MiamiLoyal926 wrote:fishfuego. wrote:Fitz303 wrote:
As a Blazers fan I don't want to get too back and forth with all of this, but the salary thing with Dame (and being a reason he's not getting back good offers) is way off base. The thing that so many people don't understand about NBA contracts is cap%. If you go back to just 7 years ago to the last big salary cap jump, you would all think these contracts that these FAs just this last week are getting would be franchise crippling deals. They're not. Including Dame's.
Not to be patronizing, I'm sure this is basic for many here. But the simple fact is, Dame's contract moving forward is perfectly in line with most players his caliber and age. For example
Steph Curry:
23/24 - Age 35 - salary is 38% of the leagues salary cap
24/25 - Age 36 - salary is 39% of the leagues salary cap
Damian Lillard:
25/26 - Age 35 - salary is 37% of the leagues salary cap
26/27 - Age 36 - salary is 36% of the leagues salary cap
Damian Lillard will be making the equivalent of what Steph Curry is making this year and next year at his age 35 and age 36 years. Do you think Golden State would pick up the phone today for a Tyler Herro offer? Even if they were rebuilding? Do you think GS could do Wayyy better than that offer? The answer is likely yes. And he's already at 35 years old. Dame is still 32. Steph is a clearly more accomplished player, but they're the same realm of player.
Portland can't get better offers, not because of his contract, but because Dame and his agent have suppressed the market in the media. This is why Portland is in no rush to move him, and will likely wait until they soften their stance on other teams, and more offers roll in.
If you truly believe that teams are not looking at age vs money, then there shouldn’t be another discussion here.
Just because a hand full of players will get that huge bag at the age of 36/37, doesn’t make it less concerning. Physical declination at such age is a fact of life, not some mystical tale. Those other teams will live with their player’s cost as a payment for years of commitment, in Miami’s case it is purely due to a window that is closing fast, Butler’s window. Nothing else.
Agreed! The current contract was earned in Portland and given as a legacy contract by them… Dame’s next team has had zero benefit over the 11 years that Dame earned this contract through. His next team will carry all the burden of such a contract with zero to show for it and all they can do is hope that he can still live up to at least a high fraction of its cost!
Dame is a high risk.. HOPEFULLY a high reward type of move. History does not favor us though because as fishfuego so elegantly put it… “Physical declination at such age is a fact of life, not some mystical tale.”
Your previous post was spot on. I couldn’t have said nor described it any better.
Miami is in this unique situation of acting now with a very tight window. Other teams are simply not in the same situation.




















