I want our team to sign either Larry Sanders or Whiteside as a starting center. Slide Mason to the bench as b/u center. Then we have a need for some scoring at PF. Vonleh can become that - if we are patient. Or we could try to sign one. Leonard is (IMO) going to get a nice contract ($10-13M/yr) from someone. I predict we let him walk if we get out main target. We match his contract if we don't. My hopes are for either Sanders or Whiteside and Harrison Barnes at SF. Can we get both? Don't know. But would love to see this lineup: Lillard - McCollum - Barnes - Vonleh - Sanders/Whiteside as starters with..... Roberts - Crabbe - Harkless - Davis - Plumlee as main bench.
Wow, I read the thread, which is inhabited by crazymen. As I posted, I'd hesitate above $2M per year, thinking of the better players we could get for that amount. Best post, after reading crazy posters who were seriously offering crazy numbers:
I thought I was being generous with the cap going up but 27 for 3 years with a team option makes him a really good trading chip for next season's trade deadline..blame Mark Cuban for driving the prices up on role players
I allowed for it going up by waffling at $3M instead of $2M. That would give him a nice raise over what he contributes. When his career ends after his next contract, he can spend that loot bragging to his friends, "Ha ha, I sure snookered Paul Allen on that contract."
The main consideration, IMO, is whether or not other teams are offering deals. If he's receiving offers--after the unimpressive season he's had so far--then that suggests he'll probably have decent trade value as well. I'm also basing my reply on the likelihood of us using our capspace to obtain an impactful player--via either free agency or trade--which I believe to be relatively low. So no, I no longer envision him as our COTF, but I believe we would be remiss to waste an asset, even one we don't plan on keeping long-term. No, I would not want to match a long term deal at 8-figures/year, but something MLE-size wouldn't be at all unreasonable.
I once had a car. I liked that car a lot. However, there came a time when, although it was still an asset, it made more sense to get rid of it (I gave it away to someone looking for a "project" car) than to invest more money into it. I'm not saying Leonard is in that same category, he may have some value around the league but based on is less-than-stellar play this year, I'm not sure putting any money into an asset with potentially declining value is a wise decision. Only Olshey knows what kind of offers he was getting for Leonard (if any) and so I'll trust what he does, but I'm not far from being willing to "give" that asset away (i.e., let him walk without getting anything back) rather than investing more money into him. Gramps...
I'm usually pro Meyers, but I didn't see anything tonight to warrant additional hope. I think Blazers won in spite of Meyers.
Well he entered the game down 13 in the 3rd. left the game totally gassed up by 3. The struggled again and then went with Davis and Leonard to finish the game out. With a win!
Meyers absolutely contributed to last night's win. That can't be questioned. He was still hesitant on some shots, but he hit a few when we really needed them and grabbed a couple very important rebounds. Without either him or Davis we lose that game. And Henderson's block was HUGE!
Baffled at the # of people who want him to just walk. I don't like Leonard. I hate his limited skill set and his fragile mentality. But we can't let a 24 year old big man walk. We are not in a position to just give up talent, much less able bodies.
Thinking like this will cause you to match an over-pay & then have an anchor of a contract. Look what happened to OKC with Kanter...
Different situation. They are in win now or blowup mode. Plus they have the whole, "we gotta show KD that we are willing to pay" thing going. We are building towards the playoffs. And we got money to blow. Besides, Leonard @ 12 mil per is a VERY tradeable piece.
