Would You Be Interested in Klay Thompson as a RFA?

[AAKing23]

People gotta get out of this thing where the "max" is some sort of uniform contract.

Max for Carmelo Anthony from the Knicks = ~$120 million over 5 years

Max for Klay Thompson from not the Warriors = ~$60 million over 4 years

Max means something different for everyone. Saying someone is a "max" player could not be a more meaningless statement without saying how big his contract is, what portion of the salary cap it takes up, what your cap situation is before or after, ect.

Well when you put it that way it makes way more sense, unfortunately I don't even think would be enough to lure Klay from GS, they would easliy match that

[Sixerscan]

People gotta get out of this thing where the "max" is some sort of uniform contract.

Max for Carmelo Anthony from the Knicks = ~$120 million over 5 years

Max for Klay Thompson from not the Warriors = ~$60 million over 4 years

Max means something different for everyone. Saying someone is a "max" player could not be a more meaningless statement without saying how big his contract is, what portion of the salary cap it takes up, what your cap situation is before or after, ect.

Well when you put it that way it makes way more sense, unfortunately I don't even think would be enough to lure Klay from GS, they would easliy match that

Them matching would push them into the luxury tax for at least a year, and that's before they even fill out their roster, so instead of paying $15 million for Klay Thompson they are potentially paying $30 million depending on how much the tax limit goes up. Obviously Larry Ellison has money, but he hasn't paid the tax yet, and I think if we offer some sort of cheap piece back to them they would have to at least discuss giving Klay up

[marcush]

I would be interested in the player, there is a massive shortfall in genuine 3 & D players. The problem is that I don't think he does a lot else and for 15m I would expect some more strings to the bow. He has a 14 PER, and I know that has not a lot to do with his defence but probably also indicates that he does not have that many tricks offensively other than his fantastic floor spacing. Only gets to the line 2 times a game.

Maybe his game is a byproduct of Jacksons coaching, maybe he does have more tricks, if he does then the 15m becomes a little bit easier to take.

[LloydFree]

In the the 76ers situation, having so much money to spend under the cap, and no shooters, Klay Thompson makes some sense. That being said, I'm not an advocate of spending 15 million on a shooter. That kind of salary cap space is better spent on guys who create offense. Klay Thompson doesn't create offense, and is dependent on others getting him shots. Klay Thompson is a 2nd or 3rd wheel, so you have to worry about getting the 1st option, for a below market price, before you spend your cap on a 2nd/3rd option.

[Unbreakable99]

In the the 76ers situation, having so much money to spend under the cap, and no shooters, Klay Thompson makes some sense. That being said, I'm not an advocate of spending 15 million on a shooter. That kind of salary cap space is better spent on guys who create offense. Klay Thompson doesn't create offense, and is dependent on others getting him shots. Klay Thompson is a 2nd or 3rd wheel, so you have to worry about getting the 1st option, for a below market price, before you spend your cap on a 2nd/3rd option.

Embiid should be that first option. If Embiid does become very good then he will force double teams thus creating open looks for Thompson. Also we should be picking high next year. We could get our creating wing player as well. If Thompson is available we need to offer him that max deal and see if a Golden State matches.

[Ericb5]

I would sign him to a max deal in a second even though I think that that would be a bit of an overpay. The problem is that you sort of have to overpay to have any chance of getting a free agent like him in his situation.

I think that the Warriors will match it though anyway so it isn't going to happen.

I am also not thrilled about offering a big contract to anyone next summer, but he is one of the guys that would be worth it.

[steveb21]

No way the Warriors let Klay walk for nothing...no way in hell. He's an RFA which means they can match regardless of whether it puts them in luxry tax area or not.

The question becomes if they're willing to deal him in a S&T and do we have the assets to acquire him. It's going to be an interesting situation because both Klay and Barnes will be coming into RFA status and the deal they signed with Iguodala limits their flexibility. I've been saying for a while now that we may be able to get one of them.

