[kuphal_99Participant]

Watching him get thrown down on last night reminds me of something.  I still see people on here rip on the Darko $20 million contract yet everyone forgets Haywood got 6 years $55 million.  That is an infinitely worse contract.  $9 mil/year for 4.4 pts and 5.1 reb a game.  What a joke!

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

If the Mavericks end up losing in the play-offs. If they do indeed win it all, than I am sure they are cool with whatever they paid anyone. Here, let me break it down for you:

Darko signed his 4 year contract for 20 million or so, which honestly, is not bad. By real world standards, it is atrocious. But, by NBA standards, he is making less than average money. Meanwhile, he is a decent rebounder and shot blocker, but pretty much a below average starter who all in all, should be coming off of the bench. Proof is in the pudding, Darko was the starting Center on the worst team in the league.

Meanwhile, Brendan Haywood did indeed sign for a lot more money than Darko, but he has played a much more crucial role on some play-off teams before doing so. Haywood is incredibly long and a solid inside presence, and while he only averages about 18 mpg, having him as a back-up to the surprising Tyson Chandler has paid huge dividends for the Mavericks. He is a better defender and rebounder than Darko, and is also the teams leading shot blocker, altering many shots as well. He is a foul machine, but he has been a great player to have due to his length and his defensive activity, and I believe having his presence at back-up has been a key part of the Mavs postseason success.

Indeed, he is no Dirk Nowitzki or Tyson Chandler, but he is certainly looking better than having Darko. As long as your team is winning, I think it is difficult to complain about salary. Not to mention, his deal is 5 years for 41.5 million, with his 6th year being a team option for 10 million, which you would have to guess by than, they would decline. So, that is a lot more money than Darko, and may be a bad deal, but Haywood played a solid role on Washington before being traded to Dallas and has been a much more solid Center than Darko and his team is a possible Finals contender.

If you are happier saving money rather than winning, than by all means gloat over the thriftiness of Darko’s contract by comparison. But, as of right now, whatever money the Mavericks may have overpaid for Haywood seems to be working out quite well. Also, Tyson Chandler is in the last year of his deal, and while you would think that Dallas has been a nice place for him, he might indeed choose to go to a team offering a more lucrative deal. I am not endorsing Dallas overpaying for Brendan Haywood, but I have a feeling he was a player in demand who had just come off of a season where he averaged 9 points, 9 boards and 2 blocks per game. Tyson relegated him to a bench role this year, hence his decline in production.

Darko meanwhile, averaged 8.8, 5.2 and 2 blocks per game this year. So, while his statistics were somewhat comparable to Haywood as a starter, Brendan Haywood is a monster on the offensive and defensive boards, an area where Darko clearly struggles. Yes, Darko plays with Kevin Love, but Dallas has had constant problems with creating second chance points for years, so their is an understanding as to why they might pay handsomely for a solution. So, was their reason to laugh at Darko’s contract? I would say not, I think the people that did probably were just upset over a very average NBA player and acclaimed draft bust making 5 million per year, and more than likely did not know that this was actually below average by NBA standards. But, is Darko better than Brendan Haywood? I think, and I know many may disagree due to this past seasons statistics, that Darko is not. I am sure Dallas is quite happy paying Brendan Haywood the extra 2.6 million dollars he made this year more than Darko (6.9-4.3 million), and if they win the championships, he is worth every penny. Even if they do not, he has played a nice role in giving Dallas some length and defensive presence they have lacked for the entire Nowitzki era until this season with he and Tyson Chandler.

Salaries taken from hoopshype.com: http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries.htm

[ghettosermonParticipant]

Well if the Mavs can’t retain Chandler, Haywood will be the starter next year. Also I think you are overreacting because of one dunk. Everyone knows 7 foot centers are at such a premium, and Haywood has always been a solid 7 footer. Haywood will rebound, block shots, and always keeps the ball up high. Is he worth the contract probably not however quality bigs in this league are a rarity so he isn’t an awful deal.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

It was a great dunk, I did not even think about that part. Everyone gets dunked on, and he was in a pretty bad position and got slammed on. Series is far from over though, and as much as that dunk will get replayed, it will mean relatively little unless the Thunder win the series. Nonetheless, Durant dunking on you still has relatively little to say about whether you are worth a certain amount of money, and even less to say about whether Darko would not have been a poster as well.

[kuphal_99Participant]

"If you are happier saving money rather than winning, than by all means gloat over the thriftiness of Darko’s contract by comparison. But, as of right now, whatever money the Mavericks may have overpaid for Haywood seems to be working out quite well"

 

Great theory.  Sorry so you are saying that my pathetic Twolves would have been a vastly better team with an overpaid Haywood on the team?  And also you say the that whatever money you are paying Haywood is working out well.  Its as if he is a vital cog in this team’s run.  I can count at least 7 other guys more important to the Mavs.  So don’t make it sound like this guy is the key piece to a championship run.  Darko backing up Chandler would put up the exact same numbers, if not better and for half the price.

[TokenWhiteGuyParticipant]

The numbers actually show the mavs are a better team defensively with haywood on the floor then with chandler.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/213572/Haywood_Pacing_Mavs_Defensively

 

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