Insider: These $80 million men get it to the max
PORTLAND, Ore. -- NBA players tend to be awfully touchy about perception these days. In the wake of the constant scolding from the previous generation of stars about their lack of respect for the game and the money they make, the brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills last month didn't help.
But it doesn't mean new maximum players of the sub-25 set don't respect the game and how it has come to pass they signed six-year extensions for $86 million. They also realize their elders' perception is a reality in some cases.
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| Andrei Kirilenko learned from veterans John Stockton and Karl Malone. (Getty Images) |
"Well, I don't want fans to look at me and say, 'He got his money and stopped playing.' I don't want that kind of publicity. I want to step up my game, help us win a championship and prove that I deserve the money."
That's the kind of attitude the NBA is dying to market, and two other young forwards who signed the big deals like Kirilenko -- Portland's Zach Randolph and Pau Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies -- feel the same way.
They have proved they have potential, play hard and intend to raise their level of play to prove they are worth every penny their teams will pay out over the long next six years. More important, their teams believe it is money well spent.
"This was a major step for Pau," said Hubie Brown, who retired as Memphis coach two weeks ago. "He's nowhere near where he's going to be because of the upper-body strength he's going to add as he matures. He's a very talented young guy with a ton of ability. But he's got to give more of a physical effort as time goes on."
At 7-feet, 230 pounds and gifted with great touch and quickness -- if not quite agile -- Gasol does need to get stronger. Kirilenko, a 210-pound string bean on a 6-9 frame, can get away with it at small forward, and his game is predicated on quickness. But Randolph is 6-9, 270 pounds with the size, strength and skills that bring to mind a young Willis Reed.
And work ethic? Sweat poured from Randolph recently as he fired up shot after shot from the perimeter, the rest of his teammates already in the locker room to shower or just to prepare mentally for yet another regular-season game set to tip off within the hour. Assistant coach John Loyer rebounded and drilled passes back to him. And just as he seemed to be finished, he spun and headed to the free-throw line. Shot after shot kissed the net ... 19 in a row before he missed, and then hit the next two before giving it up.
Ever since he entered the NBA in 2001, Randolph has heard nothing but the wrath of retired players how the young players of today just don't get it. But don't bother trying to convince Randolph it's true. Randolph, voted last year's most improved player, didn't see the six-year, $84 million extension he signed before this season as a reason to relax. It all came in good faith from the Blazers organization with the understanding that expectations are high, and it's his responsibility to keep getting better. He averaged 20.1 points and 10.5 rebounds a year ago and has improved that to 21.3 points and 11.0 rebounds this season.
"It makes me feel great that they feel that way about me," Randolph said. "Now it's just my job to keep adding to my game. I love basketball and I want to help us win a championship. Those other guys can say what they want. But you look at myself, Kirilenko and Pau, we're the young guys that teams decided to give the max too. There must be a reason."
Indeed, they are the new kids on the block, following the footsteps of Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki as the next cluster of frontcourt players worthy of earning huge money as cornerstones of the future.
There are those who believe it was premature for all three to get those deals, particularly with the collective bargaining agreement ending in July. But the commitments to these players were not only indications of good faith from their teams, but an understanding of how much more they will improve.
