JN wrote:DelAbbot wrote:dagger wrote:If Woj is right that Pascal and the Raptors are far apart on an extension, then they have talked, and Masai isn't crazy. Few people on this board really think Pascal is worth the max, starting at what? $42,5 million rising up into the $50millions. Masai understand that with Scottie's first max coming up, giving so much to a second banana - a great second banana, mind you, but not a real max type - is a poor way to build around Scottie. And if Masai doesn't think Pascal is worth the max, then he isn't going to give it to him. Not today, not tomorrow and not in July. So I expect Pascal to be traded, but if he's screwing with Masai by telling all teams via his agent that he won't promise to sign with them, the return might be of less value than the cap space Pascal would take up. And if Masai doesn't think Pascal is worth the max, then some of the teams we assume will sign him for a max might not, I mean $50-$60 million ultimately for a second banana when every team has a 3-4-year cap window they have to consider. Indiana might be the only team that would entertain something like a max salary.
Masai should have traded Pascal a year ago, but it's also possible Siakam was sabotaging those talks with his "I won't sign with you talk". And he might even make some teams wonder prior to the deadline whether to hoard cap space for him for the summer, or go for other deals, because Pascal's agent has planted the seed of doubt in their minds.
When Fred left, the Raptors had no cap space, just the MLE and BIE. If there was a $16 million player who might have signed with Toronto, they couldn't offer $16 million. This summer, things might be a bit different. If Trent, Pascal, Otto and Thad are off the books, the Raptors ought to huge amount of cap space, even after giving Quickley a new deal. If there is a $16 million guy out there, fine, or even two $16 million guys, and that might be a better "deal" than a bad trade for Pascal so as not to lose him "for nothing". Or they can rent that cap space by taking on a longer term contract and a pick from a team flirting with the tax and worse, the new second apron! (I don't know how Memphis, for one, can clean up its finances and avoid the tax and possible the second apron without bribing a team to take on Brandon Clarke or Marcus Smart because their contracts extend beyond next season. And Ja's injury actually increases their chances of getting the first overall pick in June, in a weak draft, which would add another $11 million to that payroll.)
So I don't see Masai giving Pascal the max, period.
All make sense.
I feel Siakam royally fcked Masai.
He refused to sign Max contracts previously to chase the supermax, while forgetting that the hand that fed him 1st option usage and role was Masai. What a ungrateful man.
Now there is no chance of supermax, Siakam continue to fck with Masai by telling all potential trade partners he won't sign - killing all our leverage and again forcing Masai to give him the regular max to not risk him leaving for nothing. This is some next level sh....
TLDR version (same as my post in other thread) - You publicly call a player selfish, and then expect them to work with you to get trade leverage or contract leverage? That's a bold strategy Cotton.
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I understand Siakam asking for the Max in the summer
And I also fully understand management saying no
Then management came out with the bold strategy right from the start of camp to openly (without naming names) call him selfish and essentially cancerous. Siakam might be flawed, especially in crunch time, and he may well not be worth the max, but I don't think the selfish labels were fair. You think that was a great strategy to get somebody to want to work with you (contract wise or trade wise) when you are already in a really bad leverage position hitting pending UFA status with a player?
If the team has taken shots at you, why are you trying to maximize their return, instead of trying to minimize what your new team gives to get you. It's a strategy that has been commonly employed by many players -- the exception being Kawhi Leonard when the tried to GM the Clips.
As for this being a ploy to get the max. This is also on the Raps - they dug a hole in their contractual leverage by taking shots at him. With a handful of suitors looking to have strong cap space next year, the Raptors know the only alternative to keep him is the max. They lost negotiation leverage by flaming the relationship.
I'm not saying Pascal has been perfect here. But if I have to assign blame here on a potential return, I think its more a case of Masai **** Masai. Waiting until one's pending UFA year, and then throwing some flames out there, is always going to present increased leverage issues.
This management team is not beyond CYA. They have lost lots of leverage with their indecision and actions, and now it seems they are going to shift the narrative as far away from themselves when the return has been likely deflated.
