Cap Space Plan

[TBpup]

With almost every move Olshey has made from the his beginning, it has pointed to next summer in terms of cap flexibility. As of know, only two players are committed passed next summer.....Nicolas Batum and Allen Crabbe. Now we all expect Lillard will be tendered the team options and probably so will CJ and maybe even Leonard.

http://http//hoopshype.com/salaries/portland.htm

Player........2014/15...15/16....16/17.....17/18
Aldridge.....$15.2M....$0..........$0..........$0
Roy...........$14.4M....$0..........$0..........$0
Batum.......$11.4M....$11.9M...$0..........$0
Matthews...$7.25M....$0..........$0..........$0
Lopez........$5.34M....$0..........$0..........$0
Robinson...$3.68M....$4.66M....$6.18M...$0
Lillard........$3.34M....$4.24M....$5.65M...$0
Wright.......$3.15M....$0..........$0..........$0
Freeland.....$3.10M....$0..........$0..........$0
McCollum....$2.42M....$2.53M...$2.42M...$2.32M
Leonard......$2.32M....$3.08M...$4.21M...$0
Claver.........$1.38M....$2.25M...$0..........$0
Barton........$.92M......$1.18M...$0.........$0
Crabbe.......$.86M......$.95M.....$0..........$0
TOTALS:....$54.0M....$12.8M....$0..........$0

Red = Team Option
Green = Qualifying Offer

Still, that is a lot of cap space but there will be a lot of 'cap holds' unless FA's are renounced and not a great pool of other FA's to choose from. http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2013/09/201516-nba-free-agents.html

The best FA's could be our own which means the cap space plan might not have great options to spend money on and even at that, FA's can always get more from their previous team.

Thoughts on where Olshey is going with this?

 

[magnifier661]

I see a few players on that list that I would love to have. Hibbert being one of them.

First step is making sure Aldridge extends, then I would go all in to try and grab Gasol.

Hibbert is actually the perfect center for this team. He is the perfect complimentary player to Aldridge.

Matthews maybe gone, if we find a SF; moving batum to SG.

There are a lot of options next summer. It's actually pretty excitinf

 

[tester551]

With almost every move Olshey has made from the his beginning, it has pointed to next summer in terms of cap flexibility. As of know, only two players are committed passed next summer.....Nicolas Batum and Allen Crabbe. Now we all expect Lillard will be tendered the team options and probably so will CJ and maybe even Leonard.

http://http//hoopshype.com/salaries/portland.htm

Player........2014/15...15/16....16/17.....17/18
Aldridge.....$15.2M....$0..........$0..........$0
Roy...........$14.4M....$0..........$0..........$0
Batum.......$11.4M....$11.9M...$0..........$0
Matthews...$7.25M....$0..........$0..........$0
Lopez........$5.34M....$0..........$0..........$0
Robinson...$3.68M....$4.66M....$6.18M...$0
Lillard........$3.34M....$4.24M....$5.65M...$0
Wright.......$3.15M....$0..........$0..........$0
Freeland.....$3.10M....$0..........$0..........$0
McCollum....$2.42M....$2.53M...$2.42M...$2.32M
Leonard......$2.32M....$3.08M...$4.21M...$0
Claver.........$1.38M....$2.25M...$0..........$0
Barton........$.92M......$1.18M...$0.........$0
Crabbe.......$.86M......$.95M.....$0..........$0
TOTALS:....$54.0M....$12.8M....$0..........$0

Red = Team Option
Green = Qualifying Offer

Still, that is a lot of cap space but there will be a lot of 'cap holds' unless FA's are renounced and not a great pool of other FA's to choose from. http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2013/09/201516-nba-free-agents.html

The best FA's could be our own which means the cap space plan might not have great options to spend money on and even at that, FA's can always get more from their previous team.

Thoughts on where Olshey is going with this?

Exactly right. Next year's FA crop is underwhelming to say the least. That is partly why I hate the Kaman signing. I firmly believe you get the best player you can for the money you have. I don't think Po ortland did that.

 

[magnifier661]

Exactly right. Next year's FA crop is underwhelming to say the least. That is partly why I hate the Kaman signing. I firmly believe you get the best player you can for the money you have. I don't think Po ortland did that.

Gasol, hibbert, and Rondo are underwhelming?

 

[TBpup]

Gasol, hibbert, and Rondo are underwhelming?

They are not underwhelming but in terms of comparison with this year in James, Bosh, Dirk etc, it's not as good and there is the same issue that their teams can offer them more. Gasol would be great but he would have to come here for less years and less money. Same with the rest. Historically, not a lot of players have done that.

