[llperez]

just been looking around the last handful of years at how much non-all-star level centers have been getting paid.

I mean tiago splitter just signed this summer for 4 years and 36 mill. I know the heat weren’t a great matchup for a traditional big, but did anyone NOT think the spurs got dramatically better every time splitter went to the bench?

Bogut is a very solid center but also injury prone and he just got 3 years for 36 mill this summer.

The thunder just paid ibaka 12 mill per season after locking up perkins for 8 mill per season a few years ago. It’s funny to me that everyone says they had to choose between ibaka and harden, but in reality they set the ball in motion to lose harden when they gave perk 8 mill per for a guy who to me should be at best closer to the mid level exception. Now harden is super staring it up elsewhere.

Omer Asik will make 15 million in the 2014-15 season to be a backup. And even if Dwight wasn’t there, was asik ever worth paying 15 mill in any given season?

The wolves just gave pekovic 12 mill per. He’s solid and maybe he gets better. But right now, I don’t see a lot of upside with him and the fact he is not a rim protector who plays alongside another non rim protector in love makes it hard to commit so much to him.

There are a few other names I could throw on here, but these are some of the biggest surprises to me.

Are teams over valuing bigs in an era where there are few dominant bigs but plenty of capable role playing bigs to be had for less money?

If Im guys like greg Monroe and demarcus cousins, Im taking no less then the max of around 15 mill per based on what the market is.

[bigblackNbeautifulParticipant]

Good solid bigs are the rarest thing on the planet. To be an Nba athlete in a 7’0″ frame is one of the rarest combination in the world. That is why you see so many European bigs in the league is simply isn’t that many 7’0″ basketball players on the planet so if you are one they will find you. This is why you draft centers high and reach on unproven centers if they show any signs of athletic ability even if they cant make a 10 footer constantly. The demand for a top ten big is such an important and rare thing that they tend to make alot more than deeper positions like sf and pg cause other than the elite players those guys are a dime a dozen.

[bigblackNbeautifulParticipant]

Good solid bigs are the rarest thing on the planet. To be an Nba athlete in a 7’0″ frame is one of the rarest combination in the world. That is why you see so many European bigs in the league is simply isn’t that many 7’0″ basketball players on the planet so if you are one they will find you. This is why you draft centers high and reach on unproven centers if they show any signs of athletic ability even if they cant make a 10 footer constantly. The demand for a top ten big is such an important and rare thing that they tend to make alot more than deeper positions like sf and pg cause other than the elite players those guys are a dime a dozen.

[llperez]

I agree. But do you honestly defend any of the contracts I brought up above? You don’t think it would be better to search around for mid level and under centers then commit long term for big $ to guys who are nowhere near all-stars? You think the bulls took a big hit losing asik while the rockets got their money’s worth? That if the the spurs lost tiago splitter, that anyone would suddenly think their team went drastically backwards? That the wolves couldn’t have just signed Kaman for 3 mill or kept steisma for 3 mill and used the extra 9 mill elsewhere instead of locking down pekovic?

[llperez]

I agree. But do you honestly defend any of the contracts I brought up above? You don’t think it would be better to search around for mid level and under centers then commit long term for big $ to guys who are nowhere near all-stars? You think the bulls took a big hit losing asik while the rockets got their money’s worth? That if the the spurs lost tiago splitter, that anyone would suddenly think their team went drastically backwards? That the wolves couldn’t have just signed Kaman for 3 mill or kept steisma for 3 mill and used the extra 9 mill elsewhere instead of locking down pekovic?

[TomShoeParticipant]

Did you just call Tiago Splitter overpaid?

‘Scuse me one sec’, I’ve gotta go get my fanboy pants.

[TomShoeParticipant]

Did you just call Tiago Splitter overpaid?

‘Scuse me one sec’, I’ve gotta go get my fanboy pants.

[frogmanParticipant]

Well you state that Asik will be getting $15 million next year which is true but it is backloaded so look at it for what it is and that’s an $8 million/year contract. I’d actually argue that he is underpaid when you look at his stats from last year and take into account his excellent defence.

[frogmanParticipant]

Well you state that Asik will be getting $15 million next year which is true but it is backloaded so look at it for what it is and that’s an $8 million/year contract. I’d actually argue that he is underpaid when you look at his stats from last year and take into account his excellent defence.

[JoeWolf1]

 The NBA has only gone smaller as a necessity. The small 5 isn’t the future, it’s the present. Any team starting a 6’9” 230 lb big man dreams of having an agile 7 footer who can seal off his man, own the paint, and hit a free throw. Like another poster pointed out, they are incredibly rare, and I think one main reason today’s true 5’s are overpaid, is that teams hope they can turn a promising center into a very good or great one, and they’re willing to put out the money to make sure no one else beats them to it.

