Is Wiggins a max contract player?

[BigBlueFanGA]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/andrew...-contract-wolves-decision-make-213354102.html

Pretty cocky for a guy with as many shortcomings as he has, according to the article. I'm not an NBA guy. What do you guys think the Wolves will do?

 

[GonzoCat90]

He is, because it's relative to market value and not some imaginary standard of a max contract guy.

He gets a ton of grief here, but he's a good player. He didn't defend well last season, but neither did our boy KAT and he doesn't get criticized for it.

And that's because neither of them should. Tibs played them both huge minutes and they had to carry the entire scoring load. A couple guys barely old enough to vote aren't going to be elite two way players with no help for 42 minutes a night.

But the potential is absolutely there for Wiggins to be an All Defensive team guy. He's a freaky athlete with crazy length and quick twitch reactions. With some actual players and defenders around him I think he really blossoms now.

Besides, look at the list of guys who have averaged 20+ ppg at 21 years or younger. I bet it's LeBron, Durant, Jordan, Shaq, Melo, Rose, Amare, KAT and Booker alongside Wiggins.

Every one of those guys was/would be a max contract guy (ignoring what we know about injuries in hindsight), and you're definitely not signing a guy of his caliber in Minnesota.

 

[UK2KJAG]

He is absolutely a max contract player. So much potential and the wolves would be foolish not to make him as such.

 

[KentuckyCat420]

Compared to the rest of the market, yes he is.

 

[GonzoCat90]

Also, just for accuracy, went to check the list of guys 21 and under who averaged 20+ and I forgot Kyrie, Blake Griffin, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Anthony freakin Davis because I'm an idiot.

 

[Shaudylo]

Otto Porter got the max .

Why should Wiggins not expect it ?

 

[throatpoker]

Chandler Parsons

 

[DelkBowl]

He needs to rebound and assist. One dimensional but he will get paid.

 

[WildMoon]

Not even close

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

Shouldnt be, but he is. As another poster stated, look around at whos getting max deals.

Ya he has alot of potential. But how long do people get to say that before you have to start showing results? Its not as if he picked up basketball just a few years ago

 

[Aike]

I'm not sure he is in Minnesota. Hard to see them being comfortable as a luxury tax team, and you figure KAT and Butler are set for maxes.

Then again, you probably lock him up now and possibly dump him later, depending on what happens with Butler and how close they are to Title contention when GS eventually slips.

 

[Big John Stud]

He is in a world where Otto Porter is a max player.

 

[WildMoon]

He is, because it's relative to market value and not some imaginary standard of a max contract guy.

He gets a ton of grief here, but he's a good player. He didn't defend well last season, but neither did our boy KAT and he doesn't get criticized for it.

And that's because neither of them should. Tibs played them both huge minutes and they had to carry the entire scoring load. A couple guys barely old enough to vote aren't going to be elite two way players with no help for 42 minutes a night.

But the potential is absolutely there for Wiggins to be an All Defensive team guy. He's a freaky athlete with crazy length and quick twitch reactions. With some actual players and defenders around him I think he really blossoms now.

Besides, look at the list of guys who have averaged 20+ ppg at 21 years or younger. I bet it's LeBron, Durant, Jordan, Shaq, Melo, Rose, Amare, KAT and Booker alongside Wiggins.

Every one of those guys was/would be a max contract guy (ignoring what we know about injuries in hindsight), and you're definitely not signing a guy of his caliber in Minnesota.

I know you are trying to compare just the point scoring but those name you compare to is really bad comparison.

Wiggins' PER is 16.5 which would put him by far the lowest of the names you mentioned. Most are well over 20 and only Rose was sub 20 at 18.6.

Not to mention yes Kat isn't a good defender but Wiggins is considered one of top 5 worst defensive player. Yet you say he'll become all defensive player?? You really can't make that prediction unless he proves that.

You also say he's carrying the team but when your PER is 16.5... you aren't doing much.

 

[WildMoon]

Btw. I agree that Otto Porter's contract is insane but...

1. It's a bad contract

2. His PER has steadily increased every year unlike Wiggins. (Porter 17.4 has passed Wiggins who has stayed very stagnant in his three years)

3. Is not considered terrible defensive player, I think. Need to recheck.

 

[GonzoCat90]

I know you are trying to compare just the point scoring but those name you compare to is really bad comparison.

