I get the sentiment behind “just don’t sign max deals” but I think it’s a mistake to just write it off as something to protect GMs from stupidity.
There are only 4 GMs that have been around for longer than 8 years, and only a third of GMs were hired before 2020. In reality, it’s a competitive, shorter term position when players, more often than not, outlast the people who drafted or signed them.
It’s fine and dandy for a GM to come out and say “I’m not signing any UFA longer than 4 years,” but that puts them at a competitive disadvantage. All it takes is one GM willing to go longer, for any number of reasons, and they stand to lose a good player.
Even good, well respected GMs are signing guys to 5-8 year contracts that take them well into their 30s. This isn’t something exclusive to “stupid” GMs.
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