 

[magnifier661]

They are not underwhelming but in terms of comparison with this year in James, Bosh, Dirk etc, it's not as good and there is the same issue that their teams can offer them more. Gasol would be great but he would have to come here for less years and less money. Same with the rest. Historically, not a lot of players have done that.

I think next season can be a deciding factor. If both teams have a mediocre season and we go deep in the playoffs, that could be enough incentive to get em.

 

[Strenuus]

They are not underwhelming but in terms of comparison with this year in James, Bosh, Dirk etc, it's not as good and there is the same issue that their teams can offer them more. Gasol would be great but he would have to come here for less years and less money. Same with the rest. Historically, not a lot of players have done that.

The way I look at it, the people who don't like the Kaman signing are unrealistic in what was attainable and think we should have gotten a big FA when we couldn't. Like the saying goes. Expectation is a resentment waiting to happen. Sucks they couldn't live in reality. Now we have to hear the bitching because of their unwillingness to accept reality.

 

[TBpup]

The way I look at it, the people who don't like the Kaman signing are unrealistic in what was attainable and think we should have gotten a big FA when we couldn't. Like the saying goes. Expectation is a resentment waiting to happen. Sucks they couldn't live in reality. Now we have to hear the bitching because of their unwillingness to accept reality.

But there can also be realistic expectations. This signing really can't be judged until other similar signings are actually made. If all the players that Portland had other interest in sign for much more than the MLE, then it was a good deal. If not, I think it can legitimately be questioned...especially given that Kaman has barely played in 50% of his teams games over the last 4 seasons.

 

[Strenuus]

But there can also be realistic expectations. This signing really can't be judged until other similar signings are actually made. If all the players that Portland had other interest in sign for much more than the MLE, then it was a good deal. If not, I think it can legitimately be questioned...especially given that Kaman has barely played in 50% of his teams games over the last 4 seasons.

What else is really out there that we could have gotten, though? And that could at least somewhat fill a need? I can't think of many.

 

[TBpup]

What else is really out there that we could have gotten, though? And that could at least somewhat fill a need? I can't think of many.

We will have to see as signings pan out. Maybe there was nothing better than a older, backup, injury-prone center. Time will tell.

 

[Strenuus]

We will have to see as signings pan out. Maybe there was nothing better than a older, backup, injury-prone center. Time will tell.

What I'm saying, though, is we know most of who is out there in FA center wise and PG wise. There's not going to be some magical random FA signing that will be in the MLE range. There's only a couple hundred players in the league, and only a portion of them FA.

 

[jaspitzer]

We should go after DeAndre Jordan next year!

 

[42N8Bounce]

I'm not a big fan of the CAP room FA plan. A small market team like Portland doesn't have good success signing "big name" free agents. The draft and trades are the Blazers biggest opportunities to improve. And as TBpup pointed out, their previous team can always offer them more $, so it is highly unlikely they would choose to leave money on the table and come to Portland.

Looking at that free agent list, unfortunately the names I was excited about are already Blazers.
- We're set at PG, so no need to look at Goran Dragi or Rajon Rondo.
- I love what Wes Matthews brings to the table. Klay Thompson is the only other appealing name on that list, and I don't know if I would trade Wes for him straight up. I certainly wouldn't want to risk losing Wes just for the opportunity to try to get Thompson. Lock up Wes.
- Batum as SF is perfect for this team. Kawhi Leonard is the only FA on that list that even temps me, and there's no way he's leaving SA.
- LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the top PF in the league. Paul Millsap is the only name that jumps out at me there, and he isn't even close to what LaMarcus brings to the table. Lock up LA.
- Lopez has been great this year. He fills the gaps and makes everyone else around him better. But if there's an opportunity to improve our starting 5, this might be the place. Gasol and Hibbert are potential targets of improvement. But again, why risk losing a solid starting center for the hope that we might be able to lure one of these guys away? Lock up Lopez.

I say lock our starters up for as long as possible, and work on strengthening our bench thru short term contracts and internal growth. If a trade presents itself to improve our starting 5, then improve the team that way. Not thru free agency. Too much risk.

 

[magnifier661]

Having small manageable contracts can also be used for other teams wanting cap space. Look no further than last summer when we got Lopez and t rob for nothing because the other team needed to clear room.

If we lock all our players long term and have role players on good contracts, why not? It's better to be more flexible anyway

 

[42N8Bounce]

Having small manageable contracts can also be used for other teams wanting cap space. Look no further than last summer when we got Lopez and t rob for nothing because the other team needed to clear room.

