In this edition of the NBA At 2: The extensions will come for Roy and Aldridge, but they aren't the priority now…Allen Iverson's current reality…Pistons have a head coach…Upcoming HOOPSWORLD chats...Top Performers from Orlando.
Portland, Roy, and Aldridge: If there is one question I keep getting asked in Portland its why hasn't the team extended the rookie scale contracts of young studs forward LaMarcus Aldridge and guard Brandon Roy yet? I mean, those two are the cornerstones of the franchise, right?
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The answer is absolutely to the latter, but the question to the former has a few moving parts to it. Jason Quick of the Oregonian talked about that exact topic late last night and this is what he had to say:
That Roy is unsigned is particularly alarming and a signal that negotiations have snagged. Word is that Roy wants to sign for the maximum allowed five years, but the Blazers only want to commit to four years. A five-year deal would cost Portland about $82 million, although it won't be determined until the 2010-11 salary cap is set.
That a player of Roy's talent and character wants to lock in his future with your club should be embraced and lauded. Instead, the team is nickel-and-diming him with the amount of years. It's bad form.
If there was ever a no-brainer in extensions, it's that of Roy. You give him the maximum contract allowed. No hesitation. No questions asked. No nothing, other than showing him the courtesy of signing him the minute the signing moratorium ended Tuesday night.
While I agree with the spirit of Quick's analysis (be sure to read the whole article), there are some other things to consider. The first, and perhaps most important, point is that the contract extensions for Roy and Aldridge should get done this summer, but there is zero need to get them done NOW. Remember, both players are under contract for 2009-10 – that's not the issue. Portland's brain trust has $7.7 million in cap space they need to figure out what to do with in a market that is getting smaller with every passing hour. Doing contract extensions to players already under contract would just take away time and focus from that.
The second point is that while it may be true Portland would prefer a four-year deal to a five-year deal, it doesn't make any logical sense from the team's point of view. Signing a shorter term contract is to the player's advantage, not the teams. This is because the value of a maximum contract increases after seven and 10 years of NBA experience. If Roy agreed to a four- or five-year extension he would still be in the same category – a next max deal, if it worked out that way – would be valued at 30% of the cap value, but the shorter the deal presumably the sooner he could get to a contract at the 35% value.
It doesn't make logical sense this would be an issue for the team. And, that leads me back to my first point – the deal isn't done because there are other issues the team has to decide first.
It's not a matter of if Portland wants to do the deal, but just a matter of where it ranks on the to-do list. It'll get done. As for Aldridge, ditto. It'll get done, just not right now.
However, if Portland really is intent on putting together an offer for Utah Jazz restricted free agent power forward Paul Millsap, what does that mean? Should Portland spend $20 million a year on the power forward spot? Even if Millsap is okay backing up Aldridge, and he does end up in Portland, it's something that could give the Blazers flexibility to make another move down the road – but is that worth what it could mean to the team's psyche?
It's going to get crazier in Portland before the summer is over, that's for sure.
Iverson in Memphis – Really? So free agent guard Allen Iverson is going to meet with the Memphis Grizzlies to talk about a one-year, $5 million contract huh? Am I the only one who is missing the logic to this one?
Let's assume this happens - where does Ivy fit? If he's going to start for them that means either Mike Conley or O.J. Mayo would be headed to the bench. If it's only a one-year deal, does it make sense to send a promising young player to the bench instead? Or, has Iverson come to some kind of personal epiphany and now he is willing to come off the bench?
Add this to the acquisition of power forward Zach Randolph and many are going to question whether or not the young guys will ever see the ball on offense. Iverson is a good passer if he trusts his teammates to make shots - Randolph is the same way – but what kind of attitude will he bring to a team that hasn't accomplished anything?
Here's the deal with Iverson: He absolutely feels he can still be the player he has always been, but what he hasn't seemed to realize is that even if that's true it doesn't matter, because no one else views him that way. Teams have learned the best way to use Iverson is to build a team around him with hard-working role players, and the simple fact is that at 34 years old that's not going to happen ever again. The sooner Iverson realizes this, accepts this, and understands his approach to a team and to the game of basketball needs to change as a result of that, the faster he will become a valued property again.
Is that what he is attempting to do? If he is, teams aren't convinced. There is little doubt Iverson still has plenty of skills to help a team succeed, but skills aren't the issue.
Pistons Have a Coach: The Detroit Pistons named Cleveland Cavaliers assistant John Kuester as their head coach today. This will be Detroit's third coach in the past three years, after Michael Curry was relieved of duties last week after a single season.
"There is no magic formula -- our philosophy will be to do things the right way. Hard work will be the key to our success," the 54-year-old Kuester told a news conference.
Want to hear an interesting fact? Kuester replaced Rick Pitino as the head coach at Boston University back in 1983 after being his assistant for two seasons. Not sure if the more interesting part of that is his link to Pitino or the fact Boston University – a school not well-known for athletic achievement in basketball – has now produced two coaches who went on to lead NBA teams.
Want more on Kuester's pedigree? He played four seasons at North Carolina under Dean Smith, plus he was the head coach at George Washington University before leaving for the Boston Celtics in 1990. (Notes courtesy of Boston University)
Upcoming Chats: HOOPSWORLD senior writer Joel Brigham, based in Chicago, will take your questions today at 4:30 pm Eastern Time. Chat with me today at 8pm Eastern Time, but you can leave the questions now if you like. Let's see if we can put this whole free agency and salary cap thing in perspective.
Top Performers – Orlando, Wednesday
Tyler Hansbrough, Indiana Pacers – 24 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 14-14 free throws
Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers – 21 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist, 1 steal
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder – 26 points, 5 assists, 5 steals, 4 rebounds, 8-8 free throws
DeVon Hardin, Oklahoma City Thunder – 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1 steal, 1 assist (only 19 minutes)
Chris Lofton, Boston Celtics – 15 points, 2 rebounds, 4-5 three-pointers
Terrence Williams, New Jersey Nets – 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Dionte Christmas, Philadelphia 76ers - 18 points, 2 rebounds, 4-6 three-pointers
Richard Hendrix, Orlando Magic – 17 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic – 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
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