NBA Power Rankings: Top 15 Players With Contract Concerns As Lockout Looms
When it comes to players in the last year in their contracts, one sees many players take off suddenly in hopes of acquiring an extension before years end. However, there are some cases when players play free agency in advance, dropping hints as to who might be the favorites for their services. Despite the threat of a lockout next year, players must remain focused. In many instances though, certain individuals will become distracted by their current financial state, and this will open the door to much speculation concerning particular players' futures.
Here is a list concerning the players who are evidently more focused on their futures than many others. This is not a list ranking who is better than who, rather, who is more distracted than who:
No 15: Thaddeus Young (Philadelphia 76ers)
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There is no question that Young has talent. The issue surrounding a player like him is the fact that he might not be right for the Sixers. When they drafted him, one had to figure that they were grooming him to become the starting small forward with this team at some time. Now, with the team showing they are not ready to move Andre Iguodala and drafting Evan Turner in the draft this past off season, one has to wonder where Thad fits into all of this.
Is he content battling with Lou Williams for big minutes off the bench? Or does he want to take his talent elsewhere and try to start and flourish in another system?
He has gone on record saying he wants to stay for the Sixers, but for a team that already handed out a couple big contracts, one has to think that they are a bit skeptical to giving one of their most athletic players the large pay day he will irrefutably be seeking.
No 14: Shannon Brown (Los Angeles Lakers)
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An early deserving candidate so far for “Sixth Man of the Year”, Brown has proven to be an energy bunny off the bench, as he has suddenly become a very deadly shooter from outside while still providing Laker fans with some absolutely vicious dunks. While he does not snatch a lot of rebounds or get a lot of assists, he knows his role well and he has been spot-on so far this year.
After recently signing a two-year deal with the Lakers this past off season (the second year being a player option), it would not be shocking to see Brown decline his option to return for a second year and instead try to make something of his reputation of being a difficult cover and go after a big pay day.
Whether it be from the Lakers or another NBA team, there is no doubt that Brown is thinking about his next contract already and if he decides to try to get a big one this next off season, no one will blame him.
No. 13: David West (New Orleans Hornets)
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While he has a player option for a little more than seven million, there is little doubt that West will be looking for one last big pay day this coming off season. Being on one of the best teams in the NBA currently also does not hurt him, seeing he has been an integral part to that team’s success thus far. His mid-range jumper is not almost impossible to guard, despite his relatively average height for a power forward (6’9).
The Hornets would be fools not to pay up. Yes, he just turned 30 and he might decline in three-four years or so, but if the Hornets have any chance of convincing Chris Paul to hang around, it will be by extending West and showing that they are serious about being a winning squad for the next few years.
No. 12: Wilson Chandler (New York Knicks)
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Chandler has shown to be one of the more exciting up-and-coming small forwards in the league this past year. A lot of that has to be credited to his defense, as he has averaged 2.0 bpg so far this year. This is a rare feat for a small forward to average a stat like that. Granted, the season is young and there are plenty of games to be played, but extending him by the end of this season would not be a bad move for the Knicks to make.
Unfortunately, it looks like Chandler’s extension hinges completely on the Carmelo Anthony situation. If Melo resigns in Denver, look for New York to lock up Chandler. If Melo remains up in the air like he has been for the last few months, look for New York to make a run at him and leave an annoyed Chandler looking elsewhere.
No. 11: Nene (Denver Nuggets)
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He might not become a free agent this next off season, being that he has a player option for 11.6 million for next year. However, like many players approaching next season, Nene might want to go ahead and decline his player option and opt to work with the Nuggets on a contract extension sooner rather than later seeing the seemingly inevitable lockout for next year’s season.
He has established himself to be a very well-rounded center in the league. While not an excellent shot-blocker or rebounder at his position, he makes up for this with his accurate shooting in the post, as well as the general toughness he brings to Denver’s front line.
