If you could get one thing from Zion negotiation....

[MichaelMcNamara]

When you say you're not a pessimist and you're only a realist, this proves that you're really just a pessimist. But that's cool. Someone needs to balance out my sunshine and roses outlook.

If something is likely to happen 50 percent of the time and you say it won’t, you are a pessimist. Based on history, the Pels would objectively be given about a 4 percent chance to win a title over the next 15 years or so. Saying the thing that is likely 96 percent of the time makes you a realist

[neitzelbaby12]

I'd go with no player option. If he stays relatively healthy and is still unhappy, he has less leverage in negotiations. Even if were decent (thinking multiple 1st and 2nd round exits), he cant go the nuclear option early like AD.

After that it's the injury protections

[Upper Decker]

If something is likely to happen 50 percent of the time and you say it won’t, you are a pessimist. Based on history, the Pels would objectively be given about a 4 percent chance to win a title over the next 15 years or so. Saying the thing that is likely 96 percent of the time makes you a realist

I have no idea what you're trying to say or where you got your statistics from. I was just messing with your pessimistic azzz.

[DarkHornet]

It would be between #1 and #2 for me. My desire is what gives us the most protection from him asking out. Number 1 gives us the longest leverage should he ask out. Should it become untenable and we HAVE to trade him, I'm thinking #2 might wind up being more useful to us.

[Century City]

I'd go with 3.

Like we've said before, these are billionaires so the 15% isn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.

Eliminating his player option would be cool but if he's looking to get away, that just saves the Pelicans a year. The goal is to make him want to stay.

As for the Rose rule, I have no problem giving it to him if he qualifies. When you get down to it, most players are worth more than 30% if they qualify for the Rose rule. Max salaries protect small markets like the Pelicans so even with an extra 5%, the team should be good. If they have a problem with it then they should probably sell the team to someone who won't have a problem paying these salaries.

OTOH, injury protection works if I have to pick anyone of them. Gives him incentive to stay in shape and not be in position to get hurt. If he knows his $$$$ is at stake, he'll do what he can to be in top physical condition.

That being said, I'm not really a fan of any of them. We're already off on the wrong foot with him. Trying to shove any of those qualifiers down his throat could alienate him all the more from the franchise

[As I See It]

What a world!!

Plays 85 games in three years (36.6% of your team's total games) while remaining mum on his desire to play for the team that drafted him until contract time. And still there are some who shout from their perches:

"Give him the max with no strings attached!!!"

All of Mac's points (in some form or the other) should be incorporated into the next contract. He's missed significant time every year dating back to his senior year at Spartanburg Day High School.

[AUSSIE_PELICAN]

What ever makes him better to trade.

[MichaelMcNamara]

What a world!!

Plays 85 games in three years (36.6% of your team's total games) while remaining mum on his desire to play for the team that drafted him until contract time. And still there are some who shout from their perches:

"Give him the max with no strings attached!!!"

All of Mac's points (in some form or the other) should be incorporated into the next contract. He's missed significant time every year dating back to his senior year at Spartanburg Day High School.

All wont be. Griff will start the negotiation with 2, maybe 3.... hoping to get 1, maybe 2.

He is positioning right now as if the injury protection is his top priority, but my hope is that is just a negotiating ploy and he is really targeting something else and will give them that in exchange for one or two of the other things. We shall see.

[PELICANSFAN]

What a world!!

Plays 85 games in three years (36.6% of your team's total games) while remaining mum on his desire to play for the team that drafted him until contract time. And still there are some who shout from their perches:

"Give him the max with no strings attached!!!"

All of Mac's points (in some form or the other) should be incorporated into the next contract. He's missed significant time every year dating back to his senior year at Spartanburg Day High School.

Pretty simple. It is all about supply and demand. If you have an asset with significant value, you do what you have to do to maintain/protect it. In the sports athlete world, the value is much different than in the world most are more familiar with.

[pelafanatic]

What ever makes him better to trade.

I remember when certain people on here were pissed we drafter Herb Jones over Sharife Cooper

[HornetGuru]

In order 3,1,4,2

[MichaelMcNamara]

1, 4, 2, 3.....again, I dont think people are REALLY considering how bad it would have to be to just void the last few years. Like, it would have to be Greg Oden. You have to make that decision a full year before and think of how his injuries have gone so far. They legit thought he'd be playing by Christmas this past September. So, they wouldnt have voided the deal. Then it dragged on and on and on.

You void the deal and you are basically agreeing to let him go for nothing. It would have to be an end of career type thing. I just dont think that happens nearly as often as he is healthy a good amount, banged up a good amount, rinse and repeat. In which case, you cant void the contract, nor would you want to even if you could. Again, I would recommend people really understand that Embiid contract and see how it was all just fluff. It was never getting voided unless a major outlier occured.

[RobertM320]

If something is likely to happen 50 percent of the time and you say it won?t, you are a pessimist. Based on history, the Pels would objectively be given about a 4 percent chance to win a title over the next 15 years or so. Saying the thing that is likely 96 percent of the time makes you a realist

And in any given year from 1967-2005, any sane person would have said the Saints weren't going to win a title in the next 15 years. And look what happened. How many do you think in 2005 thought there was a chance of the Saints winning a title just 4 years later? I'd bet the total was exactly zero.

