What would you pay Tony Parker?

[exstatic]

pic - The Spurs only need match in that case, and if the CBA mandates shorter contracts, may be on the hook for less guaranteed money.

One thing struck me as kind of funny. Most of the "don't MAX Parker" crowd are hovering in the vicinity of $70M. The Max is $86M. For a six year deal, you're going to quibble over ~$2.5M a year, when the Spurs are over the cap, and couldn't hope to acquire a player of that talent on the FA market?

I agree with timvp. In the end, you pay the kid. Maybe you wait until next summer, but if the chips go in the pot, and he gets a MAX offer, you MATCH.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

u know i think the spurs management is pretty smart, i bet they drafted udrih because they thought they migh lose parker from a max deal, everyone is really high on this kid and they say he is the better jump-shooter and passer, hey thats trading unstopable penetartion for versatility in the back court, either way you gotta say were good. I think the development of Devin Brown may also be something to ponder, if we lose parker how much does it hurt?

it just means more time for more young and developing player. and don't forget TP was a project, did anyone think he would be better than the in bant Antonio Daniels?

[Kori Ellis]

I would hope the Spurs aren't banking on Beno to be better than Parker. That's a huge stretch. So far, Beno can't even stay healthy.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

ahh but we have depth so it doesnt matter, Barry can easily start at the 1

[Kori Ellis]

Not long-term. Barry can't play big minutes at the point over a season. Parker is the future of the Spurs at the point. If they don't re-sign Parker, they won't be using Beno or Barry as the starter (unless Beno just explodes), they'd have to get another point guard.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

manu could then you move devin brown to the two with Barry backing up both, throw in romain sato and beno and gosh, your kinda set

[ChumpDumper]

did anyone think he would be better than the in bant Antonio Daniels?

I thought he could play the point, so yes.

[Brodels]

Parker has made leaps and bounds in his game each of his three years in the league, so there's nothing that leads me to believe he has topped off.

Well, he didn't become a better offensive player last year, and he didn't become a better defender. He did improve him playmaking abilities some, but it's hard to believe that he improved by "leaps and bounds" last season. He probably hasn't topped off. But unless you believe he's going to be a superstar, he shouldn't be paid like one.

The Spurs are completely screwed if they lost him.

That's overly dramatical. As long as they have Tim Duncan and some decent support players, they will contend for a le every season.

They'll never get anything better than him in a sign and trade, and if they lose him straight up they have no point and no money to go get one.

It would't be ideal if he left, but they still could improve the team. They could use the MLE to bring in some quality supporting players, and sign-and-trading Parker isn't outside the realm of possibility.

I think it's pretty likely that Tony gets a max offer from someone next season, and the Spurs will have to match it or kiss being compe ive in this league goodbye.

It depends on how he plays this season. And the Spurs will still be compe ive without Tony. Do you honestly believe that team led by Tim Duncan couldn't compete in the NBA?

The championship dream would be over without him. The spurs have to make it worse. It's all well and good to hope for a fair and reasonable price.

However without TP the spurs are in the ter an extension is by far the best option.

Please. They won the last championship with Parker sitting on the bench during many key moments. Don't underestimate the ability of Pop and R.C. to acquire the missing pieces. Parker is an important part of the team, but the Spurs can replace his scoring or at least come close to replacing it.

One thing struck me as kind of funny. Most of the "don't MAX Parker" crowd are hovering in the vicinity of $70M. The Max is $86M. For a six year deal, you're going to quibble over ~$2.5M a year, when the Spurs are over the cap, and couldn't hope to acquire a player of that talent on the FA market?

It's very possible that $16 million could be the difference between Holt trying to use exceptions to improve the team and Holt sitting on his money. What if a Parker-Duncan-Manu core simply isn't good enough? The Spurs won't have any kind of flexibility at all to bring in other players. They won't get a Parker-like player on the open market, but they might be able to get other lesser pieces that would work just as well in the Spurs' system.

I agree with timvp. In the end, you pay the kid. Maybe you wait until next summer, but if the chips go in the pot, and he gets a MAX offer, you MATCH.

And then you join most other fiscally irresponsible teams and you stagnate and struggle.

The Spurs need to try really hard to sign Parker to a fair contract. If he ends up getting the max, you don't give it to him unless he becomes a max player this season. It's as simple as that. You can acquire other players later. But fiscal insanity is a sure-fire way to bring down your team.

[Nikos]

I would agree with the fact that TP did not improve that much this season. His play making and decision making did get better, but his scoring efficiency dropped a little bit. So did Duncan's and part of that reason was not only the team offense being worse, but the fact they didn't HIT their FT's. Hitting them would help the team offense immensly (even at the 0203 rate in which they shot FTs).

If Parker improves in scoring and in his PG skills by a considerable amount and essentially finds that balance and consistency between the two then you pay him the MAX.

