Kawhi: 5 years $80 million per Bill Simmons?

[Aztecfan03]

The Kawhi salary discussion is most frequently framed in the wrong terms, IMO.

Is he worth the max? That's the wrong question. It's actually irrelevant when discussing Kawhi's future with the Spurs.

The only question that matters is: Will Kawhi command a max offer sheet if he reaches restricted free agency in the summer of 2015?

If the answer to that question is yes, then the Spurs will have to match that offer, or a get him to sign a five year contract very close the max before he signs the offer sheet. They simply can't let him leave, despite the impact on the payroll.

It's not the same as Patty or Boris where there is a number at which it becomes impossible to pay a market price and you have to let the player leave. Kawhi's maximum market price is 25% of the salary cap for 4 years. If he gets that offer, it must be matched.

Watch Cuban make a max offer just because he knows Spurs would match.

[Chinook]

In case anyone is wondering, I think Kawhi gets a five-year deal if he makes it to next July. At best, we'll hear rumored offer sheets like we saw with Splitter. But he'll be signed before the moratorium ends. It's in neither Leonard's nor SA's best interest for Kawhi to sign an offer sheet.

Provided he has a good year, I do think $78-80M/5 is about what he'll get from the Spurs if they don't extend him. Teams can offer $70M/4, so the Spurs would get a fifth year at a discount. That'd save them $10-12 Million from not designating him for the five-year extension.

Personally, I'd be happy if that's how it happens. Kawhi gets paid, and the Spurs keep 2015 flexibility.

[r0drig0lac]

Um, Kawhi just established himself as the heir apparent to the Spurs throne.

This dude got a rebound and outran Damian Lillard for a dunk, dribbling between two defenders....he can dribble a bit
He guarded Durant and Westbrook and made the series clinching defensive play with his unbelievable block on Westbrook
He awoke in game 3, on the road and threw it down like Dr. J for about 100 mins of nearly flawless basketball....on both ends of the court...all while guarding LeBron and Wade
Kawhi's test drive is over.....he's the . Period!

Pay this man and pay him now!

basically it, the ceiling is unlimited kawhi, and playing in san antonio is so sure he get better and better

[jARS mEsH sEt]

This is quite the conversation. I will throw my 2 cents in. When comparing Leonard's production this year to George's production last year, it is ridiculously close. The biggest difference was that George had a 28% higher usage rate. But that doesn't signify that he is better, just that Indiana needed to rely on him more. The ultimate questions is whether the spurs think that Leonard will continue to function at this level (or improve) with a higher usage rate. The other chance is that running the ball through him more, might decrease his efficiency. Ultimately we won't know that until it happens. But the spurs will have to pay for what they believe will happen. If they think he will help carry a team, then they will give him the max. Teams are allowed two super max deals. So why can't he get one even if he is the #2 guy. If they don't think he will ever be more than just a number 3, good starter, ultimate role player, then they will let him walk for more money or they can try to convince him to stay for less.

I am not saying that Leonard is as good as George, I am undecided. What I am saying is that teams do hand out max contracts based on potential. George got his deal after he put up 16.4/7.3 (per36). So it would not be totally ridiculous to see Leonard get offered that money after a 15.8/7.7 (per36) season. I personally hope the spurs wait one more year, but I will not second guess them if they offer it. They get paid a whole lot more than I do to make these decisions.

And anyone who thinks a max deal would fracture the locker room has not been paying attention to this organization for the past 20 years.

And I think Paul George's contract is absolutely horrendous. The guy is nowhere near being a superstar.

[look_at_g_shred]

All you have to do is look at our record with him and then look at the glaring contrast to the record without him. 3 straight WCF appearances and 2 straight Final's appearances. When is the last time that's happened? Oh yeah....never. But...but...but he's not worth it If we lose Kawhi that's it. There is not going to be another player like him that will play for the spurs in the near future. Pay him.

[mavsfan1000]

Sounds about right.

[Mugen]

There are worse ways to spend a max extension than a 22yo terrific two way player coming off a Finals MVP tbh.

[superbigtime]

Dayum that's a huge contract.

[G-Dawgg]

Kawhi hasn't put up the numbers to warrant that kind of money. He had a good playoff run and won finals MVP, but that isn't enough. His numbers on the year would state otherwise. He's shown flashes of his potential during this finals, but seriously? The guy JUST set his career high of 29 points in those same finals. I feel Indiana overpaid Paul George and because Kawhi is a similar type player in terms of potential and numbers, unfortunately he'll probably get comparable money..

[TheGreatYacht]

Waaaaaaaaaay too much...

Kawhi 16M
Splitter 10M
Parker 12M
Diaw 5M
Mills 5M
Green 5M

No star wants to come to SA and play for chump change Trade Splitter, and it's perfect

[boutons_deux]

too much. something quite a bit smaller would be fine, but I expect other teams, more desperate + deeper pockets than the Spurs, will bid him up.

[Kidd K]

That remains to be seen.

My question to you is: If you're RC, and Kawhi brings in a max offer sheet next summer, do you match it or let him walk? (assume that he only improves from year 3 to year 4 by roughly the same amount that he improved from year 2 to year 3)

We have to see what the improvement is. Thus far, he isn't worth that particular pricetag. You're pretty much asking "if he improves a lot, will he be worth more?". Well I mean, yeah. The question is: Is he going to? Or just improve a bit more? It's a tough call, but right now I'm having a lot of trouble believing he's worth maximum deal, or near max deal

[Mel_13]

We have to see what the improvement is. Thus far, he isn't worth that particular pricetag. You're pretty much asking "if he improves a lot, will he be worth more?". Well I mean, yeah. The question is: Is he going to? Or just improve a bit more? It's a tough call, but right now I'm having a lot of trouble believing he's worth maximum deal, or near max deal

Actually, that's not what I said, but let's not quibble over semantics or perceived meanings.

