Rockets Future Legend PJ Tucker: “It’s time for my extension right now, so we’ll see."

Than you dont watch enough of our games if you think dudes like that are "replaceable" Ariza and Luc were that way too i guess.

 

He really is the modern day Shane Battier - the guy everyone realizes he is a valuable role player only once his career is almost over. I think SOMEONE will give him a decent payday if Houston doesn't but as mentioned earlier - I have a really hard time seeing PJ live up to expectations after his age 36 year. I don't buy the "he has miles left on his body because he started the tough NBA schedule later in his career" bit - age is age and those advantages are minimized the older he gets.

PJ will always be one of my all time favorite Rockets and a personal style icon but at that stage in his career if we rely on him for more than 20 minutes a game at 36 yrs old then we are screwed. Love him as a deep bench vet or even assistant coach - but no way we pay him starter/key role player money at his age - he should be getting the vet min money at 36.

Honestly this has been my complaint of Houston's roster management since Ariza and Luc left - not enough movement in finding viable starter level defensive players. It feels like we have been Earl Campbell-ing PJ Tucker on the defensive end this past year and still can't seem to sniff another high level defender to take some of the pressure off of PJ which is concerning because of his age and lack of alternatives on the roster.

 

That's an oversimplified view.

 

It doesnt seem like it me my man, the board seems pretty cut and dry where they stand.

 

Look at it purely from a trade perspective:

Would you trade for PJ if he had a 2 year deal and you were trying to improve? Yes

Would you trade for PJ on a 4 year deal where he's getting PAID in his last two years as a 38 year old? No.

So why would we extend him right now? There's no incentive. He's proved he's a pro and will play hard, how will an extension improve his play or the team right now? He doesn't get better because we extend him, he just gets older at the end of his contract.

Like I said, you have an oversimplified view of his contract situation.

 

Why do you compare PJ to 6’7-6’9 wings who can rebound, switch 1-5 and have scoring ability? I watch every game and PJ came off the bench on our best stretch under pringels era. He is great but he is not star great to demand anything while being 34 i guess he hangs with cp too much

 

PJ's not only one of the best & versatile defenders, but he's also the most durable. You can't value that w/ metrics. The Rockets need to pay that man. If we're going to win a championship then PJ will be one of the biggest reasons why. You can't replace him

 

Why are we talking about trading him at all? We are trying to win a chip in the next 2-3 years.

This is the last year of his contract, extending him for two more years, isnt bad imo. Our window is 2-3 years, thats it. Like there is no trade where you give up Tucker even now that will get you a positive return for winning a championship.

Because it shows we value what he's done and what he will do. There is a human element to this that is not being taken into account. Why would you play hard for an organization/fans that dont want to pay you, especially when you've done as much as Tucker has to do on a nightly basis?

I see it pretty clearly here. Yall want to be the good business man and be cold about the "assets." You can call me naive(may or may not be true) but this is just how i feel about it.

Because he can switch 1-5, and is the best(or one of the best) corner three shooters in the league. He got invited to the Team USA for a reason man. And we became a lot better as a team once we put PJ in the starting lineup, Im pretty sure and that was his best stretch. Really, so valuable players on NBA roster's cant ask/work on a contract extension? You gotta be a superstar to do that? Sounds wack to me.

 

He can but on a lesser level than LMM and Ariza, especially LMM who was superior both on the interior and on the perimeter. He may be better at corner thress but he is absent in driving, fastbreak and post play. On defense he is no shot-contest/blocking threat, for me both were better overally when younger/more fit than PJ in his prime... Im not saying PJ is bad, he is our best defender. I love his hustle and leadership But he is too old to give him extensions. If he was like 3 years younger then sure - he would deserve a lot of money down the stretch... but he probably will be bench warmer in two years when his contract is up. Why would we extend him? Because we like him? It's business too and we gave out too many bad contracts in recent years.

And to team USA roster argument - give me a break... there's Brook Lopez, Joe Harris, Plumlee, Marcus Smart etc on that roster too. None of them would sniff the floor with the real USA team.

