# Mavs sign Harris to a 5 year extension



## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

http://www.nba.com/mavericks/news/Ma....html?rss=true

Mavs and Devin Harris agree to extension

The Dallas Mavericks and point guard Devin Harris agreed to a five-year contract extension today. Harris, the fifth pick of the 2004 NBA Draft, has spent his entire three-year career with the Mavericks after being acquired from Washington in draft-day trade.

“I feel good about the commitment for another five years,” Harris said after a morning workout American Airlines Center practice court. “Hopefully now we can run with it.”

Harris averaged career highs last season in points (10.2), assists (3.7), rebounds (2.5), steals (1.2) and minutes (26.0). He also played in 80 games, with 61 starts, shot 49.2 percent from the field and 82.4 percent from the line – all career bests.

The five-year extension, which begins after this season, locks Harris up through 2012-13. Harris has played in a key role in the Mavericks reaching the 2005 NBA Finals and finishing with the NBA’s best record last season.

“Devin is a vital part of our core and has played a key role in our success,” Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. “We are excited about his future in a Mavericks uniform.”

Harris looks to take his game to the next level going into his fourth season.

“I’m feeling refocused and refreshed,” he said. “I’ve been working on fine-tuning a lot of things. Of course you’re going to shoot 1,000 jumpers a day and I’ve also been working on going left. More than that I’m learning how to control the game better by watching a lot of film.”

Mavericks coach Avery Johnson has referred to Harris as his starting point guard and Harris is approaching the season with the same expectation. That doesn’t mean Harris is taking starting for granted.

“Nothing is given,” Harris said. “You have to come into camp ready to work hard. I don’t want anything to be given to me. I have that mindset and hopefully this will be the year for me.”

Harris is no stranger to the first team, having started 61 times last year. “I want that full 82,” he said.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

any terms to the deal?


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Maybe he'll have a jumpshot by 2013...


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Already looking forward to 2013 when we will have the exact same roster.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

croco said:


> Already looking forward to 2013 when we will have the exact same roster.


If they fall like they did last season, I hope they nuke the roster. :yay:


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3017501

DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks and Devin Harris have agreed on a five-year contract extension worth roughly $42 million, locking up the speedy point guard through the 2012-13 season.

Harris would've been going into the final year of his rookie contract. Instead, he has the comfort of knowing that he'll be teammates with reigning MVP Dirk Nowitzki and All-Star Josh Howard for years to come. Both are signed through 2010-11.

"We wanted Devin going into this year with a clear mind," team president Donnie Nelson said Thursday. "He's one of the bright young point guards of the future in this league. The fact he was invited to the Dream Team Junior squad shows there are a lot of people that are very high on his future, us obviously being one of them."

Harris was part of a select squad chosen that played against the U.S. national team to help prepare them for last month's FIBA Americas tournament.

Harris averaged career highs across the board last season, including 10.2 points and 3.7 assists, as the Mavericks won an NBA-best 67 games. He's played three seasons, and his numbers have gone up steadily each time. His breakout came during the 2006 playoffs, helping Dallas reach the NBA Finals.

The Mavericks began talking about an extension with Harris' agent, Henry Thomas, a few months ago. Because both sides wanted Harris to avoid becoming a restricted free agent after this season, it was only a matter of settling on contract terms.

They wound up using the six-year, $51.5 million contract Mo Williams received from Milwaukee as a barometer. Harris will make almost $4 million this season from his existing contract and then jump to about $8 million when the new deal kicks in.

"This is a deal we can both be comfortable with," Thomas said. "One of the things I looked at is the fact Devin is young. He'll be 30 when this deal is over. ... There's another contract out there."

Harris started alongside Jason Terry for much of last year, a two-point-guard look that worked great in the regular season but not the playoffs. It remains to be seen how they are used this season, although Harris is believed to have an edge if coach Avery Johnson shakes things up.

This contract might wrap up a quiet offseason for the Mavs, with backup Eddie Jones being their only significant acquisition. Nelson said the team is still considering other players, with Chris Webber and P.J. Brown among the candidates, but he is in no hurry with training camp opening Oct. 2.

"Our feeling is that this team has really earned the right to have another crack at it and hopefully do something special this year," Nelson said. "You can say what you want about the first-round exit, but we're doing some things right -- we won 67 games and that's one of the top records ever, and we got to the finals the year before. Although last year's exit was a surprise to us all, the reality is we feel we've got what it takes in the locker room right now."


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

5 yrs for 42 mil.... that's better than the 5 for 50 mil i heard earlier.

Good for Cuban....


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

t1no said:


> Harris will make almost $4 million this season from his existing contract and then jump to about $8 million when the new deal kicks in.


8 million is too much for him, unless he really improves his perimeter game.




t1no said:


> Harris started alongside Jason Terry for much of last year, a two-point-guard look that worked great in the regular season but not the playoffs. It remains to be seen how they are used this season, although Harris is believed to have an edge if coach Avery Johnson shakes things up.


I still think Terry is better suited to come off the bench and provide some pop - and give Stack 15-20 minutes as a starter.


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## rebelsun (Nov 25, 2003)

That price is about right. The Mavs have done well making sure core players are extended with plenty of time before restriction. I'd be very happy with this if I'm a Mavs fan.


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## Mateo (Sep 23, 2006)

In my estimation they overpaid him by about 15 million. According to the NBA salary cap page, the average player makes 5.3 million per season; Devin Harris is an average NBA player. This would give him about 26.5 million for 5 years. Which sounds about right.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Mateo said:


> In my estimation they overpaid him by about 15 million. According to the NBA salary cap page, the average player makes 5.3 million per season; Devin Harris is an average NBA player. This would give him about 26.5 million for 5 years. Which sounds about right.


