According to inside reports, the clock is ticking on whether or not the Spurs' brass will come to terms with their young point guard Tony Parker on a six-year extension that will keep the talented Frenchman in Texas through the 2010-11 season. Sources indicate that the Spurs have set a deadline early next week before deciding to table talks until next summer. Parker, drafted with the final selection in the 2001 entry draft, has outperformed 80% of those drafted before him in his class, has won an NBA championship and has showed signs of developing what all young players take time to develop, consistency. Unfortunately, Parker and his agent, Marc Fleischer so far can't agree with Gregg Popovich on what the young man is worth, even though Tony has publicly stated his isn't seeking a maximum contract and that his wish is to stay in San Antonio.
I just listed some of Tony's favorable attributes, which he and his agent would be grateful for. For the sake of realism, let's look at some of the weaknesses in Parker's game. First off, what bothers me the most about Tony (and I'm sure I'm not alone-see games 3-6 in the Laker series last May) is his incredible level of inconsistency. The guy can come out firing with Isiah Thomas-like aggression some nights and run this team like it's his own and the very next game, phone it in with a performance that makes Spurs fans long for the days of Rod Strickland. This is normal for young players but Tony hasn't shown an understanding of what it takes to be a player every night in the NBA. That's not to say he needs to score 18 points and dish out 7 assists per game, but he needs to understand that in order for this team to be successful, he must be an aggressive leader every night, not just when Pop rips into him and forces him to be. More incentive from a leadership standpoint is what this kid needs to develop in order to reach the next level and warrant the big dollars.
Some of the deals signed this past summer have been nothing short of asinine and quite frankly, are exactly what throws a professional sport into turmoil from a financial perspective. Teams like Oakland with their ridiculous payoff to Adonal Foyle (58 million over 6 years) and New Jersey, curiously letting all-star power forward Kenyon Martin walk but extending shooting guard Richard Jefferson to the tune of 78 million over six years are wetting the proverbial chops of agents all over the league and driving the cost of much better players through the roof. Just this week, our friend Dan Fegan, who's made an art out of getting great value for mediocrity, has signaled to the Warriors' brass that soon-to-be free agent Jason Richardson will be seeking max dollars next summer. At some point people, the owners and the league need to start acting like owners and gain control of an organization where overpaid, often injured 'stars' are asking for trades as often as they change sponsors. I don’t know if I'm the only one that sees the dark black cloud that is the expiring CBA hovering over the NBA like the Iraq war over the Bush administration.
This brings me to my point. Tony Parker is a better player than both Richard Jefferson and Adonal Foyle but I don’t want to see this team lose their penchant for fiscal responsibility because some idiot like Danny Ainge needs a point guard next summer. If the NBA were smart, they would market the Spurs as THE example of how being fiscally responsibly can in fact lead to great success, but instead the New York Knicks and their 104 million dollar payroll get some press because they finally made the playoffs. It's that kind of stupidity that is to blame for the NHL being out of business this year because dumb owners don’t know when to set limits, then point their enormous financial and athletic failures on greedy players.
The Spurs are completely in the driver's seat with the Parker situation. They know he isn’t worth max dollars and they're smart enough to set responsible parameters to what they’re willing to pay. At some point in business, you have to draw the line, not only for your sake but for the sake and future of the industry you operate in.
I work in marketing and my company has two major compe ors, both public enterprises that are willing to take deals at extremely minimal profit margins in order to just get the business. What they don't understand is that with that kind of philosophy, all they're doing is eroding resale and down the road, ensuring nothing but financial failure for all involved, including thmselves. It's funny how teams like the Portand Traiblazers, Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks now realize that they've been drinking from the fire hose for the past four, five years and have to finally cut back, hence Steve Nash the Sun, not the Maverick.
To the Tony Parker fans out there, don’t worry, he’ll get his deal either this year or next, but if he's naive enough to believe that the Spurs need him more than he needs them, he'll watch the NBA playoffs every summer with guys like Ricky Davis and ten years from now be remembered for one thing only, being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 2001 and playing alongside Tim Duncan for four years.
Hold firm Pop, don’t over pay and don’t play jump ball with overzealous agents.
In some situations, you may have to overpay, just a little. If the Spurs are truly dragging their feet, and Tony is willing to take 6 yrs/65 M, then the Spurs are fools. That's market rate for a quality starting PG, and about $20M below MAX. Bibby got 7 years 80.5M. Has he ever won a le?
Walton, what do you think a fair deal is?
Nice write-up.
One thing though ...
I think he got around 6years/$42M.Adonal Foyle (58 million over 6 years)
Nevertheless, you are right. The amount that players got this summer was ridiculous. And just because the market has gone crazy doesn't mean the Spurs have to follow suit. The Spurs have a number in mind for Tony, they aren't going to go nuts and go way beyond that number. The same was true with Manu.
I'd like this to get settled now, so that the media doesn't turn it into a distraction all season for Tony. If both sides keep working, they should be able to hammer out something with the next few days or so.
I agree this needs to be settles especially if kidd s healthy talks about tp for kidd could heat up and things could get very ugly
Don't worry about that, Kidd is not healthy.
At the risk of dropping a cliché, I think a a fair deal is a deal both parties can agree on, not a deal that's brokered by leverage from a third party, which will end up happening if this drags on to next summer.
Look, I hope that the deal gets done, but when you combine a relatively young, fresh agent with a 22 year-old player, things can, and have gotten complicated.
