http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8154239/nba-how-new-cba-affects-big-3-star-system Insider, so I have to keep the snips short. This says better than I've been why I don't think Nic at 4/45 is a good idea, but Nic at 5/35 or so is a great one. He's definitely a "complimentary" player, and the way that this CBA is structured severely penalizes teams who overpay for role players. Having cap space also allows us to be in a position to "help" teams trying to get unstuck, if they give us enough in return.
It's a legit concern, but given the current state of the roster, they have to also think about the salary floor. Is 11 million too much? Yeah probably, but it's not so far above his market rate that he can't be moved later if it's absolutely necessary. Personally I would have preferred a Sign and Trade if the right deal could have been struck (two later firsts and Kyle Korver aint that), but barring that he's probably worth more as a member of the team than just the capspace he represents. I guess we'll see what happens.
we don't have to worry about the salary floor with Brandon's 16+M filling a chunk of that for the next few years. The floor is based on actual payroll spent.
Nic was 8th in PER for SFs last season, and every player ahead of him had arguably a bigger role, and, not arguably, a bigger salary than he had. It's easy to say oh, I think at 7 million a year, he'd be great. But you don't get players like him for 7 a year, you get ones with more flaws. And then, why pay 7 for THAt guy, when you can pay 3-4 for someone comparable. And then, your roster slowly dwindles. Is it always wise to pay on potential? No, certainly not. It can blow up on you. I think Nic with a bigger role can be worth close to his offer. In the sense that everyone is overpaid a little, I think he can come close to justifying 4/45 with us, and am ok matching. If we got a great offer, I'd be ok trading him as well, but 4 years isn't going to kill us with his salary. We hope Freeland and Claver can become contributors, and they are both signed cheap. Lillard and Leonard as well, and both are cheap. If we can get Lillard and one other to be solid starters for us, we will not be hamstrung by 45 million to nic.
Were not paying Batum 4/45 for a Role player. Were paying him that in hopes he becomes something else with a new coach. If he was looked at by management as a role player he would already be out of here and on Minn roster for there two picks.
I think we offered him 4/26 or so in his extension last year "in the hopes he became something else" later. No one's saying that Nic's peaked. But no one is calling him a star in the league.
We offered him 4/26 to say hey, we aren't going to sign you to a big deal and kill our cap space 4/26 would have started him off about the same as his cap hold currently is. Was clearly a we'll go bigger later, but if you REALLY want long term security, this is what we can do now. His agent took it likely as a serious offer and got upset, so be it. But I don't believe wehad hopes of him signing it, or at all thinking that was what he was worth.
Which POR is going to massively do today with Batum.....ugh... With the new salary cap teams just cannot afford to pay rotation players but not stars that much money anymore....
