I really don't understand your overaching point. Tari is underpaid, and so is Pritchard. Pritchard broke out later than Tari, and after Pritchard signed his extension - there's no argument there. However, we're looking at the two players right now. Hypothetically, if Pritchard repeats last year's performance and were to hit restricted free agency next offseason, he'd easily land a $20+ million contract. Conversely, if Tari has another injury-plagued year, I doubt anyone offers him much. Sorry, but you're just not going to convince me that Tari is somehow a way better player, at this point, than Pritchard. I just think both are pretty comparable with regard to their overall impact on games over the course of a season. If we were ranking the Top 100 players, Tari and Pritchard would each land somewhere between 75 and 100. Both have benefits and weakness. Tari has a higher ceiling and is the better defensive player, but is a worse offensive player who is inconsistent, injury prone, tends to make boneheaded plays, and will want a large contract. Pritchard has the higher floor, has been healthy, is the better offensive player, is more consistent and steady, and is on a great contract, but is a worse defensive player, doesn't have Tari's upside, and won't have Tari's impact on the floor when Tari is playing well.
Easily. Given our roster needs, Prichard is clearly the better fit. Tari is more replaceable as a non dribbling, non shooting forward, and his defensive impact has noticeably declined since the injury. On top of that, his mental toughness and BBIQ remain a concern, which significantly caps his ceiling. We should look to move him soon rather than risk losing him for nothing.
Listen, if your opinion is "they're roughly the same even though the market will for sure pay one of them 3 times more than the older player" then I'm so happy to agree to disagree at this point.
No, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is you are being disingenuous by not normalizing free agency periods. Let's normalize - if Pritchard and Eason had both hit unrestricted free agency this past offseason, I think there's a high likelihood that Pritchard would have signed a larger contract than Eason.
Lol of course there is no chance he would make more. No one in the world has ever even rumored that Pritchard might be worth $20m. IT'S GOING TO BE THREE TIMES MORE. You can't chalk that up to being in one later window. You cant chalk that up to over/under paid - it's 3 TIMES. Maybe if Pritchard made $7.5m in 1995 you can compare it to what Tari will make. If you're chickening out on the bet, let's just agree to disagree and let the future do the talking. Pritchard is going to have his highest minutes and points this season while Tari started with his worst game of his career. You have the head start. Nothing to worry about right.
Say, wait - clarify the bet. You're saying Tari will end up signing a 100m+ deal with an average value per year of 20m+ (3 times Pritchard)? Yeah, I'll take that bet. I think he might sign a shorter contract with a higher average salary per year, or he'll sign a 4+ year contract at less than $20 mil per year. I don't think he'll get a 4+ years/100m+/20+ mil per year deal like Bari, Murray, Daniels, etc. Also, what are the guarantees? Pritchard's is fully guaranteed. If Tari's contract ends up having a ton of outs, then I don't think that should count.
Even if he wanted to come here, he couldn't waive that no trade clause because he loses his bird rights in the process, throwing away millions in earnings. That means the Rockets couldn't go over the cap to resign him the next offseason. The best they could do is the NT MLE. Grimes is looking for a deal north of $25m a year while that MLE is just over $15. The only way he can get the deal he's looking for is staying in Philly and resign with them or working a sign and trade to go elsewhere.
I offered that Tari would make on average $21m+ per season in his next contract whatever the length. I'll set a very low condition: as long as Tari plays more than 41 games (so, even if he's still injury prone, but not if he misses almost the whole season). Deal?
No, I won't take that deal. You don't get to set a games played contingency - that's part of the risk you're taking betting on a guy like Tari. And you said Tari will end up on a deal 3 times that of Pritchard - that includes average per year AND guaranteed seasons. I could see Tari signing something like a 2 year, $45m contract with the second year being a team option - but that's NOT "three times" the contract that Pritchard signed. You won't even stand by you're own bet because of your fears about Tari, which is exactly my point.
I assume this is also true for FVV - If he waives his NTC, he will lose his Bird rights and lose money on a future contract. That means a future PG trade might have to be centered around Reed in order to make the salary work.
Here's my bet counteroffer, @Mathloom. I'll bet $100 to the tip jar that Tari ends up signing for less than 90 mil guaranteed (3 times Pritchard's guaranteed amount). And guaranteed means that - a team option does not count towards the guaranteed amount. No games played threshold - that's a risk you take. Bet?
Hahaha no I'm good. You whined about the numbers being one off season apart but you don't want to factor in the possibility that he misses most of the season? Are you kidding? That's a condition I would put on a healthy player. It's just 41 games. Happy to pass on the bet if that's just WAY too big a stretch for you. Honestly I think you just saw Windy report that they already offered $100m mostly guaranteed and are backing out.
Man, you believe in Tari so little that you don't think he'll sign for 90m+? That's not a ton of money in today's NBA. You may have serious doubts about him. Funny how that works...
No matter who we were talking about, I would set a 41 game threshold. I thought you wanted to show Pritchard is the better basketball player. My point is Tari is simply better. It's not that Tari is healthier. Admit it, you backed out seconds after the Windy report. What are the chances?
What Windy report? I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. And health is a massive reason why I may prefer Pritchard to Eason - I've maintained that since the beginning. I don't want to commit to Eason because I view him as an inconsistent, injury-prone player. Assuming health AND Tari is playing to his abilities, is he a better player than Pritchard? Sure. But that's not the discussion - it's what player I would prefer for our team given all factors. And if you put a gun to my head, I think I'd rather have Pritchard than Eason going forward, though it is a very close call.
Yes, FVV is in a similar situation, waiving his no trade clause would terminate his bird rights. There is a difference - Grimes is very likely to get a large contract that will require his bird rights to facilitate. I'm not so sure FVV's bird rights are actually worth anything. I don't believe he's likely to sign another contract that would be more than MLE money. His next contract very well could be a minimum deal - no bird rights required. Still, I doubt he would give up his bird rights for the just in case he can sign a larger deal. He has no incentive to do so.
Yeah - reading about FVV's circumstances, I can't imagine a scenario in which he'd consent to a trade. The deadline for him to opt into his player option June 29, 2026 - in other words, he could be a pretty valuable expiring contract next offseason. By the way, random question for cap experts - could FVV opt into his player option now? That way he retains his bird rights in any trade? Also, if he opts in, does that create an artificial period in which we can't trade him? Basically, could we bring him a trade proposal, and if he's okay with it, could he opt into the option right before we trade him?
