Best News Ever - Wizards sign Dray to extension

[nate33]

I have been advocating that EG do this for months now. I can't remember if it was Hoopalotta, SevernHoos or myself that came up with the idea originally. I'm glad EG reads this board and follows our advice. It's an absolutely brilliant move that takes away a lot of uncertainty in 2012.

We don't know the terms yet, but we can be sure that it's a really, really good deal. The Wizards had just $4.7M in cap room prior to this deal. So even if they used all their cap room and then provided max raises, Blatche would only be paid $47M over 5 years. But word is that it's "cap friendly" going forward which implies a flat or decreasing salary.

[nate33]

Assuming we maximized his pay this year and next year, and then maximized his salary decrease in the following 3 years to make it the most cap friendly possible, he would be paid the following over the next 5 years:

$7,800,000
$8,619,000
$7,800,000
$6,981,000
$6,162,000

Total: $37,362,000

This assumes that we used up all of our available cap space to maximize his pay now. Obviously, if we kept some cap room in reserve, then his total salary would be even less.

[LyricalRico]

The first thing I thought of when I saw this was that Blatche is the new Sam Cassell. But he's young enough to go for the big bucks even after this deal is done. Definitely sounds like this is great for the Wiz.

[Ruzious]

Wowsers. So if Mike Lee is right and it amounts to 5 years/$30M, that's the best contract signed this offseason across the entire NBA.

Amir Johnson got 5/$34M
Ty Thomas got 5/$40M
Drew Gooden got 5/$32M

I think Lee said it was over 30 and was likely in line with Amir Johnson's deal. So, say it's 5/34. Dray had 6.78 mil coming to him combined for this season and next. Round up to 7 to make it easier. So, basically, they are adding the difference between 34 and 7 = 27 and adding 3 years, so you could think of it as a 3 year $27 mil extension.

Either way, it's a very good move by the Wiz and gives Dray financial security - a win/win. They avoid the potential huge problem in less than 2 years of having to try to sign both Dray and Jav at the same time.

[GilArenas88]

EG just slapped all the haters in the face with the open-handed backhand.

[nate33]

I think this is also an indication that EG/Ted are eyeing 2012 as a time to make a major free agency acquisition. If EG gave Blatche a 5-year, $35M deal structured to minimize his salary impact in 2012, the team payroll would look like this:

Code: Select all

Player           10/11  11/12  12/13  13/14
Arenas,Gilbert   17.73  19.27  20.81  22.35
Hinrich,Kirk      9.00   8.00    -      - 
Wall,John         5.14   5.53   5.92   7.46
Jianlian,Yi       4.05    -      -      - 
Blatche,Andray    7.80   6.98   6.16   6.98
Thornton,Al       2.81    -      -      - 
Young,Nick        2.69   3.76    -      - 
McGee,JaVale      1.60   2.46   7.39    - 
Seraphin,Kevin    1.56   1.68   1.80   2.76
Booker,Trevor     1.20   1.29   1.39   2.35
Armstrong,Hilto   0.92    -      -      - 
Howard,Josh       3.40    -      -      - 
N'Diaye,Hamady     -      -      -      - 
Free Agent         -      -      -      - 
Free Agent         -      -      -      - 
2011 pick (#12)    -     2.08   2.24   2.40
2012 pick (#18)    -      -     1.53   1.65
2013 pick (#22)    -      -      -     1.29

Total Salary     57.91  51.06  47.23  47.24
Salary Cap       58.04  59.78  61.57  63.42
Luxtax Limit     70.81  72.93  75.12  77.37
Cap Room Availa   0.13   8.72  14.35  16.19
Cap Room Availa  12.90  21.87  27.89  30.14

We would have $14M in cap room in 2012 even with a full cap hold on McGee. If we cut (or sign-and-traded) McGee, we would have $21M in cap room while still having Arenas, Wall, Blatche, Booker, Seraphin and two 1st round picks on the roster. Can anybody say "Dwight Howard"?

[Ruzious]

I think this is also an indication that EG/Ted are eyeing 2012 as a time to make a major free agency acquisition. If EG gave Blatche a 5-year, $35M deal structured to minimize his salary impact in 2012, the team payroll would look like this:

Code: Select all

Player           10/11  11/12  12/13  13/14
Arenas,Gilbert   17.73  19.27  20.81  22.35
Hinrich,Kirk      9.00   8.00    -      - 
Wall,John         5.14   5.53   5.92   7.46
Jianlian,Yi       4.05    -      -      - 
Blatche,Andray    7.80   6.98   6.16   6.98
Thornton,Al       2.81    -      -      - 
Young,Nick        2.69   3.76    -      - 
McGee,JaVale      1.60   2.46   7.39    - 
Seraphin,Kevin    1.56   1.68   1.80   2.76
Booker,Trevor     1.20   1.29   1.39   2.35
Armstrong,Hilto   0.92    -      -      - 
Howard,Josh       3.40    -      -      - 
N'Diaye,Hamady     -      -      -      - 
Free Agent         -      -      -      - 
Free Agent         -      -      -      - 
2011 pick (#12)    -     2.08   2.24   2.40
2012 pick (#18)    -      -     1.53   1.65
2013 pick (#22)    -      -      -     1.29

