Hollinger on ALdridge (Sergio was his good friend?)

[MIXUM]

From his Blazer preview on Insider


4. Aldridge and his contract situation
Is LaMarcus Aldridge happy that his contract extension is taking so long? No. Will it all be water under the bridge if it gets done by opening day? Almost certainly.

But will he sulk if he doesn't get paid? Ay, there's the rub. If Portland and Aldridge can't strike a deal by Oct. 31, Aldridge will become a restricted free agent after the season. That would give Portland one more player heading into the season pursuing an individual agenda in addition to -- or perhaps instead of -- team goals.

They're managing it fine so far, but the numbers start to get unwieldy if you lump in Aldridge. Already nine players think they should be starting and roughly five of them probably won't be real happy with their minutes. Throw in a No. 2 scorer who might think he needs more shots for his walk year and things could get pretty hairy for McMillan.

It probably doesn't help that one of his best friends on the Blazers was point guard Sergio Rodriguez, who felt he got less than a fair shake in Portland, or that Aldridge is the type to retreat into a shell if he feels slighted (here's a good example). Roy and McMillan both said they've counseled Aldridge not to take it personally, but if a deal doesn't get done, he probably will.

"I didn't think it would take this long," Aldridge said. "I thought that after what we did last year, having 54 wins … it wouldn't be this hard to get it done. But it is. I can't say that I'm happy about it."


Im starting to feel like ALdridge will want out if he doesnt get his deal done.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Yeah, I seem to remember that Chacho was well liked in the locker room and that he and LMA were indeed "friends" on the team. I think Hollinger is making more out of it than is really there, but there's no question LMA isn't happy with the way his contract talks have gone; he probably thought this would be settled by mid-July at the latest.

 

[MIXUM]

i think the blazers better get this done. im starting to get a bad feeling about this season. you dont want any issues with roy and LA.

if blake, pryz, wesbter are upset... you can live with it.

Aldridge, Rudy, and Roy would be a problem. No room for that.

Oden has to earn it.

Outlaw... dont let the door hit ya. who cares.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm not to the "getting a bad feeling" stage, because I think if comes down to the eleventh hour we'll see KP, Larry Miller and/or Allen (whomever is calling the shots) compromise on LMA's demands; the guy is likely to get a really good sized restricted free agent offer that the team will be forced to match next year anyway, and the million dollar or so wiggle room they might be saving themselves probably isn't worth the potential trouble of having LMA playing out a contract year looking to get his versus maybe fitting into a more team oriented game.

The other thing to think about is that signing an extension is probably in LaMarcus' best interest anyway, since the salary cap is expected to shrink by up to 6 or 7 million dollars next summer -- it'll get done, have a little bit of faith (tough I know for a Bills fan).

 

[Enzo Aix]

Whith a qustion like "are you happy it takin so long for the conrtract to be done" what would you think he would say " oh boy I'm so glad it has takin so long I really don't want that money right now" so of course he is going to be upset that it not done. So chill out about it it will happen!

 

[maxiep]

Count me as not worried at all. The hangup is the NBAPU. For some reason they don't want an extension as a percentage of the salary cap. If they wouldn't have objected, the deal would be done by now.

 

[Boob-No-More]

The hangup is the NBAPU. For some reason they don't want an extension as a percentage of the salary cap.

Because they know the cap is likely to go down. They'd much prefer the standard fixed contract with max. annual raises. That way the player's salary is always going up, regardless of the cap situation. If they allow contracts that are a percentage of the cap, the annual salary for that player could go down every year - and every salary that goes down means things like the MLE also go down. The last thing the NBAPU wants is decreasing salaries for it's members - regardless of the economy.

BNM

 

[BlazersBlood]

It's not an issue. It's a business. Everyday LMA is out there practicing, he's risking injury and potentially a huge payday. That guaranteed money is a nice thing. If he pouts, he won't get paid. He has to produce. He doesn't really have a choice.

 

[Natebishop3]

I don't understand all this talk about contracts. A lot of players don't re-up until after their rookie contracts have expired. I don't understand why LMA is so pissed. He's on the verge of being an All-Star. His value would go up that much more if he makes the team this year. If I were him, I'd be wanting to wait and see if I can get my big pay day after this season. Obviously there's a risk if injury, but this team has never been one to cut a man loose just because he's injured. Pendergraph is a perfect example of that.

 

[BlazerWookee]

If they allow contracts that are a percentage of the cap, the annual salary for that player could go down every year - and every salary that goes down means things like the MLE also go down.

That's not how it would work. Only the first year would be set as a percentage of the max, then the maximum increases would be applied to that amount. Future cap numbers would have no effect on the contract once the amount was set.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't understand all this talk about contracts. A lot of players don't re-up until after their rookie contracts have expired. I don't understand why LMA is so pissed. He's on the verge of being an All-Star. His value would go up that much more if he makes the team this year. If I were him, I'd be wanting to wait and see if I can get my big pay day after this season. Obviously there's a risk if injury, but this team has never been one to cut a man loose just because he's injured. Pendergraph is a perfect example of that.

I think with him it's more of a respect thing ... and probably wanting the security of knowing it's done and to also know that he's truly wanted by the organization. Oddly enough, he may be less motivated by mercenary instincts than most guys would be in his position.

 

[MARIS61]

It's not an issue. It's a business. Everyday LMA is out there practicing, he's risking injury and potentially a huge payday. That guaranteed money is a nice thing. If he pouts, he won't get paid. He has to produce. He doesn't really have a choice.

Wrong.

He has a contract and will be paid in full whatever mood he adopts.

If we don't get an extension done to his satisfaction he can pout for 2 years, then sign the inevitable Max contract he will be offered by numerous teams.

Personally, I think most players cheat themselves when they sign extensions.

 

[Chuck Taylor]

Wrong.

He has a contract and will be paid in full whatever mood he adopts.

If we don't get an extension done to his satisfaction he can pout for 2 years, then sign the inevitable Max contract he will be offered by numerous teams.

Personally, I think most players cheat themselves when they sign extensions.

Wrong.

Clearly BlazersBlood doesn't think LMA is going to void his current contract by pouting. But attitude problems, and especially injuries, could jeopardize his future worth.

 

[Boob-No-More]

That's not how it would work. Only the first year would be set as a percentage of the max, then the maximum increases would be applied to that amount. Future cap numbers would have no effect on the contract once the amount was set.

Well, the cap is expected to go down next July - and if Aldridge's new contract extension, which won't go into affect until the 2010-11 season, is based on a percentage of next year's cap, the first year will be lower by whatever amount the cap goes down. Thus, his first year salary, under the extension, will be lower, and so will every year after that (since all subsequent increases will be a percentage of that first year's salary).

BNM

 

[maxiep]

Well, the cap is expected to go down next July - and if Aldridge's new contract extension, which won't go into affect until the 2010-11 season, is based on a percentage of next year's cap, the first year will be lower by whatever amount the cap goes down. Thus, his first year salary, under the extension, will be lower, and so will every year after that (since all subsequent increases will be a percentage of that first year's salary).

BNM

By that logic, Roy shouldn't have signed his max deal. After all, it's based on a percentage of the salary cap.