 

[JoeWolf1]

 The NBA has only gone smaller as a necessity. The small 5 isn’t the future, it’s the present. Any team starting a 6’9” 230 lb big man dreams of having an agile 7 footer who can seal off his man, own the paint, and hit a free throw. Like another poster pointed out, they are incredibly rare, and I think one main reason today’s true 5’s are overpaid, is that teams hope they can turn a promising center into a very good or great one, and they’re willing to put out the money to make sure no one else beats them to it.

 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

If you want to beat the Heat (and LeBron isn’t retiring anytime soon), a team better be able to have their center hang 20+ on the Heat in a playoff series and the ability to play big boy playoff defense that doesn’t allow to the Heat to either score or assist from the paint the entire game. If one assumes the Thunder return to 2012 form with a healthy Durant, Westbrook, and another scorer to be determined later (my guess is it will still be Lamb), a similar story will be true in the West. Memphis beat them up OKC inside. There is a glass ceiling for teams who don’t have a front line because they can’t win 4 of 7 from Miami if you allow them to play in their comfort zone.

I think Greg Monroe is going to get paid close to a max deal, probably from Detroit, but there is no reason for Dumars to do it now. In as much as I think adding Josh Smith will allow the Pistons to protect themselves from Drummond’s limitations (can’t have a 40% free throw shooter on the floor with the game on the line) while maximizing his great physical gifts, they still need to make sure they can function offensively for probably 10-20 minutes a night with a lineup of Smith, Monroe, and Drummond together. Josh Smith isn’t going to make 3-7 from three every night. Chauncey won’t be 4-5 every night. It is impossible to know how Datome and Jennings fit with them at this point, and KCP is still in his professional infancy. The season will allow them to see how it works.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

If you want to beat the Heat (and LeBron isn’t retiring anytime soon), a team better be able to have their center hang 20+ on the Heat in a playoff series and the ability to play big boy playoff defense that doesn’t allow to the Heat to either score or assist from the paint the entire game. If one assumes the Thunder return to 2012 form with a healthy Durant, Westbrook, and another scorer to be determined later (my guess is it will still be Lamb), a similar story will be true in the West. Memphis beat them up OKC inside. There is a glass ceiling for teams who don’t have a front line because they can’t win 4 of 7 from Miami if you allow them to play in their comfort zone.

I think Greg Monroe is going to get paid close to a max deal, probably from Detroit, but there is no reason for Dumars to do it now. In as much as I think adding Josh Smith will allow the Pistons to protect themselves from Drummond’s limitations (can’t have a 40% free throw shooter on the floor with the game on the line) while maximizing his great physical gifts, they still need to make sure they can function offensively for probably 10-20 minutes a night with a lineup of Smith, Monroe, and Drummond together. Josh Smith isn’t going to make 3-7 from three every night. Chauncey won’t be 4-5 every night. It is impossible to know how Datome and Jennings fit with them at this point, and KCP is still in his professional infancy. The season will allow them to see how it works.

[JordoParticipant]

Wish I was 7 feet tall. Someone would pay me big bucks to be 21, tall, and have “upside”. Even if I didn’t pan out.

[JordoParticipant]

Wish I was 7 feet tall. Someone would pay me big bucks to be 21, tall, and have “upside”. Even if I didn’t pan out.

[goldie92689Participant]

Remember John Koncak, Raef Lafrentz, Jerome James, Bryant Reeves, Jim Mcilvane, Eric Dampier, lol, This is not a new phenomenon.

[ChrispyParticipant]

was his nickname because of that crazy deal.

[ChrispyParticipant]

was his nickname because of that crazy deal.

[CynthiaParticipant]

Don’t forget Adonal Foyle! He made like 7-8 mil/year for the Warriors.

[CynthiaParticipant]

Don’t forget Adonal Foyle! He made like 7-8 mil/year for the Warriors.

[goldie92689Participant]

Remember John Koncak, Raef Lafrentz, Jerome James, Bryant Reeves, Jim Mcilvane, Eric Dampier, lol, This is not a new phenomenon.

[CavFanPRParticipant]

I’m glad my cavs gave Andrew Bynum that two year deal. It could turn out to be a great investment and he is already showing signs of great things to come!

[CavFanPRParticipant]

I’m glad my cavs gave Andrew Bynum that two year deal. It could turn out to be a great investment and he is already showing signs of great things to come!

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