Wesley Matthews may be paid the max

[Draco]

Roughly half the NBA teams could have max cap room this summer; but there are only a couple of elite players that are locks to get the max contracts. Gasol, Aldridge, Butler, Love, Kawhi will get those deals but are likely staying with their current teams. Teams such as the Lakers, Knicks, Celtics, Spurs, Magic, Pistons will have tons of cap room and a desire to spend it on a quality starter. The cap will be going up in future summers so it will be a case where those teams can sign a max player in 2015 and still have max cap room again the following summer in 2016 when Durant and others are free agents.

Wesley may be one of those second tier free agents that a team offers the max to try and lure him away from Portland. Chandler Parsons and Gordon Haywood received max contracts last summer. Eric Gordon and Josh Smith received max deals the year prior.

Obviously resigning Aldridge is priority #1 this offseason so I'll assume that is done right on July 1st. Supposedly he and the team have agreed he will receive a 5 year max deal. But keeping Wesley appears to be priority #2 and of course Lopez is priority #3.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Man people are sure going to bitch about Wes when he makes Max since they already bitch about Nic and he doesn't even make Max.

 

[DaLincolnJones]

well said Draco

Besides, Paul can afford to reward Wes for his hard work with as big of a check as Wes deserves

 

[BigGameDamian]

I'll say this, I bet the Cavs will be one team with Lebron that will be banging down Wesley's door this summer.

 

[Denny Crane]

It looks to me like the cavs have $88M in committed payroll this summer. They're not offering anyone MAX money.

 

[julius]

I'll say this, I bet the Cavs will be one team with Lebron that will be banging down Wesley's door this summer.

with what money? They only way they can afford him is if they renounce Love and LeBron.

 

[Natebishop3]

I don't know if it will be max money, but he's due for a large pay raise. I think both Rolo AND Wes will get significant pay upgrades.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I love Wes, he's one of my favorite players...but Max Money? Don't think so.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I love Wes, he's one of my favorite players...but Max Money? Don't think so.

Don't think so here or don't think so period? Legit chance someone tries to give him Max just to convince him to leave. He seems loyal though. He might spurn them and take our offer if it is close.

 

[PDXFonz]

Don't think so here or don't think so period? Legit chance someone tries to give him Max just to convince him to leave. He seems loyal though. He might spurn them and take our offer if it is close.

I agree. In fact I think he, rolo, and aldridge all sign 1 year contracts and then get a raise the next year when the cap increases, assuming there is no regression at least.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I agree. In fact I think he, rolo, and aldridge all sign 1 year contracts and then get a raise the next year when the cap increases, assuming there is no regression at least.

Kind of risky. One major knee injury and it could blow up in their face.

 

[magnifier661]

I voted no because he ain't a franchise player. Only franchise players get max money

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Don't think so here or don't think so period? Legit chance someone tries to give him Max just to convince him to leave. He seems loyal though. He might spurn them and take our offer if it is close.

I wouldn't expect him to leave money on the table. I'm thinking some place like Milwaukee trys to go after him.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I wouldn't expect him to leave money on the table. I'm thinking some place like Milwaukee trys to go after him.

So in that case you think we should let him go? Remember, even if we do let him walk we will be over the cap so won't have money to replace him via free agency.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Man people are sure going to bitch about Wes when he makes Max since they already bitch about Nic and he doesn't even make Max.

ok? Nic is playing like shit this year, not living up to his contract. If Wes makes max and doesnt live up to his contract he deserves criticism. Not that hard to understand.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

ok? Nic is playing like shit this year, not living up to his contract. If Wes makes max and doesnt live up to his contract he deserves criticism. Not that hard to understand.

Wes isn't going to live up to Max because only 5 or so players in the whole league live up to their Max contract. If he doesn't live up to Max he can still do very well and not deserve criticism.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

So in that case you think we should let him go? Remember, even if we do let him walk we will be over the cap so won't have money to replace him via free agency.

