True, but we own his bird rights, so unless he doesn't want to be here, we still have the most leverage of bringing him back if we wanted.
There is a major difference between a team option and a player option. A contract for three years plus a team option is basically a three year contract (in terms of what is guaranteed) A contract for three years plus a four year option is basically a four year contract (which he can opt out a year early from)
If the player option is worth more than his market value, he will exercise it. A lot can happen between now and then
Seems like motivation to get better. KG's contract extention has a partial-non guaranteed last year and he's an All-star. Looks like Goran wanted the saftey net.
Please, teams make offers of players who are going to be matched all the time. Minnesota offered Batum a contract. Portland for Hibbert. Phoenix for Gordon. And that's just last year. Don't make it sound like Lin had a great market. He signed with the Rockets originally for 3yr/$20mil. Les Alexander bumped it up to 3ry/$25mil likely for business reasons, but no one else offered him anything substantial. Nobody bought into Linsanity besides a bunch of fans who found basketball because of him. A max offer for Lin last offseason was 4yr/$40mil. If Linsanity is the basis for his play, he would've been easily worth that and more. But didn't come even close to that amount.
What's ironic is that the player option that he fought so hard for in the off-season might be a complete moot point if the Suns continue to be bad for the next 2 seasons. I don't see him opting in unless he knows he's not going to get another long-term deal. The Rockets are all, "Look at me now....look at me now!"
man Dragic playing on the Rockets feels like FOREVER ago...with all the hype of Lin and Harden..last season feels like years back
KG has earned around 328 million dollars during the course of his career, more than any player in the history of the NBA. I doubt he cares about the non-guarantee.
c'mon Reeko, you've been around long enough to know your spouting non-sense. KG has a partial guaranteed last year because the dude is ancient. By your argument Matt Schaub should have basically said to the Texans front office "sorry about that injury last year, don't give me the huge contract extension, let me go ahead and play out this year. Not having a contract in place will really motivate me and keep me at the top of my game!" Heck, as a fan that'd be great. But it's also not logical or reasonable and not what you'd do. Goran was being offered above market contract by the Suns... damn straight he should have taken it. They factually offered him more than the Rockets.
Some of you have to let go and stop living in the past. Dragic is a great player However his stats are the same as Lin this year Plus Lin signed with the Rox and Dragic didnt want to be here. If your GF left you cause she couldnt get what she wants you still crying over her? Why dont you go to the Suns forum and follow Goran for the next 3 years ( four years if he exercises his player option)?
We didn't lowball him. If he could get a better contract on a good team, he would have gone there. If he was worth more than his contract now, he should be outperforming the contract. But he is not. I like Dragic. I think he is about the same level as Lin. He had his own Goginsanity going after Lowry got sick. He didn't get the media attention because he didn't have a compelling story like Lin. That's just how it works.
Sorry it was not my intention. I was trying to say that you can still follow him. I have never subscribed to the whole he is not on my team so he is dead to me type of talk. Again I worded it poorly and did not mean any disrespect.
Just because KG has made a lot of money doesn't mean his agent wouldn't want to make sure he got a fully guaranteed deal. I see your point though and I'll go along with you but Dragic doesn't get my sympathy. Good example. A player that has ZERO reason to work harder to be the best becuase he's guaranteed money. Joe Flacco came into the season without an extention and worked himself into being a Super Bowl MVP. Different sport I know but non-guarantees mean MOTIVATION. The Rockets and the Suns offered him the same money theoretically. If Goran played up to the contract level he would have made just as much in Houston than in Phoenix correct? He chose the easiest of the 2 options.
What if he out played the contract? Can he then choose not to pick up the option and get more money? What about if he got injured? He chose the smarter of two options.
