With all of these players seemingly in line to get a max contract, I was wondering who is actually deserving of one. For cap purposes, the max should only go to a true #1 for your team. Johnson and Boozer would be overpaid as max guys. If every player was available for free agency right now, who would be worthy of a max contract?

Lebron
Wade
Howard
Kobe
CP3
Deron Williams
Durant
Rondo
Melo
Dirk
Roy
Rose?

So that puts us at 12 players who could be considered top dogs for the next 3-4 years? Am I missing people? Am I being too stingy with the max contract?

I would yank Rose and Rondo from that list...I still want to see a little more from Rose and there's no way I'm paying a PG max money when the other team is begging him to shoot wide open jumpers in the NBA Finals...and sub 50% FT in the finals ain't great either.

If I were an NBA GM my criteria for a max contract would be simple: Can I win a championship if player X is the best player on my team? IMO your list is not stingy enough. Trim the bottom 5 though and your list is exactly like mine:

-Lebron
-Wade
-Kobe
-Durant
-Chris Paul
-Deron Williams
-Howard

7 guys that's the list.

I don't think you guys would ever come close to a championship, or perhaps you don't realize that not all "max" deals are not the same.

Rudy Gay just received a deal, for $13.3 million next year (and it wasn't a max deal).

The Lakers and Orlando will have 3 guys making more than that next year.

Boston will need 3 guys making more than that next year if they want any chance.

Whatever team picks up the holy union of free agents this next year will need multiple players making more than 13.3 next year.

[This message has been edited by Iowaggie (edited 7/2/2010 9:45a).]

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If I were an NBA GM my criteria for a max contract would be simple: Can I win a championship if player X is the best player on my team? IMO your list is not stingy enough. Trim the bottom 5 though and your list is exactly like mine:

-Lebron
-Wade
-Kobe
-Durant
-Chris Paul
-Deron Williams
-Howard

7 guys that's the list.

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I think that's a great list except Paul, Williams, and I'm starting to think Howard wouldn't qualify as best players for a championship team. I MIGHT add Carmelo to that list.

i think the "max deal" phrase is overused and not fully understood by media/common man

Chauncey Billups has been the best player on a championship team... I'm sure Chris Paul would qualify.

You have to remember that there is an artificially low max contract due to the collective bargaining agreement and more teams with money who can afford to pay max deals. So instead of a natural scale, you get a lot of guys getting max deals.

Every team can afford at least one max player, so you guys aren't going to see only the top ten players get them.

On another subject, without a doubt, Carmelo Anthony is a top ten player deserving of top dollar.

[This message has been edited by bmart97 (edited 7/2/2010 6:52p).]

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Chauncey Billups has been the best player on a championship team... I'm sure Chris Paul would qualify.

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I don't care what the statistics say or how outright crazy he is/was, Rasheed Wallace was the Piston's most irreplaceable player on that team, not Billups.