Yeah but I don't mind that too much honestly. I think certain guys you have to make the call. You do run the risk of missing out on midlevel guys, but given how much of a stars league the NBA is, I understand the strategy.
^Neither do I. We need to improve this team, though. So, while I like going after the Gasol's and LMA's of the world, we'd better have a backup plan for the Danny Green's, Carroll's, and the rest of the 2nd-tier class this summer; I can't and won't endure another 20-win season, and I think the FO knows that and will construct a roster that we'll contend if not make the PO's next year...
There's much more of a chance of Aldridge leaving than Gasol, but make all the calls you can. Ignoring the pick, the calls should be Gasol, Monroe, Dragic, Aldridge, Jordan, Leonard, Butler, Middleton, and Rondo in that order.
You can't really ignore the pick. We get Towns or Okafor, there is no reason to contact 4 of the first 5 on the list. Also, what about Love? I'd actually be semi-interested in offering RFA contracts to both Butler AND Middleton. They can both play either wing.
Aldridge would be the second big I contact, if we take a guard in the draft. The article brings up a couple interesting points about it being Lillard's team and they can't really do much to add to that team and have to rely on internal growth. Thought that was a given and I didn't think LA had a problem with that, doesn't seem the type. But Memphis is Gasol's city and if either of them would have any problem with their role or the market size, it would be LA over Marc.
Ignoring the pick meaning that order is where I value those guys. Obviously if we keep the pick, the names get crossed off a bit, but that's how I value those players. I forgot about Love, I'd put him after Monroe. We don't really have room for Butler AND Middleton... Unless one of them was willing to come off the bench. Also if we offered the max to Butler, we wouldn't have enough cash for Middleton.
Middleton and Butler are both getting paid this summer; I'd expect Middleton to get 13+ million and Jimmy to get the max in Chi town.
That's a lot of money for Middleton. He's got similar numbers to Wes Matthews and Danny Green who are getting a fraction of that. He's not going to get 5 more million than a guy like Afllalo. Batum is getting 11+ million right now. Chandler Parsons is getting 14 and he's overpayed. I'd say Middelton gets something like 4/40 from someone tops. I mean he's only 23 years old and sure he's shown growth every year, but I don't think people will go way way over the top for him.
It's not a great contract regardless though. He's going to get 13 a year? That's a crazy huge bonus for a 23 year old. Last season Stephenson got 8 million. Middleton will get around that much, maybe a little more. That's why I said 4/40 or in that area.
Stephenson is currently getting 9 million a year. There is no way Middleton is getting 5 to 7 million a year. He's going to get offers from others teams and his price will get higher, IMO. I don't seen him getting under $12 million, IMO. The guy to go after was a player who Trodgers has pointed to all along; Danny Green. UFA, good three point shooter, good defender, and a great fit next to Randle and Clarkson.
Can't look at Stephenson's salary compared to how he played this year. That 9 million was based on last year's production. Last year, Stephenson was better than Middleton was THIS year. I think Middleton tops out at around 10. If someone wants to offer him any more than that, he's not worth looking at. I'm really starting to wonder if the Lakers are planing on moving Randle to sf and going after Love. I think it's definitely in their minds. Randle becomes our Draymond Green? Randle does have the athleticism and decent handles. To me, I think the Lakers will take one of the 3 centers no matter where we pick (I doubt WCS goes before 5 in our worst case scenario pick), try to sign Love to a max deal, then maybe resign Davis and go with either Lin or Mo Williams at pg. Clarkson/Lin Kobe/Young Randle/Young/RHJ (with Houston pick) Love/Black/Randle/Kelly Drafted Center/Davis/Sacre That team can probably make the playoffs if Randle comes out playing well, the center is WCS or Towns (we need a defensive beast if we have Love and Randle playing the forward spots) and Clarkson continues to develop. It also keeps the casual fan base happy because we got a big name/hometown kid in Love. I wouldn't hate this. WCS is compared to Tyson Chandler and Love could be our Dirk. Randle is a big athlete like Marion...maybe we can recreate the Dallas magic from a few years ago.
