Kobe Bryant once shared a defensive philosophy with everyone, that is, to pack players whose contracts are about to expire on the court. In this way, the player is easily out of balance, because the data of the current season will directly determine the size of his contract next season. For the sake of next season's "money scene", this player is likely to ignore the bag and choose to do it recklessly, which will lead to distrust and frustration in the team, affecting the overall performance.
Kobe Bryant's strategy is not poisonous. We've seen a lot of performances from players in contract years, not only on the offensive end, but even on the defensive end. A few years ago, Hassan Whiteside, who was obsessed with brushing his cap, could have pit the heat.
But from another point of view, the background of the contract year also inspires the motivation and enthusiasm of these players, often allowing them to play the best season of their careers. And as soon as the contract year passed, they were depressed like a new person.
Perhaps the most typical example is Chandler Parsons, who twice performed well in contract years and then won two big contracts worth nearly 125 million. And his performance for most of the contract period has been criticized by the home team fans, and even has the "good name" of "money is available, afraid of anything", of course, it cannot be denied that the impact of injuries on Parsons is also quite large.
After the start of this season, there are also some players who play far beyond the previous performance like chicken blood, and stride towards the big contract.
Season stats: 23 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists
Last season's stats: 12.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists
A few weeks ago, the Hornets negotiated an early renewal with Bridges, giving a reserve price of $60 million for 4 years, and Bridges rejected the seemingly expensive offer, and his estimate of himself was far more than that. Now it looks like if he can sustain that performance, the Hornets' offer could double.
Since the start of the tournament, Bridges has shown overall improvement, and the content on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends has increased. Known for his physical fitness and dunks, he can now hit more three-pointers and has improved his big picture on the court, averaging 8.5 assists in the last two games. Importantly, he and Lamelo Bauer have a sharp heart, the two can often complete a wonderful air connection, this pair of duo, is it very likely to become the basis of the Hornets in the next few years?
Bridges has just won his first-week career best, and if he continues to perform like this, he is likely to pick up the Player Award for the Most Improved Player at the end of the season.
Season stats: 9.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists
Last season's stats: 4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists
The Hornets are not alone in Improving Bridges, and Cody Martin, a 29-year second-round pick, has completed a counterattack so far this season, firmly occupying the main rotation position, so that this year's No. 11 show, summer league and preseason performance of Bucknight only found 2 minutes to play.
Although the data is not gorgeous, he wins in stability and hard work, shooting 48% from the field, 50% from three-point range, and is very aggressive in the fight for rebounds in the frontcourt. If he continues to maintain it, Martin will definitely be able to stay in the NBA with a good contract, and everyone's impression of him will not only be the NBA player who was shaken down by Guo Allen.
Season stats: 14 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists
Last season's stats: 7.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists
The Blazers had a sluggish start to the season, and the lee coach didn't have to run, but there were still bright spots in the team. The new dunk king Simmons Jr. played well, scoring double figures in 6 games in 7 games, averaging 2.9 three-pointers per game with a three-point shooting rate of 44%, and the overall shooting rate was also more than 50%.
Entering the fourth year of his career, he is only 22 years old, if Simmons can maintain stability, then his next contract will certainly not be low, and he has great potential for running and jumping ability. The excellent performance may also give him the confidence not to renew his contract with the Blazers early in the middle of the season, but to choose to become a restricted free agent and get a contract that the Blazers can't match in the offseason.
Season stats: 12.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks
Last season's stats: 8.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks
Although the Magic team started the season 2-6, some of the things shown on the team were enough to surprise the fans. Last year's No. 15 show Cole Anthony was comprehensive and efficient close to 20+7+6, Wagner Jr. is definitely an excellent representative of this year's rookie, and Bamba, who has been silent for three years, also has signs of emerging, which is the person who followed Doncic and Trae Young in the draft.
Bamba's advantages are obvious, 2 meters 13 height, 2 meters 39 arm span, good running and jumping ability, standing on the field is enough to make the opponent feel oppressed. But the reason why he did not get enough playing time before was that the defensive position was too vague, and it only made the opponent feel oppressed, did not produce more substantive effects, and the strength was too poor to be stuck.
So far this season, he has done a good job, winning the trust of the head coach, and at the same time, his other selling point in the draft, the three-point ability, has also been more performed, and the shooting rate has temporarily reached 40%. Bamba still has a long way to go, but the practical question at the moment is, how big a contract can he get? Doncic and Trae Young are both 200 million yuan households, and now this performance should be more than a third of theirs.
Season stats: 18.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists
Last season's stats: 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists
Harrell, who left Los Angeles and superstar basketball, regained the wild nature of the team he led with Lu Williams two years ago. Harrell is obviously more suitable for civilian teams, and among the teams with multiple superstars, Harrell, who should be the strongest killer in the rotation period, has to restrain his fangs, because there must be a team core with more say on the field.
After coming to the Wizards, Harrell didn't have as many scruples. But how big a contract does Harrell's performance bring him? A year ago, his data was similar to this, due to poor playoff performance, and finally could only accept the Lakers' 2-year 19 million offer.
If Harrell helps the Wizards make the playoffs this year and comes up with that year's series performance against the Warriors, will Harrell's average salary reach 15 million? If it is in some teams that are fighting for the playoffs, Harrell should be able to match this salary, but if it is put into the championship team, Harrell may really not be very good?
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