Wiggins extension

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

My heart says wait and then match if necessary, but my brain says just do it. I'm kind of a Wiggins skeptic based on his lackluster all-around game and uneven effort levels, but elite scorers often don't peak until years 5-8. He's already a volume scorer and can do it in a variety of ways. If he continues to improve his handles, figures out how to get all the way to the rim going left, and consistently hits the 3....lookout! And hopefully he finally figures out that playing defense includes situations where your man doesn't have the ball.

[Lipoli390]

My heart says wait and then match if necessary, but my brain says just do it. I'm kind of a Wiggins skeptic based on his lackluster all-around game and uneven effort levels, but elite scorers often don't peak until years 5-8. He's already a volume scorer and can do it in a variety of ways. If he continues to improve his handles, figures out how to get all the way to the rim going left, and consistently hits the 3....lookout! And hopefully he finally figures out that playing defense includes situations where your man doesn't have the ball.

I have the same take, Q. As you know, I'm also a Wiggins skeptic. But for all the reasons you mentioned, the smart thing to do is to give him the 5-year max extension ASAP. As you noted, it's already a volume scorer at 22 years old and would have been a college senior last season if he had stayed in college. And of course he has elite athleticism and terrific length for both wing positions. Here are some additional positives that give me hope for him developing into an elite player:

1. His 3-point shooting improvement last season. It's interesting that Wiggins has been a 20+ point per game scorer without hitting a lot of threes. But his 3-point shooting improvement last season, combined with a beautiful looking stroke, suggest he can become a very good volume 3-point shooter. Then his scoring becomes elite.

2. The addition of Butler. This should help Wiggins in 3 ways. First, it will relieve him of the burden of guarding the opposing team's best scorer, which should give him more energy to perform on both ends. Second, defenses won't be able to focus on him as much as they'll have to pay a lot of attention to Butler. Third, although I'm not big on mentoring in the NBA, Butler's presence should have some positive impact on Wiggins. Unlike KG, Butler will be able to lead through his performance on the court.

3. The addition of Teague. Teague's presence should improve spacing a bit and further help divert defensive attention from Wiggins.

[TheFuture]

What benefits are there to signing him early?

I see a few benefits for waiting:
Maybe there is less money around when he is due and we get him at a slight discount? Even if it is the full max we have to match, then we tie up someone elses money for 3+ days. What if he gets both his legs amputated halfway through the season? He has zero leverage. You wait.

[TheGrey08]

The benefit of locking them up sooner than later is paying them less. Either by them not asking for the max max or by them agreeing to the 2017 max and not having to pay them to the 2018 max (Wiggins) or 2019 max (Towns)

[BloopOracle]

What benefits are there to signing him early?

I see a few benefits for waiting:
Maybe there is less money around when he is due and we get him at a slight discount? Even if it is the full max we have to match, then we tie up someone elses money for 3+ days. What if he gets both his legs amputated halfway through the season? He has zero leverage. You wait.

Then when he leaves us in a few years after we lowball him we can scream about loyalty like Jazz fans!

[TheFuture]

What benefits are there to signing him early?

I see a few benefits for waiting:
Maybe there is less money around when he is due and we get him at a slight discount? Even if it is the full max we have to match, then we tie up someone elses money for 3+ days. What if he gets both his legs amputated halfway through the season? He has zero leverage. You wait.

Then when he leaves us in a few years after we lowball him we can scream about loyalty like Jazz fans!

He can't leave until after this next contract. He can do so no matter what we pay him. I only expect to have Wiggins and KAT through their next contract, nothing more.

[BloopOracle]

What benefits are there to signing him early?

I see a few benefits for waiting:
Maybe there is less money around when he is due and we get him at a slight discount? Even if it is the full max we have to match, then we tie up someone elses money for 3+ days. What if he gets both his legs amputated halfway through the season? He has zero leverage. You wait.

Then when he leaves us in a few years after we lowball him we can scream about loyalty like Jazz fans!

He can't leave until after this next contract. He can do so no matter what we pay him. I only expect to have Wiggins and KAT through their next contract, nothing more.

So why not pay him the max then? He's going to get a max offer from somebody so why shouldn't we do it and keep the good will? Why the defeatist attitude about him staying long term?

[TheFuture]

What benefits are there to signing him early?

I see a few benefits for waiting:
Maybe there is less money around when he is due and we get him at a slight discount? Even if it is the full max we have to match, then we tie up someone elses money for 3+ days. What if he gets both his legs amputated halfway through the season? He has zero leverage. You wait.

Then when he leaves us in a few years after we lowball him we can scream about loyalty like Jazz fans!

He can't leave until after this next contract. He can do so no matter what we pay him. I only expect to have Wiggins and KAT through their next contract, nothing more.

So why not pay him the max then? He's going to get a max offer from somebody so why shouldn't we do it and keep the good will? Why the defeatist attitude about him staying long term?

I explained why we should wait in a previous post. Two easy choices: We make sure he doesn't get severely injured this season. We get to tie up another team's money during FA. We have all the leverage to wait, and we should utilize it.

Defeatist attitude about him staying long term? Defeatist or Realist? This is a question that doesn't really require an explanation.

[kekgeek]

What benefits are there to signing him early?

I see a few benefits for waiting:
Maybe there is less money around when he is due and we get him at a slight discount? Even if it is the full max we have to match, then we tie up someone elses money for 3+ days. What if he gets both his legs amputated halfway through the season? He has zero leverage. You wait.

Then when he leaves us in a few years after we lowball him we can scream about loyalty like Jazz fans!

He can't leave until after this next contract. He can do so no matter what we pay him. I only expect to have Wiggins and KAT through their next contract, nothing more.

So why not pay him the max then? He's going to get a max offer from somebody so why shouldn't we do it and keep the good will? Why the defeatist attitude about him staying long term?

I explained why we should wait in a previous post. Two easy choices: We make sure he doesn't get severely injured this season. We get to tie up another team's money during FA. We have all the leverage to wait, and we should utilize it.

Defeatist attitude about him staying long term? Defeatist or Realist? This is a question that doesn't really require an explanation.

Super low probability but if wiggins feels like we are low balling him expecially after we gave gorgui an extention.

Wiggins could accept to QO and be an UFA in 2019. Monroe did this when he was with the Pistons

[TheFuture]

Like you said, super low probability. That QO would be what? Around 7 mil? When he'd be taking the risk of turning down 20+ mil per over at least 4 years. Super low probability may be an understatement.

KAT I would extend the year before. Wiggins? I'm not convinced. Has he really shown us enough already to be given the max simply because?