Wiggins' PER is 16.5 which would put him by far the lowest of the names you mentioned. Most are well over 20 and only Rose was sub 20 at 18.6.

Not to mention yes Kat isn't a good defender but Wiggins is considered one of top 5 worst defensive player. Yet you say he'll become all defensive player?? You really can't make that prediction unless he proves that.

You also say he's carrying the team but when your PER is 16.5... you aren't doing much.

You are when your team only wins 30 games and you're the second biggest reason they weren't much worse.

I'm not trying to say he's a franchise player, just that he's a rare scorer with elite physical tools at an important position who is only 21 years old.

When you're Minnesota, your options are to max a guy like Wiggins or give that money to a Rudy Gay type who is equally flawed but with no upside.

 

[Aike]

You are when your team only wins 30 games and you're the second biggest reason they weren't much worse.

I'm not trying to say he's a franchise player, just that he's a rare scorer with elite physical tools at an important position who is only 21 years old.

When you're Minnesota, your options are to max a guy like Wiggins or give that money to a Rudy Gay type who is equally flawed but with no upside.

They did already add one better player (Butler) and possibly another more effective player (Teague). And they don't have to do a thing this summer.

So the best move might be to punt if Wiggins is demanding max or else. Otto Porter only got maxed because he was a RFA.

 

[Wvvrn]

He is 100% a max contract player. He has some major holes in his game and I doubt he'll ever even make an AS game but in the NBA of today you pretty much have to give him a max deal, especially if you're in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. Somebody will if they don't. Like Aike said, best bet is to sign him up and then unload him for more assets at a later date if you don't want the luxury hit. He is a highly valuable asset if not an all world player on the court. He still has time to develop though. If you're Minnesota you pretty much need to go all out to win right now because a collection of talent of this sort is not gonna come through there very often at all. Maybe once every 20 years.

 

[GonzoCat90]

They did already add one better player (Butler) and possibly another more effective player (Teague). And they don't have to do a thing this summer.

So the best move might be to punt if Wiggins is demanding max or else. Otto Porter only got maxed because he was a RFA.

Definitely. Although I think he'll be a much better player now that Butler and Teague are there. Gibson too. He and KAT will both improve.

But the reality is someone is going to give max money to Andrew Wiggins. Lots of teams would love to. And the Wolves are going to give max money to someone. Are they sure that person will be better than Wiggins?

Right now, Butler is on one of the most friendly deals in the league. When that's up, will they want to commit 5 years of max money to a 30 year old with Thibodeu miles?

 

[UK2KJAG]

In today's NBA I just don't get why he wouldn't be. I know us Kentucky fans hate him because he spurned us for Kansas but he is absolutely a max contract player.

 

[Aike]

Definitely. Although I think he'll be a much better player now that Butler and Teague are there. Gibson too. He and KAT will both improve.

But the reality is someone is going to give max money to Andrew Wiggins. Lots of teams would love to. And the Wolves are going to give max money to someone. Are they sure that person will be better than Wiggins?

Right now, Butler is on one of the most friendly deals in the league. When that's up, will they want to commit 5 years of max money to a 30 year old with Thibodeu miles?

Yeah, he's almost definitely going to get paid. I'm just saying that there's no good reason to max him this summer. Only reason to sign him this summer is if he takes a slight discount, imo.

If they wait until next summer, they can let someone else offer him a max 4 year deal and match it.

 

[TeoJ]

I have a hard time believing any of these players are worth the kind of money they make.That's my two cents worth.

 

[GonzoCat90]

I have a hard time believing any of these players are worth the kind of money they make.That's my two cents worth.

Are the owners worth the money they make? The dollars aren't imaginary. They're really creating this revenue, and it has to go somewhere.

 

[Orange Soda King]

Yes, he is a max contract player. KD was a bad defender until he got to Golden State. Wiggins isn't KD, but his defensive potential is incredible. He won't be the second option with Butler on the team anymore, and can hopefully use more energy on the defensive end, same with KAT

 

[WildMoon]

Yes, he is a max contract player. KD was a bad defender until he got to Golden State. Wiggins isn't KD, but his defensive potential is incredible. He won't be the second option with Butler on the team anymore, and can hopefully use more energy on the defensive end, same with KAT

Omg. These bad comparison needs to stop.