If we lock all our players long term and have role players on good contracts, why not? It's better to be more flexible anyway

Agreed. And I think the Kaman contract fits right into that. As a backup, that's what we should be looking for. We get at least one good year of productivity, then we can either keep him if he's doing great, or easily trade the contract looking to a team wanting to clear CAP space. Flexibility.

 

[1eyejack]

I'd make a play for Klay Thompson. If you don't land him you go out and get some better quality reserves.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

I think keeping our options open has value. As shown by presenting LA with a maximum offer, a lot rides on what he decides to do next off-season. If he leaves, I would rather not have a roster full of mediocre players on long deals.

 

[Strenuus]

I'd make a play for Klay Thompson. If you don't land him you go out and get some better quality reserves.

We're not getting Klay without giving up a starter. Be realisitc.

 

[1eyejack]

We're not getting Klay without giving up a starter. Be realisitc.

It shows him as a free agent next year. What I didn't notice was the R next to his name which I assume means restricted. My bad

 

[Hobbesarable]

It shows him as a free agent next year. What I didn't notice was the R next to his name which I assume means restricted. My bad

He is restricted and he's looking to sign for a lot of $$$ during his contract.

 

[Draco]

I wonder if Kaman will agree to a $5.3 million first year contract with $4.5 in the second year and only $500k guaranteed? Gives him identical money $9.8 million total contract with $5.8 guaranteed but saves the Blazers half a million from next years salary cap. Deals don't become officially signed until July 10th so often we see slight modifications such as this.

 

[Draco]

I think the plan is really more for downside protection than actually angling for cap space to acquire a stud free agent. The team expects LaMarcus to resign, they expect Rolo and Wes to have two good seasons and resign. But if someone has a big injury or LaMarcus decides to go to Texas at the least the Blazers will be left with a benefit of cap space. It would be a disaster if we brought in a bunch of high priced backups on long term deals this offseason then lose our starters next offseason. We'd have no cap room and a lottery bound roster.

I wouldn't be shocked to hear Neil discuss extensions for Rolo and/or Wes before the summer starts though. With how overpriced free agency can be it might be better to lock them up now if we can get a small discount.

 

[Draco]

Many of those Hoopshype salaries in the OP are incorrect. For instance Rolo contract is not a team option and its for over $6 million. But the context of the OP question is still totally valid.

 

[Draco]

We will have to see as signings pan out. Maybe there was nothing better than a older, backup, injury-prone center. Time will tell.

Well yes and no; I don't totally agree with this. Yes the Blazers could've waited until the end of free agency and gambled of possibly grabbed a bargain player as they did last year with Mo. But we could've been left with the full MLE and nobody except minimum salary quality players remaining. Neil didn't have the benefit of knowing exactly what free agents will be available to settle for the MLE in two weeks so he shouldn't be judged exclusively in that context.

 

[Draco]

I'd make a play for Klay Thompson. If you don't land him you go out and get some better quality reserves.

So are we going to give up LaMarcus or Lillard? Because Golden State isn't sure if they want to give up Klay for Kevin Love. They aren't sending him here for anyone outside of those two.

 

[Draco]

He is restricted and he's looking to sign for a lot of $$$ during his contract.

Klay is a lock for a max contract. Along with possibly Harden he's the best shooting guard in the NBA going forward.

 

[e_blazer]

I don't think that there is a specific plan for the cap space next summer. I see it as a kind of a fail-safe mechanism. If next season goes great and it looks like the team is on the way to contending for a title and LA re-signs, then the cap space may well be used up in just re-signing the core. OTOH, if Aldridge bolts or if it looks like there's a player that becomes available, either through FA or an unbalanced trade, then Olshey will have room to retool without a total rebuild.

 

[TBpup]

Many of those Hoopshype salaries in the OP are incorrect. For instance Rolo contract is not a team option and its for over $6 million. But the context of the OP question is still totally valid.

I didn't think so either and left it as a regular salary in the OP. Good point though. I'm not sure they have CJ's quite correct either but it was used just more for examples sake.

If we have cap room, a big market has cap room, or they can get more money from their original team, what is the likelyhood they end up in Portland?

 

[1eyejack]

So are we going to give up LaMarcus or Lillard? Because Golden State isn't sure if they want to give up Klay for Kevin Love. They aren't sending him here for anyone outside of those two.

Read my post above didn't pay attention to the R next to his name which I assume means he's restricted. My bad.

 

[TBpup]

The way I look at it, the people who don't like the Kaman signing are unrealistic in what was attainable and think we should have gotten a big FA when we couldn't. Like the saying goes. Expectation is a resentment waiting to happen. Sucks they couldn't live in reality. Now we have to hear the bitching because of their unwillingness to accept reality.

Now it's a disappointment given that Hawes signed for the MLE with the Clippers.