Link: http://www.dallasbasketball.com/headline_A.asp?pr= Why Bradley May Get Maxed Out The Logic Of Offering $12 Mil-Plus Some of you already boo him because he's 7-6, or because he's awkward, or because he's thin, or maybe because he's white. Are you ready to boo Shawn Bradley because he might be about to be given a max-out contract worth, say, seven years and an astounding $118.736 million? The Mavericks' high-profile center and free-agent-to-be is so focused on the job at hand that he doesn't even know what his max-out salary figure is (it's $11.589 million for Year One alone). And he and owner Mark Cuban say they haven't even talked contract yet. But both tell DallasBasketball.com that they are conscious of the burdens that come with becoming a $12 Million Dollar Man. Says Bradley: "People are going to boo for whatever reason they want to boo. I don't care about that. If they want to boo because basketball players make too much money, maybe they should. We're all overpaid.'' Says Cuban: "I do agree that salaries set expectations, and that expectations can impact performance.'' In other words, Bradley probably won't say no to the dough – but Cuban will evaluate every potential side effect as he considers re-signing The Erector Set to the NBA's maximum amount. Here's how it works: As an eight-year veteran, Bradley will be able to sign a maximum of a seven-year contract here. After the initial amount, annual raises are limited by the CBA to 12.5 percent of the prior year's salary. Therefore, a full-length max-out deal looks like this: Year One: $11.589 mil (or 30 percent of the team's' total cap, whichever is greater) Year Two: $13.038 mil Year Three: $14.667 mil Year Four: $16.501 mil Year Five: $18.563 mil Year Six: $20.884 mil Year Seven: $23.494 mil Scary, huh? Not as many fans will freak over Michael Finley's max-out deal, which will come this summer, when he gets his $118.736 million for seven years. (Etch those numbers in stone, by the way; eventually, they'll be in all the papers.) It's entirely possible, and maybe practical, too, to limit Bradley's wages by maxing him out for fewer than seven years. That breakdown: Max out for three years: $39,294,000 Max out for four years: $55,795,000 Max out for five years: $74,358,000 Max out for six years: $95,242,000 Max out for seven years: $118,736,000 Bradley, with a three-year deal, making $39 million? Not bad, especially if you understand that he's presently working on the final $8.37 million season of the eight-year, $45 million deal he long ago signed with Philadelphia. Argue if you will – and will know you will – but there seem to be few reasons not to max him out. Doing so will not affect the Mavericks' cap. Nor will it affect Cuban's bank account. Nor is it likely to trigger any jealousy in the NBA's most affable locker room. In fact, it could send the opposite message to Bradley's teammates, and for that matter, to his potential teammates around the league: You get the job done, and be a starting-caliber NBA player, and you too will eventually reap the benefits of re-signing with Dallas. Just like Finley. And just like Shawn. So is there any reason in the world to not max out Bradley? Only two: It is conceivable that Bradley, like anyone, might fall into the fat-and-sassy trap. Athletes, like the rest of us, tend to work better when they know their paycheck is performance-based. Bradley has long been criticized for his supposed lack of devotion to the game. Will $39 million or $119 million, buy more devotion, or dilute it? Fans who have always verbally abused Bradley for his perceived shortcomings are certain to flood mindless radio talk shows berating him for not "deserving'' such a contract. Those same critics will wonder why $12 million wouldn't be better spent on say, Chris Webber. But according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a team can pay "its guy'' differently than it pays another team's free agent. In other words, money given to Bradley can't be given to anybody else, anyway. Still, Bradley – who also conceivably could sign for less than the max out of his own volition – does not argue with the contentions thrown his way. "I've made it clear I want to stay, but at the same time I'm keeping all options open,'' Bradley says, for the first time leaving open the door for soliciting bids and thus possibly forcing Cuban to have to max him out in order to keep him. "I'm going to sit down with my wife, examine the possibilities, then sit down with Mark and see what we can get done. "Beyond that, people are going to think what they want. I have neighbors and friends who are doctors or lawyers or teachers. They work hard every day to make a living that isn't a fraction if what we make. I'm aware of that. I'm appreciative of it. So if somebody wants to boo, I don't care.'' Good thing. Because if Bradley hits the jackpot -- $12 million for a year, or $39 for three, or $119 for seven -- you will boo. Won't you? ------------------
Let Dallas give him the max, add that to Howard's contract, and Dallas is virtually stuck leasing their future away to two non-franchise players. ------------------ There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
It makes sense as long as Dallas is sure it won't have to rebuild. As long as they want to keep Bradley and not want to get under the cap, it's irrelevant what they pay him. However, if Nowitski demands a trade, Finley spends 60 games a season on the IR for a bad leg and Nash is kicked out of the league for drug abuse, they'll be sorry if they signed Bradley to a 7-year contract. Seven years is a long time for nothing to go wrong. If I were Dallas, I wouldn't care about the dollars, I'd care about the contract length. ------------------ RealGM Gafford Art Artisan Cakes
and Nash is kicked out of the league for drug abuse Come on now. Maybe Moochi, but definitely not Nash. ------------------
I don't care how you try to justify it, the fact is that Shawn Bradley does not <font size="+1"><u>deserve</u></font> a max contract. He is a roleplaying center, nothing more. ------------------ My dream job is to be a Houston Rockets towel boy.
