Offseason Big Solution (Extend Theis?)

[number_n9ne]

I know I've bounced around the idea of resigning Monroe with the MLE, or at the least Baynes. But I'm starting to think that rather than one of them, maybe the solution is to try and extend Theis. He's 25, improved his play all season long, and looked good with the starters the other night. I'm worried that he's going to improve so much that we aren't going to be able to retain him after his 2-year Vet Min contract expiries. Keeping him under control until he's 29-30 on the cheap could be huge. Does anyone know how extensions work (SaltLover)? What would the C's be able to extend him for and for how long?

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I'm with you. Unless we can land a prime-time big, I think Theis is exactly the kind of player that is perfect with CBS and Horford.

[CFAN38]

It goes with out saying but Ill say it anyway. The Cs will 100% pick up Thies's option for next season.

[coffee425]

fully on board.. get him for 4-6 million/year starting in 2019-20. that's a bargain for a rotation player.

considering Kyle Singler is making the same and is now useless.

[jambr380]

So with Theis only being under contract for two years, I believe they will only be able to sign him for 175% of his 2018-19 salary (Early Bird Rights). That # amounts to about $2.4M in the first year (1.75x1.378M).

Of course we would be able to use the MLE to sign him, but we are likely to be taxpayers at that time (Kyrie will be getting the new max). The taxpayer MLE this year is about $5.19M so that will likely be a bit more.

I am not sure what Danny's plan is with the MLE or how he is going to maneuver the salary cap, but my take on this is that it was probably a mistake not locking up Theis for 3 years, even if it would have cost a little bit more. I hope we can keep him and that he values playing for a championship level team over a mediocre one.

[mmmmm]

Theis' contract is not eligible for extension.

jambr380's post properly captures our only real options with regard to Theis.

He's going to be very difficult for us to retain after next year unless something dramatic were to change with our roster that keeps us from being tax payers.  And even if we had the non-Tax Payer MLE, that may not be enough to meet his market price, should he continue to develop his value the way he has so far.

For the Cs to stay under the tax, Danny would need something like the following path:

1) Spend only minimally this coming summer.   Stash the draft pick  overseas.  Maybe sign one of Monroe or Baynes via the MLE.  Let Smart and Larkin walk.  Replace with minimum contract players.

2) The following summer, when Kyrie is due for a new, max deal, get Horford to opt-out and re-sign for a 2 or 3-year deal at a corresponding lower annual rate.  That pays for Kyrie's raise without raising the team salary.