GMs like Morey and Danny Ainge figured out early that to create excess value on your team, relative to the salary cap, the biggest way to achieve that is to have a superstar (or 2, 3) who is worth $75 million/year and pay them the max salary of $30 million/year. This is a clearer and more certain path to creating excess value relative to the cap than having young guys whose value exceeds their rookie scale contract... or a collection of average paid players whose value exceeds their cap figures. When fringe All-Stars like John Wall get the max, then you have created no excess value and created inflexibility with regard to the salary cap. Christian Wood, while I like him, falls into the fringe All-Star category (at best), not the superstar category. Can't give him the max without ruining the team -- doesn't create excess value.
He won’t get a max here but he will somewhere. Given his journey from team to team he’ll chase the money (to solidify his career as a “Max” player) - there will be no loyalty to the rockets for giving him his first true shot.
no he didn’t...his max was 5/190 from Orlando or 4/140 from another team the max for a 8 year vet like Vucevic wasn’t 25 mil/yr in 2019
Oh no, Wood leaving us for sure. Then we suck again......which is even worse because we (Rockets) suck right now
Wood has literally zero impact on winning and losing. Just puts up good numbers on bad teams. Please just trade him.
Max contract guys should outperform their contract to be competitive in the league. Numbers like Wood gets might end up with the max, but it's not gonna help the team win. Too much money tied up into performance on par with the salary or beneath means less money going to those that support you which means less winning. I think Wood needs to focus on winning and contracts will take care of themselves.
Here’s a news alert: bad teams like us have to overpay good players to keep them. The market will forebear a max contract for Wood. If he keeps developing it’s not gonna be a problem. We’ll essentially replace Wall’s salary for a max Wood contract.
I really dont like the way the league is anymore. These guys get on bad teams and put up good numbers, not earning ****, or getting anywhere in the playoffs and want to be payed big money. For doing what? Where the experince? How many years in the playoffs, who you take on? What was some outstanding comeback wins.. There absolutely no good exp. but they want big money. Give me a break kids. Bad league tbh, why its hard to watch scrubs putting up big numbers on crappy teams, then they get on team like philly/Boston and avg 12-7, and are just considered Glorifed role players making bs money.
People here would be more mad if Wood said he considered himself as just an ok player, not deserving of the max. Right or wrong, we should want players who think they can be top-level earners in the NBA.
He will get a max but him as the lead guy is not winning any games. Not that he's got a great roster, but that's not going to be a good contract for whoever gets him.
I agree that Wood is not a max level player. However, his numbers, his age and his position (the scarcity of 7 footers) will likely justify someone giving him such a contract. It could even be the Rockets. IF he is able to maintain being a focal point of the team while the team moves from the cellar to mediocrity to, hopefully, a fringe playoff team over the next 2 seasons and IF Wood can stays healthy and IF the Rockets can structure their cap so that his max salary still allows KPJ and the Rookies to be paid their market value (or more) then I would strongly consider giving him his payday. As I have said before, Wood is the 3rd banana on a good team. If the Rockets 1st and 2nd best players are playing on cost controlled rookie deals then sure, pay Wood.
He needs to toughen up and not be so fragile, but if he does that and continues to develop, hell yes he’s a max. I don’t think I’d want to be the one to pay it though. Someone will. I’d probably look to trade him next season.
Wow, Morey and Ainge figured out you don't offer max contracts to non-superstars. Those geniuses I tell you. Jaylen Brown and Ryan Anderson say Hi by the way
I understand why Cuban wanted to outbid Morey, partly out of spite, I’m sure, and he had an odd fascination with Parsons. But, what was Memphis thinking? I want to make fun of Parsons, for being an arrogant prick and having his career flame out in the way it did, but he legally robbed the league of $130,000,000. One of the greatest heists in American history. Hats off to him.
