We should extend Ray one year, bring him back, and then have this conversation next summer.
Ray is signed for next year, so you mean give him a one year extension through summer of 2011? I don't think the C's have any interest in doing that for what he is making now, and I don't think Ray has any interest in taking a pay cut, and only getting a 1 year contract out of it.
Also, if the C's sign him to a 1 year extension, it would mean he has the right to refuse any trade next summer or beyond, because he would be playing on a 1 year contract, and being traded would mean giving up his bird rights.
This is just not realistic.
If he is going to be traded, it will be this summer, or at the trade deadline. Otherwise, they will just let him expire, and possibly bring him back at a reduced cost for another 2-3+ years.
Maybe. But I think it makes the most basketball sense to extend him one more year. Since I don't pay him, I'd have no problem giving him the same money he makes right now for another year. However, Wyc might not see things the way I do.
However, to trade him now risks too much in what could be this groups finest year. I'd rather see him walk away and us get nothing in return than trade him at this point. At least we'd clear some space.
Why would you pay Ray the same money for one more year --> going into 2011? Makes no sense. He's still a very good player but not worth what he's getting paid right now. He's making franchise-player money and he's not at that level. Extending him for the same amount one year would have crippling luxury tax impacts.
With that in mind, I hope you meant to just extend him another year at less than half of what he'll make next year. The trading implications mentioned above would make that a questionable deal also.
I think they're better off holding on to him this year. Let him expire and talk him into resigning for 2-3 years at less than half of what he makes now with a declining amount each season to match his expected productivity. After next year, we hopefully would have someone that could step in for him and he could come off the bench as the "6th" man even though he doesn't really fit the mold of a great 6th man which is being a player that can play multiple positions.
Well, I'd obviously rather not sign him to similar money he has now, but I am shocked how many people on this board act like they would have to pay Ray's salary out of their own pocket.
Here's how I see things. Pierce and KG are on the books for the 2010-2011 season for over 40 million dollars combined. Throw in Perk at 4 million and a re-signed Rondo at somewhere around 10 million. Those 4 contracts combined are going to be somewhere around 55 million, so whether we have Ray or not next summer, we're not going to be FA players next summer.
As for what to do with Ray next year, I'm not suggesting paying him max money on a 1-year contract for the heck of it, I'm simply saying that everyone on this board seems to love the fact that Ray has an expiring 20 million dollar contract. If that's such a valuable tool in trades, they way to keep it a valuable tool and keep Ray another year is to extend him 1 year at similar money.
Personally, I don't care how much we extend Ray for as long as it gets done. I wouldn't mind the scenario he propose with him resigning for 2-3 more years at lower money. However, if he signs a 3 year deal and falters after the first year, the C's aren't going to find it easy to move him. Not so with a one year deal.
Still, I tend to agree that the C's probably won't offer him 1 year at max money and that Ray won't take 1 year at short money. But in a perfect world, that's what I'd like to see happen.
