Official: Free Agency and MLE options thread

[illmatic99]

Don't know if we have a thread to talk about Neil's plans for July 1. Convos are scattered elsewhere, felt this was necessary. Mods, please merge if you feel otherwise.

We currently have the taxpayer MLE which is about 5.3 mil/yr. Assuming we use part of this to sign Gary Trent, then we'll have about 4.5 mil/yr to offer. If we renounce all our FAs and Nurk takes the qualifying offer, we might possibly open up the non-taxpayer MLE which starts at about 8.6 mil.

A good summary is here: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...e-agency-trade-extension-decisions-every-team

Portland Trail Blazers

Offseason focus

• Don't overreact about the roster after getting swept in the first round
  
  
• Take advantage of trade exceptions
  
  
• The cost of restricted free agents: Jusuf Nurkic, Shabazz Napier and Pat Connaughton

Exceptions

• Non-tax midlevel: $8.6M
  
  
• Bi-annual: $3.4M
  
  
• Trade: $12.9M and $3.5M
  
  
• Note: Using more than $5.2 of the non-tax midlevel will trigger the $129 million hard cap.

Cap-space breakdown

• Already with $112 million in guaranteed contracts, Portland is $11 million below the tax threshold and will only have the $5.3 million tax midlevel exception available in free agency due to cap holds on its RFAs. Expect Portland to use a portion of the exception to sign second-round pick Gary Trent Jr. to a contract for more than two years.
  
  
• If Portland is going to make roster changes it will have to be done with a trade (involving either a current player or an exception).
  
  
• Portland has until June 30 to guarantee the $1.5 million contract of Jake Layman and July 19 for Wade Baldwin and Georgios Papagiannis.

Gary Trent Jr. (SG)

Team needs

• Starter: C
  
  
• Bench: PG, SF, PF

Free-agent status

• Ed Davis | Bird
  
  
• Pat Connaughton | Restricted Bird
  
  
• Jusuf Nurkic | Restricted Bird
  
  
• Shabazz Napier | Restricted Bird

 

[illmatic99]

As FA targets if we do open up a full MLE, how do you guys feel about Rudy Gay/Tyreke Evans/ KCP?

 

[Blazinaway]

Don't know if we have a thread to talk about Neil's plans for July 1. Convos are scattered elsewhere, felt this was necessary. Mods, please merge if you feel otherwise.

We currently have the taxpayer MLE which is about 5.3 mil/yr. Assuming we use part of this to sign Gary Trent, then we'll have about 4.5 mil/yr to offer. If we renounce all our FAs and Nurk takes the qualifying offer, we might possibly open up the non-taxpayer MLE which starts at about 8.6 mil.

A good summary is here: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...e-agency-trade-extension-decisions-every-team

do we have to use part of the taxpayer MLE to sign a guy we just drafted in the 2nd rd?

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

We are Portland so we will end up using it on Wesley Johnson or something uninspiring like that.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

As FA targets if we do open up a full MLE, how do you guys feel about Rudy Gay/Tyreke Evans/ KCP?

In order:
yuck, no!
Out of our price range. (And no thanks, anyway.)
Meh.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

As FA targets if we do open up a full MLE, how do you guys feel about Rudy Gay/Tyreke Evans/ KCP?

KCP would be a decent get, would make trading CJ a lot easier.

 

[illmatic99]

do we have to use part of the taxpayer MLE to sign a guy we just drafted in the 2nd rd?

All second rounders have to be signed using either caproom or an exception.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

do we have to use part of the taxpayer MLE to sign a guy we just drafted in the 2nd rd?

If we sign him to a minimum salary deal, no. But anything more than that, yes.

 

[illmatic99]

If we sign him to a minimum salary deal, no. But anything more than that, yes.

And this is usually expected because signing a player to a minimum gives the team control over him for only two years.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Here's a name I guarantee only I will get enthusiastic about:
Nemanja Bjelica. He's like Draymond without the defense. Only problem, I'm not sure if he's a FA. But if he is, he might be gettable. (Update: "restricted, Bird". I take that to mean they'll probably keep him, especially as Thibs seemed finally to trust him by the end of last season.)

 

[Scalma]

As FA targets if we do open up a full MLE, how do you guys feel about Rudy Gay/Tyreke Evans/ KCP?

Don’t believe the full MLE is a realistic option for Portland.

But Rudy Gay could probably be had for the tax MLE.

 

[andalusian]

Nemanja Bjelica. He's like Draymond without the defense. Only problem, I'm not sure if he's a FA. But if he is, he might be gettable.

So, he is a headcase without the best attribute of said individual and might not be available.

If this is not a dream come true, I do not know what is

 

[illmatic99]

Here's a name I guarantee only I will get enthusiastic about:
Nemanja Bjelica. He's like Draymond without the defense. Only problem, I'm not sure if he's a FA. But if he is, he might be gettable. (Update: "restricted, Bird". I take that to mean they'll probably keep him, especially as Thibs seemed finally to trust him by the end of last season.)

Believe he's a RFA. Weird fact: he's actually two years older than Draymond. I don't think the two compare at all. NB is a decent shooter and not nearly the kind of playmaker.

 

[illmatic99]

Don’t believe the full MLE is a realistic option for Portland.