In terms of numbers, I think Tony deserves slightly more than Manu, but nowhere near what Jefferson got. My figure ends at 65 million.
do you think jefferson deserved his deal?
If the Spurs offer Parker $65 million, I doubt he turns it down.
I said it before, I'll say it again; take Jason Kidd away from Richard Jefferson and he goes back to asking people if they "want fries with that".
In short, no.
And it makes less sense considering New Jersey is supposed to be in cost-cutting mode.
Walton, can I use this post for a "One Fan's Opinion" article on WOAI?
One correction. It seems Dallas and Portland may be starting to buy into financial responsibility but New York contnues its profligate ways. Unfortunately, unlike the Spurs management, most owners don't have the discipline individually to maintain a healthy financial organization which means it will have to be ins utionalized by herding the cats together and hammering it out painfully in a CBA agreement. I expect a long and painful shutout. The people who say "just pay Parker" have never come anywhere close to trying to run a business.
I think the only thing that pisses me off so much about Tony...is his inability to do one thing at a time. I notice that there is never a game when he scores 25 and drops down 8-10 assists.
It's if he isn't scoring then it seems like he just says " it I'm outta this game." He doesn't try to do other things like dishing it out for 10 assists.
WTF?? WGAF? Tony Parker is the one who has the cards. His ass is going to get the max either here or somewhere else. LMAO.he’ll get his deal either this year or next, but if he's naive enough to believe that the Spurs need him more than he needs them, he'll watch the NBA playoffs every summer with guys like Ricky Davis and ten years from now be remembered for one thing only, being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 2001 and playing alongside Tim Duncan for four years.
Dude, is in the top 10 guards in the NBA and all of the top 10 are getting max! WTF is wrong with that? If the Spurs don't like doing NBA business, then the Spurs need to ing move or sell their team.
Tony Parker has 15+ left in his career. Do you actually think it will all be in San Antonio? Also, is Pop going to be here for the next 15 years?? I doubt it.
Dude, Parker holds all the cards. ALL OF THEM. He can get a max contract if he wants to.
He could start pissing off the Spurs right now and start talking and force a trade. Guess what? the Spurs would get nothing in return. Definitely not a top 10 point guard. So please STFU already and hope that Popacan'trecruitpgs signs young Tony Parker to a max deal and then markets the out of him so they can recoup on the investment.
Wake up.
There aren't 10 point guards in the NBA getting max.Dude, is in the top 10 guards in the NBA and all of the top 10 are getting max!
Don't confuse Sequ with facts.
Duff, is like a forum backpack, never has his own opinion just likes to get stuffed in him and jump on the back and go for a ride.
Okay, so there aren't 10 point guards getting the max. If you look at most of the point guards who have gotten deals within the last few years, they have received what...10 mil per?????????? Isn't that almost max for Parker? Same difference... Also, Parker already has the ring, he doesn't have to play the Malone game and jump on a championship bandwagon. Parker will be one of the few players who doesn't require a Tim Duncan to get his minutes and statistics. Comprende?
Last time I checked San Antonio is not a prime NBA spot for players.
Pop needs to do the deed and pay him the jack or resign.
Are you talking about paying Parker an average of $10M per? (6years/$60M)
Or starting at around $10M per? (that would be his max - around $6years/$86M)
Sure, some point guards make around the six years/$60M.
But I think the only two that make in the max range would be Kidd and Marbury.
I agree that Parker holds most of the cards here. He can easily walk away from the Spurs and is going to be guaranteed to $10M per, assuming he doesn't sustain any debilitating injuries. However, since Parker actually seems like a smart guy and wants to stay in SA with Duncan for at least another 5 years, he'll take a little less to stay with a le contender.
Parker should get at least $10. It's quite simple, either the Spurs do it or someone else will.
The weird thing about this thread is Sequ is dead right.
Starting at $10M and max him out? Or averaging $10M?Parker should get at least $10. It's quite simple, either the Spurs do it or someone else will.
I agree that he should average $10M. A contract valued at between $60-65M is definitely fair. I don't think they should give him the max ($86M).
It's a house situatiopn either way.
But I think we got to bite the bullet. If other teams overpay, it's hard to stay a contender. It's all very well and good to take the moral high ground but at the end of the day, we'll be the ones without a starting point guard and only manu to help out TD. Whatever happens spurs must keep TP. He's not asking the max but rest assured if this goes onto next year someone will pay it.
Just let RC handle it Pop.
I do not think giving him the max or 70 million is going to change much for the spurs
holt needs to pay and if he needs to pay the tax one season so be it
he got the new place and luxuray suites
and the difference between 70 million and 86 million is a whopping 2.5 million a year
tp may not deserve the max but the other players that got the money does not deserve what they got either
kidd deserves atleast what the wizzard point guard got if not more
he is much more mature
First of all, like I said earlier, there aren't many point guards making even close to the max. Also, you can't just overpay because other teams overpay. In the French paper, it said Tony's agent was looking for something near Gilbert Arenas contract. If that's the case and the Spurs can't work it out right now, then the Spurs don't want Tony Parker here. Because giving him a contract for around $64M should be a no-brainer.
If they aren't willing to do that, then they aren't going to match anything he's offered next summer either, unless he simply blows up to All-Star level or beyond.
A lot of people are assuming that Tony is looking for a contract much higher than that and that the Spurs are looking around $60M. What if Tony's only looking for around $60M and the Spurs aren't "close at all" (according to some reports) in what they are offering him? If they are offering him $50M or something, isn't it safe to assume they really just don't want to get a contract done unless it's at that bargain rate?
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