Also, a team can't use the MLE if they are under the cap. This might not be correct. LOL will have to check
Why would they get a trade exception? And if they did, you can't sign FAs with that... Maybe in a sign and trade?
You can't combine your trade exception with your MLE. Any TE we have can only be used on its own. If we're under the cap, then we can make a salary-lopsided trade by the amount we're under the cap.
I think the exception would actually be for Webster not Gomes. And 'm pretty sure can't combine the TPE with our MLE for capspace. We could possibly move the TPE for a player, but it would have to be a one-for-one deal. (Maxie beat me to it)
could we hypothetically waive Gomes, get the trade exception then trade Rudy + Exception to Miami for Beasley? Fernandez would be wildly popular in Miami with its lots of latino-type people?
The Blazers can trade for a contract just under 6M for the 2009-10 season, meaning we would take on a contract near 7M for 2010-11. No one has enough cap space to absorb his contract completely until after his contract becomes guaranteed. Releasing him is not going to create an exception. Sign and trade is the only way we get a FA worth 10M.
right now we're over the cap by 55k. You cannot combine MLE with exceptions. IMO, the ways this could go are: A) we cut Gomes before July 1. No cap space for us. He's already guaranteed. B) we trade Gomes (but only by himself) before July 1. We can bring back 3.03M to 4.99M. Or we trade non-simulatenously to someone with cap space, we can get a non-simulatenous exception that only covers 100%+100k of his contract (4.02M coming back or less, minus the value of the player we get). So if we traded him for, say, Beasley, we do a simultaneous one and do one-for-one. If we trade him to, say, OKC for nothing but cap space, we get a 4.017M exception. C) We trade Gomes by himself after July 8. He can bring back 3.32M to 5.36M, or a 4.38M exception. This is probably less desirable for another team, since his 2010-11 contract is now guaranteed. D) We package Gomes in a trade after August 23. I think B's the most likely. He represents the ability to shave at least 2.9M off of your 2011-12, 12-13 cap. For MIA, it lets them get 3 max contracts. For NJN, gives them hope for more. For MIN, SAC, OKC gives them some wiggle room. My personal fave is Beasley + a pick or two. Now, let's say we just get an exception. All that can be used for is to get a player who makes <4.02M. CANNOT be used for FA's. Can be used as part of a bigger trade if you style it the right way, and may allow us to trade LMA or Roy's BYC easier. That's for a different post.
I believe the only way it can be combined as part of a bigger trade is if the contract of one of the guys Portland is getting back fits the trade exception's size. In other words, the exception creates its own "slot" within the trade and some discrete part of the return (as opposed to part of a contract Portland is getting) has to fit within that slot. Which really makes it no different than trading the exception alone. For convenience sake, it can all be part of one deal, but it doesn't make the exception any more useful/versatile.