Should we match Wesley Matthews offer sheet?

[BENTLEY]

So they're willing to pay $7mm/year for 4 years to Matthews just to say 'screw you' to the Jazz? We have to be self-infatuated to think this is all about us. I think Portland likes him as an asset to play or trade. They think based on what they've seen that his value is going to rise to make that contract fair. They're just paying a bit of a premium to see if they can convince the Jazz not to match. They wouldn't offer that kind of contract unless they were serious about taking him on. I think they like Matthews and hope the Jazz are committed to Hayward enough so we'll let Matthews go.

In most cases, I think teams should match the offers on their RFAs. The Jazz supposedly overpaid to pry Okur away from Detroit when Okur was an RFA, but I think, all things considered, Detroit wished they matched the Jazz's offer sheet. Detroit hasn't had a PF/C who could score and rebound in a long time. They had to dip into the lottery to draft Greg Monroe.

How many years did it take the Jazz to get an SG with as complete a game as Matthews? We sifted through Kirk Snyder, Ronnie Brewer, Morris Almond, Gordan Giricek and Kyle Korver.... think how much money was wasted and how much we're saving if we don't have to go through that process all over again. Now the only question is whether Hayward makes Matthews irrelevant.

I think Portland is hoping we don't want Matthews anymore now that we drafted Hayward.

Don't assume everyone plays as conservatively as you would. It's a gamble on their part thinking Jazz won't match, but it's a good guess considering the Jazz stated they wanted Wes back, just like they said the previous year about Paul. Plus they waited until after Korver was signed by Bulls (right after Boozer I might add) so it's a pretty good guess Jazz start to tilt and feel like they have to match so another player doesn't get away - especially since Wes was the one of the 3 Jazz were most vocal about wanting back. They want the Jazz to match.

On Talkin Sports tonight (or was it Sportsbeat?) they spoke with a Portland reporter about the offer and he said he expects the Jazz to match and that they really should. He talked up Matthews and said Jazz really should match it. ...Oh, ok. We better do what the Blazers reporter says.

 

[d@!!0n0rcutt]

There are more players Matthews size and skill set out there that don't even have contracts, but maybe the intangible here is his work ethic which I like alot, but I just really don't think its worth 9 million for the first year and 6 million each of the remaining years. I really thought we would just offer him the bi-annual and be fine, but I have heard that in the upper Northwest they have some good weed up there from previous player who have played there namely Darius Miles and Zach Randolph and their owner now is smoking some serious stuff to offer a undrafted guard that is 6'4" and isn't really more than average athletically and plays a little above average defensively trust we can find a fairly young wing that can bring the same skill set for a much more reasonable price tag. Trust me I love Wesley Matthews's story and its really nice, and his game and hustle is what you look for in a player but we will be fine the crop of wings in this league is larger than good point guards or good big men because lets face it there is alot of more wing players from the range of 6'2" to about 6'9" we will find another Wesley Matthews, goodbye Wesley!

 

[mkbelle]

Wrong, they are offering him that kind of deal because they think we are backed in a corner and must match. I am not saying they don't value him as a player. However, he certainly is not worth close to what they offered and now they are hoping their division rivals(us) screw ourselves over with a match.

Agreed... I also find it interesting that while we heard that Portland 'had interest' and 'had spoken' with Wes's camp from the beginning of free agency, they waited to make him an offer until after Korver signed elsewhere. This whole situation makes me want to puke. The Jazz put all their eggs in one basket, so to speak... not only not offering Korver SOME TYPE of offer (not only could the Jazz have had him at 15 for 3, but I think he would have stayed for LESS), but bordering on disrespect with the whole 'lost his number' crap, just assuming Wes would be back... and hey, with Hayward who is so OBVIOUSLY NBA ready (insert sarcasm here), no need to even consider a plan B, right? By the way... didn't the Jazz have Bird rights on Korver? Why not keep talks open with Kyle (or should I say, at least TALK to the guy), especially when it was clear he wanted to stay, and unlike SOMEONE ELSE, was willing to negotiate a reasonable contract?

No way the Jazz should pay that much for Wes. Sorry... he turned out to be a 'nice find' for the Jazz, considering he wouldn't have even made the roster if CJ and Kyle hadn't both had to have surgery... and yes, he really stepped up, and played like he had something to prove. Somehow I don't expect him to live up to that big of a contract, especially when he no longer has anything to prove.

UGHHH! So now suddenly BREWER is looking good? OMFG. Why do I feel like clawing my own eyes out??

