Isaiah says hip is great and still talking max money

[nickagneta]

Isaiah Thomas will be 29 in February, which for the purposes of discussion, let's count that as the age he will be for the season below. Since after all, that will be his age during the most important time of the year - the playoffs.

The contract used below is the 5-year max deal Blake Griffin (only 1 month younger than Thomas) received this past summer. Which coincidentally, Griffin has the same agent as Thomas. This should offer a relatively close approximation as to what the "Brinks truck" should bring.

17-18 (age 29)
6.2M

18-19 (age 30)
29.5M

19-20 (age 31)
31.8M

20-21 (age 32)
34.2M

21-22 (age 33)
36.5M

22-23 (age 34)
38.9M

I understand that Thomas was underpaid, but that's because he signed his deal before the NBA salary spike. His agent should've had the foresight to sign a shorter deal and not have him locked to a contract that at at the time was slightly above MLE money. Instead he finds himself criminally underpaid this year, the last of a descending contract.

I realize that he's been great for the Celtics, but signing him to a longterm contract because of what he has accomplished, rather than what he will likely accomplish, is a bad precedent for contract negotiations.

When actually seeing the approximate numbers he will be paid and the age he will be during those said seasons, I wonder how many loyal Thomas supporters will still be aboard the "give him the max" bandwagon.

1. That's not how it works when determining age for any season, Eddie. Its how old you are at the start of the season that counts how old you are. Minor thing? Yeah, but that is how it works. IT will be 29 when he signs his next contract.

2. I am not sure most posters who are saying IT will get a max contract are saying he will get the super max, 5 year deal. I think most, like me, are saying he will get the 4 year deal.

[Eddie20]

Isaiah Thomas will be 29 in February, which for the purposes of discussion, let's count that as the age he will be for the season below. Since after all, that will be his age during the most important time of the year - the playoffs.

The contract used below is the 5-year max deal Blake Griffin (only 1 month younger than Thomas) received this past summer. Which coincidentally, Griffin has the same agent as Thomas. This should offer a relatively close approximation as to what the "Brinks truck" should bring.

17-18 (age 29)
6.2M

18-19 (age 30)
29.5M

19-20 (age 31)
31.8M

20-21 (age 32)
34.2M

21-22 (age 33)
36.5M

22-23 (age 34)
38.9M

I understand that Thomas was underpaid, but that's because he signed his deal before the NBA salary spike. His agent should've had the foresight to sign a shorter deal and not have him locked to a contract that at at the time was slightly above MLE money. Instead he finds himself criminally underpaid this year, the last of a descending contract.

I realize that he's been great for the Celtics, but signing him to a longterm contract because of what he has accomplished, rather than what he will likely accomplish, is a bad precedent for contract negotiations.

When actually seeing the approximate numbers he will be paid and the age he will be during those said seasons, I wonder how many loyal Thomas supporters will still be aboard the "give him the max" bandwagon.

1. That's not how it works when determining age for any season, Eddie. Its how old you are at the start of the season that counts how old you are. Minor thing? Yeah, but that is how it works. IT will be 29 when he signs his next contract.

2. I am not sure most posters who are saying IT will get a max contract are saying he will get the super max, 5 year deal. I think most, like me, are saying he will get the 4 year deal.

1. We can go with 29.5 then and split the difference. Because he may sign it at 29, but he'll play half the games at 30.

2. Even with a 4 year deal he'll be turning 33 during the season. Not exactly ideal for an undersized player who relies so much on his quickness to gain separation. Even a half step slower Isaiah would be a big issue.

[JBcat]

Isaiah Thomas will be 29 in February, which for the purposes of discussion, let's count that as the age he will be for the season below. Since after all, that will be his age during the most important time of the year - the playoffs.

The contract used below is the 5-year max deal Blake Griffin (only 1 month younger than Thomas) received this past summer. Which coincidentally, Griffin has the same agent as Thomas. This should offer a relatively close approximation as to what the "Brinks truck" should bring.

17-18 (age 29)
6.2M

18-19 (age 30)
29.5M

19-20 (age 31)
31.8M

20-21 (age 32)
34.2M

21-22 (age 33)
36.5M

22-23 (age 34)
38.9M

I understand that Thomas was underpaid, but that's because he signed his deal before the NBA salary spike. His agent should've had the foresight to sign a shorter deal and not have him locked to a contract that at at the time was slightly above MLE money. Instead he finds himself criminally underpaid this year, the last of a descending contract.

I realize that he's been great for the Celtics, but signing him to a longterm contract because of what he has accomplished, rather than what he will likely accomplish, is a bad precedent for contract negotiations.

