48MoH: Why Tim Duncan won’t exercise his ETO

[duncan228]

Why Tim Duncan won’t exercise his ETO (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/)
by Timothy Varner
48 Minutes of Hell

The short answer to the question of whether Tim Duncan will exercise his early termination option (ETO) is of course not, he’s due 21 million next season. But let’s put that aside for the moment.

I contacted CBA Super Ninja Larry Coon (http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm) about a question which occasionally pops up in our comment threads. Namely, is there any chance Tim Duncan does the Spurs a solid and uses his early termination option to resign for less money. Duncan is due to make 21 million next season, his final year under contract with the Spurs.

Starting with the obvious: Why would anyone leave 21 million on the table?

Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/why-tim-duncan-wont-exercise-his-eto#more-12182)

[TheSpursFNRule]

it would be nice but I just can't see it happening, no matter how good a guy Timmy is.

[Sense]

It all depends how Tim Duncan sees this team in the future..

I don't think he would do that, I mean let's say we don't win it this year, would he really be willing to sacrifice SO much money for something that probably won't work? If we do win it, why would he need to? The core would still be there..

either way I really doubt he would.

[Shifty]

Is this scenario possible?

Timmy opts out and resigns for less with the Spurs' promise of once he is retired, they would hire him for a phantom front office position that in the long run, makes up for the money he is leaving on the table.

If any player/franchise can do this is Timmy and the Spurs.

[Ditty]

does anyone have a estimate of how much money Duncan has made over his career? I know of course he gets money from adidas, and believe he signed for the max in 2000, and 2003 when he was a free agent again not sure.

[Bruno]

I can't disagree more with what is said in this blog entry.

The main points that have been totally ignored are:
- The great relationship between Duncan and Spurs front office.
- Duncan's priority isn't to get the most money but to have a competitive team around him.

What will happen is that Pop and Tim will have a talk in June. They will speak about how many more years Tim wants to play and depending on his answer, they will find an arrangement where Duncan will earn the money he deserves and who won't hurt Spurs financially.

And the Over 36 rule will be a non factor. Can someone imagine Tim signing a 4 years contract next summer while he will be 35 years old?

[Mel_13]

does anyone have a estimate of how much money Duncan has made over his career? I know of course he gets money from adidas, and believe he signed for the max in 2000, and 2003 when he was a free agent again not sure.

Including this season, about 184M. He's on the books for 21M next season.

[TDMVPDPOY]

I can't disagree more with what is said in this blog entry.

The main points that have been totally ignored are:
- The great relationship between Duncan and Spurs front office.
- Duncan's priority isn't to get the most money but to have a competitive team around him.

What will happen is that Pop and Tim will have a talk in June. They will speak about how many more years Tim wants to play and depending on his answer, they will find an arrangement where Duncan will earn the money he deserves and who won't hurt Spurs financially.

And the Over 36 rule will be a non factor. Can someone imagine Tim signing a 4 years contract next summer while he will be 35 years old?

4/40m?

[Spursfanfromafar]

I can't disagree more with what is said in this blog entry.

The main points that have been totally ignored are:
- The great relationship between Duncan and Spurs front office.
- Duncan's priority isn't to get the most money but to have a competitive team around him.

What will happen is that Pop and Tim will have a talk in June. They will speak about how many more years Tim wants to play and depending on his answer, they will find an arrangement where Duncan will earn the money he deserves and who won't hurt Spurs financially.

And the Over 36 rule will be a non factor. Can someone imagine Tim signing a 4 years contract next summer while he will be 35 years old?

Yes. That is the first impression I got from the blog and Larry Coon's views.

What is to say that Tim might not go for a three year deal that pays about $33 million, $10 million more than his ETO?

[frodo]

duncan isn't a contract whore like haywood...

[Shifty]

Early last year, when people were a similar thread about RJ came up, most people said he wouldn't opt out, that he would be crazy if he did. Back then, I said it would be a good move for him, and my comment wasn't made because of long time money, or at least not like many think it was.

