Worries over spending the entire MLE

[Shank]

Am I missing something? I realize there are a few guys out there that accept the full MLE and go on to have very good, productive roles with their new teams. But why do many find concern with a team offering the full MLE to a player? I'm on the fence about the Haslem offer, but it seems like a deal to give a guy $2 million less than he was making the previous year. On the flipside, if a guy takes the MLE and plays a huge role for that team, then the GM is lauded as a genius for such a cheap signing.

Can anyone explain why there's laughter at giving a guy the full MLE? Are there better options?

(Yes, I know Diop and Carroll are two directly-Mavs related MLE ups.)

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Because maxed out MLE deals turn out to be bad contracts more often than not. When you're the Lakers and you have Ron Artest taking discounts to play at full MLE level that's one thing, but there is not a high success rate of full blown MLE deals. There are so many examples right now if teams that can't wait to get the MLE contract(s) they handed out off the books. Just look at your team as an example. He technically wasn't MLE but if not for a s'n't they woulda used the MLE on Shawn Marion and still massively overpayed for him. You already mentioned the Carroll contract they had to take because of Diop.

[ffadicted]

[MiamiHeat]

Cuban offering Udonis Haslem 3 years, 20 million

LMAO BUTTHURTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

He's staying anyway. LOLOLOLOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

cuban's butthurt is going to reach epic proportions after Haslem's contract with the heat is finalized soon, FOR LESS MONEY.

[Shank]

Because maxed out MLE deals turn out to be bad contracts more often than not. When you're the Lakers and you have Ron Artest taking discounts to play at full MLE level that's one thing, but there is not a high success rate of full blown MLE deals. There are so many examples right now if teams that can't wait to get the MLE contract(s) they handed out off the books. Just look at your team as an example. He technically wasn't MLE but if not for a s'n't they woulda used the MLE on Shawn Marion and still massively overpayed for him. You already mentioned the Carroll contract they had to take because of Diop.

Yeah, I get that, but just about every team is guilty of it. We all know that, without fail, someone is going to give their full MLE to a guy that's debatable as to whether or not he deserves it. Part of it is the system itself, part of it is the market calling for such a price. But, all in all, if there are 2 guys worthy of splitting it - odds are good another team is going to up that price and offer him the full MLE anyway.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Yeah, I get that, but just about every team is guilty of it. We all know that, without fail, someone is going to give their full MLE to a guy that's debatable as to whether or not he deserves it. Part of it is the system itself, part of it is the market calling for such a price. But, all in all, if there are 2 guys worthy of splitting it - odds are good another team is going to up that price and offer him the full MLE anyway.

Well you're kinda stating why everyone scoffs maxing out the MLE, it's usually for a player who doesn't deserve it. I know I'm not a fan of the Suns giving out MLE deals these days because I want them clearing cap space and building for the future.

The success the Spurs had running their team the way they did is what made it unpopular to max out the MLE. They strayed away from it here and there, but their mold was having their big 3 locked up to lucrative contracts, and those being the only long term deals on the books. The Celtics had this same mindset in 2008 with the highest paid player on the team outside of the big 3 being paid 4mil.

Eventually though the Spurs had to scrap that mindset when the big 3 of Parker, Manu and Duncan was no longer good enough to be the backbone of a le team and they had to bring in Jefferson hoping he'd make a big 4 that didn't rely on Parker/Manu/Duncan as much. The Celtics had to do the same thing by locking Rondo up long term as the 4th wheel once Pierce Allen and KG got too old to carry a group of role players to a le.

The problem is that in order to build a team like the 2005-2007 Spurs or 2008 celtics, you need a big 3 of AS level players who can make a system work so role players become interchangeable. Now that the heat have their big 3 locked up for 6 years, they can adopt this mindset, fill the roster with short term deals, and split the MLE every year because all their supporting cast is gonna do is play off Lebron/Wade/Bosh. Since no other team is gonna have a big 3 or core as good as Lebron/Wade/Bosh, teams are gonna still use the MLE to max it out on a good 4th or 5th starter to hopefully be more complete than the Heat are.

[Shank]

Well said. Thanks.