Since it is obvious the Rockets are not under the cap this year, I'v turned my attention to our salary position for next year (after 2000/2001 season when Hakeem will definitely be retired.) I have refined the numbers as follows:- a) Ramped up Walt Williams salary - he has a 5 year $20 mil contract which only paid him $3.75Mil this year, hence it must appreciate significantly over the next 2 years. b) I have included unused exceptions in the Salary cap, most notably the Trade exception, and unused mid level and $1mil exception for both 2000 and 2001 c) Have included pay rises for un-renounced free agents(120% non bird, or 130% early bird and 150% bird) except barkley who we know is gone. d) Have included rookie scale contracts for 2000 and 2001 The interesting thing is that I don't think we will be as far under the cap in 2001 as everyone seems to think. My calculation is that our salary will be around $36 mil, with the salary cap being around $40mil. The "unused exceptions" are the ones I'm not really sure about - they have a significant impact, especially the mid level. Ok aelliot, I'm ready - go easy on me ------------------ http://rocketdavo.tripod.com
Davo, the page looks great. Our cap space gets foggier with every year we project into the future, but it looks like a fair idea of what we got this off-season and next, at least. Keep it up. Do you not have enough data to ramp up everyone else like you did for Williams? 1) Shouldn't the trade exception be drawn on for a number of years (don't know how many), assuming that we actually use it to take on more salary? If we don't use it and take on more salary, it will expire before the season begins. 2) The exceptions are confusing and I think will end up giving us more salary cap-space than you have demonstrated when it comes to signing free agents. We won't get a mid-level nor a million dollar exception once we fall below the cap, so I think the cap space they take up should also dissappear. Right? 3) HP, did you ever get confirmation from LC about the cap treatment of a trade exception? I'm still not so sure it should count against the cap. Looking at the FAQ, there are other exceptions listed (Bird, Early-Bird, Non-Bird) that don't get the same cap treatment as the mid-level or million dollar. We couldn't treat Bullard like a $14 million cap hit when he becomes an FA just because that is the size of the exception that we'd have available to exercise on him. If the Bird Exception can have its own rules, why can't the trade exception? ------------------ http://www.gaffordstudios.cjb.net/
JV, 1. The trade exception is only shown for this year because I was assuming it expires after this year. No idea what actually happens if we add/subtract to it from other trades this summer - does that cause it to be "renewed" 2.I think the Trade exception does count towards the cap. As far as some other exceptions (bird etc) not counting towards the cap, i think they do. If you have free agent who is bird eligible and you haven't renounced him, then you must include 150% of previous salary, so in essence it IS included. When Bullard becomes a free agent, he will count 200% of his previous salary (since he is bird eligible AND below the league average salary FAQ item 25) 3. I don't really have the info to ramp up others - Walt was easy as I had total, this years and last years salary, so using that data and an annual pay rise of 30%, I came up with something reasonable. Bullard and Rogers are the others that I couldn't get to work - I show Bullard earning $2mil, while some sources, notably nbatalk.com list him at less than that. 4. Good point about the exceptions not being included if you are under the cap. I'll leave them in for now and see what Free agents or trades we do, as we may well end up over the cap anyway. ------------------ http://rocketdavo.tripod.com [This message has been edited by davo (edited May 18, 2000).]
How hell you could justify Walt make 6.5 M in 2000-2001 season. Let's trade him ASAP. ------------------
Let's drop the argument about unused exceptions counting as Salary. I have confirmation from a FAQ author. ALL unused exception are treated as salary. If you think about it, it makes sense. It makes teams use their exceptions on players. Hell, that's what the Union negotiated in the first place. They wanted a Mid-level (NBA average salary) per team/per year. By making it count as team salary, the CBA takes away any incentive NOT to use it. DAVO: One thing to note about the trade exception is it expires on the 1-year aniversary of the trade that created it. So, if the Rockets don't use it, it expires before 2001. This is a minor point, because we will spend it. So, you may as well add it now. Note, we don't have to spend all of it, though. I suggest keeping on your chart until October, then deleting it. If we spent it on trades this summer, it will show up in the new salaries we added. Actually, that means you must delete it in October.
My Fine Corinthian Donkey Jockey You wrote ".....1) Shouldn't the trade exception be drawn on for a number of years (don't know how many), assuming that we actually use it to take on more salary? If we don't use it and take on more salary, it will expire before the season begins........." You answered your own question, it must be used this year or we lose it. You wrote: "...... 2) The exceptions are confusing and I think will end up giving us more salary cap-space than you have demonstrated when it comes to signing free agents. We won't get a mid-level nor a million dollar exception once we fall below the cap, so I think the cap space they take up should also dissappear. Right? ...." That confused me. Basically, we only get the exemptions IF we are over the cap. How does that make space disappear when persumably we are over it? You wrote: ".....3) HP, did you ever get confirmation from LC about the cap treatment of a trade exception? I'm still not so sure it should count against the cap. Looking at the FAQ, there are other exceptions listed (Bird, Early-Bird, Non-Bird) that don't get the same cap treatment as the mid-level or million dollar........" Was that what HP was going to ask Larry? I have always been under the impression that everything counts against the cap(or added to the total as a bottom figure to determine your salary total in relation to the designated cap). Irregardless of it's origin. I.E.: Bird's and the like allow you to go over the cap to sign a player if that player meets certain criteria. But the amount of the contract counts against the cap. The Mid level and $1 Million Exemptions allow you to sign only IF you are over the cap. But the amount counts against the cap. The Trade Exceptions are a player-for-player related commodity that allows you to take on an amount greater than what you lose when determining the equity (85% to 155%) of the trade. In short, initially it was earned under cap regulations and retains that same protection when excercised. It therefore counts 100% against the cap when used.
Was that what HP was going to ask Larry? We must have been responding at the same time. Larry has been away, and is just now getting around to answering a BOATLOAD of questions. But, I did ask another FAQ author. I also got preliminary confirmation from the other author that the trade exception can be viewed as a commodity (coupon), although no one has ever expressed it that way. I don't want to relay more that quite, yet, cause I still want Larry's full analysis. JV, The other exception you mention (Birds) are player-specific. FAQ number #13 is refering to Team exceptions. So, you are right, the Birds don't really exist until used. But the Mid, $1m, and trade exception are valued and tangible items.
