What is a big contract though? If we push away all the noise in the debate what are the brass tacks? Some guys say Scoot is only worth the MLE and want to preserve cap space for some imaginary moment in the future. I cant speak for everyone who has supported an extension, but for me I've always advocated for a 15M per year type contract. I wouldnt consider 4/60 extreme or even view it as an obstacle for anything coming up. There was a report released today that put a dollar value of 11.8Ms/year for what KPJ brings to the table. So are we all just taking cheap shots at one another over 4Ms annually? Crazy, but it just shows me that the argument(s) are not based solely on cap space or talent. Some guys just dont want Scoot on the team and that is OK too.
You mean the guys that make up random combinations of percentages/3 point makes/2 point makes over an arbitrary stretch of games and call them "records"?
Scooters assist numbers should climb. He was a double digit "potential assist" guy last season. With the new additions to the roster that number as well as realized assists will go up. https://www.nba.com/stats/players/passing/?Season=2021-22&SeasonType=Regular Season&sort=POTENTIAL_AST&dir=1
It's a given....I'm trying to tell people don't look at things in terms of what it was.....but how it's going to be. Silas used screeners/roll men with Dallas in 19/20 (Successful top Offense) Vipers have been using the same (Successful potent team) Rockets have had piss-poor screeners the past two seasons. Theis could roll but has become a below the rim threat. Now with Jabari, Tari, WCS, Bruno we can have some over the top threats
For me, anything $15M or higher is too much. Heck, I feel anything over $13M is too much, but could still swallow that pill. IF we extend him, I am hoping it's in the $10-12.5M range.
So you feel he should be paid 10-13 which lines him up with other PG/SG players like: Alec Burks, Talen Horton-Tucker, Reggie Jackson, Terrance Ross, Devonte Graham, Josh Richardson, Kelly Oubre Jr, Josh Hart, Gary Harris. Personally I think he's better than all of those players, but then we will just keep the revolving door going in preferences among players and roster construct. Thanks for the chill responses. If KPJ busts out this year with a 20/10 type year with no distractions would you be willing to pay him north of 20Ms per year?
Interesting you broke up those concerns in that way. My eye test tells me he either drives to create or drives to score but not fluidly one into the other. I think he has the skill set to do both but struggles at fluidly switching between them in the right context. I think that kind of ties into those times when we see him crash into 3 guys to try to score when he clearly has an open guy somewhere. I also see him make a lot of first defender reads(finds the help man's man but not the open guy who a help defender left alone to cover the helper's man) but I don't see him reading the whole defense as often. Jalen has a similar problem. Great passers find defenders leaning or looking away and can get open looks in that manner - haven't seen that from KPJ or Jalen yet....of course they are young so I'm not necessarily expecting that from them either but just saying. I don't think that means he can't be a starter on this team but it begs the question of whether we NEED a true PG on this team or having multiple ball dominant scorers who can make passes out of doubles to find the first open man is enough. FWIW, I think it can be dangerous to not have someone who is "setting the table" so to speak and making sure everyone eats but I'm not necessarily opposed to the many ways a team can be constructed. If KPJ can impact the game significantly defensively as well as be an aggressive offensive player, that may be all you need to overcome some of the deficits of how fluid a playmaker he is.
Point being, if you are saying he needs a woman to keep his mind right, he is even more immature than we thought.
I get what you are saying and it's a big part of why I remain skeptical about his maturity issues. At the same time, it's also true that a good spouse can be life changing. Every person needs a rock.
Just because someone is new or young, doesn't mean we should dismiss their talent, either. Most Point Guards aren't on a developmental scale as you suggest, they are born with qualities of leadership and organization that one might argue KPJ severely lacks.
