Luke Kennard 4 Years $64 Ms

[Quake Griffin]

too much? just right?

[donemilio21]

too much. Could have kept Shamet for $3.5M for another year.
If Kawhi and Ibaka bounce next year, we'd have Pat Bev, Kennard, PG13, Morris, Zubac as a starting 5 making $92M.

[clipperlover]

Surprising move, but I don't know if it is a bad deal. If he works out, great. If not, he is a salary that can be moved in a trade later. Supporting cast member now, trade fodder later.

[TrueLAfan]

Plenty of discussion of this in the "Roster: What's Next?" thread. My take, boiled down to five possibilities:

Luke plays worse than he's ever played in the NBA and/or plays less than 1600 minutes a season -- Lousy Deal
Luke plays like he's always played but plays less than 1600 minutes a season -- Fairly lousy deal
Luke plays like he's always played for 1600-1900 minutes a season --Okay deal
Luke improves and plays for 1500-1900 minutes a season, or plays like he's always played for 1900+ minutes a season -- Good deal
Luke improves and plays for 1900+ minutes a season -- Great deal

[Captain Ballmer]

Less than half a year of starter level basketball in 3 years gets you 64 million USD contract? Amazing days.

[TheNewEra]

Needs to be more aggressive and take the shots when he’s open

[madmaxmedia]

Plenty of discussion of this in the "Roster: What's Next?" thread. My take, boiled down to five possibilities:

Luke plays worse than he's ever played in the NBA and/or plays less than 1600 minutes a season -- Lousy Deal
Luke plays like he's always played but plays less than 1600 minutes a season -- Fairly lousy deal
Luke plays like he's always played for 1600-1900 minutes a season --Okay deal
Luke improves and plays for 1500-1900 minutes a season, or plays like he's always played for 1900+ minutes a season -- Good deal
Luke improves and plays for 1900+ minutes a season -- Great deal

As long as he is in good relative health (which we largely expect), I think it will prove out to be at least a good deal, and quite possibly great in the last year or 2 of his contract. The last year is a team option which is good too.

[esqtvd]

Hollinger: Thumbs Up

https://theathletic.com/2279972/2020/12/23/luke-kennard-contract-nba-free-agency-extensions-2017-rookies/


Luke Kennard, Clippers (four years, $55 million base salary, $8 million in incentives, fourth-year team option) – OK, this isn’t anywhere near the clear win the first two deals are, and I have some misgivings. I had Kennard valued at $50 million on a four-year extension, and this is more than that — $55 million in base salary plus another $2 million a year in incentives.

The incentives are fairly easily reached.

...

The Clips probably had some legitimate worries that Kennard could become Overrated Playoff Guy and command much more (see Grant, Jerami) with a deep run.

Finally, there’s the Bird rights trap. If the Clippers were to lose Kennard in free agency a year from now, they have no realistic means of replacing him because they’re already in the luxury tax and would only have the taxpayer midlevel exception. As with the Marcus Morris overpay, that makes keeping Kennard’s rights more important.

The one thing that pushes this deal back in L.A.’s favor, just barely, is the fourth-year team option. L.A.’s downside on this deal isn’t $60 million, actually, but a more palatable three years and $45 million. This gives them optimal salary flexibility in the out years, regardless of whether Kennard has outrun his contract (another year of winning!) or isn’t (they cut their losses).

____________________

BTW: Kuzma: Thumbs Down

Kyle Kuzma, Lakers (three years, $39 million, third-year player option) – This is an awful deal on two levels. First of all, this is a hard thing for casuals to realize because he’s relatively famous and plays for the Lakers, but Kuzma isn’t particularly good right now and isn’t so young that he’s likely to get a whole lot better.

...


The other reason this is bad is because it kills a lot of the Lakers’ trade optionality. One of the best ways they had to upgrade their roster in-season was to put Kuzma into a trade, especially since the Lakers don’t have a tradable first-round draft pick until 2027. The Poison Pill provision of contact extensions effectively takes this option off the board now for L.A. For better or worse, Kuzma and the Lakers are stuck with each other.

[Captain Ballmer]

Looking really bad. Imagine guys like Korkmaz playing league minimum to provide what Kennard does.

I was kinda ok with Morris deal because he defended Luca well last year and LBJ in Celtics 2 years ago. These 2 guys will be a problem into next 3-4 years of timeframe so I get it for Marcus. But really lost in this one. I now believe this year is our only legitimite chance to win...otherwise we struck in Lobcity 2

[poultryfan]

It's basically 15 million per for 3 years and it's only been 3 games so far. I don't think we have enough data yet to make a definitive conclusion.

[MartinToVaught]

This move is looking like the Jeff Green trade and the Austin/Jamal re-signings combined. Just a total kneejerk panic move that doesn't meaningfully improve the team, followed by spending way too much money to save face.

[TheNewEra]

Can’t argue he’s looking terrible so far and his defense is as bad as advertised. I’m hoping his indecisive shooting and just rhythm offensively is a time and reps issue and not a lack of alpha mindset on the team.

