Game 2 adjustments

[Natebishop3]

Can someone remind me why we wrapped up Anderson Varejao in a big fat bow and gifted him to the Warriors? I know why we traded FOR him (to get a conditional 1st round pick), but why did we immediately waive him? Not saying it would make much difference, but with Meyers Leonard out, subtracting one big, rim protecting, hard fouling goon from their side and adding him to our side wouldn't hurt.

BNM

I was thinking the same thing.... actually, I'm pretty sure I said the same thing when we cut him.

 

[Minstrel]

So, unless I'm missing something (a real possibility because I wasn't really paying attention at the time), we waived Varejao so we wouldn't have to cut one of Montero or Alexander to create a roster spot for him.

They did use the stretch provision on him, which spreads his cap hit out over two years, but I don't know enough about the stretch provision to know if they needed to waive him that far back to make use of it.

If not, then Olshey probably just valued the roster spot over having Varejao...technically they save a tiny amount by waiving him, as the minimum salary that his new team pays is salary that the Blazers don't have to pay. If they had no interest in playing Varejao, they probably figured they might as well waive him.

 

[Natebishop3]

Are people really not aware that the league doesn't make up the schedule as they go, it's pre-determined based on how long each series goes? If the Blazers had won their series in 5 games and the Warriors had required 6 or 7 games, it would be the Warriors playing on short rest, not the Blazers.

Aware? Yes.

Annoyed at how it's designed? Yes.

There's too much time between games at the beginning of the postseason, and not enough time between games in the second round.

 

[Minstrel]

Aware? Yes.

Annoyed at how it's designed? Yes.

There's too much time between games at the beginning of the postseason, and not enough time between games in the second round.

I wasn't replying to you, my man, but there are others saying that it's evidence of a fix.

 

[Natebishop3]

I wasn't replying to you, my man, but there are others saying that it's evidence of a fix.

I'm still annoyed Minstrel.... very annoyed....

can Dame get a note from his doctor to postpone the game?

 

[Boob-No-More]

The Warriors needed him at the time (Ezeli out and Bogut nursing an injury), and of course, Side Show Andy was happy to go ring shopping with the defending champs, but I'm still trying to figure out why we just flat out waived him. We didn't buy him out, that I'm aware of, so his full salary still counts against or cap this year and next. So, unless I'm missing something (a real possibility because I wasn't really paying attention at the time), we waived Varejao so we wouldn't have to cut one of Montero or Alexander to create a roster spot for him.

BNM

OK, found it. Financially, it was a wash. We have to pay Varejao $14 million (balance of this year's salary plus ~$10 million for next year), but can use the stretch provision to spread the final $10 million out over 5 years. So, it's only a $2 million cap hit per year moving forward. That's why we cut him - otherwise his full ~$10 million salary would have counted against our cap space this summer. Now, it's only a $2 million cap hit.

The $14 million total is a wash - we were $14 million under the league minimum salary and would have had to pay that anyway. The difference is that $14 million would have been spread out among our current players. So, basically we traded our players bonus checks for a future 1st round draft pick.

BNM

 

[Minstrel]

I'm still annoyed Minstrel.... very annoyed....

can Dame get a note from his doctor to postpone the game?

If the league could stop the playoffs til Curry was feeling like playing basketball, I'm sure they would. It's out of their hands, though.

 

[Boob-No-More]

They did use the stretch provision on him, which spreads his cap hit out over two years, but I don't know enough about the stretch provision to know if they needed to waive him that far back to make use of it.

If not, then Olshey probably just valued the roster spot over having Varejao...technically they save a tiny amount by waiving him, as the minimum salary that his new team pays is salary that the Blazers don't have to pay. If they had no interest in playing Varejao, they probably figured they might as well waive him.

I found it while you were posting. The stretch provision lets them spread out his remaining ~$10 million salary over the next five years - so only $2 million per year cap hit. That's why we waived him. That lets Neil preserve MOST of our cap space for this summer + add a future 1st round pick. So, we got an asset and preserved our flexibility.

BNM

 

[Natebishop3]

If the league could stop the playoffs til Curry was feeling like playing basketball, I'm sure they would. It's out of their hands, though.

Is it?

 

[Minstrel]

Is it?

Seems to be, since the playoffs haven't been stopped.

At least, as far as I can tell!

 

[BBert]

Tunchi has kinda ruined the "feast or famine" phrase around here, but Aminu really is feast or famine. It's either a swish or an airball. I really wish Harkless was a better outside shooter because it would really make the choice an easier one.

Didn't Harkless make three or four in a row (counting one in the first half) in game 6 (and not counting the one he made after the whistle)?

