(01-24-2025, 01:24 PM)Mavs2021 Wrote: Nothing to feel sorry for. I´m just a realist. There is always a potential situation where a trade becomes the best option. I´m sure Kyrie and the Mavs are working on that extension as we speak and if they were Butlers apart, we´d have heard it on the social media/agenda grapevine already.
I also think the landscape is changing for older players with the new CBA. Klay, Harden and DeRozan adjusted accordingly with minor grumblings, while Butler has thrown a full-blown tantrum as a response. PG13 hit the one max slot lottery last summer and Philly already has major regrets about it.
DeRozan signed a 74/3 deal, Harden signed a 70/2 deal, Thompson signed a 50/3 deal. Now Kyrie is still four year younger, so maybe another deal in the 40M range annually is justified, but the landscape for veterans is clearly changing. Butler is barely any better than the younger DeRozan now. DeRozan doesn´t even get 25M/year and he ain´t a daily headache.
I don't disagree with your point about the landscape changing for veterans, but Kyrie is a much better player at this point than any of the players mentioned. He is still truly elite. I would say DeRozan is probably the closest to his production throughout his career. Harden and Klay are significantly lesser players than at their peak. That can't be said for Kyrie. Kyrie could average 30 a game if he wanted on a lesser team. I'm hoping the extension is in the 40 per year range and no worse than 45 per year, but we'll have to see. I think we are pretty damn fortunate to have a player of Kyrie's caliber that is a willing #2 and knows when he needs to be #1 in each game. I'm not sure any other player could replicate what he actually does for this team when everyone is healthy.