Denberg with news on JT's contract

[Inside_Man]

Denberg reports that it's JT's call whether to sign now, before Oct. 1, or gamble for a bigger payoff in a year. Either way, the Hawks want him resigned. Sounds good to me.

My own feeling is that he should sign now. You never know what can happen in a year's time (see DJ) and either way, he'll have more than enough money he'll ever need.

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/ed...bcc1860011.html

[Boondocks]

Man I'd love it if JT was signed long term, but wouldn't call that article really news.

There isn't any mention of what offer is on the table, merely a speculation that it's up to JT whether he resigns or take his chances next season.

I don't think the Hawks have lowballed JT, but it might be on the low side since he's maybe the Hawks best kept secret.

What do you guys think the offer on the table is? I think it's a 48 mil for six yrs kinda offer (would be a starting salary of 6.2+ mil with 10% raises each yr).

[Guest Walter]

I think he will demand that regardless of when he resigns should he resign.

I think a deal on the table now is around what you think we have offered but JT is worth a little more than that and maybe alot more after this coming year. A 7th year (why not if you are going to give him 6 anyhow?) might entice him to sign at that contract starting salary.

The question may come down to what the city of ATlanta and the (talent of this) team are worth to JT. He likes the city and I suspect he likes the team, but I think he waits and sees next offseason. There will be alot more money out there next offseason and "the Bibby effect" of a possible playoff berth and run have to influence him greatly.

W

[Guest]

The question is if he waits until next year for

a bigger payday what does he have in store

for us this year?If he plays for a big payday...

[capstone21]

I hope he resigns this year...not just because we can get him at a lower price but more importantly because it will not be on his mind when he goes out and plays. I don't want him trying to do to much to get his stats up for a contract. I would rather him go out there and play his game.

[chillzatl]

If you mean what I think you mean, in that he's going to be giving more than he normally would because of the forthcoming contract. I really don't think that's the kind of person JT is. I see him playing big next season. But I don't think it will have anything to do with a contract. He's a hell of a competitor and he's the kind of guy that wants to win. He's going to give 100% regardless and give what the team needs from him to win.

[cyman3]

do u think JT deserves the same contract as LEWIS? $65 million over 7 years...

do u think thats fair for JT or does he deserve more? deserve less?

[chillzatl]

I don't think either of them deserve that kind of contract. But especially Lewis. JT could end up deserving it at the end of this coming season. But right now, no. I would say somewhere around 40-50m over 7 years.

[Guest]

The other way to look at things is this, and you may call it overpaying, but Dickerson and Williams (white choc) signed pretty much that exact same deal last year (six years, 42 - 48 million, depending on the person). I think that we'd all agree, that even to this point, JT has proven himself in the league more than either of those two.

While not his fault, his "inability" to stay at one position hurts him in negotiations (current negotitations). However, he's proven more than Lewis too and I'm not sure I'd offer that contract right now. Plus, with the two position issues, it gets tough to put performance clauses on JT - becuase if his position changes, so does his role/ stats (not true for swingmen really).

Nevertheless, I think it has to be realized that he's a talented player with tons of heart, can flat out play the game as long as he's on the floor, he will produce. AND you have to realize that he wants to be in Atlanta - not a lot of other players would say that.

Give him seven years, fifty-five million and call it a day. It might be overpaying...but it might save us too.

[Playoffs03]

I think it will be a great idea to pay JT a bit less (something 40-42 millions) and give him incentives like what they did to lewis in seattle (lets say if we win 50 games a season, he will get like $5 million as a bonus or something like that). sounds fair to me.

[Boondocks]

First, since JT is under contract this season he can only get a 6 yr extension. A player can only be under contract for 7 yrs, so a 7 yr deal is only possible next season.

Second, an incentive deal is kind awkard and hard to accomplish. If you have the idea that it'll save salary on the cap, it depends.

Incentives that are easily obtainable count as guaranteed salary. Harder incentives that have been made will become guaranteed the following season (besides allstar and things like that). So incentives for averaging a certain amount of assist and points or rebounds or whatever only make the contract more complicated.

They why did Rashard get such a contract? Well he's a young player who wanted a bigger contract, if he plays like it he'll get the money. There's apparently an incentive for him to average 9.25 rebounds. If he doesn't he doesn't get the money, if he does the NBA will see it as an realistic goal and consider it guaranteed the next season but he won't get it guaranteed. So the sonics would be paying for it in a cap hit eben if Rashard doesn't reach that incentive next season.

In a word, stay away from incentives. NBA makes it mightily complicated to avoid teams from making an unfair advantage of incentives.

third, a 6 year extension of 50 mil is the same roughly as Rashard is getting without the incentives. It's a starting salary of roughly 6.2 mil with 10% raises each year. I think it's a fair contract for JT and hope it's been offered and if so that he'll take it.