Al Horford is gonna get a max contract.

[mrhonline]

Someone will pay him that. If I'm the Hawks, I start talking extension with him as soon as the season is over.

He's 11th in WinShares/48, by the way:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2010_leaders.html

[niremetal]

Someone will pay him that. If I'm the Hawks, I start talking extension with him as soon as the season is over.

He's 11th in WinShares/48, by the way:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2010_leaders.html

Not unless Al averages 18ppg for a full season next year. I think he deserves a max contract, but that has proven to be a threshold requirement. I think D-12 got a max after averaging 17.6 and 12.3, but that's the only semi-exception (I say "semi" because it rounds up to 18ppg).

Edited April 13, 2010 by niremetal

[MaceCase]

Al making more than Smoove? IBSF

[Supporter]

Al making more than Smoove? IBSF

In before smith fan??

[MVP23]

Smoove >Al right now.

4 years from now....not so much. I would give Al a 5 year contract, and extend it like 3 years from now. He isn't worth the Max as of yet.

[spotatl]

He isn't worth the Max as of yet.

EVERYONE would prefer not to give him the max. But I think its pretty likely that someone out there will offer him the max. Would you be willing to let Horford leave to avoid paying him the max? If you don't think he is worht the max but think someone else will offer it to him then the right plan is probably to trade him now. This is the same situation as the Hawks were in with Joe Johnson- if you aren't willing to pay him the max then he should have been traded already.

[MVP23]

EVERYONE would prefer not to give him the max. But I think its pretty likely that someone out there will offer him the max. Would you be willing to let Horford leave to avoid paying him the max? If you don't think he is worht the max but think someone else will offer it to him then the right plan is probably to trade him now. This is the same situation as the Hawks were in with Joe Johnson- if you aren't willing to pay him the max then he should have been traded already.

Al/Joe aren't worth the max. If some team...say...the Clippers offers Joe/Al the Max, and thats what they want, then so be it. You can't go all housing market 2008 on your team for one player, that isn't worth it. That being said, I really really doubt any team would offer Al the Max....now Marvin on the other hand... lol

[spotatl]

If some team...say...the Clippers offers Joe/Al the Max, and thats what they want, then so be it.

So you would let both of them leave in that situation?

[mrhonline]

EVERYONE would prefer not to give him the max. But I think its pretty likely that someone out there will offer him the max. Would you be willing to let Horford leave to avoid paying him the max? If you don't think he is worht the max but think someone else will offer it to him then the right plan is probably to trade him now. This is the same situation as the Hawks were in with Joe Johnson- if you aren't willing to pay him the max then he should have been traded already.

Someone gets it, I see.

[MVP23]

So you would let both of them leave in that situation?

If both wanted the max then yes. There are only about 6,7 guys in the league that are really worth the max. imo, to be worth the max, you must be capable of taking your team to the playoffs each and every year no matter what, and sell tickets. In effect, you're paying your own contract. Joe, nor Al can do that. Joe a few yeras ago maybe, but not at this point....but what uis considered as the Max? 19? 20? 25? Nothing over 16 for either guy.

[NineOhTheRino]

I choose to forget about the future with this team. Too many good players and not enough money to go around.

FWIW BK IS GOAT IMHO

Edited April 13, 2010 by NineOhTheRino

[Supporter]

Don't think that Horford is worth the max yet. Maybe next year, but not this year.

[capstone21]

Smoove >Al right now.

4 years from now....not so much. I would give Al a 5 year contract, and extend it like 3 years from now. He isn't worth the Max as of yet.

I think Al is more important to the success of the team then Smith right now.

[exodus]

I think some people in this thread need a history lesson. It is far more likely that Horford doesn't get any offer from another team than for him to get a max offer.

[niremetal]

Someone gets it, I see.

Except again - I've never seen someone with Al's stats get a max contract. I don't think that's the way it should be, but it's the way it is. 14 and 10 guys have never been max players.

Anyway, the calculus under the new CBA is likely to be quite different than it is now. It's kind of pointless to speculate what Al's contract could look like, and it would be pretty stupid for the Hawks to sign Al this summer, given that the new CBA will likely drive down the market value for players across the league.

Edited April 13, 2010 by niremetal

[WraithSentinel]

I say we get Al sign this offseason and just get it over with. We tempted faith with Smoove and it worked out. Don't expect to be so lucky with Horford. Horf is the type of player every team will want. I'd say offer him 5 years around $55-$60 million. It falls right in line with what Jefferson and Bogut are getting when it come to young Centers. Seeing as how Hawks are ASG money maker. They should have no trouble putting forth the money. I would think if money was an issue they wouldn't have bother re-signing Marv at his contract

[Kimsey]

No way Horf gets the "max". Something a little more to Al Jefferson's extension is what he should make.

[spotatl]

How many guys have made the allstar team while on their rookie scale contract have even been allowed to hit RFA? Normally these guys are maxed out long before they even have the chance to sign an offersheet somewhere else. (let alone an allstar center) It may have happened- I just can't think of any off the top of my head.

Put it this way- if Horford were a RFA this offseason don't you think he would make signficantly more than Rudy Gay?

Edited April 13, 2010 by spotatl

[niremetal]

How many guys have made the allstar team while on their rookie scale contract have even been allowed to hit RFA? Normally these guys are maxed out long before they even have the chance to sign an offersheet somewhere else. (let alone an allstar center) It may have happened- I just can't think of any off the top of my head.

Put it this way- if Horford were a RFA this offseason don't you think he would make signficantly more than Rudy Gay?

The intersection of Horford's unusually low scoring numbers for an All-Star (and again, I'm not saying that SHOULD matter, but it does) and the upcoming end to the current CBA make past precedents seem questionable in relevance. I don't think anyone views Horford as in the same class as guys like LeBron/Dwight/CP3/Roy were viewed at the same stage in their careers. Add to that the fact that both cap amounts and player contracts are likely to take a huge hit under the new CBA, and it's really hard to see the harm in waiting until 2011. Really, there's almost no way we could end up paying MORE for Horford by waiting until after the inevitable lockout.

Edited April 13, 2010 by niremetal

[TruJerz]

Al/Joe aren't worth the max. If some team...say...the Clippers offers Joe/Al the Max, and thats what they want, then so be it. You can't go all housing market 2008 on your team for one player, that isn't worth it. That being said, I really really doubt any team would offer Al the Max....now Marvin on the other hand... lol

I'll let Horford walk before giving him the max but not Joe..Joe is obviously a more proven player. We cant give 2 players a max contract that hasnt really earned it. I like Horford but he's too small..I wouldnt mind getting a bigger guy with a little less talent just for the size alone