The Official Off-Season Thread 5: The SG Quest Continues!

[JMac1]

i think the second one is better (if shabazz pans out obviously).

i just dont rate harden that highly as a max player. hes the third otpion on his current team (kind of :s) theres no way we can know if he can carry an offence...

I agree with all of this but I also don't want to offer Ibaka a max contract. I don't think he's worth it either although I'd prefer him over Harden.

Yea, Ibaka does give you an inside presence on defense...He and Gortat would be good. Ibaka isn't worth the max...I agree.

Lot of options, I think 'd rack my brain trying to figure out what to do....... Take it one off season at a time

[MarcoPolo]

Suns introduce Michael Beasley:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/81852 ... -wants-win

[Schwalm]

Regardless Harden and Ibaka are both getting max deals. Some teams gotta do what they gotta do to attract big names.

[ATTL]

Ibaka on a max deal would be disgusting. I would lose all respect for the front office if they gave Ibaka the max.

[ray ray]

Regardless Harden and Ibaka are both getting max deals. Some teams gotta do what they gotta do to attract big names.

IMO, James Harden will be offer the max by the Suns. But don't be surprise if they lose out their plan b is Stephen Curry.

[nevetsov]

Agree with Ray, as we've seen this offseason the SG position is one of the weakest in the NBA right now. Harden will be top 5 at his position by the end of the season and he'll definitely cash in.

[thamadkant]

Suns offer Harden a backloaded contract.
5 million year one
17.5 million year two
17.5 million year three
18 million year four

Perhaps
12
13
14
19
Then

Can you see Thunder matching?

I can see another team offering Ibaka another backloaded contract too..

I dont see Thunder paying close to 75 million for 4 players in 2014, 2015 Wow.


Either way if Suns get Shabazz then Harden is off the radar obviously.

[bwgood77]

I won't be surprised if Harden already has an extension in place before next offseason. As a matter of fact, I'd be pretty surprised if Presti let him get to free agency.

I'd also be surprised if the Suns went after Curry next offseason.

[bwgood77]

Suns offer Harden a backloaded contract.
5 million year one
17.5 million year two
17.5 million year three
18 million year four

Can you see Thunder matching?

I can see another team offering Ibaka another backloaded contract too..

I dont see Thunder paying close to 75 million for 4 players in 2014, 2015 Wow.


Either way if Suns get Shabazz then Harden is off the radar obviously.

Can't structure it like that.

[ray ray]

I won't be surprised if Harden already has an extension in place before next offseason. As a matter of fact, I'd be pretty surprised if Presti let him get to free agency.

Unless Harden is willing to lose about 39 million , he's not going to sign before the season ends. JHarden is going to get PAID next offseason. I also see a scenario where the Thunder believe that Harden is better for the Thunder and they trade Westbrook. The Thunder CAN NOT give three max contracts with the contracts they have right now and not expect to pay he Luxury tax.

[thamadkant]

I won't be surprised if Harden already has an extension in place before next offseason. As a matter of fact, I'd be pretty surprised if Presti let him get to free agency.

Unless Harden is willing to lose about 39 million , he's not going to sign before the season ends. JHarden is going to get PAID next offseason. I also see a scenario where the Thunder believe that Harden is better for the Thunder and they trade Westbrook. The Thunder CAN NOT give three max contracts with the contracts they have right now and not expect to pay he Luxury tax.

Wolves extended Love to a max so did thunder with Westbrook and Bulls with Rose..

Under the Derrick Rose exception right?

Can Thunder use it twice?

Someone know the limitation and breakdown of that rule 100%? I'm at work can't google too many page lol

[ray ray]

The Thunder are at 62 mil next offseason with the QO 7.6 mil to James Harden, 3.9 mil to Serge Ibaka and 3.9 to Eric Maynor. We all know that James Harden is going to get them similar max the Eric Gordon got 4yrs/58mil , Serge Ibaka is most likely going to get a max as well and Mayor is getting more than than 3.9.

So the Thunder are about to make some very important decisions.

[JDLAW]

I won't be surprised if Harden already has an extension in place before next offseason. As a matter of fact, I'd be pretty surprised if Presti let him get to free agency.

Unless Harden is willing to lose about 39 million , he's not going to sign before the season ends. JHarden is going to get PAID next offseason. I also see a scenario where the Thunder believe that Harden is better for the Thunder and they trade Westbrook. The Thunder CAN NOT give three max contracts with the contracts they have right now and not expect to pay he Luxury tax.

