Lock up Ray Ray

[GoBobs]

I think we should sign raymond now. If he has a breakout year he will want a lot more money. Even if he gets worse he will still be tradeable with a new contract because teams always trade thier slightly overpaid junk with each other.

I would start with a five year 32 mil offer just over the mid-level and would go all the way up to maybe 6 yrs and 48 mil deal to lock him up.

[dav7z]

Im a big Felton fan . But im not a fan of signing him now after drafting DJ.
If DJ works it won't be a need to pay Felton a hudge contract.
If we have to renounce Morrison , May and Felton that would give us a starting figure of 13 milion in the free agent market. Im more of lets se how thease three does befor investing big money into any of thair contracts.

[spectre]

I wouldn't offer him 8 million now...but no doubt they'll discuss a contract. In the end I think he'll decline and go the RFA route; his QO is 5.5 million and I doubt we'd start much over that.

We run a small risk if he does get better, but even if he does I doubt he'd get anymore than Nelson's 7.5 per.

Speaking of which, if we do end up signing him to a deal I hope it's like Nelson's & Crash's...flat. If he started at 6 million at 10.5% increases he'd be approaching 10 per his last season.

[Slam]

I wonder if he'll give us a home team discount? He really, really wanted to play here (he phoned BB the morning of the draft and begged him to draft him so he could stay close to his family and friends), he has a bright future here - I wonder if he would give up bigger money to stay here?

I agree with Spectre. I think he'll be around Nelson/Ridnour type money. I'd love him for $6.5-$7 mil (flat) a year for 4 or 5 years.

Wouldn't be so happy if he got Harris/Jose type money though.

[amour217]

Don't you know this is Charlotte? No one gets locked up........


...........oh wait, you mean to a contract...

[BIGCatBobcat]

I really think this is a good idea, Ray is a good guy to try it on, I think if there was a player we could lock up it'd be Ray, BUT.....it's not going to happen. This is the NBA. Guys used to come in to the league with potential and get paid ridiculous money and not have to play a single game. The NBA, where unrealized talent gets paid happens. Ray knows that, more importantly his agent, Bill Duffy, knows that if he has a breakout season as a PG he stands to make so much money it'll make your mama want Ray-Ray. This is not the NFL where you can restructure a guy's deal to make room for another player or for a new better for the team and the player contract. This is the NBA, the gettin-paid-league. Ray may love Charlotte, love the Bobcats, love Larry Brown, but he's not stupid, neither are his people, he's going to play out his contract, get a RFA deal like Okafor, Wallace, and even Matt Carroll. Great idea, just unrealistic.

[superb1]

But one different in locking up Ray, we have DJ behind him, so if Ray goes the Emeka route at least we have someone to fall back on.

[ziggy]

But one different in locking up Ray, we have DJ behind him, so if Ray goes the Emeka route at least we have someone to fall back on.
Welcome to BobcatsPlanet Superb1, I think you might have a record for longest time between joining (Jan '07) and making your first post (Aug '08 ) :cool:

[superb1]

i have been here for a while. i never posted though. i never knew that i registered though, and never knew had been so long ago.

[Ghost Kat]

I am a big fan of DJ and i've already stated I think he'll start some time in the future. But right now we have depth for the first time at a key spot. I also agree we don't need to give Ray big money if DJ shows he has a good future ahead. I would like to keep Ray and it would show he is a team player if he signs for the lead mini. This is going to be a big year for Felton, He has alot to prove.

[BRNC]

He had reasonable stats compared to other PGs last year...he did this with an inferior coach that had little to no offensive or defensive scheme...I'd rather have us lock him now in the 8-9 million range. I think he will only be better with Coach Brown...I hope DJ turns out to be a great pick...but I think Felton at 8-9 would turn out to be a bargain...just my 2 cents

[davcbow]

He had reasonable stats compared to other PGs last year...he did this with an inferior coach that had little to no offensive or defensive scheme...I'd rather have us lock him now in the 8-9 million range. I think he will only be better with Coach Brown...I hope DJ turns out to be a great pick...but I think Felton at 8-9 would turn out to be a bargain...just my 2 cents

I think the FO is waiting to see how it goes this season before they "Lock Him In" also I feel it has to do with the business end of things why they are waiting. I think if DJ shows he can do the job better than Felts then having locked him in would be a mistake. :cool:

[WAM9]

I think the FO is waiting to see how it goes this season before they "Lock Him In" also I feel it has to do with the business end of things why they are waiting. I think if DJ shows he can do the job better than Felts then having locked him in would be a mistake. :cool:


I agree. The Bobcats FO is in a pretty good position in this one. With DJ behind him, Felton's next deal will be based on this years production more than ever. Even is he plays great, DJ will eat into some of his minutes. And if DJ shows he might actually be better, bad news for Felton money wise. Either way, DJ will probably help us in signing Felton for less. If we could sign him for 6-7 million, as the first poster suggested, I'd be all for it. You start getting 8 million + and I have to say let's wait and see how this season plays out. Who knows, under Larry Brown, Felton might turn in to the second coming of Billips...We'll see...

