Andrew wrote:

3G4G wrote:

Andrew wrote:Early Bird contracts must be at least 2 seasons in length, so he cannot be signed to a 1 year contract using this exception.

I'm understanding the language to be 2yrs guaranteed salary. There are 2yr contracts with TO or PO on 2nd yr but as you said it would defeat the purpose of inserting the rule...this clearly would welcome under the table bargaining, which the league frowns upon heavily.

You gotta remember that the language is a FAQ web page not in anyway associated with the NBA and not the official CBA rules so it likely does not include all the rules.

Right there's the main NBA.com CBA site with the iron clad language citing articles and whatnot... but Coon is generally on point.

yellowboy90 wrote:When people say max contract are they saying pay JR 19 million?

Max as in whatever he's entitled up to. So although he's eligible to make 30% of cap right now, even if we were under cap and/or had Bird's Rights we don't have to offer him 30%(e.g. we could go 15-20%). One things for sure, he's not worth $8-12mil/yr. I wouldn't feel handcuffed to offer him any more than necessary, absolute top I would go is $7mil/yr nothing more. I don't think Knicks are worried one bit about losing him, unless there's some monumental melt down of some sort.

3G4G wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:When people say max contract are they saying pay JR 19 million?

Max as in whatever he's entitled up to. So although he's eligible to make 30% of cap right now, even if we were under cap and/or had Bird's Rights we don't have to offer him 30%(e.g. we could go 15-20%). One things for sure, he's not worth $8-12mil/yr. I wouldn't feel handcuffed to offer him any more than necessary, absolute top I would go is $7mil/yr nothing more. I don't think Knicks are worried one bit about losing him, unless there's some monumental melt down of some sort.

I agree, the situation is what it is. JR took $2.8M this past year and certainly could have walked to another contract just the same as he could walk this coming year. Maybe he has more leverage this year, but we must also think that he LOVES NY enough to stay as he has. We shall see.

DurzoBlint wrote:

ChuckBuck wrote:Can't sign him to max contract, only follow the guidelines for Early Bird Rights according to the new CBA. From ESPN:

Smith signed a two-year contract worth $2.8 million in the offsesaon. The second year has a player option and Smith is expected to decline it and test free agency.

The Knicks will have Smith's Early Bird Rights, meaning they can exceed the salary cap to re-sign the shooting guard if he decides to decline the 2013-14 option.

The Early Bird Rights allow the Knicks to pay Smith up to 175 percent of this season's salary, which is $2.8 million. That means the Knicks could offer him a contract for next season at about $5 million, and the agreement could be up to four years with standard raises.

If someone offers say $7mill or $8mill a year, we can't match, and he's probably gone.

maybe or, maybe not. If someone raises the bar by 2mil in an offer to JR, he could likely make up the difference in endorsements. Especially with the 6th man award in hand.

Many, many fans, teams and analysts fully expected the Knicks to crash and burn. Many said (a few here) that the good start was a mirage and that we'd come back down to Earth. Well, we managed to remain in an elliptical orbit.

I remain optimistic that JR will see the light of day, especially with his comments during his 6th Man of the Year award interview stating "I would like to retire a Knick".

Hopefully we can appease him for 1 more year with a band-aid contract, and then give him what he's worth next season.

knicks1248 wrote:I'm curious of the word BASE SALARY, to me that means i can pay him a base salary of 5 mil, but can we give him 2 more mil with some incentives like the NFL?

