Without Durant, this Horford deal is garbage. $113M for a declining 30 year old? Ugh. C'mon, Durant.
There's always one!
Nah...it's not like that. It's going to take a while to get used to the new tv deal with a lot of money floating around and stuff. I was thinking in terms of the "old system." Considered Evan turner got 70M, yea, Horford's deal is ok I guess.
That doesn't matter. Ignore the number and ask yourself whether Horford would have been worth a max contract under the old cap. It's the same thing.
You can't consider a move like this in isolation. On those terms, 90% of the signings so far make no sense at all. You have to consider the bigger picture.
1. Even if he is declining, Horford is still going to be better than any big currently on our roster for the next two years.
2. There was maybe one other free agent big we could have signed instead (Howard) and he has his own set of issues.
3. Whatever chance we have at signing Durant, getting Horford just improved it.
4. It also makes us more appealing for any unhappy star out there who wants off his current team. That guy is much more likely to sign an extension and make trading for him worthwhile.
5. It changes the perception in the media and around the league about Boston as a destination.
6. Outside of Durant, there's no other FA we could sign this offseason that has any chance of seriously improving the team.
I really don't think there's much downside to getting Horford at this price. Other things still have to happen to make us a real contender and they may not happen, but I think this is like one of those crisis situations where it is better to do something, even if it's a mistake, than do nothing.
Mike