What would you pay IT4 for his next contract?

[Tr1boy]

Bring out the 🚛🚛

What is a fair deal look like?

[PhoSita]

A great deal depends on how he looks over the next 1.5 seasons -- how many games does he play, does he show significant signs of decline, how does he perform in the playoffs.

Assuming he plays 65+ games this season and about the same next season, continues to produce around his current level, and has at least a handful of nice games in the playoffs this year and next ....

I think he'd be in for a 3-4 year max deal, whatever that ends up being given his years in the league and the salary cap heading into the 2018-2019 season.

[droopdog7]

A great deal depends on how he looks over the next 1.5 seasons -- how many games does he play, does he show significant signs of decline, how does he perform in the playoffs.

Assuming he plays 65+ games this season and about the same next season, continues to produce around his current level, and has at least a handful of nice games in the playoffs this year and next ....

I think he'd be in for a 3-4 year max deal, whatever that ends up being given his years in the league and the salary cap heading into the 2018-2019 season.

Yeah, whether we like it or not, IT is approaching max deal territory.  So it may not matter what we want to pay him because he'll get his one way or the other.

[Who]

IT is a max contract

[green_bballers13]

Not as much as he's going to get, which is probably 5 yrs and $125m or more.

[celticsclay]

I have to say I don't understand the flurry of posts debating his next contract at this point. It seems like we have much more urgent needs. Particularly rebounding and an additional frontcourt player. There will be a lot more information available to us by the time we need to make this decision. Specifically we will have a lot better idea if Smart and Rozier are done developing and what kind of top 5-7 player we draft in this years draft. There will also be free agent signings this offseason that will dramatically impact how our books look going forward.

There is a small chance that we could trade him at the draft next year, but I would be really shocked if it we did it now. To me it seems like discussing this now is kind of just another opportunity for people to discuss IT in a negative matter and argue why he shouldn't get paid a lot of money.

[BitterJim]

It depends.  If the team is a contender (or has an obvious and immediate path to contending that doesn't involve free agency), then you give him a max contract (maybe not for 5 years, though).  If the team strikes out on trades and free agency this year, and looks like they'll be better off by building through the draft, you probably let him go in free agency (or sign him to a shorter-term max contract, probably 2 years so he and Horford expire at the same time)

I don't know how things are gonna work out, but I really hope it's option 1

[PhoSita]

I have to say I don't understand the flurry of posts debating his next contract at this point. It seems like we have much more urgent needs. Particularly rebounding and an additional frontcourt player. There will be a lot more information available to us by the time we need to make this decision. Specifically we will have a lot better idea if Smart and Rozier are done developing and what kind of top 5-7 player we draft in this years draft. There will also be free agent signings this offseason that will dramatically impact how our books look going forward.

There is a small chance that we could trade him at the draft next year, but I would be really shocked if it we did it now. To me it seems like discussing this now is kind of just another opportunity for people to discuss IT in a negative matter and argue why he shouldn't get paid a lot of money.

When the team isn't playing as well as people want it to, there is a tendency to grasp for negative topics to seize on. 

During this stretch, it seems like "IT is not a max player / this team isn't good enough, so we should consider trading him for young pieces" is the angle folks are taking.

[tankcity!]

He'd have to pay the Celtics imo. Oh my bad, I thought we're talking about Smart.

[Neurotic Guy]

I think you have to project his value to a contender to determine what to offer.  If we were to pay him based on his value to the C's right now, he's the number 1 or number 2 guy.  If he played for GSW, Cleveland, San Antonio, I think he'd be number 4 or 5 on those teams.  You can't pay the 4th or 5th most valuable player on your team max dollars.   

Isaiah is an amazing talent, but his shortcomings really matter in this league.  I think he'll add vintage Jamal Crawford value to a contender, but not Steph Curry or Kawhi Leonard value.   

[PhoSita]

I think you have to project his value to a contender to determine what to offer.  If we were to pay him based on his value to the C's right now, he's the number 1 or number 2 guy.  If he played for GSW, Cleveland, San Antonio, I think he'd be number 4 or 5 on those teams.  You can't pay the 4th or 5th most valuable player on your team max dollars.   

Isaiah is an amazing talent, but his shortcomings really matter in this league.  I think he'll add vintage Jamal Crawford value to a contender, but not Steph Curry or Kawhi Leonard value.

I think he'd be pretty great on the Spurs playing alongside Kawhi and LMA. 

Another team that comes to mind is the Bucks.  IT playing alongside Giannis and Jabari could be awesome.

If the Knicks are still looking for a point guard in two years, I could see them paying him big $$.


There will be more than a few teams in need of a point guard.


Personally, I'd like to see him play alongside Jae Crowder and Al Horford for a while longer.  I think those three, maybe with Avery Bradley included, could reach a pretty high level together.  Their chemistry is already pretty good despite limited time together.

[Rosco917]

He'll get max money from some team, maybe the Nets their owner is capable of a move like that...hopefully it isn't us.

[celticsclay]

I think you have to project his value to a contender to determine what to offer.  If we were to pay him based on his value to the C's right now, he's the number 1 or number 2 guy.  If he played for GSW, Cleveland, San Antonio, I think he'd be number 4 or 5 on those teams.  You can't pay the 4th or 5th most valuable player on your team max dollars.   

Isaiah is an amazing talent, but his shortcomings really matter in this league.  I think he'll add vintage Jamal Crawford value to a contender, but not Steph Curry or Kawhi Leonard value.

Curious who would be ahead of him on the Spurs besides Aldridge and Kawaii. He really blows Mills, 38 year old Gasol and 34 year old Tony Parker our of the water. So thinking you could find two additional players on the Spurs better than him is a little mind blowing. I would grant you that Cleveland and Golden State have 3 guys that are clearly above him, but they are super teams. Just about any other team he is going to be the second or 3rd best player. You don't get to be an all star if you are not one of the top 30 players in the game. I am guessing he will be an all-star again this year if the injuries don't linger.

[tazzmaniac]

MAX for Thomas in a couple years will be around 33M.  I can't see any team offering him close to that.  I certainly hope Ainge doesn't. 

[chilidawg]

I'd put him in the 4 years/$64M range.