Jazz Fans' Comments On The Matthews Signing....

[Nikolokolus]

Full MLE for a backup SG/SF boggles my mind; especially considering how many players we already have at those spots. I'd rather have Marty and his (now, seemingly more reasonable) contract.

About Rudy, I don't really see a need on the roster to fill (we seem to have all skills/positions covered), but if we're gonna clear up some room for Matthews, we should deal Rudy for a backup PF who can score in the paint.

Yeah it is a lot of money, but at least his contract is really only completely atrocious in the first year (because of the signing bonus), after that he shouldn't be impossible to move if the need arises ... I remain pretty neutral with respect to what kind of impact he'll have on the team's overall success.

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

Full MLE for a backup SG/SF boggles my mind; especially considering how many players we already have at those spots. I'd rather have Marty and his (now, seemingly more reasonable) contract.

About Rudy, I don't really see a need on the roster to fill (we seem to have all skills/positions covered), but if we're gonna clear up some room for Matthews, we should deal Rudy for a backup PF who can score in the paint.

Does anyone know if Matthews could even play at the SF spot? The reason I ask is I always saw this signing as a 20+ mpg backing up some of Batum's minutes along with Roy's. I know we all call him a "SG", but the wings seem like they should be pretty interchangeable for two top perimeter defenders like Batum and Matthews.

 

[mook]

.483 FG%, .383 3FG%, 83% FT.

Very good perimeter defense.

23 years old (24 in a few months).

If we were going to drop a big long contract on a role player, I'd go with somebody who could shoot efficiently, have nice perimeter defense, and still have a ton of upside.

Matthews completely fits the bill. We overpaid, but I'm happy we did.

Also, that we overpaid to get a high quality role player bodes extremely well for Paul Allen's willingness to lay out more cash down the road (provided he's still alive) to continue improving the team.

 

[RipCityInsider]

Does anyone know if Matthews could even play at the SF spot? The reason I ask is I always saw this signing as a 20+ mpg backing up some of Batum's minutes along with Roy's. I know we all call him a "SG", but the wings seem like they should be pretty interchangeable for two top perimeter defenders like Batum and Matthews.

I believe he played SF in college.

 

[mook]

Does anyone know if Matthews could even play at the SF spot? The reason I ask is I always saw this signing as a 20+ mpg backing up some of Batum's minutes along with Roy's. I know we all call him a "SG", but the wings seem like they should be pretty interchangeable for two top perimeter defenders like Batum and Matthews.

Well, there's this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Matthews

Wesley was the biggest of the "three amigos", the three guards in the starting lineup for Marquette. This trio, Dominic James, Jerel McNeal, and Matthews, started nearly every game together from their freshman year onwards. Matthews ranked 7th in the nation in free throw percentage during the 2007–2008 season. With the lack of height in the 2008–2009 season at Marquette, Matthews learned to play bigger and became one of the most dominant players in the nation while driving to the basket.

 

[blazerboy30]

Full MLE for a backup SG/SF boggles my mind; especially considering how many players we already have at those spots. I'd rather have Marty and his (now, seemingly more reasonable) contract.

About Rudy, I don't really see a need on the roster to fill (we seem to have all skills/positions covered), but if we're gonna clear up some room for Matthews, we should deal Rudy for a backup PF who can score in the paint.

Not to be an ass, but why do you care what the contract was? If we had offered 75% of the MLE, we can't use the 25% elsewhere. It was a question of who we wanted to get with the MLE, and we got him. We are over the cap, and as long as Paul Allen doesn't mind paying the luxury tax, why should we care?

 

[illmatic99]

Not to be an ass, but why do you care what the contract was? If we had offered 75% of the MLE, we can't use the 25% elsewhere.

Really? I was under the impression that teams could use portions of the MLE to sign multiple players.

It was a question of who we wanted to get with the MLE, and we got him. We are over the cap, and as long as Paul Allen doesn't mind paying the luxury tax, why should we care?

Well, if we completely fuck up with this roster in the upcoming seasons and have to rebuild, or if we want to move around some pieces to get a different look, or even if we want to throw in Wes as a filler in a trade, his contract could be an obstacle.

But if he shows a game that actually warrants that contract, all this is moot.

 

[blazerboy30]

Really? I was under the impression that teams could use portions of the MLE to sign multiple players.

I believe the MLE can only be used on a single player. Perhaps I'm wrong.

Well, if we completely fuck up with this roster in the upcoming seasons and have to rebuild, or if we want to move around some pieces to get a different look, or even if we want to throw in Wes as a filler in a trade, his contract could be an obstacle.