[spur219]

If the Spurs do not sign Parker to an extension then they will have to overpay him next offseason because teams will overpay Parker.

[Marcus Bryant]

It would't be ideal if he left, but they still could improve the team. They could use the MLE to bring in some quality supporting players, and sign-and-trading Parker isn't outside the realm of possibility.

Given their struggles in free agency I don't see that as that great of an option. Perhaps they could get something worthwhile back in a sign and trade. Parker right now is definitely a top 10 point guard in this league and arguably top 5. In addition to that he is definitely one of the Spurs' top 3 players and an important scoring threat at the age of 22. Parker is not as run of the mill as you seem to think.

You don't lose Parker for the hypothetical 'we could do better.' This team has taken its shot at landing top free agent talent. That is not an attractive way for them to add star talent. Sure, if a good deal came along then dealing Parker is not out of the question, but the Spurs are not in a position to lose talent without getting talent back in return. They will be capped out for roughly the next 5 years. You don't lose talent without getting some back in return and even if the Spurs were going to be under the cap as I have mentioned above that is not exactly a great situation for them.

If Udrih is yet another Spurs' draft steal then perhaps the sign and trade route for Parker would make sense, but again if the Spurs can afford it I don't believe you move Parker at this point.

[SequSpur]

Just because Duncan gets the max doesn't mean Parker doesn't.

Tony Parker is a max player. The bar has been set by previous top 10 point guards in this league. Parker is a max player. Period.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

not if beno is as good as parker, than you just ed yourself for seven years.

[Mark in Austin]

The odds are better that Beno is as good as Greg Sutton.

[coachtf]

Just my opinion but I would pay Tony the max if that's what it takes. You cannot lose Parker because he is only going to become more valuable as Timmy slows down. Sooner or later Tony will be responsible for more of the offense and he and Manu will be counted on to create more shots for the team. As Tim ages his role will increase and he has age and talent on his side to support his position.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

i propose a ginobilli-esque deal

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I'd give Tony $25 to mow my lawn. $35 if he edges around the sidewalks and patios.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

jesus you must have a huge lawn

[Mark in Austin]

If Parker is asking for less than 6 years, 70 million right now, the Spurs would be fools not to jump all over that deal.

[timvp]

Exactly, MIA. The Spurs would be naive to think that a team won't offer Parker a max contract next offseason.

[baseline bum]

Look at what happened to this team after they let Strickland walk. They'd be fools to repeat that.

[CosmicCowboy]

Cosmic Cowboy is now officially in the house...

OK...I have stayed out of this debate till now but I would do exactly what the Spurs are gonna do...

They will probably offer Parker something in the range of 6 years 65-75 million...maybe with some extra incentives...this is enough that they aren't disrespecting him...any team that would pay him max now is betting on future improvement and not current value...every coach/GM in the league saw him wilt in the playoffs when the Lakers focused on him defensively and got physical...but at the same time they can make the case that he MIGHT be able to get a little more later from someone and then spend the next six years on a ty team (you remember Jason Kidd don't you?)

They will talk about it for a few weeks (3-4 at the most) and if they can't get anything done Pop/RC will shut negotiations down till next summer...Pop will pat Tony on the butt and tell him to go out this year and prove he is worth max money...now lets forget about all this and go out there and win another championship...

Next summer the Spurs will have had another year to evaluate exactly how much more improvement they can expect from Parker...after 4 years in the NBA the "well he is still young" excuse for errors goes out the window...

Either way the Spurs will quietly put out the word that if another team makes a max offer they will stall out the full waiting period and then match the offer on their RFA...even a front loaded one...so any team that considers making a max qualifying offer will know they will have squandered their opportunity to be major players in the first tier FA market if the Spurs match...anyone want to sit across from Pop and RC at a poker table?

By that time the Spurs will have a max number in mind that they are willing to pay...if Parkers improvement levels off or just improves slightly this year and he doesn't get any qualifying offers they will sweeten the original offer a little and see what hapens...if he kicks ass and takes names this year they will match any qualifying offer he gets or offer a near max deal if he doesn't get any qualifying offers...

[xcoriate]

anyone want to sit across from Pop and RC at a poker table?

[exstatic]

They will talk about it for a few weeks (3-4 at the most) and if they can't get anything done Pop/RC will shut negotiations down till next summer...

Actually, CC, they have exactly 26 days, at which time the CBA shuts them down. Neither side is allowed to negotiate between 1 Nov and 30 jun of next year, inclusive, if a deal hasn't been reached by 31 Oct.

[Marcus Bryant]

I think it's difficult for any player (and esp for any agent) to justify leaving money on the table, especially a 6 year guaranteed deal. There is also the prospect of the CBA changing the max contract length.

I suspect they'll get a deal done now. Both sides have some rather strong reasons to get it done now.