Harden would not lose $39MM if he signs before the end of the season- he really does not lose anything if he extends at the max amount allowed. If he goes into free agency, he would be eligible for 5 additional years - assuming he wants all of them. If he re-signs now, he would be eligible for a 4-year extension. You can only be under contract for 5 years maximum. Either way, he plays 1 year under his current contract. His decision is whether he wants 5 additional years with OKC after this upcoming year or something less before he becomes an UFA. If he re-signs with OKC, he gets the same yearly raises regardless of number of years so the money would be the same up to the last year.

For a player his age, losing the last year on the extension is not a big deal because he would likely make up for it on his following contract. If he signs now, he would reach unrestricted free agency one year earlier and if he wants unrestricted free agency even earlier, he can sign a 3 year extension like Bosh, LeBron and Wade did.

Harden is not eligible for the so called Derrick Rose provision. Need to be a 2-time all star at minimum. He is not going to make that threshold by the time he signs a new contract or an extension.

[thamadkant]

I think they'll let Harden go if he gets max.

They need fire power from the inside... Westbrook and Durant has the perimeter covered.
They need a threath inside who can score 10-15 a night efficiently and play defense inside hence I think Ibaka will be extended at 10-11 million a year... Then they will replace Harden with veterans who will take pay cuts to be on a contender.

This is smarter way for them anyways I think...


If Suns do manage to get Harden and a decent lottery pick... Maybe they can nab a Center.... Would like a high ceiling center.

If Harden plan fails as mentioned many times already there are plan B, plan C etc.

[bwgood77]

My point is that they will make a decision that allows them to either keep everyone (extend them for less than the max), or if they can't negotiate that, they will plan to do something else (one or more of the following), whether it be go into the luxury tax for 1 or 2 years to keep the core together, amnesty Perkins, trade one of them for multiple assets or draft picks, trade Westbrook for traditional pg and pick to start with Harden, Durant, Ibaka and Collison, or something.

Presti doesn't strike me as the type to let Harden AND Ibaka get all the way to free agency without a plan in mind to match a max offer if he has to.

We likely won't get an inkling of what he will do until he does it. I also feel that Harden would take less to stay with OKC than he would to go elsewhere (especially if it was not to a contender.) Probably not significantly less, but a little less.

There has also been talk that OKC might be willing to go into the luxury tax for at least a couple of years (at least until the repeat offender penalty is in place in 2014-15.)

It can be fun (but tiring to read repeatedly) to think about Shabazz and/or Harden in the Suns lineup next year, but it is equivalent to us a year ago penciling in Anthony Davis or Eric Gordon into our lineup this year. It would be nice, and I think it is common sense to nab those guys if they are available, but to continue projecting these guys into our lineups next year is far fetched. Of course I'd be extremely excited to see it, but I think it's extremely important to talk more about what plan C or D might be since I think 99% of us would agree on plan A or B.

[ray ray]

I won't be surprised if Harden already has an extension in place before next offseason. As a matter of fact, I'd be pretty surprised if Presti let him get to free agency.

Unless Harden is willing to lose about 39 million , he's not going to sign before the season ends. JHarden is going to get PAID next offseason. I also see a scenario where the Thunder believe that Harden is better for the Thunder and they trade Westbrook. The Thunder CAN NOT give three max contracts with the contracts they have right now and not expect to pay he Luxury tax.

Harden would not lose $39MM if he signs before the end of the season- he really does not lose anything if he extends at the max amount allowed. If he goes into free agency, he would be eligible for 5 additional years - assuming he wants all of them. If he re-signs now, he would be eligible for a 4-year extension. You can only be under contract for 5 years maximum. Either way, he plays 1 year under his current contract. His decision is whether he wants 5 additional years with OKC after this upcoming year or something less before he becomes an UFA. If he re-signs with OKC, he gets the same yearly raises regardless of number of years so the money would be the same up to the last year.

For a player his age, losing the last year on the extension is not a big deal because he would likely make up for it on his following contract. If he signs now, he would reach unrestricted free agency one year earlier and if he wants unrestricted free agency even earlier, he can sign a 3 year extension like Bosh, LeBron and Wade did.

Harden is not eligible for the so called Derrick Rose provision. Need to be a 2-time all star at minimum. He is not going to make that threshold by the time he signs a new contract or an extension.

Okay, I exaggerated a little more than I should. We all know it's not 39 mil, but he would defiantly gain more to wait than to resign.

[Kerrsed]

Times Up!