But since we get $9million of it out of the way the first year, the remaining years of the contract will likely be pretty reasonable yearly numbers, and might be very desirable in a trade.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Really? I was under the impression that teams could use portions of the MLE to sign multiple players.


Well, if we completely fuck up with this roster in the upcoming seasons and have to rebuild, or if we want to move around some pieces to get a different look, or even if we want to throw in Wes as a filler in a trade, his contract could be an obstacle.[/QUOTE]

Or his 6 million a year salary could be a bonus if we are trying to match someone like Cp3's salary and we need to package a few players.

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

I believe the MLE can only be used on a single player. Perhaps I'm wrong.



But since we get $9million of it out of the way the first year, the remaining years of the contract will likely be pretty reasonable yearly numbers, and might be very desirable in a trade.

Correct. I agree with Blazerboy30 in this. Being over the cap, we only have 1 shot at an MLE, and 1 shot at the bi-annual expception. So all we do by frontloading that contract and using full MLE is use all of our MLE on the one available player and lose some of Paul Allen's money (nothing to us fans). And later years aren't too out of alignment with what we have expiring anyway, we'll just be paying him the salary he finally would have been getting when he actually gets to his peak.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Really? I was under the impression that teams could use portions of the MLE to sign multiple players.

Yup, but with a roster this overloaded, who would we have gotten for 25% of the mid-level? That's less than 2 million per year ...

Well, if we completely fuck up with this roster in the upcoming seasons and have to rebuild, or if we want to move around some pieces to get a different look, or even if we want to throw in Wes as a filler in a trade, his contract could be an obstacle.

But if he shows a game that actually warrants that contract, all this is moot.

Actually his contract isn't quite the obstacle you're making it out to be. He's only going to be making about 6 million per year (even with raises) every year after this; given the nature of the CBA and the way that trades have to match up in terms of salary he probably makes it easier to move (somewhat paradoxically).

If all he does is shoot a high percentage, play credible wing defense and hustle he'll add value to the team ... probably not enough to fully justify the pricetag, but we're not talking about an over-the-hill full MLE guy like James Posey entering his decline.

 

[KingSpeed]

OK, funny post.

But Roy isn't playing PG. We'll see how good a player he turns out to be. But one thing is for certain. He's a SG. And if you think he's going to be a 'mello' stopper, then take more pills.

A couple weeks ago, Roy himself said he would be playing more point guard this season.

 

[Nikolokolus]

A couple weeks ago, Roy himself said he would be playing more point guard this season.

Huh? When did he say this? All I remember is his interview when he was in Vegas and he made it a point to say that he was working on his off-the-ball game, not that he needed to play point guard or handle the ball more than he already does.

 

[Minstrel]

I believe the MLE can only be used on a single player. Perhaps I'm wrong.

You can divide up the MLE among more than one player, as I recall.

Basketball Prospectus did a study last year and found that full MLE contracts tend to be the worst free agent values. Players signed to full MLE contracts rarely are anywhere close to worth it. That said, even if I think that Matthews is likely to continue that trend, I still think it is worth the risk if Allen is willing to pay the freight (without skimping on re-signing players like Oden and Batum). As you said, and I've noted before, once you're over the cap, you're over the cap. It doesn't really have any significance to team-building whether you're over by $1 or $100 million as long as the owner can afford it, with luxury tax.

On the small chance that Matthews turns out to be a good player, it's worth going for.

 

[RipCityInsider]

Huh? When did he say this? All I remember is his interview when he was in Vegas and he made it a point to say that he was working on his off-the-ball game, not that he needed to play point guard or handle the ball more than he already does.

In the interview he said he was going to work on his off the ball game as well as improving with the ball in his hands. He never stated he is going to be playing Point Guard, however he mentioned he will talk to Nate about lineups with Batum and Matthews on the floor together. Hence, the assumption Roy could be playing PG with those two on the floor at times.

 

[Nikolokolus]

In the interview he said he was going to work on his off the ball game as well as improving with the ball in his hands. He never stated he is going to be playing Point Guard, however he mentioned he will talk to Nate about lineups with Batum and Matthews on the floor together. Hence, the assumption Roy could be playing PG with those two on the floor at times.

That sounds like an end-of-game kind of scenario ... which I think is probably a good idea, especially given Batum and Matthews catch and shoot ability on the wing.

 

[RipCityInsider]

That sounds like an end-of-game kind of scenario ... which I think is probably a good idea, especially given Batum and Matthews catch and shoot ability on the wing.

Yes or at points during the game when you need a defensive unit on the floor. I think some got a little carried away and starting debating whether Roy should play 20+ minutes at the PG spot a game when in reality, he would play spot minutes to allow Matthews and Batum on the floor together at times.