It was early Wednesday afternoon that Rod Thorn called agent Rob Pelinka and offered his client, power forward Carlos Boozer, a contract worth $75 million to play for the Nets for the next five seasons. Pelinka, who originally asked all bidders for $85 million — that’s just $7 million shy of a maximum-salaried deal — thanked Thorn and said he would get back to him at the end of the day, according to a Nets official familiar with the negotiation. Two hours later, the Nets learned — with no warning and no recourse — that Boozer signed a five-year, $80 million deal with the Chicago Bulls. “They never gave us a chance to match, which we probably would have done,†said the official, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak for the team. “We didn’t even get a chance to meet.†Throughout the morning, the Nets were trying to arrange a meeting between Boozer, who as at home in Miami, and coach Avery Johnson, who is with the summer league team in Orlando. They only spoke by phone. Newark Star-Ledger