Also, considering his history with injuries and the fact that he will be almost 30 when his current contract runs out, he risks becoming viewed as an “over-the-hill” kind of player, since once you hit 30, you might be considered “old” by many.
No. 10: Yao Ming (Houston Rockets)
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This is a very difficult one. When healthy, Yao is undoubtedly one of the best centers in the league. His likeable personality and desire to win are coveted by any winning team, and he has been the driving force behind the Rockets for almost a decade now. His injury issues on the other hand continue to plague him and the Rockets, as he has already been knocked out for a couple weeks at the start of this season.
Do the Rockets show their loyalty to what this guy has done for their team for almost ten years now? Or, do they look at his age (30), injury history, and the fact that they cannot play him as much as they once used to and decide to go in another direction? I still think they sign him to a modest extension, but no one will blame them if they decide that he is too big of a risk.
No. 9: Andrei Kirilenko (Utah Jazz)
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The fall of Andrei Kirilenko is still mysterious to me. After the 03-04 season, he was primed to be one of the best small forward in the league. Since then, he has become a good role player who hits the occasional corner three and who plays great perimeter defense, but nothing more. The guy had the potential to be a star at one time, but it is just disappointing to me that he fell so far.
With that said, the Jazz still want to hang on to this guy. He fits neatly into Jerry Sloan’s defensive schemes and he still puts up a big game offensively once in a while. He can play both the three and four spots capably and at the age of 29 he still has a few good years left in him.
He will be an unrestricted free agent this year, and while this will be on his mind and possibly prove to be distracting, I still expect him to wind up with a four year extension with the Jazz.
No. 8: Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks)
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Let’s be honest, Chandler would be a fool not to pick up his player option for 12.75 million for next season. However, like Nene, he has to be thinking about his future. He no longer fits neatly into “spry young big man” category anymore, and with how he has been playing for the Mavs thus far and considering he is 28 years old (when an NBA player stars his “prime years”), he might pull a Richard Jefferson, decline his option, then get a rich pay day at the end of this year from the Mavs. It is not totally crazy.
He fits very well with the Mavs, seeing he’s an alley-oop favorite for Jason Kidd and his shot-blocking adds a lot to Dallas’s defense. My gut tells me he is going to play it safe and opt to get paid 13 million next season.
However, he has to wonder if he keeps playing this well for the remainder of the season if he can get a, say, Erick Dampier/Brendan Haywood contract that Mark Cuban will give out even if you only play very well for one year. This would extend his longevity in the league overall, and that is something that many players desire on a constant basis.
No. 7: Jason Richardson (Phoenix Suns)
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You do not have to tell Jason Richardson that he is in a contract year. His increase in stats shows that he knows this. At the age of 29 and facing the possibility of being an unrestricted free agent this coming off season, J-Rich has taken off, going on mass three-point shooting sprees, while keeping the “average on paper” Suns somewhat afloat in the Western Conference so far.
The Suns are approaching the dreaded “rebuilding” mode at this point in time though, seeing the age of Steve Nash as well as the fact that they lost one of the best big men in the game in Amare Stoudemire this past off season. If Nash goes, J-Rich goes.
This has to be bothering J-Rich, as he has had a phenomenal year so far and will certainly get a big pay day from someone this off season. One would have to think he would want the team to offer him one would be the Suns, but in this league, you never know anymore.
No. 6: J.R. Smith (Denver Nuggets)
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Known as possibly the streakiest shooter in the league, Smith will undoubtedly be looking for a rather large pay day this coming off season. Sure, he has his games where he is abysmal shooting-wise, but he also has ones where he comes in and racks up 30 points in no time.
The fact is, he fits in perfectly with the Nuggets offense, and despite obvious clashes with coach George Karl, the Nuggets will definitely be looking to keep him as their go-to sixth man for quite a long time.
The big question surrounding this is how much Smith will demand, and if he will want a promotion in his current role on the team. Honestly, he is the ultimate energy guard off the bench in the league.
