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Yeah, me too. If these last two months are any indication, next year (health permitting) may be a very good year.
You're gonna get flamed, but yeah, me too.
Yeah, me too. If these last two months are any indication, next year (health permitting) may be a very good year.
As disappointing as RJ has been it will be terrible if he opts out for Spurs. Were still over the cap even w/ out that expensive contract so we couldn't do anything different this offseason other than use the MLE. Paying RJ $15mil will suck next season, but a $15mil expiring contract is a damn good trade chip to have.
Yawn. Someone asks him a question, he answers it honestly, then it gets turned into an article all by itself as though it's news. Ask any player with an option if they're 100 percent not going to opt out and RJ's answer is likely the one you'll get almost every time.
He's not going anywhere...unless the Spurs find a taker for him in a trade.
Its all about the money at the end of the day for everyone this is a job with a limited work life.
Manu said similar stuff about exploring the free agent but did he get flamed for not having his heart in the right place.
He just told it how it is, he know he’s not going to get 40mil 4 year deal at 30yo. But if he did he’d take it…..geez anyone in that situation would be stupid not to. This has just been blown way out of proportion.
honestly it seems like hes been coming along nicely last couple weeks.
I disagree. R.C. has a knack for that very thing.
The guy is still out of position frequently, and while he is playing better, he's not irreplaceable.
Besides, if he opts out, the Spurs will have more to spend than half MLE, right?
No. The Spurs will still be over the cap. RJ opting out may drop them below the tax, down to about $50M. That's all. It does nothing to help sign a replacement.
LOL good luck with that RJ!
I guess its more the timing of what he said.. coming on the heels of Dice's statements. Could be a distraction but I think more to ST posters than to the team.. best leave such talk to agents.
I think we could sign Splitter and Korver for the MLE.
He's already shown he's got no basketball IQ. Maybe he can prove he's got no brains period by opting out.
I don't think he will opt out. His value is not what is was a year ago with his inflated Milwaukee scoring average.
The RJ expiring contract would have some good potential value next year. I hope he doesn't opt out. SA won't be interested in a four year guaranteed deal for RJ after giving a boatload of money to Manu, a guy who really knows how to play at a championship level.
I'd like to see what hes worth & see who'd bite on some trades!!?
Him opting out would only be good news for Holt, but not for Spurs' compe iveness next season. He doesn't justify his price tag, but there's no way the Spurs can find a minimum ( or near minimum ) player to fill his role and make the Spurs better next season.
I think as a Lakers fan said some months ago we are "Odom"ing on Jefferson.
If he opted out and took back a 4 years 30-35 million dollar deal that would be great for him and also for us.
As bad as he looked this year most Spurs look terrible in their first months as a Spur.
If he was paid 7-8 million a year, and assuming next year will be similar to his numbers in march and april or better (lets assume 14 ppg, 6 rebs, 2 assists) we all agree is good money.
Not at all - RJ making less next year won't give the Spurs more money to spend on FAs and he'd better be overpaid for 1 year ( as an expiring that could potentially be dealt ), than overpaying him for 4 more years.
does anyone else smell the starting of a buy out negotiation?
the moment the Spurs signed Manu to his big extension, it was also definitive that they will be tax payers next season.
this means, even if of course loosing RJ for nothing doesn't help the team, it wouldn't be all negative for the Spurs (especially Holt).
read between the lines: what did RJ really tell the Spurs?
he told them, he doesn't feel well at this team and wants to leave. ("my game is not a good fit, I would be better with a team like Suns, etc bla bla)
he said, he "might" think about opting out, if he doesn't loose much money. but if he can't be sure he won't loose money in the long run, he tends to stay.
IMO this means: offer me a buy out, big enough to cover a significant part of my losses. (I guess he is realistic enough to know that he could get a long term MLE type contract from another team, but not more. see Marion. that's about 30 million)
for the Spurs it would mean: if they buy out RJ for 7.5 million (50% of the last year could be a typical asking price), they will be at 59 million and 7 players (including Hairston). MLE for Splitter (3.5M ?) and another FA (1.7M), likely a SF. (players like Antoine Wright for example). that's 9 players and 64.5M. add the #20 pick (1.3 M). that's 10 and 65.8M.
threshold will be somewhere in the 67-68 M region. 3 vet min contracts or 2nd round signings cost 2.4M.
that's a roster of 13 on 68.2 M. (some small maneuvers might keep it below the threshold)
even if the Spurs go over the threshold (by using the BAE or re signing Bonner), they won't have to pay as much tax as if they have RJ on the roster.
what's the other (worst case) scenario: RJ stays, plays another bad and unmotivated season, Spurs have a 75-80 M payroll (pay 7-12 M taxes) AND can't use the RJ contract as trade bait, because this would of course bring back player(s) in the same price range, but longer term and put them over the threshold also for 2011-12.
so, what RJ did brings the Spurs in a lose-lose situation. a buy out might be the best way to control the damage. but of course it doesn't make the team better.
It sounds as though RJ would actually prefer to play in another system. I think if he's confident that he can get a long enough deal somewhere else, he would take it in a heartbeat.
But for the spurs, im just not sure how they are going to replace RJ next season (disregarding his current form)
Here is a tricky scenario:
Somewhere between the end of Spurs season and the NBA draft:
RJ opt out and sign a $40M/5 years extension with Spurs. Spurs then trade him to NY for Eddy Curry and Wilson Chandler.
Why for RJ: he got his $25M extension.
Why for Knicks: Knicks get $8M more in cap space for this summer. The cost for that is to swap Chandler for RJ and in D'Antoni system, RJ would be fine.
Why for Spurs: Spurs lower their 2010-2011 payroll by $1.8M. With the luxury tax, they will save $3.6M. Chandler would be an upgrade on the defensive end over RJ and he could be resigned in 201 when he will be a RFA. Curry is useless but he has a nice expiring contract.
Last edited by Bruno; 04-12-2010 at 07:08 AM. Reason: fix numbers
good idea, but wouldn't RJ's new salary be the number for the trade? (at 5 years/40 million the starting salary will be between 6.6 and 8 million) Curry and Chandler make 13.4 million combined. Spurs would need to add other players.
Can't happen. If he opts out, that makes him a FA, and the Spurs cannot sign him again until signing day in July. The tax figuring is done at the end of THIS season, in June.
I never, EVER want to see Eddy Curry in a Spurs uni.
If you do the trade before July, salary numbers used are the 09-10 ones. RJ number is $14.2M and Wilson+Curry is $11.8M. It works salary wise.
And the starting salary for RJ extension would be $5M. In a contract extension, max raise is 10.5% of the last year form the previous contract. 10.5% of $14.2M is about $1.5M. The idea for Knicks would be to create as much capspace as possible for this off-season.
Can happen.
Opting out makes you a FA after July 1st.
Something similar happened with KG in the Wolves/Celtics trade.
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