I'm 100% behind going for smart. I'd be ok with 15-17 mil if that's what it will take. Smart really gives us the ability to create some match up nightmares.
Just pay our full cap. Why not? Are we really that cheap that we'll lose an impact player over a few million a year when this contract basically does nothing in terms of our long-term future?
Here's what we know:
-Next summer, we're back to being the ugly step-sister. We'll have a bunch of cap, but only the bottom of the bottom FA's would be willing to sign with us. We won't get a chance to nab a talent like Smart or Parker next year. Not even close.
- I think we have 5 core guys on the team:
Buddy/Bogdan: 2 more years from new contract
Fox/Giles: 3 more years from new contract
Bagley: 4 more years from new contract
So even if magically all 5 guys turn out to be studs who need to be paid 15+mil a year, Smart's contract will be an expiring the year we need to pay fox andGiles.