It's caus3 you are making sht speculations to push your stance. Lakers aren't offering a first round pick bc kpj ain't moving the bar for them to compete and they lack the picks to do it. If u said something realistic u wouldn't b called out on it, it's not that complicated. I could speculate that kpj could become the next mvp, hence why he gonna get a max contract. But it's just bs speculation like yours, one based on no evidence and something pulled out of the a$$ Kpj value is high cause a team that lacks 1st round picks is willing to trade for him. No articles, no rumors, no hint yet pulled out of your a$$ to push your stance. How asinine
And no GM worth their salt wants to make those mistakes. None of them want those players on their roster, salary cap or their resume. Just because someone else made a mistake doesn't mean we want to do the same. Contrary. we'd like to avoid making mistakes in giving contracts we regret and only give those contracts to players who actually deserve them. To this point, KPJ has not shown he deserves that type of contract.
He hasn't shown he's this "Vital Player" .... he's been wildly inconsistent on the team with the worst record in the league the past two years while you guys point to all these stats that are small sample sizes like they are meaningful. One game of 50/10 isn't enough for me. 7 games at the end of the season, all of them Losses doesn't do it for me. Shooting 55/114 doesn't do it for me, not when the rest of his shots are a far lower percentage (100/299=.334) and much more relevant to his job description. What's he vital too? Going 37-117 .... You should be looking in both FA and trade markets for those game altering talents, there are very few of them at any given time in the league, franchises are damn lucky to have one - you get them any way you can. For the record, I don't see a free agent I'd throw big money at next offseason "right now" but that could change but they do have the ability to "punt" on that cap space for another year since none of their young players are near extension eligible and you add that big acquisition(s) in either 23 or 24. As to the trade market, we don't know who might be the next to demand a trade out of a bad situation - but having cap space to take that player directly into and picks to give as compensation is a great place to be when the time comes. I think these young players are going to be really good, maybe good enough to win a couple but if I can put one or two MORE great players around them, I'm going to do that. I want as much talent on the roster as I can get, regardless of how it was acquired. I want to set my franchise up to add a talent like KD to a 65 win team in 2025 when the cap jumps $70m with no cap smoothing. That's how you build a dynasty, you take advantage of every opportunity and make good decisions. The hard stop for me is not 6-7m, I've said multiple times I'd offer him 3/32 which is a year one salary of his cap hold ($9.65m, $10.42m & $11.26m) with the 3rd year a team option. Those numbers represent NBA standard 8% raises. That's essentially full No Tax MLE money. When you get into contracts above that value, they are a nightmare to trade - Just look at how difficult it has been to unload EG and his paltry by NBA standards $19.56m. ($18.2m last year). It's not that teams don't want him, it's that none of the contenders have outgoing matching salary ..... It has been rumored that Philly wants/wanted him but the only way they can is sending back 5 contracts and doing so doesn't make them a clearly better team - not to mention the Rockets would have to clear 4 roster spots. Remember what it cost to get rid of Ryan Anderson's contract? That was a serious mistake in hindsight because it left the team with few future assets to improve their roster. Anderson's contract is very much comparable because of the cap spike at the time - So many teams made bad deals that year ..... It took 4 contracts to match Wood's petty $14.3m .... If he improves his efficiency and cuts down on the turnovers and his game translates to W's, I'll be perfectly content with matching an offer like that. Bottom line, I'd rather pay him market value than make a 3/60 or 4/80 mistake. The stage is set for him to do just that, he's got shooters and willing pick and roll players to work with in an offense that's built just for him. .
I think we should see how he reacts to not getting a extension before we make a decision. I see people trying to make it seem like he was great last year, he really wasn’t that good. He regressed in every area besides catch and shoot, he lacks awareness on the court and he dribbles too much instead of passing. He needs to play better and earn that contract. He was mediocre on the court and a horrible influence in the locker room last year. Players like that don’t deserve extensions without earning it first. It’s really not that hard of a decision. Nobody can convince me that we should keep him on the team, unless he explodes for 20-25 ppg this year. I honestly don’t want KPJ near Jabari & Green at all. Tbh I selfishly want the Rockets to save as much money as possible to pay Green, Jabari, Sengun, and possibly Tari.
