This is a new era. The player can't get a better contract using S&T than he can by leaving outright. He can only get the better contract by staying put. And Houston and Dallas (and a bunch of other teams) will have the cap space to sign Williams outright. So, if he leaves, it won't be in an S&T. The good news for them is that the Nets have lots of cap space to hire some help for Deron Williams. The bad news being the best person to spend it on is Deron Williams. If Morey was their GM, I'd like their chances. But, he's not.
i thought he could still get the max just not the extra year if he does a sign and trade.. i apologize if i was wrong...
IIRC, the whole move to Brooklyn was primarily instigated as a land grab for developer Bruce Ratner, so he can build a bunch of new condo towers around the arena site. Just like now, I am not exactly sure who will be the Nets' natural fan base. Hipster artists from Williamsburg? doubtful. New York's team is the Knicks. I don't think having the Nets in Brooklyn is going to change that for a long time, if ever.
Some of the attorneys at my firm worked on a part of financing deal for the arena. I wonder if the parties involved are gonna make the money back. It's gonna be interesting to watch how the Nets turn out. It seems that they were a land grab vehicle for Ratner first, who then decided to sell the team to the Russian as his new toy. Bill Simmons called him the "Russian Mark Cuban" but he doesn't seem to have nearly the passion for hoops that the real Mark Cuban has. Now it seems Prokhorov is plain bored with the Nets (since, unlike sports leagues in Europe, the NBA has a salary cap and you can't just buy all the talent) and is just leaving it in the hands of Billy King. It's a shame, too. I live within a short subway ride away from the arena, but do not anticipate they'll have a good team. I guess it's good to be able to watch a Rockets games without going far. Meh.
The top 3 protected pick will forever haunt that franchise unless for some reason they score a top 3 pick in the lotto and that would be best case scenario IMO for keeping Williams. Would Deron Williams rather play with Gerald Wallace or Anthony Davis in 2013???... my guess is there is much more upside for a star PG to play with the top pick in the draft, rather then a couple good role players. They better hope and pray they get a top 3 pick to keep this season. If they loose Williams, loose a Harrison Barnes type top 6 pick, are stuck with nothing but Gerald Wallace and a soon to be overpaid Brooks Lopez.... Then it sure sucks to be a Net. There are much cooler things to do in Brooklyn then watch that team play. The crappy thing is... that pick is going to Portland, who is going to continue to be a thorn in the side of the Western conference. The Blazers have their young All Star PF in Aldridge, and at least two really good draft picks this summer to rebuild on the fly. They still did some dumb things like firing a Great coach in McMillan and didnt move Crawford/Felton though so theres hope that they still have some bad Karma up there.
This will go down as the worst trade in recent history if they don't win the top 3 slots. I how can you give up that much for a declineing player? IF anything Portland should of give up a first round pick for picking up his contract next year.
Currently the Nets are the 4th worst team in the NBA, giving them a 37.8% chance to get a top 3 pick, 62.2% chance of losing the pick to Portland. Also, Deron, Hump and Wallace can all leave this summer via free agency. Yea! Lopez is RFA also. Yea!
Wallace gets over 11mil if he opts in after the season, he'd be dumb not to do that, he won't get any near close that level with a new contract. But still, that leaves the Nets with old Gerald Wallace and "midget point guards catch more rebounds than me" Brook Lopez, instead of Deron, Dwight and a top 3 pick. It's a shame, the Russian owner must seriously regret buying them now.
According to shamsports.com, Wallace's option is only for $9.5 million. This offseason, there are many teams with cap room (teams likely structured payroll to have contracts expiring this offseason due to possible free agency of Howard, Williams and CP). It may well be worth it for Wallace to try and ink a longer term deal now vs. next season.
It's for 11.5mil, don't know where shamsports got the data from. You get the 11.5mil info on every other salary site and I also heard it on NBA/Grantland podcasts. He's at 10.6mil now, a lower opt-in would make absolutely no sense.
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/new_jersey.htm http://www.spotrac.com/nba/new-jersey-nets/gerald-wallace/ Confused.
3 unsuccessful (getting it right costs nothing) challenges per game, a failed challenge results in a free throw for the other team.