I can't answer that right now. I'll trust Olshey on that one. My preference is to keep him, but we'll be entering a situation of having a repeater tax in all likely scenarios once we max out Aldridge and Lillard.

 

[blue9]

Keeping Wes is more important than keeping LMA. There simply aren't many good SGs in the league.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Keeping Wes is more important than keeping LMA. There simply aren't many good SGs in the league.

I do not agree. LMA can hold his own with any PF in the league. He's very important to this team. Wes is equally as important, and I think he is the most important for the mental toughness factor.

 

[H.C.]

Keeping Wes is more important than keeping LMA. There simply aren't many good SGs in the league.

Obvious troll.

 

[blue9]

I do not agree. LMA can hold his own with any PF in the league. He's very important to this team. Wes is equally as important, and I think he is the most important for the mental toughness factor.

So he's equally important, and then in addition to his equally important play he's "the most important for...mental toughness", which would make him more important overall. Right?

 

[magnifier661]

Keeping Wes is more important than keeping LMA. There simply aren't many good SGs in the league.

I couldn't disagree more. I love Wes to death, but if I were to choose between one or the other it would be Aldridge. Deciding Matthews over Aldridge can get a GM fired and the team be the laughing stock of the NBA

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Wes isn't going to live up to Max because only 5 or so players in the whole league live up to their Max contract. If he doesn't live up to Max he can still do very well and not deserve criticism.

I disagree. Guys like LeBron and harden are worth more than max contracts. Wes and his skill set is worth whatever someone is willing to pay him. Once he gets paid max dollars, if he continues playing as he currently is, I'd be happy. He is an absolute bargain right now

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I disagree. Guys like LeBron and harden are worth more than max contracts. Wes and his skill set is worth whatever someone is willing to pay him. Once he gets paid max dollars, if he continues playing as he currently is, I'd be happy. He is an absolute bargain right now

That is cool and I lean that way as well but there are going to be plenty of people who bag on him when/if he makes Max and only plays exactly the way he is now. So we could easily be in the minority.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

No matter what the exact dollar amount of the contract it's pretty cool that Wes is going to be the highest paid undrafted player in the NBA if not all professional sports.

 

[Natebishop3]

Here's the problem (and the reason why Wes is going to be worth so much), there simply aren't that many good shooting guards in the league right now. Klay Thompson would be an average shooting guard 15 years ago. We are in a real drought at that position, while point guard is saturated. So a guy like Wes, who plays both directions and is in his prime, will be worth his weight in gold on the open market. Unfortunately we're going to end up paying through the teeth to keep him. And while I really like Wes, he would have been a role player in the late 90's. Now he's one of the best at his position.

 

[Strenuus]

Here's the problem (and the reason why Wes is going to be worth so much), there simply aren't that many good shooting guards in the league right now. Klay Thompson would be an average shooting guard 15 years ago. We are in a real drought at that position, while point guard is saturated. So a guy like Wes, who plays both directions and is in his prime, will be worth his weight in gold on the open market. Unfortunately we're going to end up paying through the teeth to keep him. And while I really like Wes, he would have been a role player in the late 90's. Now he's one of the best at his position.

You make it sound like it's his fault he plays in this time. Who cares who would have been what in the 90s... he's good.

 

[Natebishop3]

You make it sound like it's his fault he plays in this time. Who cares who would have been what in the 90s... he's good.

What are you even talking about? I'm simply saying that it's a seller's market. Good for him. I'm not saying it's anyone's fault. I'm explaining why he will most likely get a fairly large contract. Conversely, 15 years ago, there were a lot of really good shooting guards in the NBA and Wes would have been average.

 

[tlongII]

Sign him. To do otherwise is idiocy.

 

[Natebishop3]

Just for comparison:

The 2000-2001 NBA All-Star game included

Kobe
Reggie Miller
Allan Houston
Ray Allen
Jerry Stackhouse
Allen Iverson
Eddie Jones
Michael Finley

With the exception of maybe Eddie Jones, those are all max level guys. You could make a similar list of point guards in the current NBA.