Total Salary     57.91  51.06  47.23  47.24
Salary Cap       58.04  59.78  61.57  63.42
Luxtax Limit     70.81  72.93  75.12  77.37
Cap Room Availa   0.13   8.72  14.35  16.19
Cap Room Availa  12.90  21.87  27.89  30.14

We would have $14M in cap room in 2012 even with a full cap hold on McGee. If we cut (or sign-and-traded) McGee, we would have $21M in cap room while still having Arenas, Wall, Blatche, Booker, Seraphin and two 1st round picks on the roster. Can anybody say "Dwight Howard"?

Wow, that's even with Gil. Impressive.

I'm trying to say Dwight Howard, but I can't stop giggling.

[MJG]

Wow, that really is the best news ever. Fantastic.

[GhostsOfGil]

[Wizardspride]

I just scanned through various boards to see what they thought about the Blatche extension.

And theres a fair amount of 'hate" emanating from Realgm.

[Rafael122]

Dwight Howard is a pipe dream but it would be sick if we got him.

I think this takes care of everything. They will just sit and wait and see if McGee does anything before locking him up long term. I don't think Nick Young is coming back next season.

[nate33]

I don't think Nick Young is coming back next season.

I figure we'll probably extend the qualifying offer of 1-year, $3.76M if he plays decent this year. Somebody else will probably offer a longer term deal but who knows for how much? Then EG will have to decide whether or not to match.

[no D in Hibachi]

I just scanned through various boards to see what they thought about the Blatche extension.

And theres a fair amount of 'hate" emananating from Realgm.

That's 99% of the board. Haters.

[Hoopalotta]

Wow, some news worth getting truly excited about here.

Just woke up and am piecing together the details, but going by the rumored money, this sounds down right savvy. I'd been hoping we were going to do something like this, but it's sounding a hell of a lot cheaper from early reports than I had dared to advocate.

I'd imagine they felt good about this based on Dray's offseason professionalism. This will go a long way to making the books manageable through 2015 and will even help with the Javale situation. And it's convenient that we won't have to make an offer to Dray after he's been underpaid for a few years and after Javale got an offer. That could have been awkward.

Everyone in da' org deserves some props on this one.

[Hoopalotta]

So basically, it's $35 million over five years which means that it's a $28 million dollar 3 year extension "tacked onto" the two remaining years of $6.78 million.

I think you have to say that's not such a bad deal for Dray either when you account for the whole, well, hooker bit. Thing is, from the Zards perspective you don't want to get TOO good of a deal, because then you look stingy, but while this is a great deal for the Wiz, it's still rewarding Dray with what amounts to $9 million a year, but without erasing the previous bargain deal.

The difference between offering $27 million in extension dollars versus $22 million is almost nothing from a cap perspective when prorated over five years, but it sends more of the right sort of "we value you" message.

I dig.

[Wizardspride]

I was just on the Bulls board and apparently Noah is asking for a salary starting at 14mil.

Makes me appreciate this deal even more.

[fishercob]

Wowsers. So if Mike Lee is right and it amounts to 5 years/$30M, that's the best contract signed this offseason across the entire NBA.

Amir Johnson got 5/$34M
Ty Thomas got 5/$40M
Drew Gooden got 5/$32M

Shortsightedly, this looks good.

However, if that figure is true, Blatche will be considered woefully underpaid if he performs like he did the last half of last season.

You're all about the silver lining, aren't you buddy?

[lupin]

I think Dray's full season averages were something like 14 and 8. If he can put those numbers up for a full season it will be good value - he doesn't have to do 22 and 8 again. Given the market, probably 12 and 7 would be decent value.

It will be interesting to see how he plays with a little more talent around him (Arenas, Wall) and coming off a serious injury.

The article I read said they were able to bump up his existing salaries. I didn't think you could renegotiate existing contracts in the NBA? Maybe they gave him some roster bonuses to beef up the numbers? Is that allowed?

[Hoopalotta]

The article I read said they were able to bump up his existing salaries. I didn't think you could renegotiate existing contracts in the NBA? Maybe they gave him some roster bonuses to beef up the numbers? Is that allowed?

You can do that if you'/re under the cap. You can bump the salaries up right to the cap limit, but not over.

[willbcocks]

Great move, great move. It'll also nip the potential "I'm really underpaid" complaint in the bud for next year.

I think it's undebatable that EG's performance when it comes to Blatche (drafting him and the last 2 deals) earns him an A or better.