Perhaps the injuries prevent him from getting the max this off season? I still think he has by far the highest potential on the team, but I mean, a deal is a deal. I don't really know what the rules are...like say the max is 30 million a year, if he gets 29 million? Is that no longer considered max? Or is there rules? I guess I don't really care. But if helps in a world where having too many max players is impossible, I could see it being an option.
I
I know very little about these contracts, but some chat with AI tells that it it possible to give a rookie plaer selected in first round a big contract, that is a bit bellow max :
"
While there isn't a specific contract type labeled "slightly below max" in the NBA, there are a few ways teams can offer lucrative deals to their young stars without necessarily reaching the full max contract value. Here are some examples:
1. Extensions with lower annual value: Teams can offer contract extensions to their own young players after their third season. These extensions typically offer a significant raise from the rookie scale contract but might not reach the full max allowed based on the player's experience and achievements.
Example: Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks): Young signed a four-year extension worth $171 million in 2021 after his third season, which wasn't the full max available but still a substantial raise.
2. Sign-and-trades: Teams can negotiate sign-and-trade deals with other teams who possess the cap space to absorb a young player's new contract. This allows the young player to receive a larger contract than their original team could offer while the acquiring team benefits from acquiring a talented player without sacrificing significant assets.
Example: Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers): In 2022, Simmons was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a sign-and-trade deal, receiving a five-year, $177 million contract from the Nets. This scenario wouldn't have been possible under a traditional extension with the 76ers due to their cap situation.
3. Qualifying Offers: Teams can offer a "qualifying offer" to their first-round draft picks after their fourth season. If the player accepts, they become a restricted free agent, granting the team the right to match any offer sheet they receive from another team. This can sometimes lead to teams offering qualifying offers exceeding their projected value to retain their young talent.
Example: Jordan Poole (Golden State Warriors): Poole received a one-year, $3.9 million qualifying offer in 2023 as a restricted free agent. This offer, exceeding his projected value, served as leverage for negotiations and ultimately led to a four-year, $85 million contract extension with the Warriors.
