Reggie Jackson's absurd 5-year, $80 mil deal has got to make you feel good about the Celtics' contracts
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| Jackson is set to make roughly two-and-a-half times per year what Thomas will. |
Who knows, maybe with the salary cap set to explode in the near future Jackson's contract won't look so bad down the road. But keep in mind, we're talking about Reggie Jackson here. With a mediocre Thunder squad plagued by injuries, Jackson posted 12.8 points and 4.3 assists per game last year. Upon his arrival in Detroit, the former BC Eagle averaged 17.6 points and 9.2 assists in 27 contests--while the Pistons went 10-17.
Jackson is guy who's proven he can put up big numbers for a bad team, and that's about it. How does his signing compare to a few recent Celtics contracts?
Twelve million per year feels like a lot for Amir Johnson, but if he doesn't earn his money Boston has the option to let him go after one season. Jackson at $16 mil and Johnson at $12 may be proportionate value, but the C's didn't commit to Johnson for five years.
A lot of people complained when the Celtics inked Avery Bradley to a four-year, $32 million deal last summer. Who would you rather have: Bradley at $8 mil per, or Jackson at $16? I'm not even convinced I'd prefer Jackson over Bradley at the same price, let alone double.
A better comparison might be Jae Crowder, who like Jackson was a restricted free-agent re-signed to a five-year guaranteed contract. Yet Boston will pay Crowder just $7 mil per year, less than half of what Detroit threw at Jackson. I'd take two Jae Crowders over one Reggie Jackson any day.
Even though the Celtics didn't sign his deal, Isaiah Thomas is obviously the guy who most resembles Jackson on Boston's roster. Both have shown they can score in bunches, but likely aren't capable of being the best player on a contending team. My guess is people around the league view Thomas and Jackson as players of similar value.
Thomas' contract, however, is an absolute steal--and it actually gets cheaper over the next three seasons. The C's will pay him $6.9 mil next year, $6.6 in 2016-17 and only $6.3 in 2017-18.
To no surprise, the Celtics missed out on the bigger names in free agency. But, at least they didn't panic and overspend on the lesser ones.
Follow Mark Vandeusen on Twitter @LucidSportsFan
