How many times does this have to be posted here?
ONCE THE OPTION WAS DECLINED BY PHOENIX, WHOEVER HELD THE CONTRACT AT THE END OF THE YEAR WAS LIMITED TO SIGNING HIM OR SIGNING AND TRADING HIM FOR $4.7M. CAP ROOM DOESNT MATTER. IT’S A PART OF THE CBA THAT HAS TO DO WITH EXTENDING OR DECLINING OPTIONS. A SUFFICIENTLY MOTIVATED TEAM AND PLAYER COULD GAME THE SYSTEM TO GET PAID AFTER YEAR TWO INSTEAD OF AFTER YEAR FOUR.
I know this is a complex thought, but if you wanted him this summer, the best move was to NOT trade for him last February. Indy has virtually no chance to re-sign him, even though they have cap room. He’s shown enough to pull more than that $4.7M, and he’s unrestricted. The value of that toxic contract was so low, PHO had to send a second rounder with him to make the deal go through.
He’s 6’10, and in 22 games with Indy, 24.7 mpg, he put up 13.4p/7.6r and shot 37% from downtown in 3.8 attempts per game. It’s like he was designed in a lab specifically for the Spurs of today.