Evaluating the full 15-man roster, no Baxter, no NVE, probably no splash

How would the other team get cash out of a deal where we send them players and they send us a draft pick?

 

Expiring contracts. That means next offseason, they would have the money off the books. I am thinking some team like Golden State, or Toronto, Bobcats, somebody like that. Whatever team is going to be in a position to know that they are going to be 'in the big FA hunt' this next offseason. Maybe we take back some scrub we could just waive, or something.

Not saying it's likely, I was just wondering if it was even allowable. Just seems like our expiring contract players are going to be valuable to some teams out there, and some of them may be willing to give up a future pick or two instead of current players under contract.

 

I'd like to stash Head in the NBDL for a few months and sign someone like Gerald Wallace to the LLE and then at the deadline trade a couple of expiring 'tracts (Spoon and Wesley) for a pg, then call Head up with the pg we get from the trade to round out the roster.

 

I have a feeling there will be a S&T involving Wesley and one of our bench players will be waived. Don't ask for details - It's just a hunch.

 

You can't be right on this. No way Phoenix would go over the luxury tax. I doubt if the Bulls, Sonics or Heat were, too. Also, the prior two champs, Detroit and Los Angeles, didn't pay the luxury tax. Were did you get your figures?

 

You have to take back at least 75% of the salary that you send out, unless the team you are trading with has room under the cap to absorb the salaries you are sending them. The only way that a team would get cap room from taking our expiring contracts is if we take back someone from them who does not have an expiring contract. The trade you are talking about would only save the caproom used by signing a draft pick, which is less than the MLE. If you want to take on some albatross contracts like Adonal Foyle and Derek Fisher, then you might get the Warriors pick with our expiring contracts.

 

I disagree with your analysis. Mooch, Ward, Spoon and Baker SHOULD be gone (one way or another) - they need the Baxters and Golvers of the world (i.e. younger players) to fill those spots to add youthful depth to this veteran team.

Everyone in the organization knows that they have to get more athletic - and if you are going to have an undersized PF and backup guard in your 14 and 15 spots, you HAVE to take the 25 year olds over the 33 year olds

 

I see.. so it would be theoretically possible to move two of ours for maybe 1 player and maybe a pick (or picks), thereby cutting up to a max of 25% of the salaries of the players traded away. But would then that 25% saved possibly be greater than the LLE amount? Hmm. Again, not very likely, doesn't sound like, but I am just trying to think of ways we could possibly free up some roster spots short of outright cutting someone above and beyond the 'amnesty' deal.

Oh well.. *sigh*

 

In bold are six of the eight teams that made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs this year. The other two were Dallas and Indiana (both of which were bounced in the 2nd round).

13. Houston Rockets $60,222,300
14. Miami Heat $58,949,072
15. Chicago Bulls $57,276,136
16. Milwaukee Bucks $57,137,128
17. New Orleans Hornets $56,572,880
18. Golden State Warriors $54,943,724
19. New Jersey Nets $54,729,028
20. Detroit Pistons $54,574,980
21. Seattle Sonics $53,821,300
22. Washington Wizards $49,547,056
23. Cleveland Cavaliers $49,175,272
24. San Antonio Spurs $47,149,172
25. Los Angeles Clippers $45,170,768
26. Denver Nuggets $45,621,812
27. Phoenix Suns $44,256,720
28. Utah Jazz $43,160,808
29. Atlanta Hawks $40,684,848
30. Charlotte Bobcats $23,380,124

From http://www.dfw.net/~patricia/misc/salaries05.txt

But don't let the facts get in your way.

Scar - Interesting analysis, but I don't agree with some of your conclusions. Van Gundy may ultimately decide against an athletic 2/3 type. One thing to remember from the Dallas series - were were out matched athletically on the wing, but if we matched up against them again, Swift and Howard would be playing the 4 instead of TMac. DoD reported Head played extensively at the 2 in the summer leagues, which could hint how JVG plans to use him at least initially. Signing Van Exel seems to be a strong possibility right now, and all it means is that Sura would play a lot more SG.

Also, don't rule out just straight up waiving players or buyouts. If we determine Baxter may be useful, and Baker will be the Baker we saw at the end of last year, we may very well waive both Spoon and Baker which would open up a Baxter signing plus using the LLE (or a spot for Glover).

 

Out of curiosity, how come there has not been a lot of talk about Damon Jones?

Local guy, has played here before, has really showed he can hit his shots if we were considering a S&T for DS, surely we could be exploring a S&T for Jones..

What's the knock on him, that there has been virtually no peep about maybe bringing him back home?

 

I think most assume he's unattainable. I have.

 

Instead of signing Deke for 4 mill why not sign D Jones. Then sign a backup center for the min? Just a thought.

 

Doesn't work like that. We can resign Deke for 4 mill because he's our own free agent.

Jones supposedly turned down an offer from us last year, so I doubt he'd take us for around the same money coming off such a good year. He probably wants and deserves some financial security - he's been playing for minimum type dollars up until last year. Sign and trade options are limited because Jones doesn't have Bird Rights with Miami - and after strapping themselves into some serious contracts, I would doubt Miami wants to take anything back. If Jones gets an offer anywhere near MLE value elsewhere, he probably will (and should) take it.

 

Wow, I did not realize so many teams were still below $60M in payroll....especially the Pistons....my mistake. However, I am still having difficulty believing the payroll figures from this chick Patricia b/c the lux tax range threshold for 04-05 had been expected to come in at $56M-$59M.....which would mean that according to Patricia's payroll figures, the Rockets would have been liable for lux tax last season. And we all already know that Le$ would not have let such a thing occur. So maybe one of our more knowledgable posters (aelliot, GATER, etc) could help explain this discrepancy...

 

What am I, chopped liver?

Just being curious here .