[MichaelMcNamara]

I type that sentence every few months for one reason and one reason only.....to wait for the person to come in and say EXACTLY what you just typed. Never fails. And they all think its a great comparison, and even better, that they were the first to think of it.

Now 324 and counting..... I will type it again in a few months. Can't wait to see who lucky number 325 is!

[billfromfinance]

1, 4, 2, 3.....again, I dont think people are REALLY considering how bad it would have to be to just void the last few years. Like, it would have to be Greg Oden. You have to make that decision a full year before and think of how his injuries have gone so far. They legit thought he'd be playing by Christmas this past September. So, they wouldnt have voided the deal. Then it dragged on and on and on.

You void the deal and you are basically agreeing to let him go for nothing. It would have to be an end of career type thing. I just dont think that happens nearly as often as he is healthy a good amount, banged up a good amount, rinse and repeat. In which case, you cant void the contract, nor would you want to even if you could. Again, I would recommend people really understand that Embiid contract and see how it was all just fluff. It was never getting voided unless a major outlier occured.

and In the event things are that bad, wouldn't a medical retirement/insurance claim be on the cards for the team anyway?

[goalhanger14]

i feel like if you have to do 3 you should be looking to trade him. the guy needs to be motivated to play basketball and do his job.

[RUFshreve]

I type that sentence every few months for one reason and one reason only.....to wait for the person to come in and say EXACTLY what you just typed. Never fails. And they all think its a great comparison, and even better, that they were the first to think of it.

Now 324 and counting..... I will type it again in a few months. Can't wait to see who lucky number 325 is!

True, but you're making simple blanket statement as well when you say the Pelicans will never win a championship. Winning a title is based on luck and talent more than anything else, and luck can't be predicted. We have the talent now to really compete for a title. We have the coach and we now have the culture. Teams like Atlanta and Dallas making the conference titles the last two years proves how close you can get to winning a title, when things bounce your way. Those teams shouldn't have been in that situation based on their talent alone, but luck is as important a factor as any and those teams had it. Whose to say luck won't be on our side one year soon, while we have the other pieces in place?

Now, I still think this roster is a couple pieces away from being "complete" but we're closer than we've ever been, since CP3 left. So you can't make a blanket statement like "Pels will never win a title" then sh*t on someone else for making a false equivalency.

[MichaelMcNamara]

Would this make people feel better --

I (truly) believe the Pelicans have about a 5% chance of winning a title in the next 20 years, at which point I believe sports, society, and the world at large only has about a 35% chance of still existing.

For that 5% to happen, a truly rare outlier event will have to happen (think Giannis falling to the Bucks. And having a superstar that is that humble and hard working and desiring to stay in a city most Americans do not consider a premium place to live)

So, I shall not use never again. I will just say extremely unlikely, and yes I do believe that society, human existence, etc could easily be done by 2045-ish at the rate things are going.

[Upper Decker]

1, 4, 2, 3.....again, I dont think people are REALLY considering how bad it would have to be to just void the last few years. Like, it would have to be Greg Oden. You have to make that decision a full year before and think of how his injuries have gone so far. They legit thought he'd be playing by Christmas this past September. So, they wouldnt have voided the deal. Then it dragged on and on and on.

You void the deal and you are basically agreeing to let him go for nothing. It would have to be an end of career type thing. I just dont think that happens nearly as often as he is healthy a good amount, banged up a good amount, rinse and repeat. In which case, you cant void the contract, nor would you want to even if you could. Again, I would recommend people really understand that Embiid contract and see how it was all just fluff. It was never getting voided unless a major outlier occured.

Maybe people have different priorities than you. I REALLY am considering the options. Give me a shot at greatness. Big risk, big reward. Its only sports. I'll still go to the games and drink beer and yell at the refs and have fun.

[Upper Decker]

I type that sentence every few months for one reason and one reason only.....to wait for the person to come in and say EXACTLY what you just typed. Never fails. And they all think its a great comparison, and even better, that they were the first to think of it.

Now 324 and counting..... I will type it again in a few months. Can't wait to see who lucky number 325 is!

And you wonder why people don't like you.

[hornetsrebirth]

If something is likely to happen 50 percent of the time and you say it won?t, you are a pessimist. Based on history, the Pels would objectively be given about a 4 percent chance to win a title over the next 15 years or so. Saying the thing that is likely 96 percent of the time makes you a realist

saying that any team will never win a championship is unlikely. The odds are that any team will eventually win a championship. The majority of NBA teams have won at least 1 championship. Especially given that the Pelicans are on a dramatic upswing and a young team, asserting that they will never win a championship does not make you a realist. It makes you a pessimist.

[MichaelMcNamara]

And you wonder why people don't like you.

I don’t wonder at all. I actively enjoy it

[Rheem654]

Sources say Pelicans have a 70% chance at winning the championship next season. Remember this post.

[Eman5805]

That 5% isn't true because he says it. It isn't untrue because I say it. Just watch and enjoy what you choose to.

The rest will do what it will. None of this matters anyway. So why me worry?

[MichaelMcNamara]

My only issue is aD homenim attacks - attacking me as opposed to my argument. Not because I care if people I will never meet in real life like me or not, but because I am a fan of debate and logic and that is a logical fallacy

Aside from that, hate away!