The problem with the debate over whether Rajon Rondo deserves a maximum contract is that there really isn’t such a thing as a “maximum” contract.
That point was driven home Monday with the NBA’s announcement of a new television deal with ESPN and TNT, which could generate more than $2.5 billion per year for the league, according to multiple reports. A large increase in TV revenue would bring a correlating explosion in the amount of basketball-related revenue players are entitled to — which adds yet another layer of complexity to Rondo’s impending free agency at the end of the season.
Despite the way maximum contracts are typically portrayed, the “max contract” is not a set, specific amount. Max contracts for every player are relative to their service time, their previous earnings, that year’s salary cap and whether they re-sign with their current team. That’s why LeBron James’ max salary is more than Kevin Love’s max salary, and why that will remain the case when the cap goes up in summer 2016.
What does any of this have to do with the Celtics? Quite a bit, actually.
If Rondo signs for the maximum length and amount next summer, he should be eligible for about $18 million in the first season of a five-year deal. A lot of the hand-wringing so far has focused on the raw number, which would be a tough pill to swallow under a $63 million cap. But that’s probably the wrong way to look at it.
In fact, locking up Rondo long-term might be the smart play for the Celtics. Whether the cap skyrockets starting in 2016-17 or the NBA and players union agree to a more gradual increase over a few years, Rondo’s cap hit should be a lot less painful in Year 3 than in Year 1 — particularly if the Celtics aren’t positioned to contend in 2015-16, anyway. Rondo’s $18 million then would be relative chump change under a $90-plus million cap.
The players know this, which is why James only signed a two-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. James wanted to position himself for a gigantic payday in 2016, and it’s a move lots of players are likely to copy. Perhaps even Rondo will go this route, seeking a one-year holdover deal to then do the whole thing over again in 2016. But Rondo and the Celtics have indicated that the point guard is seeking a max deal, not a short-term patch.
“I think that a four-time All-Star by the time he’s 27 years old would qualify for the max, based on what we’ve seen in the marketplace,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said at media day, when asked about Rondo’s stated desire for a $100 million deal. “If I were Rajon or I were Rajon’s agent, I would definitely say that. But since I’m negotiating against him, I’ll withhold.”
However his contract and the league’s new financial reality plays out, Rondo will not go hungry and the Celtics will not go belly-up. Some very wealthy people will get a lot wealthier either way. All wealth is relative, however, and the way circumstances are lining up, Rondo and the Celtics just might be able to find ground that would make them both happy.
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