Poll: Should we offer Tobias Harris the Max

[BornReady]

Offer him slightly less than the max
As he is not good enough of a player to transform our team into a team that could compete at the top

[BleedGreen1989]

We should definitely offer him something. Keep in mind that the salary cap will go up in the next few years and the fact that Harris will be an instant impact on our team at the SF position.

The guy is also very young hence that he'll be a good investment for the future.

Agreed.

Yes we should. Cap rising. Only 22 years old. Provides one of our biggest needs (scoring from the SF and more shooting).

[LGC88]

I don't mind giving him the max if we have someone already in place like Aldridge.
After all the steals Danny managed to get from other teams the last 2 seasons, it's ok to give back once in a while and overspend for the good cause, which is contention.
But if he's the only upgrade for next season, I'm not so sure. It's tempting considering this kind of production for a 22 years old is rare, but I don't like losing a bit of cap flexibility.

[Eja117]

Not a max player

[jambr380]

As discussed many times before, we are going to see crazy money given out this off-season because of how much the cap rising. A max this year will not be the same as the max next year (and the next). Harris at the max isn't necessarily a bargain, but will seem much more reasonable in a couple of years. Guys like Harris, Middleton, and Monroe are not typically max-level players, but the the good news is, there will be plenty of other guys making much more money than them in future years.

[Evantime34]

Honestly I'm fine offer any of the top tier unrestricted guys or the top tier restricted guys the max and seeing if any will take it.

[jambr380]

This was taken from mmmmm in the Monroe thread, but it is relevant here, as well. If you believe Harris is no better than a guy like Bradley, then it still doesn't make any sense to sign him. However, if you believe he has the potential to improve to all-star status, signing him isn't as risky as it seems.

Using Larry Coon's projection, the salary cap for 2015-16 will be about 66.7M.  The 'cap' number used to calculate max salaries would then be 61.36M.

That would put the max for Monroe (a 5th year player, eligible for 25% of the latter number) at about 15.3M.

Just a year later, the salary cap is expected to hit on the order of 89M, so the price for a similar player will jump to 20.5M.

If you can lock a player like Monroe (only 25 years old) for 4-year deal with a starting basis of 15.5M, he will look like a bargain in one year and a steal in three.

[PhoSita]

Yes, the Celtics should make the maximum competitive offer to get a top young free agent.

I think Harris is staying put in Orlando, though.

[Rosco917]

I voted no on this. We should definitely go after him, and pay him top dollars, but not max.

I'm also suspicious as to his numbers being the result of his team being not very good. That said, he's very young and talented and has more upside. He is a player we should covet.   

[Who]

He'll be a bargain on a max contract with the cap about to go up.

I think Orlando knows this too and will not let him leave. I think any team will need to put together a trade package to get Tobias Harris in a sign and trade otherwise Orlando will just match whatever max contract offer is made to Harris.

[alewilliam789]

Not not even for four years 65 million he would immediately be the go to scorer on our team, he had a lot of buzzer beaters for Orlando, only 22 years old 6'8" big strong kid we don't have any elite scores in this kid is almost there, why not

He's not even close to an elite scorer.


17.7 points per 36 to go with 46%/36%/78%

That's not far off Avery Bradley scoring numbers. 

Bradley averaged 16 points per 36 this season to go with 43%/45%/79% and he put up even better numbers (17.3 PP36 on 44% / 39% / 80%) last season.

And Bradley is a top 10-12 defender in the league at his position, while Harris is bottom 10 at his.

Given how many people here are hurling hate at Danny for over-paying Bradley at $8M a year, even suggesting Harris is worth $15M-$17m is straight up blasphemy. Insanity of the highest degree.

Agree with you about the defensive standpoint, but lets not look at per 26 numbers because they are hypothetical. Harris did average 17 PPG while Bradley averaged 13 and he is 2 years younger than Bradley with about just as much experience. Harris for me is only going to get better overall. He has the lateral quickness and length to be a good defender, but he just needs to become more engaged. We've seen players like Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving who were not good defenders on bad teams become better once they reached playoff teams that gave them incentives to become a 2 way player. In fact Harris has actually become better each year as a defender if you are looking at DWS. He even averaged about .3 less DWS than Marcus Smart this year who we rave about being a "menacing defender". No doubt in my mind that if he comes to Boston that he will be better defensively and continue to get better on offense. To even further this Harris is actually quicker than Kawhi Leonard, based off NBA Combine times, and his wingspan is only 2 to 3 inches shorter. Along with this quickness and length is his physicality as a 223 lb SF. It will just take incentive to get him better.

What about Harris' versatility? You guys remember when we threw Crowder in at the 4 in small ball lineups?? Well Harris is just a better all around player and could be menacing when we decide to throw him into a high ball screen or face him up against slower opposing PFs. Harris kind of reminds me of a Gordon Hayward type of player not because of his skill, but because of his financial situation. Harris is a very good, young player, but it's questionable about whether either of them can carry their teams to wins. Hayward got the max and I'm sure Utah isn't regretting it. Give Harris his money Ainge and watch what Stevens does with a player of his caliber.

[PaulAllen]

Its an intriging prospective to offer him a deal... One he has a player who has gotten better year after year.. He plays physical and is still young... However he has done this on one of the worse teams in the NBA... Its a gamble but with a new TV deal in place a max contract at this time wouldnt hurt the future of this team as salary cap will escalate in 2017 and worst scenario his contract could become a trade asset in a inflating market... I say go for it

[CFAN38]

He is not a perfect player but with the cap jumping up and his young age he is worth the money

[MSceltic]

He scores 17 a game which we could use. the phrase max contract is deceiving his max is 4 year 66mil, Aldridge would be 4 year 79.5mil. He is 22 and has a ton of potential I'd offer him the max.

[Geo123]

He's going to get the max whether we offer it to him or not.  I don't think that the Magic let him go especially with the salary cap jumping after next year.