If he's just slightly better a year from now than he is today and he brings in a max offer sheet, do you match or do you let him walk?

[ontheraise]

if 12mil a year means he'll have a team to win more rings he'll stay, maybe 5 year is too long to cash in a max contract than give him a 4/50 and when he hit 26 and all the old dude are retired you can afford him a max contract

[jag]

it was beautiful while it lasted

best ST couple of days ever

June, 20th 2014 will always be remembered as the betrayal.

[exstatic]

if 12mil a year means he'll have a team to win more rings he'll stay, maybe 5 year is too long to cash in a max contract than give him a 4/50 and when he hit 26 and all the old dude are retired you can afford him a max contract

You can't just force him to take less. He won't do it, hit FA next summer, and THEN you'll have to pay him. Better to just bite the bullet, smile, act like it's your idea instead of marketplace forces, and do it now.

I'd actually say there's a 90% chance that if Tim even comes back, that he and Manu both roll of next summer before this deal even kicks in.

[spurraider21]

Any deal Kawhi signs won't kick in until the big 3 all have their contracts expire so I really don't care if he signs a max

[Spur|n|Austin]

Spurs must see a lot of offensive potential to be throwing around that kind of money. I can't recall the last time a 22yr old got offered that much cash for his defense alone.

Of course I think Kawhi could be a 22-25ppg scorer at his prime, so I see no issue here.

did you watch the finals? Dude averaged almost 18 a game and 10 rebounds.

[PingPong]

16 million/year for a f***g role player? If it happens, there goes the chemistry. Parker won't pass th ball to Kawhi once in the season.

[KL2]

People already forgetting Leonard carried SA through the regular season, they forget how this team looked like utter without him , they forget the very first game he came back SA went on that 19 game winning streak after going 8-8 without him. They forget this team's epic failures prior to him being drafted. In the words on Roy Jones Jr., Y'all must've forgot! A role player does not shoot 60% from the field in a variety of ways, without a SINGLE play called for him, average 18, and play elite defense.

This is a smart investment, he is an EXCITING AMERICAN player. When was the last time SA had that, D-Rob?

-Increased tv ratings leads to bigger sponsors, more fans, more $$$, people will tune into see Leonard Vs "insert name here"
-Deep playoff runs (which Leonard has helped SA with since his arrival) more $$$
-Apparel sales, jerseys, merchandise etc.
-A winning team with an exciting star-increased ticket sales
-Leonard's signed with Jordan, don't be surprised if he comes out with his own shoes and really explodes on the scene.

Thats just off the top of my head.

[Prime Time]

-Increased tv ratings leads to bigger sponsors, more fans, more $$$, people will tune into see Leonard Vs "insert name here"
-Deep playoff runs (which Leonard has helped SA with since his arrival) more $$$
-Apparel sales, jerseys, merchandise etc.
-A winning team with an exciting star-increased ticket sales
-Leonard's signed with Jordan, don't be surprised if he comes out with his own shoes and really explodes on the scene.

[benjirh]

Here are your max contract players:

• Joe Johnson
• Chris Paul
• Deron Williams,
• Blake Griffin
• Derrick Rose
• Kevin Durant
• Dwight Howard
• Rudy Gay
• James Harden
• Russell Westbrook
• Carmelo Anthony
• Kevin Love
• Eric Gordon
• Roy Hibbert
• Marc Gasol
• John Wall

I am not sure why people like to designate superstar versus star, but the it boils down to how much a team feels like they need to spend to keep a guy who is critical to their organization. The downside is that teams in smaller markets tend to spend it on guys who are not the top tier but who are difference makers because they know that they wont get the "superstars". I never said George deserved his contract and I never said Leonard deserved it either. But what I did say is that he is critical to this team and if he walks just because you don't want to match a max offer from another team, then good luck pulling in another max player or 10mil players that will fit as well with this team.

And Parker will pass him the ball. Why? Because Parker does not care how much he is getting paid and Duncan and Pop would chew him a new one. Parker wants to win. And if he is really willing to tank this team because Leonard makes more then they won't re-sign him when his contract is up at the end of the year. But please stop making ridiculous statements.

[benjirh]

Monta Ellis recieved a contract for 8+ last year. Is Leonard worth more than him?
Andre Iguodala received a contract for 12+. Is Leonard (7 years younger) worth more than him?
Josh Smith received a contract for 13+.

I would take Leonard over all three and while I may not want to pay him 16 a year, he at least gets Iguodala money and if you are already paying him 12 million a year, paying the extra 3-4 over 5 years is not going to break you. Not if it is a guy that you feel will be a difference maker for your team. And Leonard is a difference maker.

[exstatic]

The funniest part of this thread is all of the posters saying "Well, Iiiii don't think he's worth it...". I hate to break it to you, but that matters for . The only thing that matters is "what can he get on the open market?". That's all. That's it. He doesn't have to sign anything this year. He plays next year on the rookie 4th year salary, and hits the open market. He gets a MAX offer, and Spurs have to match. He's a top 2 or 3 player of his draft. They CANNOT let him walk out the door.

The Spurs know all of this. If this offer IS in fact being worked, that's why. End of story.

[therealtruth]

Spurs must see a lot of offensive potential to be throwing around that kind of money. I can't recall the last time a 22yr old got offered that much cash for his defense alone.

Of course I think Kawhi could be a 22-25ppg scorer at his prime, so I see no issue here.

Not by playing under 30mpg like Pop likes to do.