The Miami Heat's offense, James Harden's contract, and more bold predictions for the 2012-13 NBA season - Grantland Jonas Jerebko Will Be Detroit's Best Small Forward Jerebko played mostly power forward this season, and he may well work best as a stretch 4 who hits enough 3s, cuts hard, and defends well enough. He'll get time there, too, with Detroit working in two project centers beside budding All-Star Greg Monroe. But Jerebko may well be the best small forward on a roster of oddly fitting parts. Tayshaun Prince is in decline, and last season worked too often as if he were a legit no. 1 option. Maggette is Maggette — a free throw machine who does little else, on either end. Detroit fans openly hate Charlie Villanueva, and it's unclear if he can even get on the floor in the NBA now. The Pistons have no clue what position Austin Daye plays anymore. Free Jonas!
I say no to guys like Harden. The future of this team is Knight, Drummond and Monroe - everyone else is filler. I would save cap money to make sure those guys stay here when their rookie contracts are up. Guys like Stuckey ( a nice 17 PPG SG ) are fine as long as they are not too expensive, if Knight lives up the he will be able to carry guys like that. Have to pick and choose your battles. Developing around a PG, PF and Center is a pretty solid plan.
I would eat an omlette filled with the hair from James Harden's beard for the chance to replace Stuckey with Harden for what probably will amount to about the same money (9 - 10 mil if I had to guess).
If those guys reach their full potential and Drummond becomes a top 3 center, Monroe a second team all-star and Knight a top 10 PG I still think we need to add a player of close to Bron caliber to win the title. With that said, I'd rather have Stuckey at $8.5M than James Harden at a max contract (unless Gores wanna go into the lux tax).
James Harden ain't worth no Max deal. He'll end up signing an extension with OKC for waaaaaay less than max money and it will end up being a nice raise for him. I don't see Harden doing any better than almost doubling his current salary 10.5 - 11.5 mil per year.
Some team will offer him his $58M/4y contract once he hits FA just like some teams offered Eric Gordon his max contract. If he signs a $10.5M-$11.5M contract with OKC it's because he wants to win a 'ship, not because it's the highest offer he gets. Rudy Gay got $18M/y, a guy like Batum got $12M/y... No matter if he's worth it or not, he's going to get the max.
New hard-cap rules coming soon. In a way, James Harden won't get a mx deal BECAUSE of guys like Eric Gordon & Rudy Gay. The days of paying "good" players "franchise player" money are over. That is no longer a sustainable business model.
Stuck and Max "hosing" Detroit for a combined $14 million this year. ...both literally and figuratively.