[NoZoLakers]

Hollinger: Thumbs Up

https://theathletic.com/2279972/2020/12/23/luke-kennard-contract-nba-free-agency-extensions-2017-rookies/


Luke Kennard, Clippers (four years, $55 million base salary, $8 million in incentives, fourth-year team option) – OK, this isn’t anywhere near the clear win the first two deals are, and I have some misgivings. I had Kennard valued at $50 million on a four-year extension, and this is more than that — $55 million in base salary plus another $2 million a year in incentives.

The incentives are fairly easily reached.

...

The Clips probably had some legitimate worries that Kennard could become Overrated Playoff Guy and command much more (see Grant, Jerami) with a deep run.

Finally, there’s the Bird rights trap. If the Clippers were to lose Kennard in free agency a year from now, they have no realistic means of replacing him because they’re already in the luxury tax and would only have the taxpayer midlevel exception. As with the Marcus Morris overpay, that makes keeping Kennard’s rights more important.

The one thing that pushes this deal back in L.A.’s favor, just barely, is the fourth-year team option. L.A.’s downside on this deal isn’t $60 million, actually, but a more palatable three years and $45 million. This gives them optimal salary flexibility in the out years, regardless of whether Kennard has outrun his contract (another year of winning!) or isn’t (they cut their losses).

____________________

BTW: Kuzma: Thumbs Down

Kyle Kuzma, Lakers (three years, $39 million, third-year player option) – This is an awful deal on two levels. First of all, this is a hard thing for casuals to realize because he’s relatively famous and plays for the Lakers, but Kuzma isn’t particularly good right now and isn’t so young that he’s likely to get a whole lot better.

...


The other reason this is bad is because it kills a lot of the Lakers’ trade optionality. One of the best ways they had to upgrade their roster in-season was to put Kuzma into a trade, especially since the Lakers don’t have a tradable first-round draft pick until 2027. The Poison Pill provision of contact extensions effectively takes this option off the board now for L.A. For better or worse, Kuzma and the Lakers are stuck with each other.

kuz makes peanuts for salary trading purposes....his deal is tradable next yr, kennard at this rate, you'd be lucky if he can stay in rotation for rest of his deal

[poultryfan]

kuz makes peanuts for salary trading purposes....his deal is tradable next yr, kennard at this rate, you'd be lucky if he can stay in rotation for rest of his deal

13.3 million vs 15 million per year? Wow what a huge difference!

[NoZoLakers]

kuz makes peanuts for salary trading purposes....his deal is tradable next yr, kennard at this rate, you'd be lucky if he can stay in rotation for rest of his deal

13.3 million vs 15 million per year? Wow what a huge difference!

6ppg shooting 33% n 28% from 3s not including today exceptional gm

[poultryfan]

kuz makes peanuts for salary trading purposes....his deal is tradable next yr, kennard at this rate, you'd be lucky if he can stay in rotation for rest of his deal

13.3 million vs 15 million per year? Wow what a huge difference!

6ppg shooting 33% n 28% from 3s not including today exceptional gm

The point is you said Kuzma makes peanuts for salary trading purposes when they're both on a similar deal.

[NoZoLakers]

13.3 million vs 15 million per year? Wow what a huge difference!

6ppg shooting 33% n 28% from 3s not including today exceptional gm

The point is you said Kuzma makes peanuts for salary trading purposes when they're both on a similar deal.

this yr he makes peanuts, his new salary doesn't count till next season

[poultryfan]

6ppg shooting 33% n 28% from 3s not including today exceptional gm

The point is you said Kuzma makes peanuts for salary trading purposes when they're both on a similar deal.

this yr he makes peanuts, his new salary doesn't count till next season

Kennard also signed a contract extension meaning his new deal doesn't kick in until next season as well. They're both currently on the last year of their rookie deal.

[NoZoLakers]

The point is you said Kuzma makes peanuts for salary trading purposes when they're both on a similar deal.

this yr he makes peanuts, his new salary doesn't count till next season

Kennard also signed a contract extension meaning his new deal doesn't kick in until next season as well. Same as Kuzma.

im not getting your issue here, all i said was kuz wasnt worth trading with his current salary cause its so low this yr so what does it matter what he makes compared to keannard? we're less "stuck" with kuz than the clipps are with kennard especially with how season has gone so far for both players

[poultryfan]

im not getting your issue here, all i said was kuz wasnt worth trading with his current salary cause its so low this yr so what does it matter what he makes compared to keannard? we're less "stuck" with kuz than the clipps are with kennard especially with how season has gone so far for both players

You responded to a post comparing Kuzma and Kennard's new deals, and stated Kuzma makes peanuts and has a tradeable contract when they both signed similar contract extensions and are both on the last year of their rookie deal. So if Kuzma is making peanuts then so is Kennard.

It's only been 3 games. I would probably cool it with the hot takes.