Absolutely! You can't be a lead guard and shoot .642 from the charity stripe. He's also got to take "better shots" in general. Last year's shooting percentage as a whole was lacking with a .415% which would make him ~25th among NBA point guards & 23rd among 2 guards. 2021-22 NBA Player scoring-per-game Stats | ESPN
I look at KPJs value more laterally. I dont only view his individual abilities, but also the chemistry he provides with the current young nucleus. I think if anyone was being sincere that blurting out a team record during a rebuild and obvious tank year is silly. Usually I would agree with poaching the FA market, but "game altering talent" via free agency is dead for multiple years unless overpaying guys like Khris Middleton is more your speed. 11M max value on your proposition is terrible. Using a percentage raise without even trying to address the market and the very basic premise that players ALWAYS use contemporary earnings to set their own idea of worth seems deliberate. 8% raise would be awesome at a cubicle job though I would agree with that. This team is going to have tons of cap space regardless. A KPJ extension doesnt affect that one bit. How would going from your high water mark of 11Ms on the final year of his contract and paying him market value at 15 destroy the cap? Especially with it about to skyrocket? Just a weird stance to frame it this way when ultimately it has nothing to do with cap flexibility with a team 40Ms + UNDER the salary floor. Eric Gordon has been a hot commodity for two years now. Its not because of his contract that the team hasnt traded him - they have very public comments about wanting to retain him and also the teams interested in trading for him have even been listed - Im sure you knew that context why even frame it this way? Houston was focused on the return and seems to genuinely want to keep him. Paying Ryan Anderson 20Ms was an albatross from the get go. Desperate move to address "shooting" without any other redeemable quality. Huge gaffe by Morey. Im pretty sure Stone had a convo with Wood about desired landing spots and offers that were realistic at the time and Wood chose Dallas. Its Stones MO. He will work with players that want to leave and not burn bridges. This team is flush with current young assets and the BKN picks still havent even started to blossom. Not every single move a team makes needs to be a win. Same with contracts if it helps overall team chemistry. It took a creative effort on both teams to get Wood to Dallas. Im surprised those 4 players we received havent been cut yet honestly as they serve little purpose on this roster. Im still curious - you contend that KPJs market value is 8-11Ms per year based on what exactly? It doesnt line up with other players who earn way more than that and produce less on the court. Winning basketball and meaningful games has nothing to do with assessing this player on this team. If we were talking about a veteran star level player then winning basketball and meaningful games would definitely come into the debate, but holding KPJ responsible for wins and for not being in big games is weird.
here are the top 25 pg salaries: 1 Stephen Curry Point Guard | 2022-2025 (FA: 2026) 33 4 $215,353,664 $53,838,416 - 2 Luka Doncic Point Guard | 2022-2026 (FA: 2027) 22 5 $215,159,700 $43,031,940 - 2 Trae Young Point Guard | 2022-2026 (FA: 2027) 22 5 $215,159,700 $43,031,940 - 4 Russell Westbrook Point Guard | 2018-2022 (FA: 2023) Originally signed w/ OKC 28 5 $206,794,070 $41,358,814 - 5 Ja Morant Point Guard | 2023-2027 (FA: 2028) 22 5 $192,850,000 $38,570,000 - 5 Darius Garland Point Guard | 2023-2027 (FA: 2028) 22 5 $192,850,000 $38,570,000 - 7 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Point Guard | 2022-2026 (FA: 2027) 23 5 $179,299,750 $35,859,950 - 8 Ben Simmons Point Guard | 2020-2024 (FA: 2025) Originally signed w/ PHI 22 5 $177,243,360 $35,448,672 - 9 Damian Lillard Point Guard | 2021-2024 (FA: 2025) 28 4 $176,265,152 $44,066,288 - 10 De'Aaron Fox Point Guard | 2021-2025 (FA: 2026) 22 5 $163,000,300 $32,600,060 - 11 Jama Murray Point Guard | 2020-2024 (FA: 2025) 22 5 $158,253,000 $31,650,600 - 12 Kyrie Irving Point Guard | 2019-2022 (FA: 2023) 27 4 $136,490,600 $34,122,650 - 13 Chris Paul Point Guard | 2021-2024 (FA: 2025) 36 4 $120,000,000 $30,000,000 - 14 D'Angelo Russell Point Guard | 2019-2022 (FA: 2023) Originally signed w/ BKN 23 4 $117,325,500 $29,331,375 - 15 Jalen Brunson Point Guard | 2022-2025 (FA: 2026) 25 4 $104,000,000 $26,000,000 - 16 Terry Rozier Point Guard | 2022-2025 (FA: 2026) 27 4 $96,258,694 $24,064,674 - 17 Kyle Lowry Point Guard | 2021-2023 (FA: 2024) Originally signed w/ TOR 35 3 $85,000,002 $28,333,334 - 18 Malcolm Brogdon Point Guard | 2019-2022 (FA: 0) Originally signed w/ IND 26 4 $85,000,000 $21,250,000 - 18 Fred VanVleet Point Guard | 2020-2023 (FA: 2024) 26 4 $85,000,000 $21,250,000 - 20 Lonzo Ball Point Guard | 2021-2024 (FA: 2025) Originally signed w/ NOP 23 4 $80,000,000 $20,000,000 - 21 Marcus Smart Point Guard | 2022-2025 (FA: 2026) 27 4 $76,487,996 $19,121,999 - 22 Derrick White Point Guard | 2021-2024 (FA: 2025) Originally signed w/ SAS 26 4 $70,000,000 $17,500,000 - 23 Mike Conley Point Guard | 2021-2023 (FA: 2024) 33 3 $68,040,000 $22,680,000 - 24 Dejounte Murray Point Guard | 2020-2023 (FA: 2024) Originally signed w/ SAS 23 4 $64,000,000 $16,000,000 - 25 Spencer Dinwiddie Point Guard | 2021-2023 (FA: 2024) Originally signed w/ BKN 28 3 $54,000,000 $18,000,000 -
I agree with most of this. I would not extend him in excess of the MLE based on upside and small sample sizes. I agree he really needs to improve efficiency and cut turnovers (or greatly increase assists). If he isn't giving a discount for an extension, that is reason to make him prove it. I hope KPJ does prove it. Though, KPJ shouldn't be held accountable for wins when the team is trying its hardest to prevent them.
I can't see the assist numbers going up a whole heck of a lot, that's something he cannot directly control. Losing Wood & EG getting limited run could push that number down a bit - they were the top 2 shooters by 3 point percentage last season. Jabari's gonna be a good shooter but I don't expect him to come out of the gates shooting 40%. The turnovers are a different matter. Those are directly in his hands.
Did I say KPJs value was high? Do you think all 1st round picks are valuable? Do you think the Lakers picking out of the lottery would rather have that unknown pick than KPJ? WTF do I need articles and rumors for, I am just going by value and KPJ is way more valuable than a pick at end of the 1st which is where the Lakers would be picking if healthy and KPJ is better for a team that wants to contend that a late lottery pick, don't, nobody need an article and a rumor to realize that. This is not about speculation, it's about the value of a mid to late 1st and a guy who has shown he can put up numbers like KPJ did. KPJ would definitely move the bar for a team that devoid of talent he would be a starter immediately and an upgrade in the back court if only for defense., you just don't like KPJ and say asinine **** out of hate. If JR Smith can be a valuable piece alongside LeBron, KPJ can certainly be that.
Thats not how the NBA works and you know that. So are we now going to build out a roster on what players actual value is? Are you going to be willing to max out Smith if he is only a 3 and D guy and never becomes a 1 or 2 option?
Of course that's how it works in one of the most "meritocracy" industries on the planet. Ideally you only pay players for their value .... overpaying is the best way to get stuck in mediocrity ..... or worse. Why would I give that guy the max if he's just a "3&D player"? Max contracts are for stars ..... not role players.
Do you think all 1st round picks are valuable? No sht sherlock. Your speculation isn't valid. b/c it's unrealistic and wrong. The lakers aren't trading their available 1st round pick for current KPJ no matter how u spin it. 1. lakers doesn't have "late" 1st round picks. The ones they do have will be from 2027 and 2029 2. Lebron isn't gonna b playing in 2027 or 2029, with no assets to build a competent team, it's safe to assume that the two pick mentioned will b lottery picks When u brought up the lakers will trade a 1st round pick for KPJ, u assume that KPJ is way more valuable than a pick at end of the 1st which is where the Lakers would be picking. Flat out WRONG since they won't b picking at the end in the year 2027 and 2029. After lebron retires in a few year, the Lakers are gonna have to rebuild. U need to do actual research about the draft capital instead of making sht up. In conclusion According to u: KPJ is worth a late round pick (debatable) and the Lakers will happily give up a late 1st round pick for him. In reality The lakers do not have any late 1st round picks, and the ones they do have they will not trade for him b/c they are lottery bound. current KPJ is not worth a lottery first round pick so the Lakers aren't trading for him. It's not irrational hate, it's logic.
If u wanna say that KPJ is worth at least a late round 1st round pick, speculate a team that can realistically make that trade not the lakers. Current healthy lakers team will draft in the late end 1st round, so lets give up our lottery picks 5 years from now to trade for the current KPJ. What logic.
