He did what most can only dream, and maintains he hasn't had one nightmare because of it.
     
Olden Polynice left $2.4 million on the table.
     
It was there for the having last summer, and all Polynice had to do was sign on the line. Exercise his own contractual option to return to the Jazz last season, and the money was his.
     
Instead, Polynice rolled dice. He opted to test the free agent market, hopefully to make more money. As one of the NBA's lowest-paid starting centers, he figured, why not?

Perhaps because no team in the league was willing to pay him a dime in 2001-2002, not even the Jazz, who were not bound to re-sign Polynice once he opted out.