Should we offer Nikola Pekovic a big contract this offseason?

[JGib23]

I'm going to stick with my guns on this one... I don't think he's a max player and I don't want us to offer him the max. (im sure some team will offer him the max or close- I just dont want it to be us)

I would much rather give JJ Hickson (who is 3 years younger) 7 or 8 Million a year than Nikola $15M. JJ is producing equally impressive stats and shares the court with LMA. (we actually were interested in JJ this summer but, he choose to resign with PDX)
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/07/...in-former.html


J.J. Hickson
Portland
Position: Center-Forward
Height: 6-9 Weight: 242
Prior to NBA / Country:
North Carolina State / USA
Player file | Team stats
2012-13 Statistics PPG13.0 RPG10.8 APG1.1 SPG0.5 BPG0.8 FG%0.558 FT%0.682 3P%0.000 MPG29.6



Nikola Pekovic
Minnesota
Position: Center
Height: 6-11 Weight: 290
Prior to NBA / Country:
Panathinaikos / Montenegro
Player file | Team stats
2012-13 Statistics PPG15.9 RPG8.6 APG0.9 SPG0.6 BPG0.9 FG%0.510 FT%0.733 3P%0.000 MPG31.2



I wouldn't be oppossed to giving him big dollars for 3 seasons but, the 4th & 5th year of ~$15M per scares me.



For what it's worth, I was reading today that Minnesota doesn't want to pay him more than $11M per.


as a side note... Our lack of cap space has hurt us twice now as we could have claimed Hickson and we could have participated in the Tor/Mem/Clev trade and got Marresse Speights for nothing...

[Bogg]

I'm going to stick with my guns on this one... I don't think he's a max player and I don't want us to offer him the max. (im sure some team will offer him the max or close- I just dont want it to be us)

I would much rather give JJ Hickson (who is 3 years younger) 7 or 8 Million a year than Nikola $15M. JJ is producing equally impressive stats and shares the court with LMA. (we actually were interested in JJ this summer but, he choose to resign with PDX)

Hickson is putting up those stats because he plays with LMA, not in spite of it. Hickson's a decent hustle/energy guy, but he's making a living on opposing defenses having to double on Lamarcus and pay little attention to him. If you try to make him your primary big, or even just take him away from his role of cleaning up next to an all-star, and he's going to be noticeably less effective.

[Scottley Crue]

If Minny doesn't want to give him more than $11 million/year, I'd think we'd be more than willing. What, we were looking at trying to ink Brook Lopez for the max and Kris Humphries for for than $11 mil per year last summer, right? So I don't see why we wouldn't throw that type of money at Pekovic as well. I'd love to see him here.

[JGib23]

Hickson is putting up those stats because he plays with LMA, not in spite of it. Hickson's a decent hustle/energy guy, but he's making a living on opposing defenses having to double on Lamarcus and pay little attention to him. If you try to make him your primary big, or even just take him away from his role of cleaning up next to an all-star, and he's going to be noticeably less effective.

So Pekovic's stats would be better if he weren't playing beside Love & JJ's stats are good because he plays beside LMA?

I'd just like to point out that in his last year in Cleveland as a 22 year old playing along side a 34 year old Jamison, he put 14 & 9.

I think Hickson could avg 16 & 10 for us next season at a more cost effective price than Pek.

[Bogg]

So Pekovic's stats would be better if he weren't playing beside Love & JJ's stats are good because he plays beside LMA?

I'd just like to point out that in his last year in Cleveland as a 22 year old playing along side a 34 year old Jamison, he put 14 & 9.

I think Hickson could avg 16 & 10 for us next season at a more cost effective price than Pek.

Hickson can put up numbers on a bad team, but he's leading anyone anywhere. He's doing a good job as LMA's garbageman in Portland, and if Charlotte had a premier low-block guy already Hickson would be a good add. However, he's not a great defender, and he's not a monster space-eater like Pekovic is. Charlotte doesn't need a hustle 4, they need a pair of go-to scorers. Tying up a bunch of money in roleplayers is the quickest way to hamstring a rebuild.

[JGib23]

Based on what your saying I think we agree on how to build but, we disagree on Nikola's ability/value.

I see Pekovic about the same as Hickson and most people in this thread see him as a clearly dominant player that can be part of a championship team. Or atleast thats how I interpret their wanting to give him the max or near max dollars.

I guess my arguement centers around this.

How many extra wins is Pekovic worth over Hickson(or comparable player) and are those wins enough to justify an incremental $7 Million over what it would take to sign Hickson or comporable talent?

If given the choice between Pek or Hickson for the same $, I would chose Pek because of his true center size but, If I can have Hickson and $6-7M left over to sign another player. I'll take the latter every time.

[Bogg]

I get what you're saying, but Pekovic's size allows him to be the defensive anchor that Hickson's never going to be, and the rarity of true two-way centers makes them a special kind of game-changer (see: Roy Hibbert). It's all moot though, as Pekovic isn't coming here even if Cho offers him the max.

[gamecocksmitty4]

JJ Hickson has a higher PER, FWIW.

[CampNightmare8]

I agree with Jgib. I knew hickson was special coming out of nc state the man can flat out rebound

[SWedd523]

JJ Hickson has a higher PER, FWIW.

He also has a higher PER than Aldridge, Lillard and Batum on his team.


And Steph Curry, Dwight Howard, Jrue Holiday, Marc Gasol, to name a few