Is Aminu really a better shooter than Harkless, or does he just take a lot more shots? Harkless has a good looking shot. When he misses, the ball usually rims in and out. Not like the airballs and clanks off the backboard that Aminu throws up in between his makes. Maybe if Harkless shot more he'd get into a better rhythm. Aminu has absolutely no conscience. Kind of the anti-Batum. When Batum missed two, he wouldn't shoot the rest of the game. Aminu just keeps throwing balls at the ceiling until one falls in. I wouldn't have said this at the beginning of the season, or even half way through the season, but right now, and for sure next season, I'd play Harkless before Aminu all day, every day.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I found it while you were posting. The stretch provision lets them spread out his remaining ~$10 million salary over the next five years - so only $2 million per year cap hit. That's why we waived him. That lets Neil preserve MOST of our cap space for this summer + add a future 1st round pick. So, we got an asset and preserved our flexibility.

BNM

They didn't need to waive him immediately to use the stretch provision. They could have waived him in June and accomplished the same goal.

We traded for both Roberts and Varejao at the deadline, so we had to waive two players in order to make those deals. The chronology used was waive Frazier, trade for Varejao, waive Varejao, trade for Roberts. I imagine that Neil didn't see any other players on the roster that he'd prefer to waive to make room for the Roberts deal. Kaman is less useful as a player, but he was still mentoring an uninjured Meyers Leonard at that point.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Are people really not aware that the league doesn't make up the schedule as they go, it's pre-determined based on how long each series goes? If the Blazers had won their series in 5 games and the Warriors had required 6 or 7 games, it would be the Warriors playing on short rest, not the Blazers.

It was mostly a joke. I missed the green font. Sorry.

 

[BBert]

Speaking of not waiving Montero: He continues to look really good in his few minutes of garbage time. His shot is smooth and looks great going in! It would be great if he could provide some size at the backup PG position in the not too distant future.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Speaking of not waiving Montero: He continues to look really good in his few minutes of garbage time. His shot is smooth and looks great going in! It would be great if he could provide some size at the backup PG position in the not too distant future.

Patty C. too!!!

 

[BBert]

Speaking of garbage time: I like how our guys play under control in garbage time. Usual you think of garbage time as this helter skelter mish mash of guys running up and down trying to get shots up. I feel like our guys, like Pat for instance, try to run the offense and set each other up. Pat and Montero are good shooters too. I'm glad they didn't get cut for douchebag goon flopping specialist Varajao.

 

[BBert]

Patty C. too!!!

Damn straight! In the little bit he's gotten to play, I've concluded he's better than I'd hoped.

 

[Minstrel]

I found it while you were posting. The stretch provision lets them spread out his remaining ~$10 million salary over the next five years - so only $2 million per year cap hit. That's why we waived him. That lets Neil preserve MOST of our cap space for this summer + add a future 1st round pick. So, we got an asset and preserved our flexibility.

Ah yeah, I mixed it up with the NFL stretch provision, which spreads a cap hit out over two years. Good information, thanks!

 

[Denny Crane]

They did use the stretch provision on him, which spreads his cap hit out over two years, but I don't know enough about the stretch provision to know if they needed to waive him that far back to make use of it.

If not, then Olshey probably just valued the roster spot over having Varejao...technically they save a tiny amount by waiving him, as the minimum salary that his new team pays is salary that the Blazers don't have to pay. If they had no interest in playing Varejao, they probably figured they might as well waive him.

I think they saved a lot more than a "tiny amount."

Adding his contract pushed them closer to the minimum salary. They only owe Varejao for the time left this season, so basically ~$4.5M in savings on his ~$9m contract. Plus vet minimum from GSW when they signed him.

They gained a 1st round pick, no?

 

[Boob-No-More]

I think they saved a lot more than a "tiny amount."

Adding his contract pushed them closer to the minimum salary. They only owe Varejao for the time left this season, so basically ~$4.5M in savings on his ~$9m contract. Plus vet minimum from GSW when they signed him.

No, as I said, it was basically a wash (within a half million either way). In round numbers, POR was responsible for the balance of Varejao's contract this year (~$4 million) and his entire salary next year (~$10 million). So, roughly $14 million. They were also ~$14 million under the league minimum salary. So, they would have gad to pay that anyway. So, pretty much a total wash (plus r minus a fraction of a million).

Using the stretch provision lets them divide the remaining ~$10 million owed Varejao over the next five years. That minimizes the cap this coming off season.

So, basically, the total dollars are a wash and we exchanged a $2 million cap hit for a 2018 top 10 protected first round draft pick from CLE.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

More details with more accurate numbers:



BNM

 

[B-Roy]

Speaking of not waiving Montero: He continues to look really good in his few minutes of garbage time. His shot is smooth and looks great going in! It would be great if he could provide some size at the backup PG position in the not too distant future.

