I think they demand contracts with player options, similar to what Mayo/Posey/etc have done.
Young players like that aren't going for short term "make good" deals like you assume they'd take unless they don't have other options too.
Do you think that Bass/Green/Lee/Terry didn't have options? Or that veteran minimum or guys willing to take one year overpays would just sign on for a one year go of it?
I'm sure Lee and Terry did for similar money, which is why I didn't mention them, I just wouldn't have signed them at all. Not worth the money or years for what they provide.
Bass probably did, but not at more than the MLE. He might have been able to get more in a sign and trade if it could have been worked out. But had he been given 1 year, 9 million, I think that is a gamble he might have taken as opposed to a 3 yr, 16 million total contract. That said if Bass would have left, then a guy like Blatche was certainly available to fill in (and might just be a better player anyway).
I think Ainge really liked Green and wanted to ensure he didn't leave so he overpaid early in the process to ensure he didn't look elsewhere. Of course I'm not sure where exactly elsewhere was. I mean what team with cap space was going to break the bank on Jeff Green. I think Boston could have thrown out a big 1 year contract early and then just watched the process and adjusted as necessary, I just don't think that was in the cards.
And for the record had Green left there were plenty of other options out there. I mean just look at Dallas, claimed Elton Brand for 2.1 million, signed Kaman 1 yr 8 million, signed Mayo for 4 million the first year with a player option at 4.2 next year, among other moves, and that is just Dallas. To act like Boston couldn't have fielded a competitive team is utterly ridiculous. Of course not near as ridiculous as signing the 4 man flotsam for nearly 30 million dollars a year for at least 3 years. That is way beyond ridiculous and frankly I can't believe so many people on here defend those signings.
Put it this way, would a team with Rondo, Bradley, Pierce, Brand, Garnett, Mayo, Blatche, Sullinger, Pietrus, Wilcox, Barbosa, Collins, Melo, and Daniels be any worse than the team out there now.