Your Part 2 beat me to punch. I wanted to say the Knicks were a combination of extraordinarily smart and lucky in obtaining two proteins that were actually available in the open market. That being said my personal opinion (probably a fact) is the best way to obtain "proteins" is through the draft, there's just so much talent coming through the pipeline nowadays and not just at the very top of draft. Obviously star FA's are rarity. Trades are a distant 3rd option to me, it's like buying a house for all cash but oh btw I have to give up my entire 401k of equal value for the right to buy the house.
As you noted in the piece, age, defensive ability and other attributes will determine whether they are beef or stanky salmon. I think the max historically limited what the Lebron and Curry types could get and meant that the Walls and Beals (not stanky salmon when they got paid, but not the primest beef either) got paid at the same level, whereas they would come nowhere close on an uncapped free market.
I expect there to be more tiers now with the new CBA and not every all star that comes free will automatically get the max.I think we are seeing it with Harden and the lack of suitors for Lilliard and I expect we will see it with Paul George. The Raps not paying VanVleet is another example, though he did get paid by Houston (though just three years worth). There did not seem to be a bidding was for Kyrie, though that is not surprising, and he also settled for three years.
We are seeing it with lower tier All Stars like KP and Dejounte. I would not be surprised to see that 40-45 average max players begin to trend down.
Great piece, I was admittedly a bit unsure where the metaphor was going at first but you landed the plane.
I think Brown's contract raises an interesting question: can any (legal) contract for a genuine "protein" be a bad contract?
Prior to him signing this contract I would've said no--like you said, there will always be a taker for a "protein." But man, Brown is a borderline case if there ever was one. He's definitely a "protein," but I think there are plenty of teams who wouldn't take him on even if they didn't have to trade any assets.
Your Part 2 beat me to punch. I wanted to say the Knicks were a combination of extraordinarily smart and lucky in obtaining two proteins that were actually available in the open market. That being said my personal opinion (probably a fact) is the best way to obtain "proteins" is through the draft, there's just so much talent coming through the pipeline nowadays and not just at the very top of draft. Obviously star FA's are rarity. Trades are a distant 3rd option to me, it's like buying a house for all cash but oh btw I have to give up my entire 401k of equal value for the right to buy the house.
belatedly, i love this analogy
Asparagus is a vegetable, it shouldn't look like the juiciest fruit lol.
And wow Jon, I thought you guys just moved a year or two ago.
I hooe the new place is great, and maybe you even get your own office?!
One can hope.
Mazel Tov on the new place.
Brunson is going to break the bank when he becomes a FA.
What an enjoyable newsletter. And I'm not saying that because I asked the question!
As you noted in the piece, age, defensive ability and other attributes will determine whether they are beef or stanky salmon. I think the max historically limited what the Lebron and Curry types could get and meant that the Walls and Beals (not stanky salmon when they got paid, but not the primest beef either) got paid at the same level, whereas they would come nowhere close on an uncapped free market.
I expect there to be more tiers now with the new CBA and not every all star that comes free will automatically get the max.I think we are seeing it with Harden and the lack of suitors for Lilliard and I expect we will see it with Paul George. The Raps not paying VanVleet is another example, though he did get paid by Houston (though just three years worth). There did not seem to be a bidding was for Kyrie, though that is not surprising, and he also settled for three years.
We are seeing it with lower tier All Stars like KP and Dejounte. I would not be surprised to see that 40-45 average max players begin to trend down.
Great piece, I was admittedly a bit unsure where the metaphor was going at first but you landed the plane.
I think Brown's contract raises an interesting question: can any (legal) contract for a genuine "protein" be a bad contract?
Prior to him signing this contract I would've said no--like you said, there will always be a taker for a "protein." But man, Brown is a borderline case if there ever was one. He's definitely a "protein," but I think there are plenty of teams who wouldn't take him on even if they didn't have to trade any assets.