There likely is not much of a point to trading either Lin or Asik for cap space in order to sign bench players. The MLE is $5.3M, the BAE is $2.08M. Lin and Asik each makes $8.4M, the "room exception" is $2.73M. Cap room and exceptions can be split among multiple players if so desired. Trading one of Lin/Asik most likely won't actually give you $8.4M in cap room if Parsons' option is to be declined as reported (and his cap hold is added to team salary). Exactly how much cap room it gives you depends on what HOU does with the small nonguaranteed contracts and where NBA's revenue numbers come in. If all you want to do is sign the likes of Sefolosha, Meeks, Hill and Hinrich, you can probably do it via the MLE and BAE and minimum salary exception while keeping Lin and Asik. Going the cap room route only gives you a little bit of extra flexibility in adding the kind of player you listed, but it also costs Lin or Asik, who are at least as useful as the kind of guys on your list, and likely significantly more useful, and whose expiring contracts would come in handy for salary matching purposes for am in-season trade.
So many options!!! Spoiler Elton Brand Cartier Martin Gustavo Ayon(R) Shelvin Mack(R) Mike Scott(R) Kris Humphries Joel Anthony(PO) Jerryd Bayless Paul Pierce Andrei Kirilenko(PO) Andray Blatche(PO) Alan Anderson(PO) Jason Collins Shaun Livingston Tyshawn Taylor(R) Ben Gordon Luke Ridnour Jannero Pargo Anthony Tolliver Chris Douglas-Roberts D.J. White Josh McRoberts(PO) Nazr Mohammed Kirk Hinrich Jimmer Fredette Spencer Hawes C.J. Miles Shawn Marion Vince Carter DeJuan Blair Devin Harris Bernard James(R) Darrell Arthur(PO) Nate Robinson(PO) Aaron Brooks Jan Vesely Rodney Stuckey Charlie Villanueva Jonas Jerebko(PO) Chauncey Billups(TO) Steve Blake Jermaine O'Neal Jordan Crawford(R) Francisco Garcia(PO) Jordan Hamilton Rasual Butler Lavoy Allen(R) Evan Turner(R) Darren Collison(PO) Danny Granger(PO) Glen Davis(PO) Ryan Hollins Hedo Turkoglu Jordan Hill Chris Kaman Jodie Meeks MarShon Brooks Wesley Johnson Xavier Henry Jordan Farmar Nick Young(PO) Kent Bazemore(R) Ryan Kelly(R) Mike Miller Beno Udrih Ed Davis(R) James Johnson Mario Chalmers Ray Allen Toney Douglas James Jones Chris Andersen(PO) Udonis Haslem(PO) Rashard Lewis Michael Beasley Greg Oden Ramon Sessions Jeff Adrien Ekpe Udoh(R) Dante Cunningham Robbie Hummel(R) Othyus Jeffers(R) Al-Farouq Aminu Greg Stiemsma Jason Smith Darius Miller(R) Brian Roberts(R) James Southerland(R) Anthony Morrow(PO) Cole Aldrich Andrea Bargnani(ETO) Kenyon Martin Toure' Murry(R) Jeremy Tyler(R) Thabo Sefolosha Caron Butler E'Twaun Moore(R) Byron Mullens(PO) Jason Richardson(PO) Adonis Thomas(R) Emeka Okafor Channing Frye(PO) P.J. Tucker(R) Leandro Barbosa Mo Williams(PO) Earl Watson Aaron Gray Jared Cunningham Boris Diaw Aron Baynes(R) Matt Bonner Patty Mills Damion James Nando de Colo(R) Patrick Patterson(R) Greivis Vasquez(R) Richard Jefferson Andris Biedrins Marvin Williams Brandon Rush Chris Singleton Al Harrington Garrett Temple Trevor Booker(R) Kevin Seraphin(R) Drew Gooden
I think Okafor at Vet minimum for 1 year would be doable. His injury history of late is bad and no team will throw lots of cash his way. Tucker is MLE material. PHX likely won't offer more as they are rebuilding and coming to Houston will give him a chance to win. Hinrich seems perfect for the backup PG role.
So yer gonna sign Ariza wih the mle, then have him start ahead of Parsons whose prob gonna get somewhere around 10M/yr....?
Pretty good list. Here's just a couple of my thoughts. I have always, always loved Avery Bradley. He would be a little bit of an interesting fit for our team, but a backcourt combination of him and Harden could be good. I would also love to have both Beverley and Bradley playing at the same time for some parts of the game to have an ultra-defensive, pestering although undersized backcourt. I would enjoy watching that so much. But I think he is going to be priced way out of our pricerange. Marion, Pierce and Sefolosha are getting older, but they could still be solid contributors in the right role. I think Ariza will probably be overpriced for us. Out of all of the people listed, PJ Tucker seems to be the best target that would be close to what we could afford. And I have seen a lot of people talk about trying to get Spencer Hawes. Maybe I am missing something, but I am not really a fan. A big guy who can shoot. I guess it depends what other moves we make this offseason. But if we trade Asik and have Hawes as our backup C, and then pair him in the frontcourt with someone like Jones or D-Mo...shoot even if we had Melo or Love playing the 4, the lack of defense in that frontcourt combination gives me nightmares of the other team getting wide up layups all game long.