KD scored 30.1 ppg at the same point in time. Not to mention Wiggins is one of the WORST defensive player in the league. Durant was not consider anywhere near that level of bad. (Not to mention Durant PER is at 26.2 at 21 while Wiggins was at 16.5)

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

He is, because it's relative to market value and not some imaginary standard of a max contract guy.

He gets a ton of grief here, but he's a good player. He didn't defend well last season, but neither did our boy KAT and he doesn't get criticized for it.

And that's because neither of them should. Tibs played them both huge minutes and they had to carry the entire scoring load. A couple guys barely old enough to vote aren't going to be elite two way players with no help for 42 minutes a night.

But the potential is absolutely there for Wiggins to be an All Defensive team guy. He's a freaky athlete with crazy length and quick twitch reactions. With some actual players and defenders around him I think he really blossoms now.

Besides, look at the list of guys who have averaged 20+ ppg at 21 years or younger. I bet it's LeBron, Durant, Jordan, Shaq, Melo, Rose, Amare, KAT and Booker alongside Wiggins.

Every one of those guys was/would be a max contract guy (ignoring what we know about injuries in hindsight), and you're definitely not signing a guy of his caliber in Minnesota.

Don't talk about Minnesota and leave off KG lol.

 

[UK_fan_41102]

Yes he is, because he would almost certainly attract at least one maximum offer in restricted free agency in 2018 (Otto Porter and the Nets). The T-Wolves may have to decide whether it’s worth rolling the dice on his upside sooner rather than later, locking him up for as long as possible rather than risking another team giving him an offer sheet in 2018 that allows him to reach unrestricted free agency early.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

From watching him a little and reading the article I'd say Wiggins hasn't really changed since college. He likes to score. He doesn't like to do anything else. The article describes a real bind if the Wolves pay up so I'd imagine he becomes trade bait.

He's already played 3 years in the league and hasn't really improved his game. He may get a max contract because of the diluted talent level in the NBA but I bet it won't be with the Wolves.

 

[Aike]

Yes he is, because he would almost certainly attract at least one maximum offer in restricted free agency in 2018 (Otto Porter and the Nets). The T-Wolves may have to decide whether it’s worth rolling the dice on his upside sooner rather than later, locking him up for as long as possible rather than risking another team giving him an offer sheet in 2018 that allows him to reach unrestricted free agency early.

It isn't really rolling the dice by Minnesota. Like the Wizards did with Porter, they may prefer to have him on a 4 year deal instead of 5. A little less money and greater flexibility.

If he was 100%, absolutely THE MAN, they would max him now and this wouldn't even be a question. But he is a notch below that, especially considering they have KAT on the same roster.

They know they will have to pay him to keep him, and they will almost certainly do that. But any little bit of wiggle room they can get salary-wise is worth quite a bit, as they could easily find themselves paying luxury tax in a few years while pursuing a championship.

Paying luxury tax in a market like Minnesota is more painful than it is in LA or GS.

 

[mebeblue2]

has he earned a max contract? NO
does he deserve a max contract? NO
will he get a max contract? YES

 

[jrpross_rivals]

It seems like about the top 10% players in the league are max players, so yeah I'd say Wiggins is in there.

 

[TeoJ]

Are the owners worth the money they make? The dollars aren't imaginary. They're really creating this revenue, and it has to go somewhere.

Absoulutely not.

 

[Aike]

Looks like Minny is about to give him the max or very near. Terms not yet disclosed, other than 5 years/$150 mil range.

 

[Deathclutch]

Wiggins has plenty of defensive potential:



His problem is mostly lack of effort and consistency. Also he is young and has had to shoulder much of the scoring load, all while having to defend guys like Kawhi, Durant etc. Adding Butler is going to take some defensive pressure off Wiggins, since Butler can guard the opposing teams best wing player.

Like someone else said, KAT wasn't a good defender either last season. Need to see more effort from both guys next year on that side of the ball. Hopefully Butler and Taj Gibson can get in their ears and help them in that area.