Pacers sign Paul George to max deal.

[lightspeed5]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9718327/sources-paul-george-gets-max-extension-indiana-pacers

interesting. I thought max was reserved for bonafied superstars. paul george is probably leveraging the fact that hes one of the only players who can take on lebron.

[fitzhickey]

after this season he will be definitely be worth that money

[hpantazo]

Max deals in the new CBA are not what they used to be. Still great for the guys that get them, and still should only be used for certain players, but they are not as huge and rare as they were previously.

[mgent]

If the Pacers didn't give it to him he just would have left and got it elsewhere like Harden.  That's the price for future superstars, DMC will get the same.  If John Wall receives a max contract for potential, Paul George should get 2.

[pearljammer10]

Daymn Dang

[ManUp]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9718327/sources-paul-george-gets-max-extension-indiana-pacers

interesting. I thought max was reserved for bonafied superstars. paul george is probably leveraging the fact that hes one of the only players who can take on lebron.

Reserved for bonafide superstars? since when? Max contracts are given out like Halloween candy these days. It appears even after the new CBA teams still can't help themselves. Almost everybody knows max is a bit much for George, but at the same time everbody knows someone would've give him the Max if not INDY.

[Galeto]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9718327/sources-paul-george-gets-max-extension-indiana-pacers

interesting. I thought max was reserved for bonafied superstars. paul george is probably leveraging the fact that hes one of the only players who can take on lebron.

Reserved for bonafide superstars? since when? Max contracts are given out like Halloween candy these days. It appears even after the new CBA teams still can't help themselves. Almost everybody knows max is a bit much for George, but at the same time everbody knows someone would've give him the Max if not INDY.

Given out like Halloween Candy?  Overexaggerating a little bit?  I thought Wall's max deal was a headscratcher and if Cousins gets one, that'll be a bigger one but aside from that, what team couldn't help themselves?  George would make it a whooping two whole guys who got max deals before restricted free agency this off season. 

There are always going to be bad contracts.  Eric Gordon coming off knee surgery and Joe Johnson signing one of the richest deals in the league were two bad ones recently but the other max deals were worth it.

I think George has to improve his offense in order to be fully worth the max so there's a little risk here but he's such a multi-talented player that an overpay might be 2-3 million at most.  That risk is worth it given his age and the rate he's improved.  His ballhandling improved by leaps and bounds last season.

[celticslove]

another overpaid pseudo (super) star. danny granger part deux

[Moranis]

If they waited till next summer there is at least a decent chance the maximum contract would have been for more dollars depending on where George finished for post season awards and what not.  There are triggers on those sorts of things for guys on rookie deals.

[dreamgreen]

It seems all-star level = max contract now.

[Fafnir]

It seems all-star level = max contract now.

30 NBA teams, 24-26 all-stars

So yeah all-star will get you max money, especially max out of a rookie deal (which is no where near max for veterans)

Plus as Moranis pointed out, if Paul George did well on the all-nba team or MVP it could make his contract bigger if they didn't get the deal done now.

[Monkhouse]

It seems all-star level = max contract now.

If Paul George had another break out season averaging 19.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.7 SPG, and 5.1 APG, then he'd be commanding a huge contract for sure.

[Moranis]

It seems all-star level = max contract now.

30 NBA teams, 24-26 all-stars

So yeah all-star will get you max money, especially max out of a rookie deal (which is no where near max for veterans)

Plus as Moranis pointed out, if Paul George did well on the all-nba team or MVP it could make his contract bigger if they didn't get the deal done now.

exactly.  George is averaging 16 million a season.  Rose signed a designate player contract which essentially averages just under 19 million a season.  George already has 1 All NBA appearance, another one, would have allowed him to be a designated player and thus entitle him to 30% instead of 25% or on average an extra 3 million a year.

[Birdman]

Indiana Pacers are building a nice young foundation for years to come

[D.o.s.]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9718327/sources-paul-george-gets-max-extension-indiana-pacers

interesting. I thought max was reserved for bonafied superstars. paul george is probably leveraging the fact that hes one of the only players who can take on lebron.

Reserved for bonafide superstars? since when? Max contracts are given out like Halloween candy these days. It appears even after the new CBA teams still can't help themselves. Almost everybody knows max is a bit much for George, but at the same time everbody knows someone would've give him the Max if not INDY.

Given out like Halloween Candy?  Overexaggerating a little bit?  I thought Wall's max deal was a headscratcher and if Cousins gets one, that'll be a bigger one but aside from that, what team couldn't help themselves?  George would make it a whooping two whole guys who got max deals before restricted free agency this off season. 

There are always going to be bad contracts.  Eric Gordon coming off knee surgery and Joe Johnson signing one of the richest deals in the league were two bad ones recently but the other max deals were worth it.

I think George has to improve his offense in order to be fully worth the max so there's a little risk here but he's such a multi-talented player that an overpay might be 2-3 million at most.  That risk is worth it given his age and the rate he's improved.  His ballhandling improved by leaps and bounds last season.

For what it's worth, Joe Johnson was given that deal under the old CBA.

Like Moranis pointed out--the way these contracts are done when dealing with rookies is different than the veterans. Kobe's the exception (as his deal was under the old CBA) but he's making almost twice what George is next season. Carmelo Anthony is going to get paid this year--assuming he opts out and signs a new contract, and that'll also be for significantly more money than what George got.