Cyberx, paging cyberx ....

They're looking at $18 million for Dragic. Closer to $40 million in point guard/combo guards with Dragic being the biggest one of them.

 

And you would make what number?

T_Man

 

Honestly, Dragic would be a huge upgrade over our point guard situation last year but are we sure he can shoot threes that well again this year? We're sure putting a lot of faith on people who've shot really well from three only once in their career. Until last year, Dragic hasn't shot above 35% from three when hes been given significant playing time. Kinda worried about trusting two players who've only shot that well once in their career.

 

Sarver had no problem going into the tax this year, if they assembled a true contender. They've got bird rights on Dragic, so they can go after other free agents and then go over the cap to sign him. And Dragic making 16-18 mil is not a realistic scenario in the over-saturated PG market. I think nobody will offer him that, including the Suns.

 

If the Suns re-sign Bledsoe this summer and Dragic next summer they can easily trade Thomas and Ennis. With the salary cap expected to go up to $80-85M in the next 2 years paying $28-30M to your starting backcourt isn't a big problem. The Suns were dominant with Bledsoe and Dragic both on the court. Why is it ok to pay over $30M to Dragic/Harden but not Bledsoe/Dragic? Bledsoe/Dragic backcourt is better defensively than Dragic/Harden. Oh and Sarver paid the lux tax multiple times.

 

The cap hold for Dragic is 150%, and no Sarver isn't going into a long term tax situation. The tax wouldn't be for a single season. $40,000,000 for 2 spots is not feasible long term.

 

1. The cap is going up considerably with the new CBA - projected around 80 mil;
2. it wouldn't be 40, but around 35 mil;
3. the Rockets would be paying a similar amount, if they tried to get dragic;
4. you have no idea what Sarver would do, he said he has no problem going over the cap just this past season;
5. cap hold for dragic is still probably lower than his next contract.

 

The Suns had numerous teams try to trade for Ennis on draft night. They didn't draft him to trade him. Thomas most likely can be traded but you seldom sign a player with the purpose of dealing them. If the cap hits $85,000,000 then Dragic's contract goes even higher.

The most obvious conclusion is usually the right one. The Suns signed Thomas and drafted Ennis to prepare for the real possibility of losing Bledsoe or Dragic.

 

If the cap goes up to $80,000,000 then Dragic/Bledsoe/Thomas/Ennis will certainly cost over $35,000,000 and possibly over $40,000,000 depending on how the Bledsoe contract plays out.

Yes Dragic would cost the Rockets as Phoenix, but the Rockets are closer to a finished product and long term payroll flexibility isn't as important.

History shows Sarver won't go over the cap long term and letting Channing Frye go only furthers that narrative.

 

The cap is jumping up post 2017, not next year when Dragic is on the market, so that doesn't change anything, but is does solve your long-term concerns with the amount of money for the Suns backcourt. In 2017 they're going to be cheap, precisely because of the cap and individual contract jump.

 

Can we trade the $8.3 Lin exception for $7.5 Dragic one for one?

 

Sorry, meant new tv deals. The revenue incenses and proportionally so does the money going to players.

 

No, you can't trade exceptions.

 

Yes we can.

 

Thanks, so could we use the exception with a draft pick?

 

What exactly is the package we are sending Phoenix that is so compelling, they are going to want to send us Dragic in return....?

 

Since when? As far as I know, you can except disproportional salary in a trade, but can't trade it. After a time, it expires.

 

Yes and no.

A trade exception cannot be TRADED. It is merely a potential depository for incoming salary. Salary from another team can be ABSORBED into the trade exception to complete a non-simultaneous trade (in this case, the Lin trade to the Lakers).

But the Rockets can trade for one or more players making up to (but not more than) $100k more than the amount of the exception. In the case of Dragic, his salary would fit within the exception.

As with all trades, some consideration must be exchanged. Absorbing Dragic into the trade exception is not sufficient consideration. That consideration could be as little as a top-55 protected second rounder. Of course, to get Dragic, that consideration would need to be substantially greater.

Also, in the case of deals with Phoenix, they are substantially below the salary cap, so they can take back salaries from Houston without having to match.

 

Trying to come up with ways to make Dragic/Bledsoe backcourt work doesn't change the Suns most important issue. They don't have a STAR. THEY NEED A STAR. Their goal is to obtain a star, especially since their GM comes from Boston and we know how much they like their assets that can be flipped for stars.

This year, Dragic can be flipped to the Rockets for some assets. The Rockets would probably trade Motiejunas and the Pelicans pick for Dragic. Next year, Dragic will be 29 and be at least getting Gordon Heyward money until he's 33. At that time, no team's going to be trading any significant assets for him.

 

Dragic IS a star.