IT2: "Very Confident" on getting max contract

[KobeBryant24]

Lonzo gon post his little ass up in the 2019 finals

[azcatz11]

Lonzo gon post his little ass up in the 2019 finals

IT will go by him quicker than a slip & slide

[youngthegiant]

Huge mistake if Boston signs him to a Max. Once he loses a little bit of his speed, his game is going to fall off a cliff.

[Johnny Firpo]

Who said Brown and Tatum are not those kind of players? They were picked third in the draft. That's the expectations they carry.

Also, you're not winning without at least 3 of these players.

Well, based on their college career, it's highly unlikely that they have top 30 all-time potential. Against the Warriors, right now, you are probably right, one Top 30 all-time player is not enough, but the Warriors are a huge outlier. It's very rare that such a great team reigns, and maybe 5 or 6 years from now, you can again win with a team built around a single Top 30 player, kind of like the 2011 Mavs, or the 93/94 and 94/95 Rockets.

[alpngso]

He might do better than Lowry's deal but not much better.

[Stadium5]

Maxing IT would be the dumbest move a GM could make

[Green89]

Celtics will overpay him. His defense was utter trash in the playoffs.

Right, because offensive NBA stars never get max deals when they don't play any defense. Never <ahem Harden>, ever <ahem Irving>, ever <ahem Lillard>, ever <ahem Anthony>, ever <ahem Nash> happens.

[axeman23]

Personally, I would offer IT4+Horford + pick
for
Irving + Love

The celtics are torn between competing now or later. Brown and Tatum's peak will be reached when Horford and IT4 are on the wrong side of 30.

Personally speaking, assuming you're talking an "max extension and trade" for IT, the only way I like it for the Cavs is adding in the 2018 Lakers pick, which converts to the 2019 Philly or Sac first if unconveyed; and the Memphis first, which is Top 8 protected in 2019, Top 6 in 2020, and unprotected in 2021. For a single pick, whichever it is, I don't see it bridging the talent (and age) gap between Irving/Love, and IT/Horford. And if IT is sent over unextended, then a year from now Cavs could just have a 32 year old Horford to show for Kyrie AND Love. What's the point, from Cavs perspective? One pick?

[True Story]

Celtics will overpay him. His defense was utter trash in the playoffs.

Right, because offensive NBA stars never get max deals when they don't play any defense. Never <ahem Harden>, ever <ahem Irving>, ever <ahem Lillard>, ever <ahem Anthony>, ever <ahem Nash> happens.

So you think paying IT the max is worth it?

[PKABOOICU]

This is one of those scenarios where the player "deserves" the contract based on play but probably shouldn't get it. He's simply too much of a defensive liability, especially on screen n switches at the 3 point line. IT doesnt really get 'beat' off the dribble, and he is capable of 'hiding' when the ball gets to the post, but when that switch comes at the top of the 3 point line (which was alllll day in the POs), its a wrap. Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade abused him down there....anyone would....and those moments are why he unfortunately can't get the max.
Dont get me wrong though, on offense, he's probably top 5. Its natural for him on O....that alone ultimately should land him a short term max somewhere. If I were a GM looking to get a star, I would do it. Lots of teams could use him at the max.

[Karate Diop]

IT is in the driver's seat here, it's the one major downside to trading away Fultz that Ainge didn't plan for...

Yeah, maybe the best GM in the league didn't plan an extension for one of his best players It was obvious IT4 will ask for the max. Ainge is ready to deal with that.

He has no viable alternative but to max Thomas. Rozier and Smart are two of the worst offensive players in the league, they can't lead an offense.

Tatum may end up being a good player but he'll have a minimal impact early on because of who's on front of him on the depth chart. If the Celtics took Fultz they would have a guy who'd contribute now and later AND would not be forced to agree to whatever terms Thomas lays out.

If Tatum pans out the Celtics would still have a log jam on their roster that would necessitate a trade to solve. If Fultz pans out IT would have been expendable and the Celtics could have potentially avoided salary cap he'll.

(Now if you think Tatum is far and away going to be better than Fultz this point is moot)

[dorkestra]

He will get it and if Boston aren't willing to pony up, they should deal him before it is too late.

[JGOJustin]

It's all about what the market bares

What's a max deal for IT next summer? You can want a max all you want, but Boston probably won't have to pay him a max because no one will.

[SkyHook]

Anything over a three year MLE deal and the team will regret it, starting no later than the second year. That said, I think that the Celtics should absolutely sign him to a five year supermax contract.

[Johnny Kilroy]

"I deserve it. I put the work in."

This is what society doesn't understand. Your worth is valued and determined by the employer, not the employee. The only thing IT or anyone deserves is the undistributed money they have yet to receive from their employers' previous contractual liabilities. And working hard, while admirable and professional, does not compensate for whatever deficiencies one has. There are people on this board who work twice as hard as IT does; no one is giving them 177 million dollars for it. Work ethic is not going to make IT 6'6", nor 25 years old. People aren't paid for work ethic, they're paid for expected value i.e. future production. Work ethic is a valuable asset, but only in the realm of self employment, where you are able to set your own value.

Not knocking or singling out IT here. He's a superstar talent and an inspiration to us all. But this is not how markets and economies work.

[Edug27]

Celtics will overpay him. His defense was utter trash in the playoffs.

Right, because offensive NBA stars never get max deals when they don't play any defense. Never <ahem Harden>, ever <ahem Irving>, ever <ahem Lillard>, ever <ahem Anthony>, ever <ahem Nash> happens.

So you think paying IT the max is worth it?

Yes. Absolutely.

[Samhinkie20]

Celtics will overpay him. His defense was utter trash in the playoffs.

Right, because offensive NBA stars never get max deals when they don't play any defense. Never <ahem Harden>, ever <ahem Irving>, ever <ahem Lillard>, ever <ahem Anthony>, ever <ahem Nash> happens.

Like I said he will be overpaid. He will get a max deal, where did I say he wouldn't? He just isn't worth it. Harden, Irving and even Lillard are in a whole other category. Plus he's gona be on the wrong side of 30 soon.

[Winsome Gerbil]

My read on IT has long been that 90% of everything he does he does because of a massive ego/Napoleon complex. Throw on what have to be legitimate concerns for him and his agent about how long a player of his size will last before going into decline, and I think he's dead serious about this, and isn't going to be giving any discounts, hometown or otherwise. Getting a max contract is his ultimate flip of the bird to everyone who ever doubted him.

[meekrab]

He deserves it

So what? He doesn't make the Cs or anybody else a championship contender.

[Karate Diop]

Celtics will overpay him. His defense was utter trash in the playoffs.

Right, because offensive NBA stars never get max deals when they don't play any defense. Never <ahem Harden>, ever <ahem Irving>, ever <ahem Lillard>, ever <ahem Anthony>, ever <ahem Nash> happens.

Nice try but when all those guys got their max deals they were on another level than IT and/or had significantly more potential.