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A journey into the past, when there was no such thing as a max contract

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by meh, Nov 3, 2012.

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  1. meh

    meh Member

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    Inspired by this thread, http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=220689, I was flabbergasted by the fact that over 50% actually believed James Harden isn't worth a max contract. I've always thought of these "if you're not Lebron you're not worth the max" people as outliers. I'm surprised that they're actually the majority of fans. Anyway, I don't want to bother with the whole economic/market/supply-demand crap to explain why Harden is worth more than the max, something I believed in even before him blowing up. It's too boring.

    Instead I'll just list some FA in the days before the CBA instituted the max contract, and their salaries in relation to the salary cap. Just for a perspective on what players are worth when there are no artificial caps.

    Shaquille O'Neal, Lakers(50% of salary cap)
    Scottie Pippen, Rockets(37%)
    Alonzo Mourning, Heat(41%)
    Antonio McDyess, Knicks(30%)
    Elden Campbell, Lakers(29%)
    Juwan Howard, Bullets(41%)
    Chris Webber, Bullets(33%)
    Vlade Divac, Kings(27%)
    Reggie Miller, Pacers(33%)
    Allan Houston, Knicks(26%)
    James Harden, Rockets(25%)

    It is said that given today's CBA, the most underpaid players are those on rookie contracts and max salaries. Guess what, we have one of those "underpaid" player in James Harden. And be glad that we're paying him $15mil/yr, rather than paying Lawson $12mil, Curry $11mil, Holliday $10mil, and DeRozen $10mil.
     
    #1 meh, Nov 3, 2012
    1 person likes this.
  2. Williamson

    Williamson JOSH CHRISTOPHER ONLY FAN

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    Thank you. It blows my mind that this keeps being repeated.

    When I think of all the people who had 100 million dollar contracts... Juwan Howard and Rashard Lewis come to mind .... Harden's seems pretty damned reasonable.
     
    #2 Williamson, Nov 3, 2012
  3. WinkFan

    WinkFan Member

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    Here's the thing. Each team has the same cap. Eric Gordon and Lebron are both max players. However, if you give your max contract to a guy like Gordon, you are way behind the team who gives the max to Lebron, and have almost eliminated your chance to win a title.
     
    #3 WinkFan, Nov 3, 2012
  4. Croatian Sensation

    Croatian Sensation I'd rather be a forest than a street

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    Don't ever question DD's judgment.
     
    #4 Croatian Sensation, Nov 3, 2012
  5. meh

    meh Member

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    The max salary is ~25% of the salary cap. Assuming a bunch of role players making little money, a team can afford three max contracts under the cap without problems. Or in Morey's case, be able to support 2 max players plus split one max between Lin and Asik. And this doesn't even take into account the luxury tax level, which basically allow you to go 20% over the salary cap.

    That's the entire point. The max salary, especially at Harden's level(as opposed to older players like Melo or Dirk) actually represent a very small percentage of the cap. That's why the Rockets can afford another max player even after signing Lin, Asik and Harden this offseason.

    Oh, and one last thing... Lebron James is not going to sign with Houston. Neither will Durant nor Dwight Howard or any other player worth 50+% of the salary cap.
     
    #5 meh, Nov 4, 2012
  6. Jet036

    Jet036 Member

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    So you're saying teams should only give max contracts to the 3 Lebron type players in the league?...ok
     
    #6 Jet036, Nov 4, 2012
  7. leebigez

    leebigez Member

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    Harden isn't underpaid. He's being paid based on his future upside. That's not to say he's underpaid because the sample size is too small. When wizards gave arenas the deal to get him from gsw,it was a great deal. When they bid against themselves and gave him max+, it was a bad deal. The rockets had to give harden his deal cuz he had all the leverage.
     
    #7 leebigez, Nov 4, 2012
  8. maizer

    maizer Member

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    Hmm Kevin Garnets first or second monster contract should be there somewhere
     
    #8 maizer, Nov 4, 2012
  9. Shroopy2

    Shroopy2 Member

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    Not sure why there needs to be head shaking about it. Its a bit reasonable for people to want "tiered salary rate" priced down from a TRUE MAX player like Lebron on down.

    Though yes for sure a salary cap is an artificial limit thats really not a true barometer. It actually allows big market teams to squeeze in a couple more talents.

    But maybe they got it right in not wanting Elden Campbell to take up 1/3 of a team's entire payroll just so they have the honor of overpaying Campbell to keep the competitor from fleecing him away. Then that becomes like the baseball issue where no one can pay what the Yankees and Red Sox can pay for major talent.
     
    #9 Shroopy2, Nov 4, 2012
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