A look at the 2010 cap situation/ why would Pierce opt out?

[PaulPierce34G]

I'll be willing to bet that ownership will include a front office position in his deal as well, after retirement, as an incentive to take less money to help the team a little bit in terms of saving some cash.

[Chris]

I'll be willing to bet that ownership will include a front office position in his deal as well, after retirement, as an incentive to take less money to help the team a little bit in terms of saving some cash.

Well, that cannot be part of the contract, and I don't see how the promise of a job (he can likely have anyways) would give him any more motivation to give up his own cash, so the owners can save theirs.

[nickagneta]

I'll be willing to bet that ownership will include a front office position in his deal as well, after retirement, as an incentive to take less money to help the team a little bit in terms of saving some cash.

Well, that cannot be part of the contract, and I don't see how the promise of a job (he can likely have anyways) would give him any more motivation to give up his own cash, so the owners can save theirs.

If Pierce opts out and then signs a 5 year contract under the provision that he is probably going to retire after 4 years, since he will be over 36 in the last year of the contract, under the Over 36 rule of deferred payments in contracts for older players, do you think the the C's could sell Pierce in taking a major cut from this year's $21+million because he would be receiving the deferred money on the last year of his contract?

I'm not sure exactly how that Over 36 rule works on deferred payments but if Pierce were to take a 10 million pay cut under the stipulation that he will receive that $10 million back as payment in the last year of a 5 year contract in which he is going to retire after 4 years, I think that could work in getting him to opt out and take a huge cut to help the team now at the expense of a $10 million hit 5 years from now. Of course the C's might have to add a no trade clause to pull that off though.

[Brendan]

The only way is years.

It depends on how long Pierce thinks he will play in the NBA, how long the C's think they will play.

They would have incentive to get the next years salary lower given a the tax hit, which they *might* not have later, and given the salary cap could go up. They declining deal potentially helps them later.

I could see him going down to 15 range for a four year deal, maybe with a club option for the fifth so they can call it a 75 million dollar extension. There is a good chance he won't be able to make more than the MLE anywhere in two years, and I just think he won't want to be a FA next year (since he has a high salary and a team that could win it all right here.)

I don't think the club has a huge incentive to do anything though.

[Change]

Paul Pierce is not a $10 million dollar man. If Pierce opt out, It will $15 mil a year 3-4 years.

[PaulPierce34G]

I guess I worded my post a bit wrong.  They could have a "gentleman's agreement" to give Pierce a front office job after he retires, if he re-works his deal somehow, someway.  What's the benefit?  It'll get Pierce's foot in the door to the business side of the league to continue to have  a presence in the league well beyond his playing days, thus enabling him to make more money affiliated with basketball/outside of any independent business ventures. 

But whatever happens is going to happen. Rondo is locked up, Perk should be next on the list in the summer.  It's going to be an interesting one.

[Chief]

And then of course, we are still missing a major piece...Ray Allen.  So assuming the C's were to sign him to a contract starting at $9 million, that then puts the C's at $82.08 million, and an actual cost of $97.56.  Add in a few vet minimum contracts to fill out the roster, and it puts them right at about $100 million.

Ray Allen $9 million? I think his market value will be around $4.5 million a year.

[Roy Hobbs]

And then of course, we are still missing a major piece...Ray Allen.  So assuming the C's were to sign him to a contract starting at $9 million, that then puts the C's at $82.08 million, and an actual cost of $97.56.  Add in a few vet minimum contracts to fill out the roster, and it puts them right at about $100 million.

Ray Allen $9 million? I think his market value will be around $4.5 million a year.

You think?  How many extraordinarily efficient 18-point scorers (as a third option) without character issues or injury problems are taking $4.5 million?

[JSD]

And then of course, we are still missing a major piece...Ray Allen.  So assuming the C's were to sign him to a contract starting at $9 million, that then puts the C's at $82.08 million, and an actual cost of $97.56.  Add in a few vet minimum contracts to fill out the roster, and it puts them right at about $100 million.

Ray Allen $9 million? I think his market value will be around $4.5 million a year.

You think?  How many extraordinarily efficient 18-point scorers (as a third option) without character issues or injury problems are taking $4.5 million?

Allen in at the very least a full MLE guy.