Amir Johnsons Value: What is he worth/would you retain him?

[DreamTeam09]

I can't see a team with capspace going after amir so he's he's an mle player.

[Raptorfan2012]

Amir should not be a priority at all. Masai has lots of cap and roster space this summer to mold the team he wants. Let's focus on getting our starting forwards first before we start thinking about bench players like Lou and Amir.

[Sherlock]

My attitude is to first put all of our trade chips and cap space - and that includes waiving Vasquez using stretch waivers - on starters. I'f rather have a strong starting five and a weak bench because the bench will come through our draft picks and by overpaying in the summer of 2016 for secondary and tertiary talent. Depending on how that works out in early July, I might not offer Amir anything.

I agree with this in theory, but struggle to see a good use of the cap space this offseason. I don't think we can swing a deal for Aldridge or M. Gasol, and guys like Jimmy Butler and Kawhi and Middleton are locks to be re-signed by their existing teams.

Who's left?

[dTox]

I think its better to cut ties at this point and move forward by attaining a healthy starting PF. PP is an excellent backup, we don't need to pay for 2 backup PF's when we sorely lack talent in the SL

[cram]

Give him a deal that drops with time. 8M first yr, 6 M 2nd yr, 4 milion 3rd yr......

[MixZone]

to me he works hard enough to earn 9
but each ankle knocks off 2 mil so 5M

[Rapz]

We should thank him for his service and let him walk.

[dsquared]

We should thank him for his service and let him walk.

Agreed. Spending a lot of resources (8-9m) on an aging PF with injury concerns that are becoming worrisome is just unwise for this franchise.

[Raptolicism]

Wow, apparently I am being pretty harsh w Amir.

I didn't even vote b/c I think that $5-6M/year is too high for him right now.

With all the injuries and the potential surgery, I was thinking that Amir at $3M/year makes sense for us.


With that said, I LOVE the way that Amir has embraced Toronto and how hard he plays and lots of other stuff, but I am trying to be objective.

[Rapsfan07]

Wow, apparently I am being pretty harsh w Amir.

I didn't even vote b/c I think that $5-6M/year is too high for him right now.

With all the injuries and the potential surgery, I was thinking that Amir at $3M/year makes sense for us.


With that said, I LOVE the way that Amir has embraced Toronto and how hard he plays and lots of other stuff, but I am trying to be objective.

Yup. I agree.

After the dust settles, this team only has ~$16.5M in capspace this summer. We still need a young, starting quality SF and a young starting quality PF. Then, we need a bench 7 footer and a new back-up PG. Needless to say, that money simply isn't enough.

That being said, we need to secure our STARTING LINEUP before we worry ourselves about the bench. If we solve these issues via trade and we have extra money left over, I'd offer $3M per max or he can take the vets minimum if he wants to be in Toronto that badly. Other than that, it isn't worth it. We have younger, healthier and more versatile Patrick Patterson so there's absolutely no point paying him the ridiculous amounts of money everyone is suggesting.

[Rapcity_11]

Wow, apparently I am being pretty harsh w Amir.

I didn't even vote b/c I think that $5-6M/year is too high for him right now.

With all the injuries and the potential surgery, I was thinking that Amir at $3M/year makes sense for us.


With that said, I LOVE the way that Amir has embraced Toronto and how hard he plays and lots of other stuff, but I am trying to be objective.

Yup. I agree.

After the dust settles, this team only has ~$16.5M in capspace this summer. We still need a young, starting quality SF and a young starting quality PF. Then, we need a bench 7 footer and a new back-up PG. Needless to say, that money simply isn't enough.

That being said, we need to secure our STARTING LINEUP before we worry ourselves about the bench. If we solve these issues via trade and we have extra money left over, I'd offer $3M per max or he can take the vets minimum if he wants to be in Toronto that badly. Other than that, it isn't worth it. We have younger, healthier and more versatile Patrick Patterson so there's absolutely no point paying him the ridiculous amounts of money everyone is suggesting.

The poll suggests 5-7 M in overwhelming fashion. How is that ridiculous? The average NBA salary is like $5-6M is going to be climbing, fast.

$3M is **** ridiculous.

It's like people don't even pay attention to free agency.

[Wo1verine]

Let him go and fill the position with youth.

You only bring him back to play next season if you want to treadmill for another season.

[dTox]

Wow, apparently I am being pretty harsh w Amir.

I didn't even vote b/c I think that $5-6M/year is too high for him right now.

With all the injuries and the potential surgery, I was thinking that Amir at $3M/year makes sense for us.


With that said, I LOVE the way that Amir has embraced Toronto and how hard he plays and lots of other stuff, but I am trying to be objective.

Yup. I agree.

After the dust settles, this team only has ~$16.5M in capspace this summer. We still need a young, starting quality SF and a young starting quality PF. Then, we need a bench 7 footer and a new back-up PG. Needless to say, that money simply isn't enough.

That being said, we need to secure our STARTING LINEUP before we worry ourselves about the bench. If we solve these issues via trade and we have extra money left over, I'd offer $3M per max or he can take the vets minimum if he wants to be in Toronto that badly. Other than that, it isn't worth it. We have younger, healthier and more versatile Patrick Patterson so there's absolutely no point paying him the ridiculous amounts of money everyone is suggesting.