[Sixerscan]

In the the 76ers situation, having so much money to spend under the cap, and no shooters, Klay Thompson makes some sense. That being said, I'm not an advocate of spending 15 million on a shooter. That kind of salary cap space is better spent on guys who create offense. Klay Thompson doesn't create offense, and is dependent on others getting him shots. Klay Thompson is a 2nd or 3rd wheel, so you have to worry about getting the 1st option, for a below market price, before you spend your cap on a 2nd/3rd option.

$15 million is projected to be less than 20% of the cap in two years. Even the cap increases next year, you're still looking at a little over 20% after the cap skyrockets in 2016. If you don't still have flexibility, it's your own fault.

[51X3RF4N]

I would sign him to the max deal without any single second of hesitation. If I were Hinkie, I'd be at his front door at 11:59pm just counting down the seconds...

The "pitch" to him would be, "Hey listen. You want room to shoot? You want defenses collapsing and giving you wide open looks? You want to be the top dog? In Philly, you've got it."

It's a pipedream, of course. But MCW/Klay/KJM/Noel/Embiid with Saric, 2015 pick, Wroten off the bench....I mean that is just nasty.

[bedjaw]

In the the 76ers situation, having so much money to spend under the cap, and no shooters, Klay Thompson makes some sense. That being said, I'm not an advocate of spending 15 million on a shooter. That kind of salary cap space is better spent on guys who create offense. Klay Thompson doesn't create offense, and is dependent on others getting him shots. Klay Thompson is a 2nd or 3rd wheel, so you have to worry about getting the 1st option, for a below market price, before you spend your cap on a 2nd/3rd option.

Not really...I see Klay as absolutely worth $15m per year, and the Sixers have SO MUCH cap space they'd still have the ability to sign a verteran max player (such as KD).

However what are the chances GSW lets him walk...I say 0%. This is a guy the refused to include in the K Love deal. That seems to me that he's a big part of their future.

[LloydFree]

In the the 76ers situation, having so much money to spend under the cap, and no shooters, Klay Thompson makes some sense. That being said, I'm not an advocate of spending 15 million on a shooter. That kind of salary cap space is better spent on guys who create offense. Klay Thompson doesn't create offense, and is dependent on others getting him shots. Klay Thompson is a 2nd or 3rd wheel, so you have to worry about getting the 1st option, for a below market price, before you spend your cap on a 2nd/3rd option.

Not really...I see Klay as absolutely worth $15m per year, and the Sixers have SO MUCH cap space they'd still have the ability to sign a verteran max player (such as KD).

However what are the chances GSW lets him walk...I say 0%. This is a guy the refused to include in the K Love deal. That seems to me that he's a big part of their future.

Like I said, the 76ers are in a position to overpay for him, and it makes some sense because they are so far under the cap, it would not kill them. So, I wouldn't have a problem with it.
In a vacuum, I disagree with most because I do not believe Klay Thompson is worth 15 million, at the current salary cap. He's a role player (a big time role player, but a role player nonetheless). He benefits from who he plays with, and unless Embiid is the beast we believe he will become, Klay Thompson would cause some serious buyers' remorse if you are counting on him to be your best player.

[snoopdogg88]

with Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor (or whoever), Michael Carter-Williams, and Dario Saric,
the hope is that Klay wouldn't be pressured to be " the man"

he could fit in seamlessly and not have to worry about living up to a max deal

[KKell2507]

He will be 25 years old at the time of signing his contract. So only a couple years older than the rest of the core guys. We could only sign him to a 4 year deal so he'd still be under 30 when the contract ends. We would be paying for his prime years from 25-29. A guy who's never shot below 40% from 3 in his three years so far. Hes durable, having missed only 1 game the last two years since his rookie year. He does two things at an elite level. Shoot and play on ball perimeter defense.

If the last few years have shown anything, its that shooting in the NBA is at a premium and comes at a cost. Kyle Korver, Jodie Meeks, Channing Frye all getting deals that seem like overpays because they all have 1 good skill, shooting. Shooting ages well, and its the 1 skill that if you have it, it just doesnt go away(just ask Dirk).

