Just days before the Kawhi Leonard sweepstakes came to an abrupt halt, the basketball universe found out (again) that team executives value point guards.
In short, there’s never been a more lucrative time to be a point guard.
Cash is flowing like water down a mighty stream.
In a July 2 analysis piece for The Associated Press, Tim Reynolds highlighted the spending frenzy that kicked off the offseason free agency period.
“Free agency wasn’t even 24 hours old,” Reynolds wrote, “and more than $1 billion had been committed to point guards, led by the $196 million extension that Damian Lillard will be signing with Portland, the reported $170 million extension for Jamal Murray in Denver and the $141 million deals for Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker.
“There’s never been an offseason in NBA history where point guards have gotten that much, and there’s still plenty more left to be signed.”
Value of point guards
He continued: “The extensions for Lillard and Murray mean that they won’t be seeing free agency for years to come, and proves how much Portland and Denver value those guys. Lillard’s extension shouldn’t have surprised anyone, and given what the market value is setting up to be for point guards the fact that Denver locked up Murray shouldn’t be a shocker either.”
Wait, there’s more.
“D’Angelo Russell’s sign-and-trade that will send him to Golden State will see his salary start at $27 million next season and land him just over $117 million over four years,” Reynolds noted. “Malcolm Brogdon isn’t a traditional point guard, and he still got $85 million from four years from Indiana. Terry Rozier could get $58 million over three years from Charlotte, where he’ll replace Walker — who made $58 million, total, in eight seasons there.
“Ricky Rubio got $51 million for three years from Phoenix. Patrick Beverley finally got his deserved payday, a $40 million, three-year agreement to stay with the Los Angeles Clippers.”
And let’s not forget the four-year deal ($160 million) the Houston Rockets finalized with point guard Chris Paul last summer.
