Delly & Johnson

"IN A SUMMER OF INFLATED CONTRACTS, WHO GOT THE BEST (AND WORST) VALUE" -- Daniel Zimmerman

"Matt Dellevadova – $8.9 million in new cap, $6.6 million in old cap.

Delly, the Aussie sensation, is coming off a world championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was living the life, as the sixth man of the top team in the East. Despite falling out of the playoff rotation a bit, Delly knew he was in for a pay day.

He brings grit and intensity to both sides of the ball, and for that, there was interest. He could have likely signed big deals with Brooklyn or Philly to be the starter, but instead he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, a team he knows he will come off the bench for. As a RFA, Cleveland had the chance to match, and they did, but in a sign-and-trade move that saw them net something in return for the Australian point man.

Delly is a valuable player for any team in this league. Just ask LeBron James –

““That’s a guy who is dedicated, who never cared about guys saying that Delly is not fast enough, Delly is not strong enough, Delly can’t shoot it well enough, Delly is not an NBA player. Well guess what? Delly is a champion. Thank you Delly.””

His contract, in the old cap, is a modest backup point guard salary. But he is going to enhance the Bucks in many more ways than any average backup. Teaming up with the gritty players like Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Michael Carter-Williams, the Bucks are going to have one of the nastiest, toughest defenses in the NBA."

and

"Tyler Johnson – $12.5 million / new cap, $9.2 million / old cap

This deal was one that you can’t criticize Miami as much for as you can criticize Brooklyn for offering it. Johnson, a 6’4″ combo guard with two years experience, has had minimum time to showcase his abilities in this league, playing behind Dwyane Wade for his whole career.

But Johnson, nonetheless, has potential. However, the good ole Brooklyn Nets really know how to kill a buzz, don’t they?

Johnson was content with waiting on Wade’s decision, then signing offer sheets from wherever he gets them. But the Nets just had to toss this 24 year old guard who averaged nearly 9 points in 24 minutes a night last season, a 4 year, $50 million offer sheet.

That is absurd. That kind of money for a combo guard, who in effect can neither play point guard nor shooting guard? Ridiculous.

The Nets already got PG Jeremy Lin on a bargain deal, so it didn’t make sense for them to go after Johnson in the first place. But to pour so much money into an unproven talent was downright offensive.


The Heat panicked, and they matched the deal after Wade left. Brooklyn was saved, Miami was screwed, and Johnson was paid."

++++++++

Maybe the point to be considered is that Johnson can play, period. He shot 48.6%, 38% and 79.7% overall in 24 minutes a game. Playing two and a half minutes more this season than last, each of his averages went up. All of this despite a number of nagging injuries which resulted in shoulder surgery.