The poll suggests 5-7 M in overwhelming fashion. How is that ridiculous? The average NBA salary is like $5-6M is going to be climbing, fast.

$3M is **** ridiculous.

It's like people don't even pay attention to free agency.

For the reasons you have posted, + everyone else and their grandmothers having capspace, I think Masai will look for trades in order to build the SL (and possibly the bench).

[Rapsfan07]

Wow, apparently I am being pretty harsh w Amir.

I didn't even vote b/c I think that $5-6M/year is too high for him right now.

With all the injuries and the potential surgery, I was thinking that Amir at $3M/year makes sense for us.


With that said, I LOVE the way that Amir has embraced Toronto and how hard he plays and lots of other stuff, but I am trying to be objective.

Yup. I agree.

After the dust settles, this team only has ~$16.5M in capspace this summer. We still need a young, starting quality SF and a young starting quality PF. Then, we need a bench 7 footer and a new back-up PG. Needless to say, that money simply isn't enough.

That being said, we need to secure our STARTING LINEUP before we worry ourselves about the bench. If we solve these issues via trade and we have extra money left over, I'd offer $3M per max or he can take the vets minimum if he wants to be in Toronto that badly. Other than that, it isn't worth it. We have younger, healthier and more versatile Patrick Patterson so there's absolutely no point paying him the ridiculous amounts of money everyone is suggesting.

The poll suggests 5-7 M in overwhelming fashion. How is that ridiculous? The average NBA salary is like $5-6M is going to be climbing, fast.

$3M is **** ridiculous.

It's like people don't even pay attention to free agency.

If he doesn't like it, no one is forcing him to take it.

Look, at the end of the day, we already have a backup PF who is healthy and signed long term. Johnson's body can't handle starter minutes so you tell me what purpose he serves here... Because I just don't see it.

He can't start
We already have a backup
We still need a 7 footer off the bench

Why pay $5-7M for a third string guy? Moving forward requires sacrifice and as much as I love Johnson, he isn't the same guy. If he's that serious about the money, he can go elsewhere

[Rapcity_11]

Yup. I agree.

After the dust settles, this team only has ~$16.5M in capspace this summer. We still need a young, starting quality SF and a young starting quality PF. Then, we need a bench 7 footer and a new back-up PG. Needless to say, that money simply isn't enough.

That being said, we need to secure our STARTING LINEUP before we worry ourselves about the bench. If we solve these issues via trade and we have extra money left over, I'd offer $3M per max or he can take the vets minimum if he wants to be in Toronto that badly. Other than that, it isn't worth it. We have younger, healthier and more versatile Patrick Patterson so there's absolutely no point paying him the ridiculous amounts of money everyone is suggesting.

The poll suggests 5-7 M in overwhelming fashion. How is that ridiculous? The average NBA salary is like $5-6M is going to be climbing, fast.

$3M is **** ridiculous.

It's like people don't even pay attention to free agency.

If he doesn't like it, no one is forcing him to take it.

Look, at the end of the day, we already have a backup PF who is healthy and signed long term. Johnson's body can't handle starter minutes so you tell me what purpose he serves here... Because I just don't see it.

He can't start
We already have a backup
We still need a 7 footer off the bench

Why pay $5-7M for a third string guy? Moving forward requires sacrifice and as much as I love Johnson, he isn't the same guy. If he's that serious about the money, he can go elsewhere

1. Amir is a PF/C, especially if he's coming off the bench. Him and Patterson have been a great pairing the past 2 years.
2. The Raptors don't need a 7 footer off the bench, they need their 7 footer to be better.
3. Asset management. Lock Amir up to something like 21/7 and you don't think he has trade value? Come on.
4. What PF's are out there on the market that are better? (and attainable)

[basketball royalty]

Keep seeing people say stuff like Amir as a backup for 5 MIL tops and I just shake my head.

We have a certain amount to spend, someone said about 16MIL. How are we going to sign a starting SF and starting PF who are young and great and better than Amir with that little? I don't think that is realistic and I am sure those people will be pissed that Masai couldn't pull off that miracle.

[Masai Ujiri]

So many good PFs in this years free agency don't see the need to keep him

[Rapcity_11]

So many good PFs in this years free agency don't see the need to keep him

Great at the top and then it drops...fast.

[cdel00]

I think that Amir knows how to play and that holds value.
His repeat injuries tarnish his value but he is a warrior and that offsets the value loss.
athletically he is neutral to the position.
Amir is a vet with team smarts and hustle but frequent ankle injuries hamper his ability to out hustle.

That's worth 18 over 3 On a descending contract ideally.

[knickerbocker2k2]

Amir floor or minimum salary is the MLE for 4years (with most likely player exception). That is roughly ~$23M/4yr. Most contending teams would easily offer that. He would be stupid to take because assuming he strikes out with teams with cap space, he would be best served signing 2yr contact with player option and becoming FA next year with the huge increase in cap.

Masai would be stupid to let Amir walk. Letting assets walk for nothing is crazy. You say we need upgrade at PF, hell we could use upgrade at all positions. The question is how do you do it? Reducing your assets is not the way. There is no realistic replacement for Amir in the FA market.