But Rudy Gay could probably be had for the tax MLE.

You're not buying the Nurk QO noise?

 

[RR7]

We don't need to use MLE for Trent.

 

[Scalma]

You're not buying the Nurk QO noise?

No. Not that’d I’d be against it since we’d still retain his bird rights. I just don’t think they’d want to lose an asset for nothing like that. Nothing the blazers have done/Olshey has said suggests Collins is viewed as a center long term.

 

[illmatic99]

We don't need to use MLE for Trent.

So would we use our Minimum to sign him?

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

No. Not that’d I’d be against it since we’d still retain his bird rights. I just don’t think they’d want to lose an asset for nothing like that. Nothing the blazers have done/Olshey has said suggests Collins is viewed as a center long term.

I mean, we could end up trading Nurk if he did do the whole QO route. I’ve mentioned a Nurk, Turner, and Biggie for Whiteside and Winslow type deal. Which I may be in favor of if we can’t get a long term deal with Nurk.

 

[illmatic99]

I mean, we could end up trading Nurk if he did do the whole QO route. I’ve mentioned a Nurk, Turner, and Biggie for Whiteside and Winslow type deal. Which I may be in favor of if we can’t get a long term deal with Nurk.

I believe if Nurk takes the QO, he would have a no-trade clause and would have to sign off on any deal.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

I believe if Nurk takes the QO, he would have a no-trade clause and would have to sign off on any deal.

I mean, would you say no to Miami?

 

[Scalma]

Rather have Nurk than whiteside.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Rather have Nurk than whiteside.

But would you rather have Nurk (with no commitment) and Turner over Whiteside and Winslow?

 

[Scalma]

Interesting that Blazers haven’t sent an offer to pat or Napier yet. They just tweeted about Nurks QO. Wonder if the decision is already made or they’re waiting on other possible moves the next few days.

 

[Scalma]

But would you rather have Nurk (with no commitment) and Turner over Whiteside and Winslow?

Yes. I’ve been turned off by Whiteside the last couple years. There’s a reason Miami doesn’t trust him any more.

 

[illmatic99]

You sure about that one? For instance, I'm pretty sure Layman was on a minimum-salary deal, and Blazers have control of him for a third year if they want it.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q48

Also unlike first round picks, teams do not receive a salary cap exception specifically for their second round picks. These players must be signed using cap room or an available exception (see question number 25), such as the Minimum Player Salary exception or the Mid-Level exception. It is most common for a second round pick to receive the minimum salary and be signed using the Minimum Player Salary exception. However, since the Minimum Player Salary exception limits contracts to two seasons, it is not uncommon for teams to use a portion of their Mid-Level exception in order to sign the player for three seasons. This gives the team full Bird rights at the end of the contract, and avoids the Gilbert Arenas provision (see question number 43).

Layman was signed for above the minimum using caproom. Pat, however was signed using the minimum so this isn't very clear to me (maybe because he was drafted in 15 and was the previous CBA?). The Bobby Marks article I quoted in the OP also mentions this two season thing.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Yes. I’ve been turned off by Whiteside the last couple years. There’s a reason Miami doesn’t trust him any more.

Whiteside still put up 14/10 on a down year, I think Miami’s core is just not there for him to be successful. He’d be a better player in Portland.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q48



Layman was signed for above the minimum using caproom. Pat, however was signed using the minimum so this isn't very clear to me (maybe because he was drafted in 15 and was the previous CBA?). The Bobby Marks article I quoted in the OP also mentions this two season thing.

Yep--double checked it after I posted. You're right.

 

[Scalma]

Whiteside still put up 14/10 on a down year, I think Miami’s core is just not there for him to be successful. He’d be a better player in Portland.

If an organization like Miami and a coach like Spoelstra can’t get Whiteside to buy into being a team player, no one else can either. Hard pass.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

If an organization like Miami and a coach like Spoelstra can’t get Whiteside to buy into being a team player, no one else can either. Hard pass.

It’s not always the coach, it’s players. Dame has a leadership trait that few players have, Whiteside was at his best when he had a still good Wade leading the team. He’s not built to be the head of the snake like Miami tried to make him be after the departure of Wade. (Yes I know Wade is on the Heat now too but he isn’t good anymore)

 

[Reep]

Rather have Nurk than whiteside.

Main things I want out of the center position are scoring as the roll man and defending the rim and the perimeter.

Hard to argue that Whiteside isn't the much better defender.

As the roll man (NBA.com)

Nurkic: 4.5 pts/game; 1.02 ppp; 27% of his scoring is as a roll man;
Whiteside: 3.2 pts/game; 1.07 ppp; 22% of his scoring is as a roll man;

Whiteside is a bit more efficient, but gets less opportunity than Nurkic. Neither one though is remotely in the top tier with players like Adams, Robert, Jordan, etc. who have ppp efficiencies in the 1.2-1.4 range. The eye test tells you Nurkic needs to work on finishing as the roll man.

For me it is a tough call because Nurkic is the better passer, but our current offense doesn't seem to use him that way. If Nurkic could improve his finishing around the rim and on the roll then he takes the lead. As they are right now, I think I'd take Whiteside. Tough call.