Max contracts

[Joe Vancil]

I'm going to throw a question out for everyone.

Free agency is almost upon us, and we've got a lot of folks who are going to be going after "max" contracts.

Here's my question:  Assuming EVERY PLAYER in the league was a free agent:  HOW MANY/WHO DO YOU THINK DESERVE MAX CONTRACTS?

My answer:  I think the following should be MAX contract players:

LeBron James
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett, but his time is running short
Kevin Durant, although his "max" should be at a lower level until his next contract.
Dwyane Wade
Dwight Howard

I do *NOT* think the following deserve max contracts:

Joe Johnson
Chris Bosh
Dirk Nowitzki *
Carmelo Anthony
Shaquille O'Neal *
Amare Stoudemire
Jason Kidd *
Steve Nash
Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Brandon Roy
Tony Parker

* - should have been a max guy in the past, but shouldn't be now.  Garnett is less than a year away from this.

And with my list above, I'm thinking I gave out TOO MANY max contracts.  Durant, Wade, and Garnett may have to go.

[Reality]

Max
LeBron James

Near Max
Kevin Durant another great year and i max him.
Kobe for one more year.  Kobes health has been great with tons of pampering help, still i sense a breakdown finally occuring.
Dwight Howard

Less then Near Max
DWade
Gasol
Tim Duncan his fading vs Phx was as much on him as on Pop, blowing wide open layups and short shots, getting worked at times by Stoudamire..
Kevin Garnett Joe the game you missed Gm 3, end of game under a minute game on the line he stood with the ball for 6 seconds ala Duncan/Popovich style and allowed Kobme to slap it away.  While one play does not a player make, it epitomized that KG has lost too much to be max.

[WayOutWest]

LeBron James - No brainer
Kobe Bryant - Not sure how many years he has left but IMO he has proven to be the best player in the league.  Perfect example is LeBron talking about guarding Rondo to the media after one of the playoff games.  Last year Kobe didn't talk about anything, he just went out and effectively guarded Billups and Melo IN THE SAME FREAKING GAME NO LESS and helped win the series.
Tim Duncan - No unless his health improves.
Kevin Garnett, but his time is running short - No, he's not the game changer he once was.
Kevin Durant, although his "max" should be at a lower level until his next contract.
Dwyane Wade
Dwight Howard

I do *NOT* think the following deserve max contracts:

Joe Johnson
Chris Bosh
Dirk Nowitzki * This guy deserves max money more than TD and KG.
Carmelo Anthony
Shaquille O'Neal *
Amare Stoudemire
Jason Kidd *
Steve Nash
Chris Paul - I think he deserves max money, when he's healthy he's a franchise guy.
Deron Williams - Same as Chris Pual but IMO Deron is a better individual player but Paul gets more out of his team mates.
Brandon Roy
Tony Parker

[rickortreat]

No one deserves a max contract! These guys aren't productive members of society, they're entertainers.  For what they do, they make way too much money.  At a time when the US is in a recession and their clients are getting strapped for cash, the NBA should be lowering ticket prices and salaries across the board.  All of the sports leagues are facing a real problem, they are driven by kids who make heroes out of the players and the little boy still in all men who watch the game.  All of these people who love watching the sport have to live in the real world and scrape to make a living.  How much should a person who provides a distraction to life be paid?

IF there was no basketball, the world would continue to turn and life would still be wonderful. It's not an essential thing like a Doctor a Dentist or a Plumber or an Electrician.  Those who provide the things you need should be paid more than those who don't! 

[Joe Vancil]

No one deserves a max contract! These guys aren't productive members of society, they're entertainers.  For what they do, they make way too much money.  At a time when the US is in a recession and their clients are getting strapped for cash, the NBA should be lowering ticket prices and salaries across the board.  All of the sports leagues are facing a real problem, they are driven by kids who make heroes out of the players and the little boy still in all men who watch the game.  All of these people who love watching the sport have to live in the real world and scrape to make a living.  How much should a person who provides a distraction to life be paid?

IF there was no basketball, the world would continue to turn and life would still be wonderful. It's not an essential thing like a Doctor a Dentist or a Plumber or an Electrician.  Those who provide the things you need should be paid more than those who don't! 

Not the argument I'm making, Rick.  Obviously, I agree that the "max" contract is at too high of a level. 

But which players should get a "max" deal, assuming the max deal was set at the correct level?

[rickortreat]

LeBron, Kobe, and possibly Wade.  Howard, only because at the moment he's the best, but he's obviously not a complete Center, lacking any real post-up game. To me these are the best value for the money players in the game,

No one else is currently playing at that level.  They are good players in relative terms but are not, IMO, complete players.

To me a max money player is a top 5 player at a given position, and will continue to be so for two-three additional seasons.  By that standard Bosh, Dirk, Derron and Paul all belong and so do most of the players on the list, including Carmello and Joe Johnson.  I would say that they are top 5 players now at their positions, but none of them are complete players at those spots. Dirk doesn't rebound enough or play defense well enough. Bosh can't do it against bigger players. Neither Paul or Derron score enough to be elite. Nonetheless, all these players are by definition max money players because they put up better numbers than their peers.

[westkoast]

I wouldn't give KG a max contract.  I would give Chris Paul a max contract.  Ditto for Deron.  To me max contracts go to top tier allstars whom you would build around for the next 3 to 5 years to win a title.  I think Chris Bosh is a max contract player for that reason and after Joe Johnson's pitful playoff performance I would say he is not.