Report: Celtics engaged in contract extension talks with Tyler Zeller, Jared Sullinger

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/01/report-celtics-engaged-in-contract-extension-talks-with-tyler-zeller-jared-sullinger/





Report: Celtics engaged in contract extension talks with Tyler Zeller, Jared Sullinger

Kurt Helin Sep 1, 2015, 8:00 AM EDT




Will they take a little less to gain some long-term security?

That has been the contract extension debate for players around the league this summer. For players such as Jonas Valanciunas and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the answer was yes. For Tristan Thompson, the answer is no.

Boston is having those same discussions with two guys, and both may lean toward taking the security, if the number is right — Tyler Zeller and Jared Sullinger. The sides are talking now and that will ramp up, reports the Boston Globe.

“Obviously, those are two guys that we like moving forward,” Ainge said. “So, yeah, there will be more discussions with both of them, probably during the month of October.”

Zeller, 25, appears the most likely of the three to be in line for an extension. The 7-footer averaged 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds last season and shot a team-high 54.9 percent from the field. Zeller’s win share of 6.5 — a metric that measures the amount of victories contributed by a player — was the highest on the team.

Sullinger, who averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 58 games last year, is still just 23. But he already has had back and foot surgeries, and his conditioning has been a frequent issue. Sullinger has been training in Houston with former NBA player and coach John Lucas for much of the summer and has shared pictures of his apparently trimmed-down physique through social media. But his return to Boston for preseason training will be most telling.

By the three, they are also discussing Perry Jones, but he has to make the roster first (the Celtics have to cut one guaranteed contract and he could be that guy). Even if he does make it there is no extension in his future.

Zeller can take the security of a deal with the Celtics, or bet on himself and become a restricted free agent next summer when two-thirds of the league has max cap space and will be looking to hand out deals. Zeller averaged 10.2 points a game with a very efficient true shooting percentage of 59.2 percent. He had the second highest PER on the Celtics last season (behind Isaiah Thomas), and Zeller led the Celtics in win shares (6.5). He’s a guy Ainge wants to be part of the Celtics’ future. Of course, the question becomes what’s the number that makes Zeller sign? Big men get paid, would something near Kidd-Gilchrist’s $52 million be enough?

As for Sullinger, he averaged 13.3 points and 7.6 rebounds a game last season but that doesn’t mean everyone is sold on him. He has battled injuries through his career, which may make him inclined to take the security of a long-term deal. But again, it’s all about the number that works for both sides.

If I were a betting man, I’d expect there’s a better than 50/50 chance a Zeller deal gets done. Not so sure about Sullinger.




bob




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I'm glad I don't have to make those decisions.

Pete

I have to agree. I think Zeller gets paid here, but not Sully. Sully is a potential victim of the log-jam at his position, with players having shown they can deliver the same results and one or two with the potential to match or exceed Sully's production. Injuries and weight issues force his bargaining power lower despite recent efforts. Pictures of a player in shape are fine, but they don't guarantee a thing.

geesh..i was concerned with the talk of Zeller getitng $10M per year, now this article is suggesting $13M per year!!

I like both players but I'm sorry NEITHER one is worth $13M per year.


everyone that writes this srtuff seems to think that the rising cap means that everyone should get max or near max contracts...reality is you can't change the numbers.

an $89M cap will mean the new max contract will be betwween $25-30M.

since most people think a contender needs ONE max player and one or maybe two NEAR max players, a contending team could easily have about $60M in salary wrapped up in their top three players alone. ( $25M, $18M & $16M)

you won't have money to left to give the 4-6 spots on the roster $13M per year.

the math won't work.

is Sully or Zeller a top three player on an NBA contender?

I don't think either one is myself.

Zeller and Sully in the $7-9M per year range...I can see that.

As Sam used to say. "max contracts for everybody!"


bob


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kdp59 wrote:geesh..i was concerned with the talk of Zeller getitng $10M per year, now this article is suggesting $13M per year!!

I like both players but I'm sorry NEITHER one is worth $13M per year.


everyone that writes this srtuff seems to think that the rising cap means that everyone should get max or near max contracts...reality is you can't change the numbers.

an $89M cap will mean the new max contract will be betwween $25-30M.

since most people think a contender needs ONE max player and one or maybe two NEAR max players, a contending team could easily have about $60M in salary wrapped up in their top three players alone. ( $25M, $18M & $16M)

you won't have money to left to give the 4-6 spots on the roster $13M per year.

the math won't work.

is Sully or Zeller a top three player on an NBA contender?

I don't think either one is myself.

Zeller and Sully in the $7-9M per year range...I can see that.

I don't think Zeller is actually worth $13 double XL either, but the team might see it as center insurance.

He was just born with the right genes, enabling him to grow to 7' at a time when NBA teams are desperate for bigs.

I would have to say that unless either guy was going to accept the same kind of money that Crowder took that I would not extend either one of them at this time. If either guy were to raise his salary by almost 100%, I would not think that they would be considered as "underpaid". However, if they have thoughts of making a 200% (or more) raise for next season, I would have to wait on such thoughts if I were the Cs.

Even with the salary cap supposedly going way up next summer, neither of these two guys are currently worth anything resembling 10 M per year. They are both good players who still have room to grow as both players and leaders, but 10 M per year is way too much for next year's roster.

Let them show some more improvement again this year, and then determine what they will be worth for next year.

In many ways I have to agree with Sam and let Ainge deal with the salaries, but as an amateur GM, I would have to see more of either guy before resigning him for more than what Crowder took in his deal this summer/

My guess is that Sully reups now but Zeller waits.

Sully knows that he has one paw in the doghouse so he would probably be happy to get an extension right now.

Zeller on the other hand may figure that with the salary cap increases coming he could get more money.

It appears that the Celtics have a qualifying option on both of them next year so it is not the end of the world if nothing gets done this year.  

I think Danny is just hedging his bet.  I think he expects their market value to increase so he is looking to buy low.

As Sam would say..  Let Danny worry about the money.

dboss