You can, but there are limits and rules.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q72

yellowboy90 wrote:Here is some JR info from Knickerblogger

ephusApril 22, 2013 at 9:20 pmQuick preview of my forthcoming article on JR Smith’s salary status:* JR can decline his player option after this season and become an unrestricted free agent;* If JR becomes an unrestricted free agent, Knicks only have Early Bird rights to him, so the max contract that they could offer him is the MLE (roughly $5.1 million), and it would have to be for a minimum of two years with a 4.5% raise in year 2.* If the Knicks signed JR Smith to the full MLE, they COULD NOT exceed the Apron ($4 million over the tax threshold – roughly $74 million).* If JR becomes a unrestricted free agent, other teams with cap room could offer up to a max contract, which for a 9 year veteran could be as high as $16.4 million for the first year (and go up by 4.5% per year).* The Knicks could also sign JR Smith to a one year contract for up to $3.3 million, with a player option on year 2 at $3.5 million, without using any of their exemptions. This is more than the mini-MLE (which would require at least a two year contract).* If JR Smith signs another one year deal with the Knicks ($3.3 million with $3.5 million player option), JR Smith will get Full Bird Rights with the Knicks after next season. As a ten year veteran, he would be eligible for a max contract starting at $18.1 million, with 4.5% raises each year.My conspiratorial mind tells me that CAA may convince JR Smith to take one more one-year deal from the Knicks, and get the $18 million max deal next year. He would have a $3.5 million insurance policy (in his player option) against a major injury. I think this scenario may already have been presented to JR Smith, leading to his big talk about “loyalty” and “seeing the plan” last summer when Jeremy Lin was allowed to depart to Houston.All of these scenarios are based upon my reading of Larry Coon’s cbafaq.com The knowledge is from Larry Coon. Only the mistakes are mine.  

This is great insight. I'm not too concerned with JR leaving. I think he is smart enough to leave good enough alone and resign for 1 year. He will be an all-star next season, get his big money, and i really believe he will continue to come into his own like he has this season.

Knixkik wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:Here is some JR info from Knickerblogger

ephusApril 22, 2013 at 9:20 pmQuick preview of my forthcoming article on JR Smith’s salary status:* JR can decline his player option after this season and become an unrestricted free agent;* If JR becomes an unrestricted free agent, Knicks only have Early Bird rights to him, so the max contract that they could offer him is the MLE (roughly $5.1 million), and it would have to be for a minimum of two years with a 4.5% raise in year 2.* If the Knicks signed JR Smith to the full MLE, they COULD NOT exceed the Apron ($4 million over the tax threshold – roughly $74 million).* If JR becomes a unrestricted free agent, other teams with cap room could offer up to a max contract, which for a 9 year veteran could be as high as $16.4 million for the first year (and go up by 4.5% per year).* The Knicks could also sign JR Smith to a one year contract for up to $3.3 million, with a player option on year 2 at $3.5 million, without using any of their exemptions. This is more than the mini-MLE (which would require at least a two year contract).* If JR Smith signs another one year deal with the Knicks ($3.3 million with $3.5 million player option), JR Smith will get Full Bird Rights with the Knicks after next season. As a ten year veteran, he would be eligible for a max contract starting at $18.1 million, with 4.5% raises each year.My conspiratorial mind tells me that CAA may convince JR Smith to take one more one-year deal from the Knicks, and get the $18 million max deal next year. He would have a $3.5 million insurance policy (in his player option) against a major injury. I think this scenario may already have been presented to JR Smith, leading to his big talk about “loyalty” and “seeing the plan” last summer when Jeremy Lin was allowed to depart to Houston.All of these scenarios are based upon my reading of Larry Coon’s cbafaq.com The knowledge is from Larry Coon. Only the mistakes are mine.  

This is great insight. I'm not too concerned with JR leaving. I think he is smart enough to leave good enough alone and resign for 1 year. He will be an all-star next season, get his big money, and i really believe he will continue to come into his own like he has this season.

This is the wildcard. Im sure the Knicks will do this and if Im JR and Dolan says he will give me a max contract then I will take the 3.5mm. Then we know knickscity also works for the Knicks and had inside information while betting me:)

Thats the stupid JR who took the bait and reacted.

Sure we up 3-0 and its not critical but its the kind of undependable thing that makes guys like Nate special, and JR undependable.

No he is not perfect and we'll still love him but if you want to win in critical moments the mind must able to stay cool and do so under fatigue and pressure. Few athletes possess this. JR does not.

This is how we roll. I can live with it.