The real question is how many MAX or near MAX player can the Rockets support. It is a given that Francis will get a MAX extension. Griffin in few years will want it. Odom, Rashard and Kandi want it but will not get it. However they will get a lot. Brand will definitely want it. What I'm afraid of is that if we get one or two of these guys in a trade and it doesn't work out (don't make the playoffs or early exit). We won't have any room to manuever. Look at Portland, NY, and Miami. They now have no room whats so ever to manuever. They are dead in the water until contracts expire. On a side note, When Garnett contract expires, who will have the cap space or would want to use all their capspace to sign him to the MAX (over 20 million a year). Why would Minnesota pay him the MAX if no team can or is willing to offer it to him.
These max deals are really getting out of hand. They should be reserved for the up for proven stars who still have a lot left averaging at least around 25 and 10 if they are a forward or 25 and 8 if they are a guard. They're who you build your team around, not out of. These guys like Kandi and Rashard definitly do not deserve these kind of deals. I'm even a little bit skeptical of giving it to Stevie although it seems he's headed in the direction of becoming an all time great and he's been very loyal to the franchise.
Steve will never be a great player until he learns to put the team 1st. He refuses to admit that he is barely a point guard when his skills would better used as a shooting guard. His turnovers will never let him be a good point guard and passing only to the Cat isn't my idea of team play. Steve is a shooting guard and would be great at that position. I don't think he will ever be a great point guard and if he had the team's play in mind he would willingly switch to the sg.
Interesting point of view. I totally agree. As for the Max Player question. I think what we will see happen with these players is going to be similar to what Mark Cuban did with Finley. Since the home team can offer the player more than anyone other team (up to the max), and is allowed to go over the cap to resign that player I have a feeling we are going to see more players hit the open market. When Fin had an option to opt out of his contract Cuban suggested that he opt out, and test the market. Finley could have basically shopped his services around the NBA, and was free to take the best offer. Since the Mavs have Finley's Bird Rights all they had to do was match whatever offer he was given. So by letting Fin test the open market Cuban allowed the other owners to set the going rate for Finley. All of this turned out to not be the case because Cuban just offered Fin the max but this was this was the original plan. Let the player test the market, and set his own price. More than likely no other team will have enough cap room to offer the player a max contract.
