OT: Nikola Pekovic gets 5yr/$60Mil deal

[jbeecham]

Is this really what the NBA has come to?

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9...grees-new-deal-minnesota-timberwolves-sources

5 Years / $60 Million with a possible extra $8 million in incentive bonuses.

He did average 16pts & 9rebs per game last season, but that contract seems to be at least $4-6 million too high per season... I would've expected him to get a contract closer to $6-8 million per season at best.

 

[Chaplin]

He was originally asking for $15m per.

 

[Mulli]

Well, he is at least twice as good as Josh Childress...

 

[Mainstreet]

I wonder what Gortat's asking price will be?

 

[Errntknght]

I've long figured Marcin was going to ask for a contract at about 12 mil per annum and Pek's deal will probably encourage him to ask for even more. My guess is that he will have to settle for 9-11 depending on the kind of year he has -- starting out with a bad foot doesn't bode well for him. It doesn't bode that well for us either because we'll have to fix his wheels and showcase him a good bit before anyone will give squat for him.

The best case scenario is that he has to rehab until about six weeks before the deadline and someone is desperate for a C for the rest of the year.

I know everyone thinks I'm silly for worrying about us winning too many games this season but I think its a serious problem if we have any significant scoring from the frontcourt. I expect our backcourt to be much improved on both ends of the floor and the overall team somewhat improved on D - so we have to lose ground somewhere. Having to rely on the Morrisses and Plumlee to score is about right, IMO.

 

[elindholm]

I wonder what Gortat's asking price will be?

He should ask for the max. If someone gives it to him, more power to him. If not, it doesn't make any difference what his asking price is -- he'll take whatever he gets.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Is this really what the NBA has come to?

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9...grees-new-deal-minnesota-timberwolves-sources

5 Years / $60 Million with a possible extra $8 million in incentive bonuses.

He did average 16pts & 9rebs per game last season, but that contract seems to be at least $4-6 million too high per season... I would've expected him to get a contract closer to $6-8 million per season at best.

why? a third year player averaging almost a double double and has room to grow and you expect that he would have only gotten 6-8 per season? that makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I've long figured Marcin was going to ask for a contract at about 12 mil per annum and Pek's deal will probably encourage him to ask for even more. My guess is that he will have to settle for 9-11 depending on the kind of year he has -- starting out with a bad foot doesn't bode well for him. It doesn't bode that well for us either because we'll have to fix his wheels and showcase him a good bit before anyone will give squat for him.

if he asks for this he's an idiot. He's MUCH older then Pekovic, looked incredibly mediocre last year and is injured. The idea that he could use a younger, better player's contract to ask for MORE money doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

 

[elindholm]

The Suns and Gortat have no long-term future together. The Suns should get what they can for him when the timing is right.

 

[Neo]

if he asks for this he's an idiot. He's MUCH older then Pekovic, looked incredibly mediocre last year and is injured. The idea that he could use a younger, better player's contract to ask for MORE money doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Saying 29-year-old Gortat is "MUCH" older than 27-year-old Pekovic is a bit of exaggeration. But I do agree that Gortat was very mediocre last year, while Pekovic has improved each of his three seasons in the league. Unless Gortat has a dramatic improvement this season, he ain't getting paid like Pekovic.

I personally hope that Gortat has an amazing contract-year season and we are able sucker some team into overpaying for him in a trade.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Saying 29-year-old Gortat is "MUCH" older than 27-year-old Pekovic is a bit of exaggeration. But I do agree that Gortat was very mediocre last year, while Pekovic has improved each of his three seasons in the league. Unless Gortat has a dramatic improvement this season, he ain't getting paid like Pekovic.

I personally hope that Gortat has an amazing contract-year season and we are able sucker some team into overpaying for him in a trade.

you're right. I didn't realize they were that close in age. thought Petrovic was younger because he was only in his third year.

still, I don't see how Gortat can point to that contract and expect more...or even the same amount considering his play, 2 years in age on him and injury.

 

[Neo]

The only thing that makes me think that Gortat may ask for that kind of money is that Gortat has a tendency towards unrealistic self-evaluation.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns and Gortat have no long-term future together. The Suns should get what they can for him when the timing is right.

It seems almost everyone is in agreement about this but I haven't talked to BC867 lately.

 

[elindholm]

The only thing that makes me think that Gortat may ask for that kind of money is that Gortat has a tendency towards unrealistic self-evaluation.

I must be missing something. What difference does it make what Gortat "asks" for? Unless he's willing to give the Suns a discount below his market value -- and I can't imagine why he would -- there's nothing for him and the Suns to talk about. Someone will pay him, heck, at least $9 million per year, if not quite a bit more, and the Suns shouldn't have any interest at that price tag, given where they are as a franchise.

 

[BC867]

It seems almost everyone is in agreement about this but I haven't talked to BC867 lately.

Hi Mainstreet. For a variety of reasons, Marcin Gortat has outlived his usefulness with the Suns. I guess that makes it unanimous.

Now . . . we are faced with a very tenuous situation at the Center position and, come to think of it, also at Power Forward.

The Suns could be the first team in NBA history to be out-rebounded in all 82 games of the season.

 

[Phrazbit]

Given Marcin's quote about expecting to leave and only renting a place this year, I think the Suns would certainly not get a loyalty discount and if anything it seems he prefers to leave.