 

He was a much better player than Ariza last year and maybe even the year before that. But either way, its about having two of Ariza/Luc/PJ on the floor not just one. PJ cant do it all by himself. Like we dont NEED him for driving or fast or post play(we dont need that period). Harden has got us on offense. Why? Why is giving a two year extension(and I mean paying him guaranteed money in 2020-2021) for a guy who's our best defensive player a bad thing? Look at Iguodala, do you yall see how old he is and how much he contributes and people are still trying to sign him.

Those guys are all valuable role players in the league that contribute to winning. I would love Marcus Smart on our team especially.

 

If Trevor Ariza and Patrick Beverley are both getting $40 million 2 year deals, then Tucker will be gone after this year.

The contracts for defenders only are crazy right now. They should be paid $7 million a year, now it's $20 million a year.

I wish the Rockets can make some trades for a young Small Forwards 6'8 22 year old, like Kelly Oubre Jr. He can defend, has quickness laterally, can shoot 3s, slash to the basket. Terrence Ferguson also is a very nice player on OKC.

 

Not quite.

Beverley got 3 years, $40M
Ariza got 2 years, $25M
Oubre got 2 years, $30M

 

He’s halfway through his contract and talking about an extension. That’s not normal in the real world. He’s not in a contract year, he’s trying to get paid for what he’ll do in the future based on his 34 year old body. He’ll be 38 if he’s extended just two years.

You don’t pay a 38 year old 34 year old prices. That’s boneheaded.

 

Not a chance...maybe...1 one more year with the same salary...but that is it...dude is old.

 

It's only partially guarantee, my thing would be to fully guarantee next year and then one more year after that. And lets not act like basketball is a model of how people operate in the real world.

It's fine, call it smart business or whatever not to exted him. Im just a little surprised with how everyone just writes PJ off like that, like HAAA, more money "We" arent gonna pay you. Gotta worry about Tillman's money. Its just funny, everyone goes full GM mode.

 

That's the nature of the cap. You can't just spend whatever you want and it not affect your ability to sign other players. You're incentivized to spend money wisely in the NBA. It's not all about profits, there are also rules about just how much you can spend. This ain't the free market. And PJ will be paid just under 8 million dollars TWO years from now if he is on the team. He can fully guarantee that money by playing his butt off this year because we're guaranteed to keep him on the roster.

PJ has zero leverage. He'll be older when this current contract is finished. Plus he's making 8 million a year. Cry me a river. Pro baseball players spend like 4 months a year away from home and many of them make like 500K. He's got a good situation regardless of an extension or not. If he doesn't like the contract, maybe don't sign it in the first place? That's where the real power exists: the time before you signed on the dotted line.

You and PJ act like the plumber who guarantees their work for a set price, then when he finishes the work he wants more and starts harassing you. F- that plumber. Do what you agreed to do. Be an honorable man. Otherwise what good are you?

 

I highly doubt whatever money we dont give PJ is gonna give us a guy who's gonna significantly help us win a chip, thats just my opinion.

I mean im not feeling sorry for him, he's a millionaire. But whats wrong with asking the company you worked for and contributed to for a raise? Or an extension for more job security? Is that wrong?

He's not an honorable man because he wants contract extension and wants job security and to be valued by the organization he works for. He's harassing the Rockets because he says he wants an extension? I get that you are thinking about fiscal business decisions for the good of the team and thats fine(Morey probably agrees with you ). But you seem mad that Tucker(whos done a lot for the team) wants an extension?

 

He's signed for this season (age 34) with a team option for next season (age 35). You can't help but love PJ's effort on the court. However, there is NO WAY IN HELL that should he be signed to an extension. His contract ends at the right time now. This team needs to get younger, longer and faster...not sign 36-year old undersized 'power' forwards.

 

Give PJ the extension if Westbrook isn't slightly taller and longer than he is....

 

I wonder what @Andy thinks about this. He gets pissed about great defenders leaving or something like that.