I imagine it, but I doubt strongly it'll happen. Kobe and Pau will still be Lakers then and still getting bulk pay checks.
Will the new CBA allow OKC to resign BOTH Ibaka and Harden? I doubt it. Both should command the max. In 2014 both are eligible to be FA. Which one will they keep? I think Ibaka should get paid max before Harden. I don't see either of them taking less like LBJ/Bosh/Wade did because this will be their first really big contract.
As a Laker fan, I'm hoping Ibaka leaves OKC. Kobe and Pau's combined $49M contracts will be off the books. MK will begin reloading the Lakers at that time. I'm sure Ibaka wouldn't mind being a Laker if small market OKC can't afford to pay him what he's worth
Imagine a Laker frontline of either Bynum/Ibaka or Howard/Ibaka![]()
I imagine it, but I doubt strongly it'll happen. Kobe and Pau will still be Lakers then and still getting bulk pay checks.
They won't be getting basically $50M type bulk paychecks. Spurs set the market for an aging franchise player when they paid TD 3/$34M. I see Kobe getting something similar if he plays beyond his current contract.
If Ibaka is available, I highly doubt they opt to resign Pau.
Surely most teams would take Ibaka over Pau
That's not my point. You made it seem like Pau's contract would be detrimental to signing Ibaka. Im saying Pau won't be a Laker beyond his current deal which is perfect timing by the Lakers FO.
David Stern could pretty much make the Lakers Cap Exception®; The Los Angeles Lakers are the only team in the league that can sign any player outright in free agency without the player's contract affecting the Lakers' Salary Cap.
Pau gets paid more than LeBron...God Bless Pau's agent...![]()
Eh, if Presti knows what's good Ibaka should receive the extension.
beard nig got his value halved after the NBA finals and olympics this year tbh
Your takes are pretty much garden-variety Lakersground , tbh....
The FA class of 2013 is staaaaacked. No wonder PATFO stood pat and decided all those expiring contracts were worth it.
Ibaka will be retained and Harden signed/traded to Phoenix for CAP relief and a handful of 1sts. It's already being discussed as Phoenix's #1 plan for the 2013 offseason and Harden is on record of saying he's open to it. I doubt either take the qualifying offer to become unrestricted FAs in 2014.
They're going to keep Ibaka for sure. DPOY caliber big men are hard to get in this league. Flopping swingmen are dime a dozen.
Unless Harden becomes a 25ppg, 50% kind of SG, Ibaka is likely going to be the guy they keep
Harden is capable of averaging those numbers tbh (with the exception of shooting 50%) but even if that's the case, OKC has plenty of scorers already, so Harden can be replaced. Ibaka is a game changer and still has plenty of room to improve his offensive game. Even if he doesn't progess a bit offensively, his defensive presence is huge for OKC especially now that Perkins is pretty much useless at this stage of his career.
@ people continuing to overrate the out of Ibaka.
Harden's ceiling is WAY higher than Ibaka's is. Unless they decide to flip Westbrick (a good idea, but unlikely) they'll have to let one of them go to stay under the tax.
Re ed spur fan take.
Yes, a guard with limited athleticism, ty d, and is useless if he is not getting to the ft line has a very very high ceiling.
@ people who overrate the out of Harden
Sup, NewCastleKEG.
Rouge, I don't agree with that at all. He will still get a large contract. He did not take that big of a financial hit at all IMO. But we will bookmark this and visit at a later date.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)