IMO only way Gortat is a Sun in 2014/15 is if he gets hurt again (so they cant trade him) and generates almost no interest as a free agent.

As for this Pek thing, I dont get what Minny is doing. They make him an offer, he goes looking for better on the free agent market, not only does he not get a higher bidder... he gets NO bidders and at this point the only team left in the league with that kind of cap space is Philly and we know they are not interested. So, now Minny has all the leverage and what do they do? Outbid themselves.

These kinds of things baffle me. These are professionals running these teams... are they not?

 

[SirStefan32]

That seems like a reasonable deal for a legitimate Center who averaged close to a double-double. Big men get overpaid in general, but Pek is a legitimate Center who can score in the low post, is a pretty good rebounder, and isn't a terrible defender. $12M per year seems like a reasonable deal.

 

[tobiazz]

As for this Pek thing, I dont get what Minny is doing. They make him an offer, he goes looking for better on the free agent market, not only does he not get a higher bidder... he gets NO bidders and at this point the only team left in the league with that kind of cap space is Philly and we know they are not interested. So, now Minny has all the leverage and what do they do? Outbid themselves.

These kinds of things baffle me. These are professionals running these teams... are they not?

Pek has the same agent as Love, so there is probably some politicking going on.

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/8/15/4624468/nikola-pekovic-contract-timberwolves-kevin-love

 

[Mainstreet]

Hi Mainstreet. For a variety of reasons, Marcin Gortat has outlived his usefulness with the Suns. I guess that makes it unanimous.

Now . . . we are faced with a very tenuous situation at the Center position and, come to think of it, also at Power Forward.

The Suns could be the first team in NBA history to be out-rebounded in all 82 games of the season.

Unanimous it is.

It was nice to think early on that Gortat was going to fill that perpetual void the Suns usually have at center.

 

[PhxGametime]

I'm interested in what kind of offers Suns could get for Gortat. I was originally of opinion that the Suns needed a Rudy Gay, Nicolas Batum, Josh Smith, Tyreke Evans, Danilo Gallinari, etc. to add to roster and pick n roll star SG to have Dragic, Gortat, and 2 wings...

But with the way the offseason is going with new GM (adding young talent, Draft Picks, and assets) - the Harrison Barnes, Gordon Hayward, Chandler Parsons, Moe Harkless, John Henson, Terrence Ross, Chris Singleton, Iman Shumpert, Alec Burks, Jeremy Lamb, MarShon Brooks, Jae Crowder, Terrence Jones, Tony Wroten Jr. etc. - of the NBA intrigue me. I've always valued Draft Picks, as well heh.

 

[Gaddabout]

Saying 29-year-old Gortat is "MUCH" older than 27-year-old Pekovic is a bit of exaggeration.

It's not the same comparing NBA basketball players to, say, two plumbers, or two lawyers. I think 29 is much older than 27 in basketball, especially when it comes to low-post players.

 

[Phrazbit]

That seems like a reasonable deal for a legitimate Center who averaged close to a double-double. Big men get overpaid in general, but Pek is a legitimate Center who can score in the low post, is a pretty good rebounder, and isn't a terrible defender. $12M per year seems like a reasonable deal.

Yeah, they were offering around 12 to begin with supposedly, yes bigs get overpaid, and yeah, he is a solid player.

I'm not expecting he would have signed for peas since the market dried up, but why up their offer? especially by adding another year onto it. As a general rule I would want to limit my exposure of paying lumbering big men 8 figures into their 30s. I just dont get why they bid against themselves.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah, they were offering around 12 to begin with supposedly, yes bigs get overpaid, and yeah, he is a solid player.

I'm not expecting he would have signed for peas since the market dried up, but why up their offer? especially by adding another year onto it. As a general rule I would want to limit my exposure of paying lumbering big men 8 figures into their 30s. I just dont get why they bid against themselves.

It's the Childress and Beasley phenomena at work.

 

[Neo]

I must be missing something. What difference does it make what Gortat "asks" for? Unless he's willing to give the Suns a discount below his market value -- and I can't imagine why he would -- there's nothing for him and the Suns to talk about. Someone will pay him, heck, at least $9 million per year, if not quite a bit more, and the Suns shouldn't have any interest at that price tag, given where they are as a franchise.

Excellent point. In a moment of insanity, I responded as if what NBA players asks for has relevance or is somehow connected to reality. Clearly that is not the case.

I agree that regardless of what he asks for the Suns should not be giving a lot of money to a big man with bad foot and who will soon be on the wrong side of 30 and whose stats have dropped of considerably. If we can get anything that will help the Suns in the future without taking on a bad contract as part of the deal, then we should do it. Otherwise, let his contract expire and let someone else overpay for the "Polish Machine."

 

[Errntknght]

Neo:

Otherwise, let his contract expire and let someone else overpay for the "Polish Machine."

Why give him the opportunity of hurting our draft position next year? Its not like Hornacek is going to let him sit when the team needs some offense from the frontcourt players. As I've been saying all summer, we need to get rid of him even if we don't get anything in return - I don't imagine McD quite agrees with that since it would be a blot on his resume. Five more wins could make a world of difference - in order to be sure be of drafting in the top 5 we need to have one of the three worst records.

At the moment it looks like Philly and Milwaukee are the only two teams that are tanking, besides us, but as soon as Wash, Cleve, NO, and Charlotte see they aren't competitive for the playoffs they'll try to dive - and they have lots of experience at being bad.