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The New Orleans Pelicans will not exercise the fourth-year player option on Austin Rivers, according to sources.
Rivers was the 10th overall pick to the Pelicans in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Via Jimmy Smith/New Orleans Times-Picayune
http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/235316/
Well his team option next year was for 3.1 million next year so that frees up some cap for our SMALL FORWARD! just kidding, but now rivers will be an expiring contract, possible trade piece.
I think we are just keeping our options open.
Contributor
Not surprising. Let him play his way onto the team next year.
I have no problem with that. I'm sure casual fans/Rivers pessimists will spin it to mean that the Pelicans are done with him and think he sucks, but, in agreement with Eman and slim, I think it's just a flexibility/"prove it" play, no more no less.
I'm slightly shocked that they didn't pick it up, but I guess it does give them an expiring now so that adds flexibility.
They can also point to Aminu and show Rivers that just because they didn't accept it doesn't mean he won't get his money. It's a flexibility issue. Heck, they might be able to spin it that if he plays really good look what happen to Parsons.
Still, MM talked about this on a recent podcast and I tended to agree with him. I have no worries though about losing him if we want him. We've done right by Rivers and I don't think there'd be any bad blood.
I am not a fan of the move. If Gordon doesn't opt out, we don't really have cap room available anyway, so it doesn't do much.
Downside is that he plays well, and we probably wouldn't have to pay him much more, but we would have to give him multiple years instead of just controlling him for one and then making a decision in 2016 when the cap jumps.
It is not a make or break move - one that will decide a title or not, but I would have picked it up and made my decision on him in 2016.
@mcnamara247
Can't we just resign him for a cheaper deal..Originally Posted by MichaelMcNamara
And also what are the chances Gordon opts out next year... 1/1000?
I tend to lean toward this train of thought.
Maybe - but how much cheaper. 3.1 mil isn't much for a 22/23 yr old if he has any kind of upside and/or production.
And no - I don't agree with your Gordon odds. If they smooth the cap - lets say it goes to 72 next year and 80 the year after, for example, I think Gordon opts out if he stays healthy this year.
Basically, if they smooth the cap bump, I say 50/50. If they don't, 10/90
Well the cap may raise next year, I don't think they will have a huge jump from one season to the next just a gradual incline over 15 and 16.
If it does jump next year and/or Gordon opts out, the move will look good. If neither of those things happen, the move would have me scratching my head
Have we considered the possibility that the team chooses to deal generously with the players in these boderline cases to keep them happy and develop a good reputation among players as a management team that can be trusted? It seems like we treat players professionally and generously (except maybe for a couple of throw-away players in the Asik trade), we give them a fair opportunity to show the league what they can do. Now, Austin will be in a "contract year" and has the chance to really impact his own salary. In one way of thinking the Pelicans "lose" is if he plays really well this year, his value increases dramatically, and we have to pay him what he is worth next year to keep him. I consider that a huge win for everyone! All the team would give up is a little bit of money and supposed flexibility. With a moving cap of unknown amount, I think the potential to maximize his motivation outweighs any potential financial impact.
But based on that, shouldn't we have declined Davis's option and paid him his fair market value next year, instead of just 7 mil?
Its a nice glass half full theory, but I don't buy it
Is this the same thing that happened to Jimmer last year? That says we don't value you or want you as part of our future.
I think it's more of a case of currently, you production does not warrant another year at the same salary.
So it is kind of a time out rather than an expulsion.
Something to keep in mind: Nothing is official yet. The team has until the 31st. Nobody from the team has announced this. Just a report attributed to 'sources'.
In the case of Davis, there is zero point zero chance that the team will sign him to anything other that a max contract for max years as soon as they can. Renouncing his last rookie-contract year probably would have screwed that up. Also, the attention from other teams and the media would have been unbearable. For a guy who has exceeded all expectation, there is no need to test the market in either direction since the Pelicans can offer him more than any other team.
This is a great move if true. It gives us the option to throw Quincy Miller the max next year.
Yeah but you didn't just get turned down by every GM in the league when you tried to trade him to create cap space. Demps did this having a fairly good idea of what Rivers market value is and knowing that it's unlikely he gets many minutes this year. This is his 3rd year but could possibly be his lowest minutes season, especially if Jimmer moves ahead of him on the depth chart.
Do we know this as FACT?
Perspective everyone. We're talking about Austin Rivers. If we re-sign or not, it's still Austin Rivers. Nobody outside of this forum values him as a player. Rivers' would be nuts to turn down whatever Dell may offer him.
The most overused words on Pelicansreport.com. Wrongly, I might add.
ELITE - (often used with a plural verb) the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons.
GREAT - notable; remarkable; exceptionally outstanding
These words should not be used lightly
Yeah, I'm as confident in Rivers making that jump to average player as I am of finding the winning lottery ticket in my pocket. Austin, if we keep him or lose him, shouldn't cause anyone to lose sleep.
If you Jimmer it, they will come.
BSS Article on the topic:
http://www.bourbonstreetshots.com/20...rivers-option/
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