Team Will Overpay Veterans
Another Toronto tendency of Bryan Colangelo is his proclivity to overvalue and overpay veteran players. He felt the need to do so from the inability to attract big name players to the Raptors due to the cold climate over the winter months.
As of this moment, two of the team’s most promising players are in their contract year: Sergio Rodriguez and Ersan Ilyasova. The team must also decide whether to place qualifying offers with Nerlens Noel, which would fall to 125% of his prior salary. Finally, the team will need to decide upon the future of point guard T.J. McConnell and shooting guard Hollis Thompson.
The team has been pleasantly surprised with the performances of Rodriguez and Ilyasova so far. While still early in the season, Rodriguez has jumped to sixth in the NBA with 8.2 assists per game, while making the top 100 in the league with an average score of 11.0 points per game. Despite making $8.0 million this season, Rodriguez could be in line for a hefty increase in pay next season, perhaps in the $13 million range.
Similarly, Ersan Ilyasova is putting down 17.5 points per game since donning a Philadelphia 76ers jersey. His current salary is $8.4 Million. If he continues to help the team’s front court, his would also be looking in the $13 Million per year neighborhood.
Of course, it will be easier to pry that type of contract from Colangelo if the team finds success this year. But even if the team falls to the basement of the NBA, Colangelo has a track record of paying the premium for experience over potential. The team which enjoyed huge cap space each year, may find itself with no space next year. Bryan Colangelo came to Philadelphia to bring the team back into the fold. The surest way to do that will be to fatten the coffers of agents.