Yeah I agree that's what I think happens. I think he wants to give Mom and babbies mom a chance to voice their input and double check all the scenarios one final time with his agent so that's why he seemed more noncommittal the last half of this season. Watching his exit interview is totally different then how Quick/Canzano portray him. He specifically said nothing's changed from his thoughts about resigning he had a year ago.
So, Lamarcus is a Larry Bird Rights free agent not coming off a rookie contract and his contract was larger than the average salary in the NBA. This means his cap hold is 150% of the $16.25 he made this season.... 150% of $16.25 is larger than the max contract he can receive. The Side not #2 basically says the cap hold can neither be less than the minimum a player can make... Nor more than the max they can make, well duh that's not exactly an earth shattering revelation there. Where this does matter is if the Blazers were to convince him to sign for less than Max, then that figure would count against the cap instead of his Max hold. If you are singing players to less than their holds it is in the best interest to sign them early to potentially have some extra wiggle room.
A better example would be Robin Lopez. Robin made about $6.1 mill last year his cap hold is $9.15 mil, but he could be signed to a max of about $16 mil. In that case the hold is more beneficial to the team during free agency than the actual contract if it is larger than the hold.
That's why I don't see the Blazerswaiting at all. They put the max offer on the table unless Aldridge and his agent agrees to take less. Either way, you do both immediately so other free agents will more likely sign with the club. I could see Aldridge be upfront with the team if he wants to leave. He seems like a really straight shooter and he wouldn't put his team in a position twiddling their thumbs waiting for him to make his announcement like LBJ or Howard.
My weird logic that isn't supported by facts is an opinion. Never said anything that he was saying is wrong. What i am suggesting is an opinion that is simply that. AN OPINION! Figure it out. He is totally correct that the cap hold will be 150% until he signs or is renounced but what i am saying is that it simply does not matter if they sign him first. It also does not matter if they decide to get him to wait. The Blazers have the cap room to do this any way they want to do it but even more specifically they can give Aldridge any option he wants as well. Leave or stay they have plenty of options here. I am of the OPINION they will wait and make sure they have the team they want. There is absolutely no need to hurry no matter what Quick or Canzano want to write. Or what you guys feel is most important.
I made reference to that statement being incorrect already. Maybe it would be better if i go back and change the wording. That statement is wrong.
There you go brother. It's all changed for you now. I hope that makes you guys get what i was saying a little better. Sorry for the confusion.
There is a need to hurry because once a free agent agrees to a deal he's off the market. You can end up in a game of musical chairs with a bunch of teams that have cap room and nobody great to spend it on. The Blazers need to decide if they will operate above or below the cap. Bring back LMA you can sign everyone else with bird rights. Aldridge leaves the team uses cap room. Maybe Portlands #1 and #2 replacement alternatives for Aldridge agree to deals on day 2 so the team misses out on those players not having a yes or no from Aldridge. Last year the Lakers thought they might get Melo and in the meantime all the good free agents left so they got stuck with Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer. Houston was waiting to sign Bosh thinking they had him and ignored other free agents. Well he goes back to Miami and the Rockets are in a panick overpaying Ariza, losing Parsons. Free agency can be very fluid where moves are like a big line of dominos so if you don't know what way the first domino will fall you have no idea how to setup the other pieces.
There is the problem. He wouldn't get that money even if he is locked into a contract. The work stoppage means no one gets paid on either side.
Waiting is a risk. I'm all for a risk if there's a better reward but I don't see much of any advantage to waiting to lock up Aldridge.
If the Blazers cloned LMA would he count as one player or two players? Could we divide his salary between him and his clone? Since the clone is newly created could we waive LMA and only pay the clone the league minimum?
