Q: Hey Ira, count me among those thrilled with Bam Adebayo’s max signing. A bird in the . . . (you know the rest). Pat Riley was never going to let this get close to bad press, similar to the mistake on Dwyane Wade a few years ago.
If a max free agent wants to be in Miami next year, Riley will get it done. -- David, Venice, Fla.
A: But there is another element to your final thought that does not get enough consideration: If a max free agent wants to get to Miami next summer, he can lower his price.
Just about every calculation involving free agency with elite players seems to start with the maximum salary, and then the requisite math from there. But plenty of players have taken less at times to get where they want, especially with the type of short-term contract that allow them to maximize their overall salary on the NBA’s seniority scale. That could especially be true for teams without state income taxes.
So before growing convinced that certain numbers don’t work, keep in mind that players always have the option of making them work if they want to get to a preferred, desired destination.
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