After discussions on twitter with @Deuce and other threads here with @aelliott I'm officially declaring this an I.D.I.O.T. topic. Salary matching rules allow a team (over the tax team in this case) to take back matching salaries plus 25% overage+$100k. Without adding a single player to this deal we could take back an additional $9.7million in extra salary. If we add just one minimum guy (@aelliott suggests Gary Clark's $1.9M) we could accept back just shy of $50M! If we expand the deal even more significantly it's possible to even get this to be a deal to acquire Iggy's $17M without including the Shump SnT. So...what are you suggestions? What are some good ideas? @DarylMorey expand the trade!
I would like this as a podcast episode so I can here this broken down as well as scenarios for the viability of each likely player that can help us. Please post on Spotify. Pro-Android.
@aelliott suggestion to expand trade to include Minnesota to aquire Covington with 1 FRP (and/or SRP) is my favorite. Wolves get $10M off their books plus 2 picks and Clark. No brainer, for Houston anyway. And if Tilly backs up his no fear of LT talk, Iggy can still be acquired with Shump SnT.
I can get down with this if you can get Iggy and 2nd's without Shump. Save Shump for another deal near the deadline and have your '20, '22 FRP's to combine with Ego should something come up. This would test Tilman's willingness to win at all costs though, pushing up that tax bill.
Honestly just make it a 3 way with Miami to get CP3 where he wants to go, take back James Johnson?? I feel like Miami wouldn't oblige as a third team initially since they wanted Westbrook, but now that the news has broke maybe they'd be more willing
Make it a 4 way monster by including CP3 to Miami. Or go for broke and break the NBA record of 5 teams, 13 players.
I am pretty sure Morey is working on this otherwise OKC would have sent PPat ($5.7M) to us to get them under the tax. Of course this is assuming Tillman is willing to pay the tax this year. I think we are under the tax if we just sign minimum contracts from here.
To be fair, the idea of expanding the trade was @JoeBarelyCares idea. I just swapped out Iggy for Covington and added in Clark to remove the need to have Minnesota take back as much salary.$1.4M. Also @jjc1 realized that such a deal would create a large TE for the T-Wolves. The big unkown is what would the T-Wolves really accept for Covington? Is a couple of picks, $10M in payroll deduction and a $10M TE appealing to them? I have no idea.
It doesn't need to be Covington for it to be useful. Easy option: Throw in Patrick Patterson. No he's not special, but he's at least playable. Would want him for free. More complicated: Expand the deal to go get a player off of a third team.
The issue is that right now you can theoretically sign and trade Shumpert to match any salary. If you want to hold him until the deadline, then you'll have to sign him to a contact now. How much do you sign him for?
@BimaThug could you clear this up: I have heard two people in the media during Summer League games (McHale then someone's voice I didn't recognize) say that the deal had to be completed as a one player for one player deal. Otherwise it had to happen after September 15th. Did I hear that wrong or is that the case?
It comes down to how the Rockets value each player. Generally, even if a team is willing to pay tax, they aren't going to do it for just any player. Typically it needs to be a guy that can be a difference maker. You can argue that Covington fits that bill as he fills some pressing needs. He's a very good 3 point shooter and was 1st team All-Defense just last year. I don't think Patterson helps nearly as much. They may not be willing to pay tax on a backup big.
if we can take back another $9.4M I'd add 1 NG contract to the thunder and ask for Roberson. or add a couple NG guys and make it a 3 team deal for covington, iggy, or crowder.
Shumpert and about 3 million in NG is enough for Love in the trade. FFS I’d eat my words so hard if he pulls that off.