When actually seeing the approximate numbers he will be paid and the age he will be during those said seasons, I wonder how many loyal Thomas supporters will still be aboard the "give him the max" bandwagon.

1. That's not how it works when determining age for any season, Eddie. Its how old you are at the start of the season that counts how old you are. Minor thing? Yeah, but that is how it works. IT will be 29 when he signs his next contract.

2. I am not sure most posters who are saying IT will get a max contract are saying he will get the super max, 5 year deal. I think most, like me, are saying he will get the 4 year deal.

1. We can go with 29.5 then and split the difference. Because he may sign it at 29, but he'll play half the games at 30.

2. Even with a 4 year deal he'll be turning 33 during the season. Not exactly ideal for an undersized player who relies so much on his quickness to gain separation. Even a half step slower Isaiah would be a big issue.

IMO even if Thomas is a step slower in his last year or 2 of his deal it is still worth it.  He may drop down to say an 18 to 22 PPG player which is still very important for us, and maybe find an ideal role at the time as a 6th man ala Mchale where maybe at the time our young guns like Tatum start to take more of a lead role.

He has more value to us than in a trade unless if he is part of a younger top tier PG coming back which is unlikely. 

[Eddie20]

Isaiah Thomas will be 29 in February, which for the purposes of discussion, let's count that as the age he will be for the season below. Since after all, that will be his age during the most important time of the year - the playoffs.

The contract used below is the 5-year max deal Blake Griffin (only 1 month younger than Thomas) received this past summer. Which coincidentally, Griffin has the same agent as Thomas. This should offer a relatively close approximation as to what the "Brinks truck" should bring.

17-18 (age 29)
6.2M

18-19 (age 30)
29.5M

19-20 (age 31)
31.8M

20-21 (age 32)
34.2M

21-22 (age 33)
36.5M

22-23 (age 34)
38.9M

I understand that Thomas was underpaid, but that's because he signed his deal before the NBA salary spike. His agent should've had the foresight to sign a shorter deal and not have him locked to a contract that at at the time was slightly above MLE money. Instead he finds himself criminally underpaid this year, the last of a descending contract.

I realize that he's been great for the Celtics, but signing him to a longterm contract because of what he has accomplished, rather than what he will likely accomplish, is a bad precedent for contract negotiations.

When actually seeing the approximate numbers he will be paid and the age he will be during those said seasons, I wonder how many loyal Thomas supporters will still be aboard the "give him the max" bandwagon.

1. That's not how it works when determining age for any season, Eddie. Its how old you are at the start of the season that counts how old you are. Minor thing? Yeah, but that is how it works. IT will be 29 when he signs his next contract.

2. I am not sure most posters who are saying IT will get a max contract are saying he will get the super max, 5 year deal. I think most, like me, are saying he will get the 4 year deal.

1. We can go with 29.5 then and split the difference. Because he may sign it at 29, but he'll play half the games at 30.

2. Even with a 4 year deal he'll be turning 33 during the season. Not exactly ideal for an undersized player who relies so much on his quickness to gain separation. Even a half step slower Isaiah would be a big issue.

IMO even if Thomas is a step slower in his last year or 2 of his deal it is still worth it.  He may drop down to say an 18 to 22 PPG player which is still very important for us, and maybe find an ideal role at the time as a 6th man ala Mchale where maybe at the time our young guns like Tatum start to take more of a lead role.

He has more value to us than in a trade unless if he is part of a younger top tier PG coming back which is unlikely.

What if he demands a 5th year? For example, all the teams are on an even playing field in terms of money on a 4-year deal, but the 5th one puts us over all the other offers. What if, and this purely hypothetical but reasonable, he feels "disrespected" that we only want to give him a 4-year deal and threatens to leave for a similar offer if the 5th year isn't provided?

[jambr380]

What if he demands a 5th year? For example, all the teams are on an even playing field in terms of money on a 4-year deal, but the 5th one puts us over all the other offers. What if, and this purely hypothetical but reasonable, he feels "disrespected" that we only want to give him a 4-year deal and threatens to leave for a similar offer if the 5th year isn't provided?

This certainly isn't unheard of - isn't that what happened with Horford and Atlanta?

I think the best approach is to see what other teams are offering (and what teams those will be). Regardless of where IT signs, he will be a very rich man (not that he already isn't). Danny didn't create max cap space these last two off-seasons by foolishly handing out ridiculous contracts. A 5-yr max could be a disaster.

Let's just hope Danny isn't showing his hand too early or we could end up in a Ray Allen situation (taking half of what was being offered to sign somewhere else).

