Oh, they "break down game one". I thought you meant "break down" in game one. Because they wouldn't be the only ones.
Antonio Harvey needs to move closer to the microphone. Everyone else sounds fine but Harvey sounds like he's clear across the room.
LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, and I wouldn't even be surprised if the Houston Rockets found a way to make a run at him. They will all be going hard after Aldridge. Of course the Blazers will too and can off up the most money.
Im not the greatest at math but isnt 5/127 a lot more then 4/90 especially when its the last giant contract of an NBA players career.
I don't think Dallas has the cap space to offer him max. SAS, Lakers and NY do thought. Houston is in cap hell. No chance
It's a lot closer than you think. Especially when you factor in taxes (high Oregon taxes vs no state income in Texas). You also have to factor in the 5th year of the contract. LMA would be able to sign another multi year contract after 4 years. He may not be a "Max Player" at that point, but he would be making $16M-$25M with the new cap increases. I would expect LMA to sign a 2-yr max contract, with a player option the 2nd year (like LeBron did this last year). He gives Portland one last shot with a healthy Wes, but gives himself an out to hit the market under the new cap.
Not a bad theory. Except that his reasoning for not signing last summer was to get 5 years instead of 3. On the other hand a lot has changed since last summer with the outlook of what max salaries will look like in the coming years. Who knows? The other thing to keep in mind is that LA doesn't have the same appetite for attention that guys like Lebron do. He may not want to deal with the free agency ordeal again in a year or two. He seems flattered by the interest but uneasy with all the fuss and speculation over what he's going to do. Problem solved if he signs a 5 year deal.
The Jock tax is a big reason taxes don't matter as much as people think. Every game these players play in a state they pay that states taxes that they would earn for playing that game.
I just posted about former Blazer Chris Johnson http://www.sportstwo.com/posts/3606105/ ...and then I see a whole paragraph about him in your jock tax article. It says that Tennessee charged a flat tax of $2500 per game, no matter what the player's income, so Johnson paid $7500 out of his $54,000 salary, a rate of 14%. Thanks for the good article.
No, because with 4/90 he could opt out after only 3 when max salaries are under a new larger cap at $40 million a season. If he signs 5/127 he can't opt out until after year 4. I think he stays in PDX but he doesn't necessarily lose any money going to a new team. I also disagree this is his last giant contract. A skilled 6'11" big man with a jump shot, good hands and solid D is going to be in demand at the age of 32 very similarly to age 29. Hell they said Dirk at 38 was just offered the max last year by the Lakers and he can't guard a chair or rebound a beach ball.
We disagree on LMA getting another giant contract, I don't think he gets another near max contract but maybe its worth it him to have that opt out and chance at another giant contract.