His two elite skills are the two skills we need the most. He fits offensively and defensively perfectly with the rest of the core. We still have 2 years before we have to pay MCW or Noel, and hell be an expiring contract by the time we have to pay Embiid. I would give him $15 million a year and not think twice about it. Its a no brainer to offer him the max.

[LloydFree]

He will be 25 years old at the time of signing his contract. So only a couple years older than the rest of the core guys. We could only sign him to a 4 year deal so he'd still be under 30 when the contract ends. We would be paying for his prime years from 25-29. A guy who's never shot below 40% from 3 in his three years so far. Hes durable, having missed only 1 game the last two years since his rookie year. He does two things at an elite level. Shoot and play on ball perimeter defense.

If the last few years have shown anything, its that shooting in the NBA is at a premium and comes at a cost. Kyle Korver, Jodie Meeks, Channing Frye all getting deals that seem like overpays because they all have 1 good skill, shooting. Shooting ages well, and its the 1 skill that if you have it, it just doesnt go away(just ask Dirk).

His two elite skills are the two skills we need the most. He fits offensively and defensively perfectly with the rest of the core. We still have 2 years before we have to pay MCW or Noel, and hell be an expiring contract by the time we have to pay Embiid. I would give him $15 million a year and not think twice about it. Its a no brainer to offer him the max.

Not that he is the same level player, but I don't get how guys continuously bring up Kyle Korver, JJ. Reddick and Jodie Meeks as proof that Klay Thompson is worth 15 million. They make 6 million. That's not 15 million.

[Unbreakable99]

Are teams still allowed to poison pill contracts? Most of you think Golden State would no brainer match a max deal but could Hinkie poison pill it and put escalators in it that Golden State couldn't match or are poison pills no longer allowed?

[DavidHume]

I don't see Hinkie adding any FAs to the roster this year or next year. Starting in the summer of 2016, things might change. At that time, the Sixers will have sifted through a host of players acquired during the first phase of the rebuild. Some will have been kept and some will have been let go. Then the next phase will start and we'll find out what Hinkie has up his sleeve.

[sixersRlegit]

Hell Yes I would do it. He would be Robert Horry to Joel Embiid's Hakeem Olajuwon.

[wickedwrister]

Yup. In terms of young guys around the league he might be the #1 guy to compliment our current pieces. Considering he is a top notch defender who can shoot and is a wing player he is everything the Sixers currently need.

That being said if the Warriors weren't willing to trade him for love, no way they let him walk. Nice pipe dream and Hinkie should totally offer a poison pill contract or try to do a sign and trade just to see if he can shake him loose but he isn't going anywhere.

[ankle420breaker]

I expect that he'll come to terms with Golden State. He's a great fit in a good situation and I can't see why both parties won't find common ground.

That being said, he's on a short list of guys I'd be willing to max out. Young gun with good size who defends while being one of the best pure shooters in the game. His skill set could actually move the needle for us.

Question for those with a better handle on our future cap situation: If we somehow acquired Thompson long term, would we have enough $ to hold onto him, MCW, Saric, Embiid, Noel and make a run at KD the following year? I realize its a total caviar dream... just wondering if its even possible.

[bedjaw]

I expect that he'll come to terms with Golden State. He's a great fit in a good situation and I can't see why both parties won't find common ground.

That being said, he's on a short list of guys I'd be willing to max out. Young gun with good size who defends while being one of the best pure shooters in the game. His skill set could actually move the needle for us.

Question for those with a better handle on our future cap situation: If we somehow acquired Thompson long term, would we have enough $ to hold onto him, MCW, Saric, Embiid, Noel and make a run at KD the following year? I realize its a total caviar dream... just wondering if its even possible.

In theory and the simple answer is yes. As long as you sign a FA the year prior to having to sign MCW and Noel we should have enough cap space. That is also assuming the Sixers will be willing to pay the luxury tax. You can bust the salary cap for you own players but with cap holds and increasing rookie salaries we'd have to sign a FA in '15 or '16