 

[Hitman]

I voted YES because I like what he does on the floor and I don't care what the numbers on the contract are. In fact I'm so sick of the NBA being all about contracts and not about the product on the floor. That's what leads to LeBlo Job having an hour-long special devoted to him and his decision to go South Beach for a threesome with two other dudes. I'm sick of players being talked up as assets because they signed a really big six-year contract five years ago, even though they haven't been able to play at an NBA level for four years. I'm sick of teams being able to trade one of the biggest busts in draft history and the assistant coach of another team for an All-Star, just because the values of their last contracts match. I'm sick of Free Agents saying they want maximum money but only from a contender, when a player who is worth that money should make ANY team a contender. I'm sick of teams being able to ignore the luxury tax because their owner is richer or they're in a bigger media market than other teams. I'm sick of having to do the work of an accountant in order to follow my favorite sport, I wouldn't want to be an accountant as a job, why the fudge would I want to be an accountant to understand my favorite pastime??

In a way, I'm actually really, really looking forward to the lockout, and hoping the new CBA stops this crap where a player's salary is more important than his statistics. I want the NBA to be about basketball not accounting. However, ina way I'm dreading it, because with a lawyer in charge of the league, I doubt the new CBA will be better

Yeah I'm ranting and getting off-topic, sorry about that. But I liked watching Wes play for Utah last year. I don't care what they pay him, to me its worth it just to keep that story continuing.

Lastly, if it makes you feel better, add his last season's salary to the offer and divide it by the extra year, and he looks much better value.

 

[Nate505]

Not just no, but I'm trying to figure out how many explicitives to put in front of the no. It stops in the 20s somewhere.

 

[Gameface]

I voted YES because I like what he does on the floor and I don't care what the numbers on the contract are. In fact I'm so sick of the NBA being all about contracts and not about the product on the floor. That's what leads to LeBlo Job having an hour-long special devoted to him and his decision to go South Beach for a threesome with two other dudes. I'm sick of players being talked up as assets because they signed a really big six-year contract five years ago, even though they haven't been able to play at an NBA level for four years. I'm sick of teams being able to trade one of the biggest busts in draft history and the assistant coach of another team for an All-Star, just because the values of their last contracts match. I'm sick of Free Agents saying they want maximum money but only from a contender, when a player who is worth that money should make ANY team a contender. I'm sick of teams being able to ignore the luxury tax because their owner is richer or they're in a bigger media market than other teams. I'm sick of having to do the work of an accountant in order to follow my favorite sport, I wouldn't want to be an accountant as a job, why the fudge would I want to be an accountant to understand my favorite pastime??

In a way, I'm actually really, really looking forward to the lockout, and hoping the new CBA stops this crap where a player's salary is more important than his statistics. I want the NBA to be about basketball not accounting. However, ina way I'm dreading it, because with a lawyer in charge of the league, I doubt the new CBA will be better

Yeah I'm ranting and getting off-topic, sorry about that. But I liked watching Wes play for Utah last year. I don't care what they pay him, to me its worth it just to keep that story continuing.

Lastly, if it makes you feel better, add his last season's salary to the offer and divide it by the extra year, and he looks much better value.

Maybe the NBA is not for you.

 

[write4u]

Considering that they let Korver go, the Jazz have no other option but to match, or just settle for Brewer.

 

[Hopper]

I'm so sick of the NBA being all about contracts and not about the product on the floor. I wouldn't want to be an accountant as a job, why the fudge would I want to be an accountant to understand my favorite pastime?? ...Yeah I'm ranting and getting off-topic, sorry about that. But I liked watching Wes play for Utah last year. I don't care what they pay him, to me its worth it just to keep that story continuing.

Great post Mantis. I didn't repeat it all, but not because it wasn't worthy of repetition.

 

[KM32MVP]

I think not matching is a better middle finger. I think Portland wants us to match.

Quite possible, but Im not convinced. Thats n big chance committing that much money just "hoping" we match and have to eat it. I kinda think they want him (as they wanted Milsap) and are still ticked about us taking Paul back so they front loaded again and are daring us to repeat last years decision. But who knows.

 

[gregbroncs]

I don't buy the "screw the Jazz" motivation for Matthews. They just have more money and aren't afraid to spend. Hell look at Outlaw... is Wes better or worse or the same as him? He got 5y/35M

Outlaw is better. I would take Outlaw at the MLE.

 

[N. Jazzovic]

No....It is great to see undrafted player making name for himself in NBA, but this is really, really too much.

 

[Surely]

I didn't read the whole thread, so I apologize if this was mentioned before, but last night on Sports Beat, they had a Portland beat writer and he was saying that he fully expects the Jazz to match. I don't know what is in the air up there, but something is definitely wrong with their logic. No way do the Jazz pay Wes more next season than Rhondo, Odom, and a few other players are making.