Tucker signs with the Rockets (4y/$32M)

[ciueli]

I don't understand why so many people are angry about this. Our team has no money to spend if we are able to sign Lowry and Ibaka, in fact just retaining them will likely push us into the tax without moving one of Valanciunas, Carroll, or Joseph in a salary dump.

I actually can't believe we even offered 3 years $33M unless it was contingent on us not resigning one of Lowry or Ibaka. It's possible Masai has a deal to ship out another contract but given what the asking price was for the Rockets to dump Ryan Anderson I can't imagine what it would be.

[navyblue]

can we instead of saying this is a negative raptors, and instead say its a positive for houston, raptors could have done everything right and he might have still left, went to uni of texas.
durant leaving was pro warriors, not a slight on thunder, david west left spurs for warriors, many other examples.

[GooniesNeverDie]

harden + cp3 > lowry + demar.. i mean the rockets were better than us when they didn't even have cp3. i'd make the same decision if I wasn't from TO

[___Rand___]

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wow. Clearly, he saw the struggles our team's leadership had in the playoffs and decided Rockets with Harden and CP3 had a better chance for a ring. Hint Hint Lowry/Casey.

How is that a 10 mil paycut? 35 year old Tucker might be vet minimum player

I'm also not sure about his 2.7% number. Here is from an artciel about Ariza Rockets contract

When Washington free agent Trevor Ariza agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal with Houston earlier this month — accepting essentially the same salary the Wizards offered him — multiple outlets noted a big difference in Ariza’s take-home pay with the Rockets. The lack of a state tax in Texas vs. the local taxes (and higher cost of living) in and around Washington, D.C., meant the veteran wing player would pocket as much as $3 million more by working and living in Houston.

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2014/07/24/nba-doesnt-view-state-tax-disparity-as-competitive-disadvantage/

I think the guy meant if you take out the partial guarantee from Rockets offer face value of contracts there's less money from Houston. After-tax I've seen both sides posted here. I'm no expert in that regard. There's still federal tax in the US you have to remember. It's the bigger portion.

[maternal85]

haha PJ knows whats up with this core. He ain't no dummy.

Why would I want to play for the Raptors if I'm an in-demand NBA role player? The coach sucks, there's no ball movement, my all-star teammates shrink in the playoffs, I have to play next to Demarre Carroll etc...

I'd take less money and go to Houston too if I were him. Raps are in a bad place right now. Good thing we have a young core that can take over in the next few years.

i was told that players want to play here because goofball drake comes to a couple games, acts like an idiot for attention and these kids think every NBA player 0loves Toronto.. WE'RE STILL IN CANADA!! Like celtic fans says " people in the US don't care about canada"

You kids are annoying

[alienchild]

He didn't think our leadership was this incompetent... he went through a lot of eye opening things and came out the other side knowing this wasn't a team he wanted to waste his prime on.

Seriously? This is on Masai? I mean the guy signed for the MLE which is even worse.

Not so much Masai. The coaching. The constant deflections. The grand ideas about doing XYZ and failing to even attempt to execute come game time let alone get the job done.

The tone at the top and coddling of stars left him uneasy, and I can't blame him. Basketball should be run like a meritocracy but politics rule the day here.

CP0 and Tucker will have free reign to get on Harden about dogging it on defense. You can visibly see Tucker gave up on the preaching bit and just went out and busted his ass each and every night while some players phoned it in.

Really bad look for the Raptors given what he signed for. Really bad. We also disrespected Patman during the process too, I doubt he returns.

+10000. Worst part is- Masai knows where the problem is and hasn't done anything about it.

[___Rand___]

can we instead of saying this is a negative raptors, and instead say its a positive for houston, raptors could have done everything right and he might have still left, went to uni of texas.
durant leaving was pro warriors, not a slight on thunder, david west left spurs for warriors, many other examples.

I understand that this is hometown, and effective income will be slightly better in Tx. I get that. It's also this:

harden + cp3 > lowry + demar..

AND our situation is unsettled - KL, Ibaka FA, and that whole "culture change" where we don't know what that is STILL. Bottom line is this - We had the best team we could have had with this core last year, and we struggled versus a young Bucks team, and didn't compete against Cavs. Tucker saw more than enough to make a decision.

[DreamTeam09]

When CP3 starts yelling at him or he's the only one playing any sort of defence again, at least he'll be where he wanted to be.

[TOStateofMind]

Stings a bit cause i really liked PJ for us but not the end of the world honestly.

[Rhythm043]

For the love of god please don't bring Patterson back...

I hope he comes back to so he can try making up for his 3 ppg and 27% shooting averages he produced in the 16/17 playoffs. What a bum

[Local_NG_Idiot]

wow. Clearly, he saw the struggles our team's leadership had in the playoffs and decided Rockets with Harden and CP3 had a better chance for a ring. Hint Hint Lowry/Casey.

How is that a 10 mil paycut? 35 year old Tucker might be vet minimum player

I'm also not sure about his 2.7% number. Here is from an artciel about Ariza Rockets contract

When Washington free agent Trevor Ariza agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal with Houston earlier this month — accepting essentially the same salary the Wizards offered him — multiple outlets noted a big difference in Ariza’s take-home pay with the Rockets. The lack of a state tax in Texas vs. the local taxes (and higher cost of living) in and around Washington, D.C., meant the veteran wing player would pocket as much as $3 million more by working and living in Houston.

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2014/07/24/nba-doesnt-view-state-tax-disparity-as-competitive-disadvantage/

I think the guy meant if you take out the partial guarantee from Rockets offer face value of contracts there's less money from Houston. After-tax I've seen both sides posted here. I'm no expert in that regard. There's still federal tax in the US you have to remember. It's the bigger portion.

I don't know where he's coming up with the 2.7% either as there are a lot of articles and literature already done on this topic that put it close to 6-7% when it's Flo/Tex vs TOR. Maybe other states where there are state taxes that # shrinks down into the -3% range.

Regardless, if you look at the two contracts and run some quick numbers, it looks like he's leaving about 900K-1.1million per year on the table by declining the Raps 3yr and going with the HOU deal.

[navyblue]

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[Rhythm043]

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Of course he's gonna say that. Until CP3 dribbles them out of the playoffs.

[RaptorsLife]

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I will cheer for you pj because I hate warriors but I doubt title hopes lol

[Wo1verine]

The fact that Tucker took $10M less just shows you the type of respect we truly have league wide.

He's a good role player getting his 1st large contract ever and he passed up all the loot to sign elsewhere

[MavCarter]

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[MavCarter]

I wonder if he wanted a 4th year and masai wouldnt budge

[MavCarter]

The fact that Tucker took $10M less just shows you the type of respect we truly have league wide.

He's a good role player getting his 1st large contract ever and he passed up all the loot to sign elsewhere

10M where? Didnt we offer him like a million more total

[Pooh_Jeter]

Damn, people were telling me our culture and Atlantic Division titles meant we were suddenly a destination.

[Rhythm043]

The fact that Tucker took $10M less just shows you the type of respect we truly have league wide.

He's a good role player getting his 1st large contract ever and he passed up all the loot to sign elsewhere

10M where? Didnt we offer him like a million more total

The report I read said the Raptors offered 3 year 33 million. He got an extra year from Houston but works out to be less per season. He would have got the same money but been off his contract a year earlier. Definitely saves some money for himself taxwise being in Texas.