Personally, I have no problem with the 6-year term. I do worry about converting the contract to a perpetual roll-over with a $500K/yr buyout figure. I certainly hope/expect Lowe will succeed here, but I don’t want NC State to tie its hands forever (for the first 6 years, though, this seems quite equitable).
On the plus side, there is a reciprocal clause forcing Lowe to pay US the same amount if he chooses to ply his trade elsewhere (presumably, a return to the NBA). Heaven forbid, is Lee Fowler getting more business savvy in negotiating contacts?
Update
The N&O made some comments about this in their ACC blog. (Link)
N.C. State AD Lee Fowler bended his own personal preference for a five-year contract by giving Lowe a sixth year because, “he decided he need to have six years to make sure he could get done what he needed.”
Even in Braille that translates to “the first year’s a mulligan.”
