Part 4/11:
Interestingly, negotiations seem to have settled on four years instead of five, perhaps reflecting a strategic choice to avoid overcommitting financially while still securing Sharp long-term. The ending salary projection remains well below 13% of the salary cap, emphasizing the team's intent to pay for performance and upside rather than current production alone.
Overall, this is viewed as an exceptional deal—arguably among the best contracts Joe Cronin has negotiated—offering tremendous upside with manageable risk, especially if Sharp continues his development trajectory.