Winejk wrote:Tomjas wrote:Lillard is in the first year of a 4 year deal so no idea why an extension is even being discussed
Well, Simmons has 4 years left on his deal, yet here we are.
Ben is looking for a trade, not a contract extension. A trade request two years after signing a contract extension isn’t too shocking, especially after Ben’s collapse. However, an extension request at this point is highly unusual.
Nevertheless, Dame will be 32 next summer. Guaranteeing as many $50 million seasons as possible is smart. I’m sure he has plenty of money, but securing an extra $100 million at 35 and 36 years old will allow him to secure income that could change life for generations of his family. Watching guys like Iverson go broke, you appreciate an athlete trying to squeeze every penny out of his 15 year window of having elite talent.
When Dame’s contract expires, he will be 35 and get nothing close to that on the open market. Right now, he can bully an organization into making a dumb commitment to a contract extension based on his current skill level and their current desperation.
If you’re the Sixers, an extension like this really lowers your interest in Lillard. Having a guy at 35 and 36 years old, with a lot of miles on his body, on your cap for $50 million/year, is a huge negative.