06-05-2022, 03:17 AM
(06-04-2022, 10:48 PM)F Gump Wrote: It's hard to say. High draft picks don't necessarily work out. Some never had enough skill and just "projected" to become far more than they could be, and some don't have the work ethic to do what it takes to become good or great. It happens.
The fact Bagley was drafted #2 no longer drives his desirability. It now comes down to whether he can play well (or is thought to be on the road to doing that). DET gave very little to get him for what amounted to a half-year test drive before he becomes a FA.
Whether DET offers him a contract, or prefers cap room instead, will be a good test of what he looks like up close. SAC had a good long look and gave up on him, but maybe DET will be different and decide he's worth more of a try. We will find out soon.
Well they can re-sign him + Ayton, just needs to be at around a realistic 38/3 with a player option or something, accounting for as you say his reduced performance. His caphold is just too big.
It´s not even that he has not performed. He hasn´t played enough to even judge him properly: 166 games, 37% coming in his rookie season alone. Luka has missed games and he´s at 264 regular season games.
It´s the same argument I have made for Julius Randle back in the day and now make for Thomas Bryant. They started out very promising. Then they tear an ACL. They need a little time to recover from such a serious injury. Now you are in year four, five or even entering year six as is the case for Thomas Bryant, but he has only played 170 career games. In playing time that´s entering your 3rd year. Still only turning 25 in July, despite entering his 6th year.
Would you give a young UFA center a 12/2 contract, if he finished his 2nd season with 13/7, shooting 60/40/70. I know his defense is highly suspect.
Of course you still do, cause there is absolutely no downside to this, but the potential upside is gigantic. I get the injury risk and it´s obviously valid, but also largely irrelevant at such a contract size, unlike throwing the full five year $160M at the Latvian duct tape without any insurance clauses.