Not to be difficult with the numbers here, but: that "around $2M" over the lux tax would've included the salary that Strawberry would have been paid had he made the roster - similarly Mike Harris. With those guys gone and NOT paid, then that saves us almost $1.5M. The difference between $1.5million and "about $2million" might not be very much (if anything) and we might already be under the luxury tax level? The only thing that we can be sure of is that it's certainly worth getting under because teams like the Cavs are going to ensure everyone else gets a few million back!
From best to worse McGrady Yao Artest Battier Scola Landry Alston Barry Brooks Hayes Wafer Head Dorsey(possibly sent to NBDL) If Mutumbo resigns he wanna be bench leader I think head is better than wafer, unless wafer can prove himself over the course of the season
The $73.42M estimate ($2.26M over LT) I came up with includes Justin Reed & Wafer's salaries but excludes Harris & Strawberry.
To Portland Battier + draft rights to Frederic Weis & Sergei Lishouk for Outlaw + Rodriguez + draft rights to Joel Freeland & Petteri Koponen *Rockets reduce salary by c. $1.325M To Miami Alston for James Jones + 2010 second round pick *Rockets reduce salary by c.$900k Total savings $2.225M Waive Wafer before Jan 10. Rockets team salary c. $70.683M That should leave enough room under LT to bring back Deke on a pro-rated salary just before the playoff roster deadline. Brooks, Rodriguez, Francis McGrady, Barry, Head Artest, Jones Outlaw, Landry, Dorsey Yao, Scola, Hayes, Deke
