Zeller played well enough the second half of last season that the Hornets signed him to a four-season, $56 million contract extension Monday night to preclude his becoming a restricted free agent. Two years ago, I would have thought that nuts. Now, I think it’s prudent.
Hornets general manger Rich Cho has practiced a philosophy the past few years of pre-emptively signing young players to extensions before they come off the NBA rookie scale. He did it with Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Jeremy Lamb.
Signing Walker to a deal that averages $12 million a season is a coup, when you look at what some point guards have gotten since that deal. I’m not so sure the Lamb contract – three seasons at a $7 million average – will work out quite so well.
But here’s the new normal in the NBA: The massive spike in national television revenue is being baked into the salary cap. There was a striking rise last summer and there will be another in the summer of 2017.
You can either adapt or wither. So while it might be a bit shocking to the average Hornets fan that Zeller will average $14 million a season, I can see the reasoning.
Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/spo...#storylink=cpy
Hornets general manger Rich Cho has practiced a philosophy the past few years of pre-emptively signing young players to extensions before they come off the NBA rookie scale. He did it with Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Jeremy Lamb.
Signing Walker to a deal that averages $12 million a season is a coup, when you look at what some point guards have gotten since that deal. I’m not so sure the Lamb contract – three seasons at a $7 million average – will work out quite so well.
But here’s the new normal in the NBA: The massive spike in national television revenue is being baked into the salary cap. There was a striking rise last summer and there will be another in the summer of 2017.
You can either adapt or wither. So while it might be a bit shocking to the average Hornets fan that Zeller will average $14 million a season, I can see the reasoning.
Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/spo...#storylink=cpy
