Handlogten's Heros
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It may not ruin the team, but it certainly doesn't help the team.
We can't know what decisions later this summer (or in the next couple of years) will be negatively impacted by overpaying right now. People are acting like this deal is in isolation. Either we keep Hayward or we lose him. If he is NOT with the team that spot isn't empty... We will fill that spot with another player. The question is... can we A) get a player who will have a similar impact on the team for less money, or B) can we find someone who will make a greater difference tot he team for $16 mil? If the answer is NO to both questions we have to match... as much as I hate the idea.
(Personally I think the answer is Yes to A and possibly to B as well...)
Well thought out post. I think the answer to the bottom two questions is no this year (looking at what is available). My only reservations are what will be available for us next year (and the year after that), but no one can project that with good accuracy.
My thing is really this... if we lock up hayward and then have the opportunity to draft a stud SF we will be able to trade Hayward (worst-case scenario a salary dump). If he plays well and we find something better we will be able to trade Hayward for quite a haul. I see nothing out there that gives us that much potential for our cap space this year and think we can regain the flexibility if we need to.