[Eddie20]

What if he demands a 5th year? For example, all the teams are on an even playing field in terms of money on a 4-year deal, but the 5th one puts us over all the other offers. What if, and this purely hypothetical but reasonable, he feels "disrespected" that we only want to give him a 4-year deal and threatens to leave for a similar offer if the 5th year isn't provided?

This certainly isn't unheard of - isn't that what happened with Horford and Atlanta?

I think the best approach is to see what other teams are offering (and what teams those will be). Regardless of where IT signs, he will be a very rich man (not that he already isn't). Danny didn't create max cap space these last two off-seasons by foolishly handing out ridiculous contracts. A 5-yr max could be a disaster.

Let's just hope Danny isn't showing his hand too early or we could end up in a Ray Allen situation (taking half of what was being offered to sign somewhere else).

Tony Allen is another one that bolted because he felt disrespected.

[Big333223]

IT may very well be worth a max contract, but I'm getting a bit tired of hearing him talk about it. It's not a great look and could end up being a distraction.

Besides, negotiating through the media is a fools errand.

Do you mean you're tired of reporters asking him? I'm pretty sure that's the only time he talks about it.

And this is a non story to me. An all star wants as much money as he can get. Go figure.

[mr. dee]

The best bet for IT is to have a clause on his max contract. If his game starts to decline due to age, he should get lower payroll as year goes by.

[Tr1boy]

IT4 shhhhh

Help the Celts reach the finals 1st big guy

[mmmmm]

"I'll think about my next contract when the season is over. I'm focused on getting back into shape and helping the team win."

That is the only way he should be answering every question on the topic. Anything else provokes unnecessary distraction.

The reason he's stressing it so much is because there are growing circles in Boston media constantly questioning if he is worth it. IT didn't start the max debate, we did...

This is precisely why he needs to shut up about it. He's just feeding the hot take machine.

If he deflects the question enough he'll stop getting the question. And he needs to do that because the question is completely irrelevant at this point. We have a full season of ball to play before the negotiations begin.

Maybe.  Or will such deflection just lead to reporters speculating that IT has gotten negative feedback from the Celtics about his contract?   There really isn't any easy strategy here because reporters are going to dig and contrive narratives no matter what.

Thomas is best served doing what he's doing.  Speak honestly when asked and otherwise just focus on his craft.   He can't hope to control what doubters will continue to say.  He can only answer them with his play on the court.

[mmmmm]

Isaiah Thomas will be 29 in February, which for the purposes of discussion, let's count that as the age he will be for the season below. Since after all, that will be his age during the most important time of the year - the playoffs.

The contract used below is the 5-year max deal Blake Griffin (only 1 month younger than Thomas) received this past summer. Which coincidentally, Griffin has the same agent as Thomas. This should offer a relatively close approximation as to what the "Brinks truck" should bring.

17-18 (age 29)
6.2M

18-19 (age 30)
29.5M

19-20 (age 31)
31.8M

20-21 (age 32)
34.2M

21-22 (age 33)
36.5M

22-23 (age 34)
38.9M

I understand that Thomas was underpaid, but that's because he signed his deal before the NBA salary spike. His agent should've had the foresight to sign a shorter deal and not have him locked to a contract that at at the time was slightly above MLE money. Instead he finds himself criminally underpaid this year, the last of a descending contract.

I realize that he's been great for the Celtics, but signing him to a longterm contract because of what he has accomplished, rather than what he will likely accomplish, is a bad precedent for contract negotiations.

When actually seeing the approximate numbers he will be paid and the age he will be during those said seasons, I wonder how many loyal Thomas supporters will still be aboard the "give him the max" bandwagon.

1. That's not how it works when determining age for any season, Eddie. Its how old you are at the start of the season that counts how old you are. Minor thing? Yeah, but that is how it works. IT will be 29 when he signs his next contract.

2. I am not sure most posters who are saying IT will get a max contract are saying he will get the super max, 5 year deal. I think most, like me, are saying he will get the 4 year deal.

1. We can go with 29.5 then and split the difference. Because he may sign it at 29, but he'll play half the games at 30.

2. Even with a 4 year deal he'll be turning 33 during the season. Not exactly ideal for an undersized player who relies so much on his quickness to gain separation. Even a half step slower Isaiah would be a big issue.

It's instructive to look at what the market is doing.

Kyle Lowry just signed a 3 year, max contract.  He is almost 2 full years older than Thomas will be when Thomas signs his deal.

Mike Conley last year signed a 4+1 max contract.  He was just slightly younger (about 8 months) than Thomas will be when he signs his next deal.

If Thomas maintains even the average production of his last two seasons, then he's likely to get a deal at least as good as Conley's.