▲ 690 r/lakers
Most advanced stat models have AR ranked as around the 30th best player in the league. His salary next year will reportedly be $41.3M which will make him about the 35th highest paid player. Regardless of your opinion on AR, this contract is fair value.
Other complaints I'm seeing:
The Lakers were not bidding against themselves. There were reports that both Detroit and Brooklyn were planning to offer him a max contract.
Since there were multiple teams interested in him on a max deal, the Lakers should be able to trade him if they think he doesn't fit with Luka long term.
This does not affect this offseason's cap space because you can go over the cap to re-sign your own free agents. The Lakers can make all of their other moves and sign AR last just like Philly did with Tyrese Maxey a couple years ago. If he signs somewhere else then they can't spend that money on another player, it's just gone.
u/mtr3226 — 12 days ago
▲ 29 r/lakers
Trae Young Rumored To Be Signing for 3 Years $120 million - Good comp for a possible AR contract?
https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1tzw4tg/stein_early_projections_of_trae_youngs_new_deal/
Trae seems like a decent comp for Austin's deal - better on offense but much smaller and worse on defense. They're practically the same age with Austin actually being slightly older. Would an average annual salary of $40 million be fair for both sides? Austin is eligible to sign a 5 year, $241 million deal with the Lakers which would be about $48 million annually, or a 4 year, $178 million deal with another team which would be $44.5 million per year.
u/mtr3226 — 28 days ago