The Williams Signing

Yesterday, I think, when the Clippers signed Lou Williams set the tone for all free agents next summer, and possibly for the following summer as well.

Williams agreeing to $8M/year says that not only has Williams probably read the market well, but that other such mid level specialty type
players are not likely to get more than he did per year. This also says that only young, all star type players are going to get anything near max level
money. As much as I also liked Thomas when he played in Bostin, I hope that he is watching this market.

How does the Williams signing relate to the Cs?

I think that it definitely gets Boston a great chance to keep its defensive spark plug, Marcus Smart, for a longer period of time. Smart is not
going to get the same type of money that either Olynyk or Turner got. Timing is everything and now is not then. Therefore, it is very
unlikely that there are going to be teams that will go over what Lou Williams just got for Smart event though he is younger than Williams.

It will also give the Cs a good chance to keep Evans (if they trade for him today) and Monroe for another year as well as keeping Baynes for
probably less money than he is making now if the Cs, indeed, like all three guys. The salary market is coming back to reality very soon/already.

Kelly O got about $10M per year.

Smart could easily match that in his next deal, IMO.

While I agree that Williams extension is about right for this coming year for rotational players, Smarts youth and grit could get him more.

Wide,

I think you're right about the Williams signing setting expectations going forward.

There's a money crunch in the NBA right now, funds are getting tighter. Too much overspending on free agents in recent years has left teams short. Those big max contract giveaways aren't going to be there as in the past.

Regards

bob,

Exactly right! Smart is and will be an NBA specialist (overwhelming defense, leadership and toughness) until his shooting improves considerably. I don't think that he will get more money than Williams got for next year because offense will always earn more money than defense.

But, I do disagree that he will not improve his offense. He is very much going to be better than he is as he is a tireless worker and is still only 24.

Too many overpaid, under performing guys out there who have become untradeable. Danny is not going to allow himself to get tied up in a contract that he might not be able to get rid of. Look at that Brooklyn trade when they were forced to take Gerald Wallace at absolutely crazy money just to make the deal work. That did not sit well with Ainge once he wanted to dump him. He ate a big chunk of that money

I give Ainge credit, he has read the market well. The owners should be thankful they have a guy like him in the driver's seat

Rosalie,

No one can argue with your point relating to too many overpaid players, but, at the time of the trade with the Nets, Ainge could absorb Wallace's salary with almost no worries or problems because the Cs were no where near ready to win.

I know that, but it did hamper him when he tried to get better players on the bench, younger, lower $$. How many games did Wallace really play and contribute to? My point is, when they started handing out those contracts to marginal players, almost everyone knew the bubble would burst one day. I really was using Wallace as an example, I could very well have used Turner. He has done almost nothing for Portland and they tried to trade him and no one would bite.

I feel this money kind of watered down the league, because the players who now should be given bigger contracts are going to find themselves in a situation just like Smart.