I'm not looking at salary related to what Stephenson is getting paid this year; going into this season, I believe the CAP is set up 63 million dollars roughly and Lance was paid 9 million dollars. Next season, it's set at 67.4 million dollars, and likely increasing to 85-90 million; historically, the biggest increase that the NBA has ever seen...WTS, if the CAP is going up another 20 million dollars or so, you don't think GM's know that and would give an ascending player like Middleton 3-4 million dollars more than we're estimating? I sure think they will because it won't have an impact they way we're thinking in 2 years or so...
great post Savory, Love, whether we like it or not, will be a Laker FA target. Might as well prepare for it rather than whine about it later. Let me add, I don't like any of the Kentucky bigs (especially WCS) but I would not be unhappy if we get one of them if Love is on board.
I think it's overstated how much GMs will be willing to overpay. Especially a team like Milwaukee which is still extremely small market. A team like LA? Sure. Miami, NY, even Dallas yeah of course. Teams that are smaller market, but highly competitive like Atlanta, San Antonio, and Golden State will be in there too. Small market teams that are just barely competitive? I'm not so sure they go on a spending spree this summer. Well except for Detroit, they always go on spending sprees (remember the summer the got the prized catches of Villanueva and Ben Gordon?). Middleton will end up at around 10 million. Anyone paying more than that, is losing on the deal regardless of where the cap goes. Keep in mind 10 million is still 15% of the 67.4 million dollar cap. That's a LARGE sum. Anyone heading north of that is just losing their *** on the investment. Meanwhile a guy like Ed Davis or Danny Green is expected to get only 5 million or so? I don't think so. I expect Middleton to go somewhere between 4/28 - 4/40 million. If he goes back to Milwaukee then maybe even 5/50 million.
I disagree. I don't see it. I wouldn't pay that much for him, but I think other teams (small market) will take the Dallas route and overpay for him. We'll see, though. I said awhile ago this will be the year we will see a lot of contracts we just don't comprehend or find any reasoning for because of the impending increase in the CAP. Ed Davis will get more than 5 million, though. I'm not sure about Danny Green. By the way, I looked up about 3 different links and the least I found MIddleton getting or that was projected was 9.5 million dollars; the other 2 links projected $10-12 million. We'll see, though. We should take him off our wish list, though, if we think we could get him for $10 million or under; I just don't see that happening.
As restricted free agency approaches, here's my message: Let Khris be Khris. He's an excellent tertiary role player working in a defensive scheme that optimizes his value; a "3-and-D" expert playing in the perfect situation, doing his job as well as it can be done. Whatever you pay him as a restricted free agent, you should probably be prepared to keep Khris Middleton in his current role. That could make Chandler Parsons money ($15 million/year) tough to swallow, but the influx of cap space and cash from the massive new TV deal means it's time to redefine what "overpay" even means anymore. An Ersan-level deal of $8 million per year adjusts to roughly an $11 million per year contract when the cap jumps above $90 million, so keep that in mind. http://www.brewhoop.com/2015/3/4/8131159/khris-middleton-worth-restricted-free-agency With the NBA's impending TV deal, the salary cap is projected to make a huge jump in the upcoming years which will allow teams to spend more money on their players. This is the ideal time for Middleton to become a free agent and I think that he deserves an annual salary of around $10-12 million. However, with the jump in salary cap, I wouldn't be surprised if certain teams go after Middleton with max-level money. http://sidelinesapp.com/item/how-much-is-khris-middleton-worth/ This short list shows how difficult it is to compare Middleton’s ability to other players and contracts. Middleton’s game probably most resembles Afflalo’s circa 2011, but that contract would need to be adjusted due to the cap inflation since 2011 and the projected inflation when the TV money kicks in soon. Since the Bucks have the right to match any offers that Middleton gets, my guess is they wait and see what the market does. Sure, they will probably give him an offer right when the season ends, Middleton and his agent will reject it, then both will sit and wait. I see a team trying to lure him away from the Bucks will offer a four-year deal worth $38 million, or $9.5 million per year. Right around the four-year $40 million dollar line is where his contract will probably land. The Bucks would probably match in that scenario so he can remain a part of the Bucks young core and grow with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Michael Carter-Williams. Not a bad chunk of change for the former number 59 pick. http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sport...ks_how_much_is_khris_middleton_worth/18419042