[Slam]

He had reasonable stats compared to other PGs last year...he did this with an inferior coach that had little to no offensive or defensive scheme...I'd rather have us lock him now in the 8-9 million range. I think he will only be better with Coach Brown...I hope DJ turns out to be a great pick...but I think Felton at 8-9 would turn out to be a bargain...just my 2 cents
You think that Felts is worth around the same sort of money as Crash?

[ziggy]

You think that Felts is worth around the same sort of money as Crash?
In my opinion, absolutely positively NOT!

[spectre]

You think that Felts is worth around the same sort of money as Crash?

Worth? Hell no. I also don't think Hinrich was worth his deal nor was Nelson worth his. Thing is though, IF Felton can move up into top 10 status with LB (I think either he will or LB will break him) then I can certainly see him getting Crash type money.

[ohara831]

I would not seek to wrap him up long term until I saw his progress under LB. My gut tells me DJ will be better than Ray in 2 years anyway. But if Ray comes out and lights up the stats and proves many wrong, then great for him. Then I'd look at signing him long term. But prove it to me first.

[Slam]

Worth? Hell no. I also don't think Hinrich was worth his deal nor was Nelson worth his. Thing is though, IF Felton can move up into top 10 status with LB (I think either he will or LB will break him) then I can certainly see him getting Crash type money.
All the more reason to lock him up now when we might get him for $6 mil a year before he breaks out and costs us $10 mil a year (which we couldn't afford).

[spectre]

All the more reason to lock him up now when we might get him for $6 mil a year before he breaks out and costs us $10 mil a year (which we couldn't afford).

Oh, you know I totally agree with that, but you have to think his agent won't be that stupid. Next offseason he'll be an RFA (and next FA o'course) and there's going to be a lot of teams who'll have missed out on the big names and will be desperate to spend. Heck, there were only a couple this year and we saw Maggette get 10 per!

DJ doesn't matter from this perspective; this is about value and retaining an asset...hopefully at a good rate. Where DJ's value in regards to Felton would kick in is next year if he's asking for something stupid like Gordon with the Bulls.

[Slam]

Oh, you know I totally agree with that, but you have to think his agent won't be that stupid. Next offseason he'll be an RFA (and next FA o'course) and there's going to be a lot of teams who'll have missed out on the big names and will be desperate to spend. Heck, there were only a couple this year and we saw Maggette get 10 per!

That's what I was meaning when I mentioned the home town discount. I'm thinking that Felts would rather just know that he is staying here long term and get a deal done rather than risk being shipped out of the town that he loves.

[Ghost Kat]

I wonder if Felton thinks he should be getting paid what Hinrich or CP3 make. Atleast Hinrich has made it to the playoffs. This might turn out to be a serious problem. If Felton wants big money and chooses to leave...Who do we bring in to be DJ's back up...We're back to square one again at the PG spot. Felton should get the league minimum.

[davcbow]

I wonder if Felton thinks he should be getting paid what Hinrich or CP3 make. Atleast Hinrich has made it to the playoffs. This might turn out to be a serious problem. If Felton wants big money and chooses to leave...Who do we bring in to be DJ's back up...We're back to square one again at the PG spot. Felton should get the league minimum.

Felton may not be the best or any where near the best but he deserves more than league minimum.......:cool:

[GoBobs]

most teams would currently consider him a good value at the 6-7 mil range. He would definatly get offers at the mid level exception if he was on the market now. signing him to a number like that would make him more tradeable rather than less tradeable should DJ turn out to be great. He may not want to sign for that kind of jack but look at all the players that have passed on contracts and never got paid: earl boykins, bonzi wells... I think Felton would be smart to take the money.... It is a gamble on both sides

[Ghost Kat]

Felton may not be the best or any where near the best but he deserves more than league minimum.......:cool:

Since He's not the best or any where near the best as you just said...Why should he get more?

Wait....What is the league minimum?

[davcbow]

Since He's not the best or any where near the best as you just said...Why should he get more?

Wait....What is the league minimum?

Everything you need to know about the league minimum...

http://www.insidehoops.com/minimum-nba-salary.shtml

[Ghost Kat]

Ok, I was to harsh and didn't think before i said give him the league mini...
Clearly I'm a DJ supporter and i'm trying to give away Feltons job

[dnbman]

Ok, I was to harsh and didn't think before i said give him the league mini...
Clearly I'm a DJ supporter and i'm trying to give away Feltons job

Yeah, even if you don't like the guy, you have to consider the market. Othella Harrington might as well have been a double amputee and he got $2M/per. Felton is definitely going to get $5M a year and upwards of 7 or 8.

Look at this way: either he breaks out this year and justifies a big pay increase, or he's mediocre and we sign him cheap or let him go. Either way, I'm not expecting him to hold us hostage with a raise. He doesn't seem like that kind of guy.

"Seems, madam! nay, it is; I know not "seems.""