Photo by Juliano Campos via Flickr
This is the 2nd installment of the Amnesty Tango series, where I allow one player per team to wiggle out of his underpaying contract.
Previous Tangos: Northwest Division
(Note: All salary information provided by Hoops Hype. Furthermore, it will be assumed all player and team options are in full effect.)
The Warriors have one heck of an albatross in Andris Biedriens ($9 million every year through 2014), but they actually have three moderately to severely underpaid players. In his brief time with the Warriors, SF Reggie Williams has proven he’s worth a bit more than the $1 million he’s scheduled for this year. However this is the last year of his deal, so his payday is coming. Starting SF Dorell Wright shocked the world with an impressive all-around game that was hidden during his time in Miami. He should probably make $1 or $2 million more per year than his current $4m. However, it is Steph Curry who gets to take the money and run. He matched or equaled his rookie output in 3 less minutes per game last season. Give this man a pay raise over his current 3-year, $12.5 million contract.
Cut Kaman or Mo Williams loose with your amnesty clause, Clips and use the savings to hold onto Blake Griffin. He’s the clear-cut, without-a-doubt escapee in my plan. He’s deserving of a max contract right now. In the NBA’s entire history, only 7 other rookies have put up greater than 18ppg, 10rpg and 3apg. 4 won MVPs, 5 are in the Hall of Fame, another is a 4x all-star (Sidney Wicks) and the final one is Grandmama.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48blIKqRuXw
There isn’t a single underpaid player on the Lakers squad. They are actually quite bloated with expensive contracts. If one player must be freed to seek greater riches, it would Lamar Odom, but he wouldn’t get too much more than his $8.9m next year.
In a sign of Phoenix’s disastrous and head-scratching personnel moves, 37-year old Steve Nash is the team’s most underpaid player at $11.6m. Marcin Gortat is properly compensated at about $7 million and just about everyone else is grossly overpaid despite the next highest salary being $6m a year. Someone repossess the Suns from Robert Sarver, please.
The Kings find themselves in very friendly financial waters… at least in salary cap terms. The Maloofs off the court are a total mess. Jason Thompson and Tyreke Evans are well worth more than their current salaries. Ditto for DeMarcus Cousins. In this triumvirate of pittance rookie contract compensation, I’ll just go ahead and let Tyreke get his big deal now since he’s shown the most promise. DeMarcus may very well change my mind about this.