I expect him to wind up staying with the Nuggets, but do not be surprised if he really goes off more than a few games this year in hopes of upping his value a bit. Players in contract years tend to do this.
No. 5: Caron Butler (Dallas Mavericks)
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Butler has not been the same driving and defensive force that he was in Washington. Now, in the last year of his contract and trying to prove himself to the Mavs and their fans that he is worth keeping around, he is going to have to have a monster year. The Mavs have could definitely resign him this off season, but after an ugly 1st round series against San Antonio last year where Butler was the number one target for the team’s struggles, he has a lot of convincing to do.
Now at age 30, Butler is rounding the corner of his “prime years” period, and one has to wonder how much left he has in the tank. Statistically he is decreased in every category except for three point percentage this year, and his points per game average is down to a meager 13.9 ppg.
For a guy who was supposed to be the sidekick for Dirk, Butler has somewhat disappeared from the fold from an offensive point of view. One has to hope for his sake that he plays his butt off during the remainder of the regular season and earns another contract.
No. 4: Zach Randolph (Memphis Grizzlies)
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There is no doubt that Zach wants to stay with the Grizzlies. After all, they were the ones who gave him another chance to prove he could be a capable threat on a winning team even when everyone considered him to be a bad contract and nothing more. Last year Zach improved his reputation, becoming an All-Star for the first time and becoming a nightly double-double threat, showing us that he still had it.
I think the Grizzlies should wait and see how their season goes before going after an extension with Zach. They did not make the playoffs yet again last off season, and in a loaded Western Conference it obviously has to be a goal of one of theirs.
If they make the playoffs and prove to others that they are a team on the rise, I say keep Zach. However, if they miss the postseason yet again despite possessing the talent to definitely take that next step, they might want to reconsider this.
No 3: Jamal Crawford (Atlanta Hawks)
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If you have been following the NBA this year, you know that Jamal Crawford has adamantly stated on numerous occasions that he wants a contract extension. Due to the fact that he will be 31 years old after his current contract ends, who can blame the Hawks for being cautious with this? Sure, Crawford is still a great guy to have off your bench, but it all depends on how much money he wants and for how many years.
It is very risky nowadays to extend a guy of Crawford’s age more than four years, seeing most see a severe decline in their games around the 33-34 year old age mark (if not sooner). Personally, when I think of Crawford now, I automatically think of his contract situation and if the Hawks will keep him. I am assuming he has the same thought process at this point in time as well.
No. 2: Aaron Brooks (Houston Rockets)
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Out of all the guys in this list, Brooks is the biggest mystery from a contract perspective. I simply do not understand what more he has to do to earn a contract extension with the team, seeing he has proven to be one of the fastest guards in the league with a lethal outside shot. The Rockets absolutely need to hang on to him, and Brooks has done everything to indicate that he wants to be a Rocket.
If the Rockets were to hang on to him, they could develop a promising backcourt of Brooks and Kevin Martin, which could potentially become one of the most dangerous offensive duos in the league. One has to think that eventually the Rockets will offer him an extension, but they would probably be better off doing it sooner rather than later for morale purposes.
No. 1: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)
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The most obvious choice by far, Melo’s relationship with the Nuggets has proved to be nothing short of strained during these last few months. The most frustrating thing about this entire situation is that no one knows that Melo wants. There are too many conflicting reports out there to know exactly what this guy is looking for concerning his future playing status. If he would just come out and tell the Nuggets and his fans what he wants, the constant scrutiny would go away a lot faster.
The bottom line is that he is still one of the top players in the league, who is rumored to desire to play in New York with pal Amare. One has to wonder due to the current struggles of the Heat “Big” if Melo is starting to think that maybe forming a “super-team” might not be such a great idea after all.
As he can learn from LeBron, once you leave the city you have called home for seven plus years, your reputation takes a severe plunge. If the Nuggets are able to convince Melo to stay for three-four more years, this is a huge victory. However, do not be surprised if Melo’s thirst for the bright lights of the Big Apple eventually sees him go East this next off season.