RJ not only opted out and resigned because of the CBA, he knew he would not be able to live up to the 15million contract and even if he improved from his first season in SA, he would be seen as a disappointment and take even less money after that. With his new contract, he not only secures money long term, he also avoids being in that dangerous group of players that get a very large contract and then they struggle to even get the minimum because of their overpaid/has-been/disappointment label.

With his new contract, he no longer has the pressure of living up to it, he can go home every night with peace of mind.

As for Timmy, I would dare to say the same thing, and believe or not, partially for the same reason. He will opt out because he wants to keep playing and because he wants to win and he knows that those 21million for next year and whatever paycut he takes longterm can make a huge difference for signing or resigning players that help him reach his goal. He knows that if he signs a new huge contract, he will not live up to it (yes, even considering that would money well deserved considering what he did for SA). He knows that it would take a large portion of the available money and would kill the Spurs retooling for his last few years.

[wontstartdumbthreads]

Is this scenario possible?

Timmy opts out and resigns for less with the Spurs' promise of once he is retired, they would hire him for a phantom front office position that in the long run, makes up for the money he is leaving on the table.

If any player/franchise can do this is Timmy and the Spurs.

I always wondered about this scenario for players. I assume it's violates some rule or other but does anyone know for sure?

[kskonn]

I always wondered about this scenario for players. I assume it's violates some rule or other but does anyone know for sure?

It is against the rules and would come with heavy fines. Essentially this would be a way to get around the CBA and the salary cap. Not to say there couldn't be some Wink wink deals made, but you can't do it officially. I think it was rumored that when Kobe was last a free agent the lakers unofficially said if he stayed that he would be a great canidate to be a part owner when he retired.

[letmk]

IMO, opting out and signing a new contract of $55-60M/4 years makes sense to both TD and the Spurs, esp. considering Pop is extending his contract, which is linked to TD's continued playing for Spurs.

[Shifty]

IMO, opting out and signing a new contract of $55-60M/4 years makes sense to both TD and the Spurs, esp. considering Pop is extending his contract, which is linked to TD's continued playing for Spurs.

Paying 15 million per year for Duncan when he no longer can produce like he use to and considering how low could the cap be after this season would be franchise suicide. You would have approx. 50 millions tied up in 4 players (TD, Tony, Manu and RJ) when optimistically the cap is rumored to be in the low 60 million range (please correct me if I'm wrong). By 2013 you would have a TD at 38, Manu a very tired 35, Tony a tired 31 and RJ as an even less athletic 34 as the core of your team. No thanks. Add that Hill, if he keeps up would by then be a 6-8 million per year player, maybe with Blair right behind him.

[letmk]

Paying 15 million per year for Duncan when he no longer can produce like he use to and considering how low could the cap be after this season would be franchise suicide. You would have approx. 50 millions tied up in 4 players (TD, Tony, Manu and RJ) when optimistically the cap is rumored to be in the low 60 million range (please correct me if I'm wrong). By 2013 you would have a TD at 38, Manu a very tired 35, Tony a tired 31 and RJ as an even less athletic 34 as the core of your team. No thanks. Add that Hill, if he keeps up would by then be a 6-8 million per year player, maybe with Blair right behind him.

Say if he plays out his last year, which is $21M, don't you think he can easily get $30M/3 years from many teams as long as he is relatively healthy? That's $51M already. Plus the $6M the Spurs can save from the luxury tax next year, that's $57M. Let alone the fact nobody in the Spurs and SA want/afford to see him leave.

[letmk]

FYI, Kidd got >$25M/3 years in 2009 at age 36 which is about the same age TD will be in 2012.

[JP le Requin]

duncan will be always a 7 footer even at 39 years old..and i feel if spurs are contending every year until he is 3 he can finis as karrem abdul jabar..maybe if spurs FO do right things and we win this year..duncan will take less money in order to bring in san antonio a BIG free agent next summer (a center/PF force like blake griffin, no i dream but a real good PF/C) ..and we will be still contender for years with duncan as our best bench players, 6th man? ala robinson too