I know this doesn't mean anything but whenever I watch Luis in pre-game shootarounds he cans 3s like they're nothing.

 

[Wallet Boy]

I know it's not going to happen BUT does anyone else think that starting Crabbe over CJ would help us contain their starters better and give an even bigger advantage to our bench?

Is Paul Allen A Road Warrior?

 

[Chris Craig]

As much as Thompson hurt then, I think Green actually did as much damage. He us just too big and strong for either Moe or Aminu. If Aminu is going to be so bad with the dribble and his passing, the guy who played Green the best during the season was Vonleh. He was playing C and PF in the game Portland won big and really held his own against Draymond.

We need to play Vonleh against him

 

[Chris Craig]

Why did the first round take a million years between each game, but they gave us zero rest between the first round and the second?

You think the NBA, after we embarrassed their refs in the first series, wanted to give us rest before the next....they want to take away any advantage they can

 

[Denny Crane]

No, as I said, it was basically a wash (within a half million either way). In round numbers, POR was responsible for the balance of Varejao's contract this year (~$4 million) and his entire salary next year (~$10 million). So, roughly $14 million. They were also ~$14 million under the league minimum salary. So, they would have gad to pay that anyway. So, pretty much a total wash (plus r minus a fraction of a million).

Using the stretch provision lets them divide the remaining ~$10 million owed Varejao over the next five years. That minimizes the cap this coming off season.

So, basically, the total dollars are a wash and we exchanged a $2 million cap hit for a 2018 top 10 protected first round draft pick from CLE.

BNM

The P&L this year is going to be ~+$6.4M than if the Blazers paid the $14M.

It was the salaries of Verejao PLUS Roberts PLUS Mike Miller that got us over the minimum salary.

Varejao is paid ~$4.8M, Miller ~$1.4M, Roberts ~$1.4M or ~$7.6M

$14M - $7.6M ($6.4M) is the P&L benefit for this year.

Verejao's 2016-2016 salary is $10.4M, but only $9.4M is guaranteed.

$9.4M /5 = $1.88M cap hit for 5 years.

If you ignore the P&L consequences and look at the overall impact over 5 years, the Blazers paid ~$1.8M, or $14M - ($9.4M + $6.4M), for the draft pick.

However, as long as the Blazers are over the cap and/or don't need the $1.8M cap space the $1.8M can be thought of as amortized over the 15 player contracts at $120K each per season.

The $1.8M would cost the Blazers luxury tax penalty if they're over the LT. It could put them over the LT.

EDIT: I used 1/2 for the amount of salary owed the 3 players. It is prorated and could be a tad more or less.

EDIT 2: if the amount paid Varejao is $3.3M per the tweet cited by BNM, then the Blazers' P&L savings is even more. $1.4M more just for Varejao alone. There's likely more savings for Miller's contract and Roberts', too.

 

[TBpup]

Speaking of not waiving Montero: He continues to look really good in his few minutes of garbage time. His shot is smooth and looks great going in!

STILL shooting 100% for the Playoffs. 8 points on 3 shots.... not sure what else Coach can ask for. Plus he doesn't seem to have 'fear' like some other players have shown. Probably the best handle and passing ability of any SF on the roster as well.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

STILL shooting 100% for the Playoffs. 8 points on 3 shots.... not sure what else Coach can ask for. Plus he doesn't seem to have 'fear' like some other players have shown. Probably the best handle and passing ability of any SF on the roster as well.

Reminds me of Barton; he had no fear during his garbage time.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Can someone remind me why we wrapped up Anderson Varejao in a big fat bow and gifted him to the Warriors? I know why we traded FOR him (to get a conditional 1st round pick), but why did we immediately waive him? Not saying it would make much difference, but with Meyers Leonard out, subtracting one big, rim protecting, hard fouling goon from their side and adding him to our side wouldn't hurt.

BNM

Meyers wasn't out at the time, so we had a full complement of big hard fouling goons.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Meyers wasn't out at the time, so we had a full complement of big hard fouling goons.

Yeah, imagine if we had Meyers AND Varejao AND Kaman right now. That's 18 fouls worth of goondom to rain down on the Warriors.

As it is, we're limited to Kaman and he's showing his age. He's lost a step on his cheap fouls. He would have never gotten away with the trip on Henderson the way Varejao did. Although I do admit his blatant shove of Chris Paul, right in front of the ref and the cameraman last season, was pure comic theater. He wasn't fooling anybody with that one, but that's what made it so funny. He knew he would get caught, but it didn't deter him in the slightest. That right there is veteran leadership!

BNM