Gearon says offer to JJ was for the "max" they could offer.

[mrhonline]

Don't wanna assume he has complete understanding of the financials, but he wouldn't just throw that term around lightly...

With Joe last summer, we offered the max money we could offer him as a player.

http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2010/04/19/atlanta-hawks-asgs-michael-gearon-jr-talks-hawks/

^^^Also says that the real coach/player evaluations will happen in the playoffs.

[gsuteke]

it was. they could only offer him 4 years.

[NineOhTheRino]

good find.

hey you can't get blood......

[Guest]

it was. they could only offer him 4 years.

The dispute is about the amount of money, not the length. It was reported that Joe was offered $60 million over 4 years. Thats not exactly "max" money when you can factor in raises.

[NineOhTheRino]

The dispute is about the amount of money, not the length. It was reported that Joe was offered $60 million over 4 years. Thats not exactly "max" money when you can factor in raises.

Joe is a fool if he didn't take 60/4

[Rome26]

Joe is a fool if he didn't take 60/4

No, Joe would be a fool to settle for four years. This is his last big contract so I don't blame him for settling for that.

[niremetal]

The dispute is about the amount of money, not the length. It was reported that Joe was offered $60 million over 4 years. Thats not exactly "max" money when you can factor in raises.

If I'm not mistaken, the max they could offer was ~4yrs/$65M. I think that there was some weird aspect of Joe's original contract that meant that they weren't allowed to include annual raises in any extension at the frontend, so his annual salary would be limited to the max for the first season, which was ~$16.25M. Anyway, both JJ and management said they offered JJ the max they could, and that the issue was more that they couldn't offer him a 5th or 6th year at that point.

Joe is a fool if he didn't take 60/4

Really? Someone is a fool for refusing to take a $60M contract when they know they could make $80M if they waited a year? Oooook...

Edited April 19, 2010 by niremetal

[NineOhTheRino]

Really? Someone is a fool for refusing to take a $60M contract when they know they could make $80M if they waited a year? Oooook...

there is no difference between 60 and 80 mill. Rich is rich. Ask guys like Hedo if the extra cheddar is worth all the headache that comes from being the highest paid guy on a mediocre team. Normally I'm the "take what they give you" type but we are in a recession and $60M is a helluva amount of money to be paid for playing child's game.

Edited April 19, 2010 by NineOhTheRino

[Guest]

Isn't there also a difference in terms of money and years if he signs an extension to his existing contract as opposed to waiting until the end of his current contract then signing a new contract?

[HawkItus]

there is no difference between 60 and 80 mill. Rich is rich. Ask guys like Hedo if the extra cheddar is worth all the headache that comes from being the highest paid guy on a mediocre team. Normally I'm the "take what they give you" type but we are in a recession and $60M is a helluva amount of money to be paid for playing child's game.

Spoken like a man who has never made 60 or 80 million.

[niremetal]

there is no difference between 60 and 80 mill. Rich is rich. Ask guys like Hedo if the extra cheddar is worth all the headache that comes from being the highest paid guy on a mediocre team. Normally I'm the "take what they give you" type but we are in a recession and $60M is a helluva amount of money to be paid for playing child's game.

I can't think of a single example in the entire history of all professional sports where a player left even half of $20M on the table simply because he was 'rich enough already' or because less fortunate people who weren't professional athletes were having a tough time. Guys who make less than Joe don't leave money on the table for those reasons. Those who make more than him don't either, unless I missed the headline where a superstar athlete gave up a portion of his salary because he thought pro athletes were already (over-)paid enough. So you're holding him to an absolutely absurd standard.

You also are looking at it from a rather bizarre angle, considering that the owners are even richer (way richer, in fact) than JJ is. If "rich is rich," then aren't all owners greedy for setting salary caps and signing players for anything but the max they can offer and afford? Why aren't owners greedy for offering a player less than he could make elsewhere?

As for Hedo - ask him whether he'd like to take a multimillion dollar paycut so that he no longer has to deal with the "headache" you're talking about. My guess is that he, like every other human being who isn't a devout Marxist, would rather deal with the label you gave him than give up $10M+.

Edited April 19, 2010 by niremetal

[Sothron]

there is no difference between 60 and 80 mill. Rich is rich. Ask guys like Hedo if the extra cheddar is worth all the headache that comes from being the highest paid guy on a mediocre team. Normally I'm the "take what they give you" type but we are in a recession and $60M is a helluva amount of money to be paid for playing child's game.

lol is this post for real? Seriously? You don't think 20 million is a reason to go to another team? :cant believe:

[spotatl]

Joe is a fool if he didn't take 60/4

Seriously? There is at least the possibility of him being offered 120 over 6 years. He would have been the dumbest guy in the NBA to take the Hawks offer

[Guest]

there is no difference between 60 and 80 mill. Rich is rich. Ask guys like Hedo if the extra cheddar is worth all the headache that comes from being the highest paid guy on a mediocre team. Normally I'm the "take what they give you" type but we are in a recession and $60M is a helluva amount of money to be paid for playing child's game.

"take what they give you" who does that if you can negotiate for more or get more else where.

[mrhonline]

Isn't there also a difference in terms of money and years if he signs an extension to his existing contract as opposed to waiting until the end of his current contract then signing a new contract?

His extension can only be for four years past the final year of his contract. It's a bit confusing, but I believe the max he could've signed an extension for would've been around $75M over four years. (I'm using the word "around" VERY loosely).

[NineOhTheRino]

lol is this post for real? Seriously? You don't think 20 million is a reason to go to another team? :cant believe:

$20M should not be a big deal to a man that has already made +$70M and has the potential to make another $60M. Now I wouldn't be mad at Joe for taking the money but, as a huge JJ fan, I would be disappointed that he put money ahead of the city that has put him on the map.

Edited April 19, 2010 by NineOhTheRino

[Sothron]

$20M should not be a big deal to a man that has already made +$70M and has the potential to make another $60M. Now I wouldn't be mad at Joe for taking the money but, as a huge JJ fan, I would be disappointed that he put money ahead of the city that has put him on the map.

You can't be serious. Dude. This isn't a war where a man can't join the other side. This is a business. I get paid well where I work but if someone offered me twenty million dollars to go somewhere else for the same job I'd take in a heartbeat. So would you and so would anyone else. Let's don't hold people up to some kind of utterly unrealistic expectation because we are fans of a team.

[TruJerz]

$20M should not be a big deal to a man that has already made +$70M and has the potential to make another $60M. Now I wouldn't be mad at Joe for taking the money but, as a huge JJ fan, I would be disappointed that he put money ahead of the city that has put him on the map.

i actually agree. I know it would be tough for him to take less money but its still a good deal and I think he should make it his first priority to stay with the Hawks since its been a perfect marriage since he's been here. What happens in the playoffs would impact his decision IMO conference finals would be good enough to keep him maybe

[spotatl]

I think its pretty ridiculous to say that someone else is "a fool" for not wanting to leave 40 million dollars sitting on the table.

[Deeman]

The #1 goal for pro athletes is to make as much money while you can, simple as that.