With 3 in the top 20 http://forwardcenter.net/four-trail-blazers-ranked-in-free-agent-top-30/ They say it is likely Rolo gets more than Wes. Not sure I agree on that but both will get plenty. Would you take Afflalo at their number (8 MIL a year for 3 years - 24 MIL) over Wes at his number (12 MIL a year for 4 years - 48 MIL)?
Wes is more expandable because we might sign afflalo. Lopez is the #1 priority (obviously after LMA).
Wes is the heart and soul of the team. He is definitely worth more to us than Arron. I just not sure he is worth twice as much.
If I'm Paul Allen, and if all are healthy, I max anyone and everyone who I need to max to keep this group together, and I don't even blink.
Nobody's going to offer Afflalo max money, so no need to max him. If Lopez and Matthews get max offers elsewhere, I match.
If I'm Neil I do the following: 1. LA - 5 years/125 mil w/ no-trade clause and a 5th year ETO 2. RoLo - 4 years/50 mil 3. Wes - 4 years/ 44 mil 4. Afflalo - 3 years/ 27 mil Wes has made a lot of money and this franchise has been good to him (we gave him a pretty large contract after ONE year of play in Utah) so I think a hometown discount should happen. Plus if this get's done these contracts will only amount to ~65% of what our salary cap will be in 16-17 if the cap does increase to over 90 mil.
LA: Max contract, no questions asked Lopez: Offer 4 years/$40M, don't go over 4 years/$48M Matthews: Offer 4 years/$44M, don't go over 4 years/$52M Afflalo: Wait and see - We'd all hope the first 3 guys would take "hometown discounts", but LA deserves a max contract. - I hope with Lopez being beloved by the city (and on a winning team) he'd sign here for around $10-11M/yr instead of chasing money. But with Freeland's and Leonard's development this season, both of them could replace Lopez's production for much cheaper if he wants the bigger paycheck (plus we could possibly deal with another year of Kaman). - BDS is right about Matthews and his first deal. I hope he realizes we gave him a great opportunity off of 1 year in the league, and that'd he'd stay here with a $11-12M/yr deal. Not many players get offered a $32M contract after one year, so he's easily made up that money if he took less now. - Afflalo has his player option after the season. Like the article said, he could stay here one more year, then leave for a bigger paycheck with the new salary cap. However, do we really want to pay a someone $10M/yr to come off the bench? Plus McCollum has looked promising (at times) and could get back into the rotation if Afflalo leaves. However, if Matthews bolts for the big paycheck, we need to sign Afflalo for that $10M/yr contract. Replacement options: LA: None, sign the man Lopez: Greg Monroe Matthews: Afflalo, Danny Green, Gerald Green Afflalo: Khris Middleton
If we sign one of Rolo or Wes then we wouldn't be able to bring in a free agent. Replacements would have to come from in house.
I've said this before, and I'll say it again. Blazer fans argue Matthews is just as good as Thompson.(I'm one of them) There is a video that was posted a month or two ago on how even Wes and Clay compare to each other... Wes even holds the edge in many categories.. If I remember right Wes is above average and Clay is below or average in certain stats. Clay does have some stat advantages.. But those advantages are few. Clay Thompson was just maxed out... Wes Matthews is going to get a max contract no matter what. It should come from the Blazers, and I imagine it will. Just because people think he should give a hometown discount doesn't mean he will. The only chance of a discount happening is if.. Aldridge, Rolo, and Matthews take one. But Wesley will be maxed out if Aldridge chooses to be as well.
Klay is 3 years younger and a lot better than Wes. It's the truth. You'd be insane to say they're equals.
They are definitely similar players, but Klay is better for a few reasons. 1. He gets his shot off easier. and most importantly 2. He's a better shooter. He shoots a better % than Matthews on more shot attempts. That alone makes him more valuable.
I'm pretty sure Aldridge's max salary will only be about $115M over 5 years (based on projected $66M cap, max salary of 30% of cap, max raises of 7.5% of base). BTW, Aldridge's agent was dumb not to get him a one-year extension through next year. If he were a free agent next summer instead of this, his max contract offer would probably be about $180M over 5 years.
Melo was a 10+ year vet, meaning his max base salary was 35% of the cap. Aldridge is at 9 as of this year, so his max base is only 30%. That, and the massive cap increase coming in 2016, is why he's missing out big time by being a free agent this year instead of next, and why his max contract this year is less than what Melo got last summer.
I'd easily pay what that article suggest the Blazers are worth; but I worry Wes or Rolo will get max offers.
LOVE Wes but no way is he a Max player (not saying he won't get Max just that he isn't a Max player). However, I don't think Klay is either personally but he has it. With that said do you really think if we offer 2 MIL a year less than Max and someone like NY offers Max that he is going to leave? No way imo. Plus, he would actually make more over the life of our contract then he would with someone like NY.
I applaud your emotion but that makes little sense, you don't severely overpay when you don't have to, the only guy I have an question about returning is Wes if someone offers him 15-16 mil per which I believe is the max area for him, Afflalo of course may or may not opt in
