Dion Waiters is in line for a big pay day
By Simon Smith
Pay Day
Waiters has timed his career-best season to perfection. The surge in the NBA’s salary cap has seen a plethora of players rewarded with contracts previously awarded to simply the elite in the league. Here are some examples of contracts handed out last offseason to shooting guards/wing players along with their age:
- Evan Turner, 28 : Four-years, $70 million
- Solomon Hill, 25: Four-years, $52 million
- JR Smith, 31: Four-years, $57 million
- Austin Rivers, 24: Three-years, $35 million
- Jamal Crawford, 36: Three-years, $42 million
- DeMar DeRozan, 27: Five-years, $139 million
- Evan Fournier, 24: Five-years, $85 million
- Courtney Lee, 31: Four-years, $50 million
- Harrison Barnes, 24; Four-years, $94 million
- Nicholas Batum, 28: Five-years, $120 million
- Bradley Beal, 24: Five-years, $124 million
- Jordan Clarkson, 24: Four-years, $50 million
- Dwyane Wade, 35: Two-years, $47 million
- Eric Gordon, 28: Four-years, $53 million
- Gerald Henderson, 29: Two-years, $18 million
- Joe Johnson, 35: Two-years, $22 million
Of all the names mentioned above, just one was named an all-star this season – DeRozan.
Overall, the return on investment from these contracts has been mixed. Some have had terrific seasons, such as Beal, Barnes, Gordon and Rivers. But then there are the likes of Turner, Hill and Smith who have had rather forgettable seasons after their big pay-day.
Considering’ Waiters’ age, current form and upside, there is no doubt he is going to receive a number of lucrative offers. The Heat can benefit from the data above in that they can already formulate a number that they feel Waiters is worth, should they decide to retain him on their roster.
Considering Waiters’ attributes, a contract somewhere between the Gordon deal and the Fournier deal is the most likely salary range at this stage.
Prediction: Four-year, $64 million contract.
The Heat will be well aware by now that keeping Waiters in South Beach is not going to come cheap.
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And Waiters’ play between now and the end of the season will play a large part in the Heat’s future decision making.