I estimated sharpshooter Sasha Vujacic’s value at $3.0 to $3.5 million per season, but the Lakers apparently think he’s worth more, so they inked him to a three-year contract worth $15 million.
The Lakers original offer was three years, $12 million, a deal worth $4 million per season.
Vujacic and his representatives rejected the offer and instead threatened to accept an offer from a European team.
But Vujacic, who had planned to take a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Europe on Friday, never left Los Angeles.
Vujacic, 24, and his representatives actually sought a four-year, $24 million deal, but the Lakers weren’t willing to go that long or that high.
Vujacic had been looking for a deal similar to those of Jason Kapono (4 years, $24 million from Toronto), James Posey (4 years, $25 million from New Orleans) and Mickael Pietrus (4 years, $25.1 million from Orlando).
Had Vujacic played well against the Spurs or the Celtics in the playoffs, maybe he would have been worth $5 million a season, but he shot 30% against San Antonio and 39% against Boston, and was absolutely shredded by Ray Allen on defense. This contract isn’t as appalling as the one Luke Walton signed – at least Vujacic can shoot – but it’s pretty close.
I wonder how much of this was a reaction to the loss of Ronny Turiaf to the Warriors earlier this month.
