What is Felton REALLY worth...

[TattoodCats4life]

We've got a tiny bit of time before the deadline, but assuming we offer Ray a real long term deal this summer what's he worth?

I haven't done any comparison with other PGs, but basing his skill on that of our retained (not rookie scale) players, I'd say something like this:

Start him off at 7.25 mil, give him typical raises to 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 10 over 6 years. What I'd try to do, and likely his agent would say "oh hell no" to is make at least the last year a team option.

Its hard to say though, Bell makes 5 mil, but so did Carroll,and on the other end of the spectrum Meka makes 9.5 going up a million a year to 14.5. Vlad makes 6.5 going to near 7, and I think that mid to high 7 mark is a good point to start ray out at because he's better than Vlad, better than Carroll, better then Bell (at some things), but he certainly isnt as good as Wallace or Meka.

This is just my opinion, and the whole point here is I want to see what do you guys think he'd be worth.., and a bit of what you think he's going to go after. I mean Mek wanted that 6th year, that was the sticking point this summer with him, are we going to see something like that with Ray?

[Alex]

I think Felton's agent is definitely making him feel like he deserves to get at least a contract of Wallace's caliber and that's bad news for us (if we keep him) because like you said, he's definitely not worth as much as Wallace.

[ohara831]

Which is why I say our FO needs to know by now what kind of money his agent and Felts will be demanding and will settle for. If it is Crash type money, send him on his way now for the best deal. But if it's reasonable, then resign him. But I would think the would already know the answer by now. It would be neglectful on their part if they did not get that info already.

[Slam]

See: Luke Ridnour, Jameer Nelson, Beno Udrih and Earl Watson.

[GoBobs]

Most restricted free agents want more money then they end up getting. If somebody offers Felton a deal then we match. Nobody is going to offer something we don't want to match. There are very few teams with cap space and even the very good free agents often don't get offered them money they think they are worth (see Ben Gordon who most people think is a notch above Felton). The number that hits me is 8 mil for 5 years or a 40 mil deal. If he doesn't want to sign that go with a qualifiing offer and see what other offers he gets.

[ALong13]

3 years 23-24 million...absolutely max IMO...Felton is a very good leader, but he's not worth breaking the bank over or giving an extremely long contract that we won't be able to trade if needed...

[Slam]

Spectre has had the right idea from the very start. Do the same thing with Felts that we did with Crash. Tell him he has started to show improvement and give him a 3 year deal @ around $6 mil per explaining that after that 3 year period and if he has continued to improve, he'll get his big pay day.

[ballwhore]

Jameer Nelson got something like 7yrs 35 million. Thats what about Felton is worth maybe less. I think he will get overpaid. Is his skill set better than Nelson? I'll take Jameer anyday over Raymond. So 7yrs at 35mil

[spectre]

Thanks! Felton seems the reasonable sort, so I think he'll go along with that.

Besides...if LB can continue to help him grow just imagine what he could get in a couple of years (That's what I'd tell Felton if I was Higgins anyway)?

OT...Bill Ingram's chat:

Double Trouble in Macon,GA:
Do you think the Bobcats will trade Raymond Felton before the trade deadline? And if they do trade him, what teams would look to acquire Felton?

Bill Ingram:
Absolutely not . . .

Double Trouble in Maocn, GA:
What about this trade. Felton and May to Golden State for Murrow, Randolph, and Turiaf. I put in the trade machine and the numbers work.

Bill Ingram:
Cats aren't moving Felton. They've told us that over and over again.

It certainly seems that someone has convinced Bill Ingram that we're not trading Felton.

[teej]

right now i would take 35/7 in a heartbeat, i dont know if ray would though.

I like spectre's idea too

many ways to go with this, not sure what the right one is