Don't know about a PG, but using KPAP and Prig to take back salary and move up in the draft is not a bad idea. Perhaps something like: #18 #32 KPapa Prig for Lance Stephenson #9
I actually love that trade. I really like Lance Stephenson on a good team in a 6th man role. He can handle the ball, defend, pass, and if anybody can put confidence in him, its coach McHale.
I think he's just using that as just one example. Lance is due 9 mil this year with a team option for 2016/17 so I don't know how likely that is. Its also likely that Morey opts to keep the non-guaranteed salary in case of a S&T that needs to happen. But yes, we've seen this with the Jeremy Lamb trade up in the draft to move from 14 to 12 using the Dalembert contract which was non-guaranteed. Like that trade though, he'd be looking first for larger amounts of non-guaranteed salary. Stephenson would probably be traded assuming the Rockets think he's a major key cog for them next year.... not sure about that. I think they have their sights set a bit higher, but who knows.
Trading Lance would give Charlotte close to max cap room, so there's that. Not sure who they would go after, but that team has always lacked direction. There's a good chance Lance could be "rehabilitated" in Houston. He went from near all-star to absolutely horrible in just one season. Playing with Harden, Howard, and all our vets could do wonders for him. His contract would give us more trade options, and he could give us some kind of production if KJ and Brewer leave. Big upside, low downside type trade.
Can't remember where, but I read that Scouts or GMs believed the key to Lance's success is giving him the ball and letting him create, which is something I could buy into. We need that creator off the bench. If we don't need those NG'ed contracts for a Lawson deal at the draft, we could approach the off season like this: 1.) Lance/9 for Kpap/Prigs/18/32 2.) Draft BPA 3.) Sign Lull for the MLE 4.) Sign Bev to a max one or two year deal, with an opt out in yr2 5.) Resign Jet and Smith to vet min deals 6.) Let Brewer and McDaniels walk Llull / Beverley / Terry / Johnson Harden / (Booker?) Ariza / Stephenson Dmo / Jones / Smith Howard / Capella / Dorsey I think that makes us a better team next year and leaves the door open for Durant in 2016.
There is literally NO downside to exercising the option. Exercising it early is only a good thing. The only reason not to exercise would've been if (1) they really wanted to keep K-Pap but not at that salary; (2) they wanted to make him a free agent (although I doubt they'd extend him the hefty qualifying offer necessary to make him restricted); and (3) they could re-sign him for cheap. But the benefit of having him as a $4.8 million non-guaranteed contract far outweighs that. Yep. October 9, I believe. Again, THIS was a major reason why Kostas received a $4.8 million salary this past season despite not being a EuroLeague superstar like Luis Scola, Marc Gasol or Sergio Llull. That contract was explicitly designed in order to create a sizable non-guaranteed contract that remained non-guaranteed for as long as reasonably possible.
I think if a trade is made prior to the season Papa will be gone due to his salary, if he stays he is out of the rotation seemingly and will remain trade bait. I don't think a team will trade for him for cap space because I think he is a valuable piece, but it gives us the freedom to allow teams to do so until October which is nice. Carl would most likely allow this post, despite the lack of pre-approval.
Somebody tell me if this works.... If we trade KPap before the end of the NBA year (June 30th), and he is cut by his new team, can we resign him after he clears waivers? I like him, and think the ankle injury really derailed what could have been a solid year for him. I doubt he would command more than the minimum, though he could consider returning to Europe.
Bima - when speaking to someone close to that situation, I was also told that the reason that contract was so big was because the Rockets were limited in bonuses and to the overall number of his buyout. The way his contract was constructed before, it was rejected by the league and sent back. So they redid the contract and gave him a higher number so that Kostas could pay his buyout in Spain. Thanks for everything Bima!!!
Thanks for the Kpap update Cyberx. Kpap is useful....but the way that contract was structured was the ultimate "asset contract". Team Option, Non guaranteed in the 2nd year. Basically Kpap is a salary slot holder. Morey massaged the 2014 MLE into a flexible trade asset that can be combined with another player for contract matching purposes. The moment Kpap was signed he was destined to be traded.
I could see Charlotte getting rid of Stephenson but not parting with that top 10 pick. are they really that desperate to get rid of Stephenson that they would move down in the draft? I don't think so.
