Robert Silverman: No shout out to me, Dan? Hmph!  

Bob Silverman, best sports writer in NYC, IMHO.

Ted Nelson: Thanks, danvt! Good points.
Along with the cap space you pointed out there’s also the Adam Morrison’s of the world who are just not worth the money and/or do not look like they’ll ever be NBA players. You don’t want to pay them and you don’t want to waste the roster spot. But, in general if the guy is decent or still had promise you’re going to pick up the option.   

Even Adam Morrison had his 3rd year option picked up, which goes to show how rare it is for these options to be declined. Last year the Bucks declined Joe Alexander’s option, making him the highest drafted player ever to be cut free (#8). Before that it was Patrick O’Bryant (#9 in 2006).

It would have been shocking if Gallo, Douglas, and Randolph’s options weren’t picked up. As Danvt says, a no-brainer.

KnickfaninNJ: So in this case, it is a no brainer. But I think danvt’s question was is it always a no brainer.

Along with the cap space you pointed out there’s also the Adam Morrison’s of the world who are just not worth the money and/or do not look like they’ll ever be NBA players. You don’t want to pay them and you don’t want to waste the roster spot. But, in general if the guy is decent or still had promise you’re going to pick up the option. Especially a later pick. There’s a roster charge of $500,000 for open roster spots up to 12 (I think 12), so the difference between that money and the $1 mill or so a Toney Douglas is making is marginal. Probably not going to be the difference in signing a FA or not. For a high lottery guy, like Morrison again, this is also different (John Wall’s already making $5 mill with his 2nd option year at $7.5 mm, for example).

nicos: expect the Knicks to do exactly what they did with D. Lee and Nate- make him the qualifying offer then negotiate a decent one year deal, keeping their cap room open for 2012. Of course, if Chandler surprises and has a breakthrough, All-Star type year it’s possible they’d lock him up long-term.

I agree the Lee/Nate scenario is probably the best thing for the Knicks. If he does have a good/great season, though, you also have to consider that some team might offer him a long-term deal the Knicks would have to match or lose him. Even if it’s just the same, say, $4-7 mill the Knicks are offering but with a player option for the 2nd year that might put the Knicks in an awkward spot if they’re looking at Howard, CP3, and Deron.

As this is Chandler’s 4th year, he’ll be a free agent at the end of the season- if the Knicks make him a qualifying offer (about 4 million, I think) he’ll be a restricted free agent and they’ll have the right to match any offer. If they don’t extend him a qualifying offer he’ll be unrestricted. If he has decent season (and Carmelo isn’t coming) expect the Knicks to do exactly what they did with D. Lee and Nate- make him the qualifying offer then negotiate a decent one year deal, keeping their cap room open for 2012. Of course, if Chandler surprises and has a breakthrough, All-Star type year it’s possible they’d lock him up long-term.

As for the others- all three have been productive enough to more than earn their low salaries already so barring catastrophic injuries it’s hard to imagine a scenario where they wouldn’t be worth those modest rookie deals.

I am not sure these extensions of contracts are totally no-brainers. Before the contracts are extended the player can be let go if the team needs salary cap space. After the contract is extended, I think the team can’t do that for one extra year.

By the way, the article doesn’t mention Chandler. Does anyone know if he could be extended this year?