The Trail Blazers have a decision to make about Mason Plumlee’s future with the team. Is it time for Portland to start talking about a contract extension with their starting center?
The Trail Blazers have made a strong commitment to keeping their current core of young players intact going forward. Neil Olshey (GM) handsomely rewarded Allen Crabbe, Meyers Leonard, and Maurice Harkless with new deals this summer. C.J. McCollum was later added to the list, as his massive extension was dished out a year before he became a restricted free agent. The Trail Blazers now face a similar situation with Mason Plumlee going forward. The 2016-17 season is the final year on his current contract, which puts his future in Portland in jeopardy.
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Plumlee doesn’t carry the same value that McCollum would’ve on the open market, but he won’t have any problems finding suitors that are willing to hand out a massive amount of cash. Big men are still very much in demand in the NBA, as we clearly saw after this summer’s spending spree. Plumlee is young (26) and he has shown off his durability in his NBA career thus far (started all 82 games last season). Those two factors alone put him in the running to be one of the most sought after centers next offseason.
The Trail Blazers addressed their interior defensive needs by adding Festus Ezeli, but it looks like Plumlee is going to safely retain his spot in the starting rotation. Another solid campaign from the big man would only add to his value next summer, so it is crazy for Portland to sit idle when it comes to extension talk.
Olshey has become accustomed to dealing with choices like this during his tenure in Portland. Leonard is an example of the Trail Blazers getting lucky, as injuries derailed his 2015-16 season. Leonard’s shortened season hurt his stock and kept his price fairly low. Crabbe’s new contract is an example of the exact opposite, as his uptick in playing time resulted in a breakout year. Brooklyn made sure that Portland would have to pay a premium to retain his services, which left Olshey exposed.
We’ve already seen the reaction to the Crabbe contract, as McCollum was locked up long before he could sign an offer-sheet with an opposing team. By following the same process with Plumlee, the Trail Blazers can avoid being held hostage during free agency. It would be a leap, but it could result in Portland retaining their starting center for a much lower price.
The biggest downside to agreeing to an extension would be the potential payroll implications. By adding another large contract, the Trail Blazers would be guaranteed to cross the luxury tax threshold. It would seriously limit Portland’s maneuverability going forward, and it would only get worse if they repeatedly exceeded the tax line.
Paul Allen isn’t shy about spending money to build a winning team, but this group is far from a guaranteed title winner. Plumlee is a solid piece to build on, which is why Olshey should at least entertain the idea of locking him up now. Portland’s moves this offseason certainly suggest they value continuity, so keeping their current starter fits that mold.
Next: Ezeli's Potential Off-Court Impact
Portland must make a choice before the start of the regular season. If Plumlee improves or performs at the same level he did last year – his value will only increase. It will be up to Olshey and Plumlee to decide if now is the time to get a deal done.