -- tring to break up a fight he said.

He wasn't the brightest bulb on the tree -- went from high school to one year of college in South Dakota and then to the NHL.

Played for a Canadian team. When he signed up, he didn't know that he would get paid in Canadian dollars and that the Canadians had a very high tax rate. Long term, low pay contract. Not a happy northwoodsman.

Ended his career in the states and probably saved some $.

I'll spare you the story of what happened when I asked him to re-enact what happened and he threw me into a wall, full force, because he didn't understand the concept of "simulation".

Good luck Jason. We are very proud of you.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Jul 2, 2007 8:48 PM PDT reply actions

Simulations can be rough

I was defending a slip and fall case, and sent a law clerk over to an apartment house to see if the stairs really were slippery. When he came back on crutches, I settled promptly. (And I'm not making this up. The stuff that really happens in cases doesn't have to be made up.)

by Fox 71 on Jul 3, 2007 7:27 AM PDT up reply actions

Even if it were 24 mil Canadian Dollars

That's still 22.6 million US Dollars before tax. With current exchange rates you only lose 5 and a half cents on the dollar. An American dollar is not as valuable as it used to be.

by SuperBruinMan on Jul 3, 2007 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions

now that is funny

did he bill the client for the investigation and file a work comp claim?

by ucladj89 on Jul 3, 2007 10:12 AM PDT reply actions

Nah

That was before people sued for that sort of thing. He was a good kid, too. He looked like Bill Bixby which was good. And he was dating a girl who worked in the default section at the courthouse, so every time our insurance companies would sit on a complaint until a default was filed, we would send Bix down to see her and she would find some flaw in the default papers and send them back to the plaintiff's lawyer. (And those papers almost always had some flaw in them -- and they still do.) Then we would get our answer on file without a lot of "unpleasantness."

by Fox 71 on Jul 3, 2007 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions