Its not simply a $20m player , its a player that falls within 4/5+100k and 6/5+100k of an expiring contract - be that Ryno's , Knight's or another player's. Without that contract , you don't have the financial vehicle to take back salary. You'd instead be forced to send out a piece you don't really want to part with (like EG?) to match salaries - Or use multiple smaller salaries to match and the receiving team will have to have an equal amount of open roster spots - even if they cut those players. The biggest question surrounding yesterdays moves is if they have a commitment to retaining Shumpert or if he was just a rental. Lets make it simple - Which would you rather go into next season with - Knights expiring and first & second round picks or nothing at all (in the case that they don't resign Shumpert). IF they do in fact retain Shumpert beyond this season …. disregard this entire rant of mine.
I'll take Shumpert FTW right now and if it doesn't work out... well at least we made an attempt. Knight and Chriss were dead weight with very little value. Thrilled to have Shump regardless of what happens next year. Maybe he'll want to leave, but maybe he'll be S&T'd for returning value too. Morey is smart, I trust him.
If it's one thing Morey has talent for is getting under the luxury tax line. Imagine if Morey worked in an environment like Knicks, Lakers or Warriors where they have no regard for the cap. He'd be kicking ass.
I'm not sure it works that way. If you overspend too often, you lose flexibility. You don't want to lose flexibility to spend more and make moves unless it means you're a perennial champion.
I'm saying that Morey would just be unleashed if he did not have to worry about the tax line. He is a smart guy and I am sure he would have those franchises in prime position to compete while managing the finances as he saw fit.
They did!! Salary situation is much better now without Knight than if we didn’t trade him and all the little pieces. Avoiding repeater tax is financial freedom d#$$@ Ryan would still be stuck on our roster as a guaranteed $21 million because he wouldn’t reduce it yesterday. You are just dense. And Chriss is irrelevant because it’s an expiring contract. You can’t figure out how the moves yesterday and Wednesday helped....then there is no hope for you. You are still stuck with the assumption that Ryan would allow his contract to be reduced yesterday. Why would he be dumb enough to do that? Morey: Ryan we are going to trade you to Miami Ryno: wonderful Morey: Pat Riley wants you to reduce your $21 million dollar contract down to $15 mil. Morey: he also wants you to move it from guaranteed to non guaranteed (which you basically are changing it to an expiring contract this season.....because Riley will cut you.....and you ain’t getting $21 million or $15 million). You ain’t getting squat next year. Ryno: Screw that!! Pat Riley wouldn’t touch Ryan Anderson with a 10 foot pole if his contract was still $21 mil guaranteed.
First of all - I haven't spoken to you in any derogatory terms - act like you have some class or don't respond at all. Here's the facts - they will have 7 players under contract and 5 cap holds leaving them ~$2.55m short of the tax (Well Over The Cap) and One T-MLE to use meaning they will only be able to add one more player to that 7 other than veterans minimums. To do anything else , they will have to subtract something to add anything (they will have Nene as a small expiring). They have NO other financial vehicles to add salary. Being Under the tax is irrelevant when they are OVER the cap and have to either match salary or use exceptions to add salary.
You no read so well my posts. I posted that I trade those players with holds (Ennis and Nene). I had Eric Gordon traded for Korver and Royce O’Neale which are both non guaranteed contracts that Morey can wipe off the books assisting in getting the Rockets down to that $105 million dollar mark. You are just wanting to push my buttons. I don’t waste my time with knuckleheads that just want attention. You are the second person I now have on “ignore”
Great -- All you seem to care about is the lux tax …. not the ability to add talent or not - THAT is freedom , being able to add pieces. Without a contract to move , they have no ability to ADD pieces other than those on the minimum. That's not having financial freedom. The rules become restrictive above the cap - NOT above the tax - That's just numbers (money). I'm giving you the reality of the situation - not a bunch of hypotheticals about who may or may not be traded in 3 months. As a FAN I'd much rather go into next offseason over the tax line with a first round pick , a second round pick and the following players under contract - Harden Capela Tucker CP3 EG Hartenstein Clark Nene Knight Than the scenario we see below Going into the offseason just under the tax line , but OVER THE CAP , no first round pick , no second round pick and the following players: Harden Capela Tucker CP3 EG Hartenstein Clark Nene In the first example , I have knights contract and picks to maneuver - regardless of how far over the salary cap I am. I can get better without giving up talent. In the second scenario , you are much more restricted not having Knights contract to match salary with. You have to give up talent to make any move. Over the cap - luxury tax be damned.
And there lies the difference in opinion - I don't care about the lux tax , just the ability to bring in talent above the cap. Apache is arguing being under the tax is "financial freedom" - that's just a false narrative if you have no ability to maneuver.
I'm saying it doesn't work that way. Putting your franchise above the tax line means you have bad contracts unless you're a perennial champion. To get rid of those means that you have to package them with other assets like players, picks, or cash to get rid of them. The biggest bankroll doesn't always win the championship. I'm not sure how much better Morey is supposed to do. Short of being perfect, he's put together incredible trades. Also, getting us below the luxury tax enables us to have better exceptions for next year. So saving now makes us better next year. It would be like being a great chef with a budget and always spending everything on your food cost. If you suddenly need to remodel and you reduce your food budget, people will notice and think something's up. There's balance to everything and staying near the luxury tax has allowed Morey better things for himself too. Especially over the long haul.