Right... That's gonna happen. That'll happen the the same year Cato gets named starting center on the All-Star team, Mo Taylor leads the league in rebounds, and Steve Francis demands a trade to Vancouver (or Memphis). I don't mind the money as long as Cuban doesn't mind, because it doesn't affect our salary cap. I'm not really worried about an injury to him because he never tries hard enough to get injured. Does he deserve the money? Hell NO! But if his deserving the money is the only negative about the contract, then who cares. The article said he might become lazy with that much money. How could he possibly get any lazier? ------------------ [This message has been edited by DunkingDeutschman (edited March 26, 2001).]
Its Cuban's money, if he wants to overpay Bradley, let him. ------------------ Founder and President of the Houston Homers Club(HHC) - Are you a homer? Join now! The Rockets will be NBA champions. Believe.
Am I right in assuming that Bradlet starts for the Mavs? IMO, against smaller teams, the Mavs should run Howard at the 5 and Gary Trent at the 4. I always liked Trent's game. Is trent not getting any time due to injury or just being in the doghouse? ------------------ "P*ssy"- Cuttino Mobley to Lamar Odom
Trent is always injured. When he isn't injured, he gets nearly every shot blocked! Don Nelson said that when he is in the game the score seems to go the wrong way. ------------------ [This message has been edited by harkm (edited March 26, 2001).]
Yes, Bradley normally starts, but he doesn't play starter minutes. Nelson often goes to a small lineup with Nowitzki, Howard, and 3 guards. With Booth coming off his injury he will probably start to take away even more of Bradley's minutes. BTW, since the trade Trent has essentially gotten no minutes and is absolute non-factor nowadays. He's been injured so much and has never been able to return to the form that he was in during his great season a few years ago. ------------------ [This message has been edited by DunkingDeutschman (edited March 26, 2001).]
The Mavs apparently think Bradley is irreplaceable and I have to agree with them. He isn't a franchise player or anything, but -- just by virtue of his height -- he plays a very unique role. Plus, given his physique, they don't really need to worry about him getting fat; he also doesn't seem to have the foot problems, heart problems or back problems other guys his size have usually got. I think he's definitely someone worth having on your roster. He is the best player of his height in the NBA. That may well be worth the max. As for Nash and drug abuse, I don't know him all that well, but I know no reason why it would be unlikely. ------------------ RealGM Gafford Art Artisan Cakes
I wonder how the arrival of Wang Zhi Zhi might affect things. If the guy's given some minutes and actually makes an impact with them in the playoffs, would that make any difference in Bradley's role with the team? Probably not. Maybe it would just make Wang good trade bait. ------------------
Well, I've never seen him play, but from the way you guys talk, he sounds like they're pretty close. I think we should have a NBA's Laziest Man Competition. There will be such exciting events as the "Most Rebounds without Moving their Feet Challenge", the "Least Hours Worked-Out over the Offseason Rally", and my favorite the "Longest Time to Walk Back Upcourt while their Man is on the Breakaway Time Trials". I wonder who would win? ------------------
Bradley? Didn't that guy get clocked by Walt Williams? Anyway, he does not deserve the max. Select all star players should be the only ones maxing out. ------------------
