When last night's game against the Nuggets came and went without news of
a contract extension for the Sixers' starting fourth-year point guard
Jrue Holiday, with Oct. 31st being the deadline for '09 draftee
extensions, it looked all but sure that Jrue would head to restricted
free agency next summer to seek the max contract he had reportedly been
asking. However, it appears team and player put their heads together
after the season-opening win and came to an agreement: A four-year,
$41-million deal with another five million being rumored in
"incentives," whatever that means.
Personally, I'm elated. First
and perhaps foremost, just because they've settled the issue and it
doesn't have to hang over the team all season, with everyone (especially
us) worrying about whether Jrue was playing himself into big money, or
playing himself out of a contract. Secondly, in today's NBA, four for
$41 is a very reasonable amount for a top 15 point guard yet to even
enter his prime, especially considering that the far-more-unproven DeMar
DeRozan of the Raptors signed for four and $38 just hours before.
(Stephen Curry and Ty Lawson of the Warriors and Nugs respectively both
got a little more, but their stats in the league have been superior to
Jrue's thusfar, so fair enough.) Considering Jrue was said to be looking
for a max deal (four years at roughly $15 mil), this could've been a
LOT worse.
It's also exciting because it means the team is
investing in Jrue as a critical part of their future. After three years
of reluctance to give the Damaja the ball and let him run with it, Coach
Collins and GM Tony DiLeo finally seem ready, with the trade of Andre
Iguodala and the goodbye-wave to Lou Williams, to make the leap of
faith. The game last night probably didn't have a huge impact on their
decision, but it was a good example of how even though Jrue has a long
way to go, he is at trustable team leader, both in getting his teammates
involved and making big plays in the game's key moments.
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Of
course, making this kind of commitment to Jrue means that the team will
have further difficult decisions to make regarding the remainder of
their roster, and as Michael Levin of LIberty Ballers rightly points out,
with Holiday's agreement and a likely extension for Andrew Bynum, it'll
be tough to pay big money to surrounding wings, which could mean
trouble for Evan Turner's future in Philadelphia if his play this year
doesn't merit a similar level of extension. With Thad and Jrue locked in
for sizable contracts, the team doesn't get to swing and miss on any
more from here if they expect to contend at all in the next few years.
Still,
these are issues for another day. Today, with a home victory over a
likely playoff team and a reasonably priced extension for one of our
core players, is a happy day. Let the Damaja-ing ensue.