Good post written by a Wizards fan on the Real GM board:
http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=392757&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=132
I am 100% behind Spence and CCJ...figuratively!
I half heartedly mentioned how nice Hughes will fit as PG in Cleveland and he really will. It's almost too perfect except for it being Cleveland (which is a little closer to the Lou).
But there is no way you can't match. No friggin' way.
And please! Before I alliterate...uh long day...make that elaborate, how on earth can you guy even mention resigning Kwame (at around 7 million I might add) and not want Hughes at 11 or 12? Are you guys nuts? Have you dropped a nut> Did you wake up with some other dudes tighty whities around your head? have you flipped your lid...OK enough...you get the picture.
Everyone here agrees that Hughes is worth a 6 year deal starting at about 8.5-9 million. So we are going to pay 11-12 starting. big friggin deal. You don't let a guy walk for nothing. If you guys think Kwame is going to yield some major piece to the puzzle then what do you think Hughes will yield...you know the near all star, 6th place DPOY, 1st all defender that gets ya 22, 6, 6, and 3? C'mon man! Get over it!
But that's not really all that is at stake. Do you really want to give Cleveland Larry Hughes? You know, the team that will essentially kick the rest of the NBA's ass over the next 4-5 years. Do we really just give them Larry hughes? And maybe they talk Simmons into signing for the MLE? or maybe they get Antonio Daniels?
I mean if all we had to deal with was the Hawks that are at least 4 years away I would say let Larry walk. But you just don't give Batman his Robin, and especially for nothing in return!
In essence, the Wizards must pay Hughes. They might get away with 10% less money by giving him the extra year, and then again they might not.
As for the CBA, I agree with Fokus and a few others. max contracts are not what they once were.
Houston, Juwon, Garnett, Shaq etc al all have deals under the old CBA...as did Bryant who then got a huge payday under the new because his slary was already there.
The CBA now limits those deals and the cap will generally always continually rise given the parameters of the CBA stay about the same because the NBA is getting more global. In essence those terrible deals are all almost gone as those players retire or their contracts disappear.
If Hughes makes 15 million 4 years from now who cares? At that point he will have an expiring deal in 2 more years and will only be 30. If he is 80% the player that he is today he will still be moderately attractive especially in the last year of that deal. Then consider this, (here is the rocket science part) Hughes may actually improve over the next 3-4 years just like many SG's before have done. Conditioning and training does not appear to be an issue with Hughes so I don't think he is going to get fat or anything. An SG's prime is about 27-31. Hughes is just getting there. Just made 1st team all defense and was a near all star selection.
As much as Hughes fits Cleveland better than DC, he should still be retained. I'd pay him.
Again, this is not a 10 year deal like Webber's. It's not a deal like Houston's or Hardaway's.
The main thing to remember about all those deals is that they were signed just before the new CBA where a salary cap was 1st negotiated. The owners now realize how they screwed themselves by handcuffing the largest market teams like NY. It was necessary in their minds to take such a hard stance. But the cap just went up and for all intents and purposes, should continue to go up.
The real albatross in terms of salaries on this team are Kwame, Etan and especially Jamison. Between those 3 there might be $24 million right there. And those 3 combined might get ya 31, 18, and 3. I'll take Hughes' 22, 6 , 6, 3 from one position in 36 minutes over those 3 bums any day of the week.
I have no problem acknowledging that Hughes is getting a nice deal. It's not a super deal. It's a nice deal. But he also had a nice season.
And for about a month and a half Hughes was the best SG in the league last year. He was first team all defense and had more steals since the great Scottie da Pimp. S& T would be fine too for the right player. But to let him walk for nothing is insane.