The Denver Nuggets might not hold a lot of cards when it comes to retaining forward Carmelo Anthony. But at least they have a pair of 2s. That was further illustrated when NBA commissioner David Stern said Thursday owners want to cut salaries by a third in the next collective bargaining agreement after the current one expires June 30, 2011.
Anthony, in case you've been trekking in the Himalayas, has not signed a three-year, $64.47 million contract option that is on the table and can opt out of his contract next summer and become a free agent. Anthony admitted recently a new CBA looming is "scary'' and it would be a "big risk'' to opt out due to all the uncertainty. Stern's revelation, even if much of it is posturing and even if such numbers only could be reached after a prolonged lockout, should serve as reason for Anthony to find matters even scarier.
That's where we get to the Nuggets and their pair of 2s. Knowing Anthony could lose more than $20 million if he signs a deal elsewhere after this season and contracts have become similar to what owners want, they can hang on to hopes Anthony might eventually be convinced to re-sign with the Nuggets. Anthony did offer some hope when he told FanHouse earlier this week re-signing with Denver remains an option.
The odds remain Anthony will be dealt by the Feb. 24 trade deadline. But Anthony's uncertain future earnings at least gives the Nuggets a little leverage to not quickly make a deal they might regret. In other words, the Nuggets, with executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri having recently arrived from Toronto, are in a better situation than the Raptors were last season with Chris Bosh.
Speaking of Bosh, who knew well in advance he was not long for the Raptors and knew what kind of money he could get by leaving, he played follow the leader in the summer of 2006. And look where he is now, having comfortably landed as a free agent in Miami along with LeBron James and a re-signed Dwyane Wade.
Anthony didn't follow the pack that summer. That might wind up being an airball of a move on his part.
During that summer, the savvy James, knowing the current CBA would expire in 2011, decided not to sign the maximum five-year contract extension that would have taken him through 2011-12 with Cleveland (his deal started in 2007-08). Instead, he signed a three-year deal with a fourth-year player option for 2010-11, which he didn't invoke, and then bolted to Miami.
James in 2006 indicated to Bosh, Wade and Anthony it would be prudent to sign similar deals. Bosh and Wade heeded the advice, and look where they are now. They're all in Miami with new contracts after becoming free agents last summer.
Anthony didn't heed it. He signed a five-year deal with the ability to opt out after four years, saying in 2006 his family told him he would be "crazy'' to take a shorter deal.
"I had to operate on it a little bit,'' Anthony said in 2006 about speaking with James and deciding not to sign a similar deal. "But I just decided to take the other route. ... You got to think about the worse thing (such as an injury happening).''
Had Anthony given himself the opportunity to become a free agent last summer, he already could have signed with the New York Knicks, who covet him. He already could have joined newly signed Amar'e Stoudemire, the Knicks forward who is the NBA's leading preseason scorer, while Anthony is second.
Instead, Anthony is staring at the possibility of losing a lot of money if he doesn't re-sign with Denver or the Nuggets decide to play hardball and he's not traded to a team with which he wants to sign a contract extension.If Anthony were to sign the three-year contract extension before the June 30, 2011 deadline, he would be assured of $82.99 million over the next four seasons. That's the $18.52 million he would make next season if he doesn't opt out and extension numbers of $19.45 million in 2012-13, $21.49 million in 2013-14 and $23.53 million in 2014-15.
How much could he lose if he becomes a free agent next summer and owners are successful in significantly curtailing contracts? Well, if Stern gets what he wants and a third is lopped off $82.99 million, Melo is down to $55.33 million over the next four seasons, a loss of $27.66 million.
Owners are looking to cut maximum contract amounts. If a maximum deal becomes $14 million per season, Anthony, not taking into account possible yearly raises above that, would lose about $27 million over the next four years. If a maximum contract becomes $12 million a season, that's a loss of about $36 million.
While it's not expected Stern will get the type of cuts he wants, it's still very possible Anthony could lose around $20 million if he doesn't sign an extension before July arrives.
Yes, that's "scary.'' Life without Melo also looms scary for the Nuggets, but at least they have a little leverage due to the current CBA situation, and Stern's words Thursday didn't hurt at all in that regard.
Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson
No comments:
Post a Comment