It would be like saying Monta Ellis is worth 26.5mil for 5 years. He surely looks average right now....

You are forgetting he drew 2nd most charges in the entire league while averaging around 26 minutes/game. He's the best flopper on the mavs! :lol:


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Mateo said:


> In my estimation they overpaid him by about 15 million. According to the NBA salary cap page, the average player makes 5.3 million per season; Devin Harris is an average NBA player. This would give him about 26.5 million for 5 years. Which sounds about right.


It's fair market value right now, in relation to that he is not overpaid although I get your point.


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## Chad (Jul 3, 2004)

This makes Barbosa's contract look even better. Not a bad contract though, but the mavs did slightly overpay.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Chad said:


> This makes Barbosa's contract look even better. Not a bad contract though, but the mavs did slightly overpay.


Correct me if I am wrong, but you are comparing a back-up and a starter, no?


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> Correct me if I am wrong, but you are comparing a back-up and a starter, no?


Those characterizations are blurred, especially with those two.


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## Chad (Jul 3, 2004)

edwardcyh said:


> Correct me if I am wrong, but you are comparing a back-up and a starter, no?


Barbosa>Harris.

He plays more minutes than Harris....who cares if he starts or not?


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Chad said:


> Barbosa>Harris.
> 
> He plays more minutes than Harris....*who cares if he starts or not?*


ummmm..... the players ALL care.

If a player is slated to start for the season, he'll demand certain money. If he's playing from the bench (as a BACK-UP, as in not-the-main-man), he'll demand something different.

Simple finance 101, no?


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## Chad (Jul 3, 2004)

edwardcyh said:


> ummmm..... the players ALL care.
> 
> If a player is slated to start for the season, he'll demand certain money. If he's playing from the bench (as a BACK-UP, as in not-the-main-man), he'll demand something different.
> 
> Simple finance 101, no?


The problem with your logic is that Barbosa could have easily got starter money elsewhere, but chose the suns.

All I said was "this makes Barbosa's deal look even better now". Which is correct. When a better player, who plays the same position and plays more minutes, has a smaller contract it's a good thing. No matter how you try to spin this, "well he's a starter" nonsense.

Furthermore, you appear to have no concept of the suns if you believe Barbosa is a "back-up, not-the-main-man" type player. Do you really think that Devin is "the main man"  . Barbosa has a greater impact on the suns than Devin does on the mavs. Which is how contracts should be based, what type of impact a player has to his team.

But if it makes you feel better about the contract you can try to spin it


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Chad said:


> The problem with your logic is that Barbosa could have easily got starter money elsewhere, but chose the suns.
> 
> All I said was "this makes Barbosa's deal look even better now". Which is correct. When a better player, who plays the same position and plays more minutes, has a smaller contract it's a good thing. No matter how you try to spin this, "well he's a starter" nonsense.
> 
> ...


lol...

I am not trying to spin anything. I am just stating the obvious. Starters will always demand more money than bench players. 

I am fully aware how talented Barbosa is, and I am sure Suns GM told Barbosa that his "big money" WILL come with the next contract....... when he STARTS. I really don't think I am introducing a new NBA concept here.

FWIW, my patience with Devin Harris is wearing thin, and, if he doesn't average 15/3/8 next season, I'd be the first to scream for his head.


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

8 assists is pushing it.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

t1no said:


> 8 assists is pushing it.


For a true point that we need him to be?


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

Chad said:


> The problem with your logic is that Barbosa could have easily
> All I said was "this makes Barbosa's deal look even better now". Which is correct. When a better player, who plays the same position and plays more minutes, has a smaller contract it's a good thing. No matter how you try to spin this, "well he's a starter" nonsense.


Do you know why Barbosa plays more minutes than Harris? Because the Mavs use more bench players than the Suns do. The Mavs have a small starting back court so when the other team gets big, the Mavs have to go big and put in Stack or George. It has nothing to do with the talent of Devin. It has to deal with the execution and distinction of time in the game plan.

Yeah, so it may be a little bit of a hefty contract, but Devin is quite possibly, if not, may become one the best defensive guards in the league. I will call it right now. Devin Harris will be on one of the Defensive Teams before this contract runs out... and besides, the Mavs have the money to give him this contract.


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> For a true point that we need him to be?


That's not what i meant.
I don't think he will get anything near 8 assists next year.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

t1no said:


> That's not what i meant.
> I don't think he will get anything near 8 assists next year.


Me neither, at least not in that stagnant offense we had last year. I hope that the addition of Paul Westphal to the coaching staff will help everyone to become more creative and most of all help Devin Harris to make more plays, for others or himself.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Jet said:


> Do you know why Barbosa plays more minutes than Harris? Because the Mavs use more bench players than the Suns do. The Mavs have a small starting back court so when the other team gets big, the Mavs have to go big and put in Stack or George. It has nothing to do with the talent of Devin. It has to deal with the execution and distinction of time in the game plan.
> 
> Yeah, so it may be a little bit of a hefty contract, but Devin is quite possibly, if not, may become one the best defensive guards in the league. I will call it right now. Devin Harris will be on one of the Defensive Teams before this contract runs out... and besides, the Mavs have the money to give him this contract.


You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Jet again. :sadbanana:


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

xray said:


> You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Jet again. :sadbanana:


Then........ spread it around! :biggrin:


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

xray said:


> You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Jet again. :sadbanana:


You owe me some rep then, I wont forget. :tongue: Haha, and thanks Ed.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

got your back, chica!


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