Salaries: Next Season and Beyond

[dnbman]

Based on HoopsHype.com, we're looking at having 10 players under contract at a little over $40M:

Okafor (at least until he signs elsewhere)
Richardson
Wallace
Carroll
Mohammad
Felton
May
Morrison
Dudley
Davidson

It's going to cost us to resign Okafor, but we could still sneak a pretty good FA under the cap with that group. An FA and our draft picks would bring us to 13 and clearly over the cap.

It's going to be very interesting to see what we try and do.

[davcbow]

11) draft pick
12) draft pick
13-15) free agents....

Mek (resigning?) Does anybody see another trade here to free up money? maybe not this season but after the season or before next season....:g:

[spectre]

Okafor - (QO) 7 million
Richardson - 12.2 million
Wallace - 8.3 million
Carroll - 5 million
Mohammad - 6 million
Felton - 4.1 million
May - 2.7 million
Morrison - 4.2 million
Dudley - 1.2 million
Davidson - 700k

is 51.4 million for 10 players. The MLE and the LLE also count against your capspace until you officially renounce it. I also think RFAs/FAs count 150% of last years salary until they get another deal...which would take another 3 million off.

We have no space to speak of.

[dvdbumpus]

Back loaded contract maybe? Have that contract become huge after the nazr contract is over....

[davcbow]

Some contract restructuring? Its gonna be interesting. :g:

[TheBeagle]

Spectre:

If we just flat-out cut (No)J (But Still) Rich, how would that affect our cap? If someone was to pick him up (like for some reason they probably would) how much of his salary would we still have to pay? He's got to go, but I know we can't get rid of him via trade, so this is the only option I can see. Basically, how much would it save us if we could cut our losses with the guy?

[spectre]

Spectre:

If we just flat-out cut (No)J (But Still) Rich, how would that affect our cap? If someone was to pick him up (like for some reason they probably would) how much of his salary would we still have to pay? He's got to go, but I know we can't get rid of him via trade, so this is the only option I can see. Basically, how much would it save us if we could cut our losses with the guy?


So far as I know there isn't a buy out clause with any of the players (BK had one at 1.5 million), so we are obligated to pay his entire contract regardless. IF we flat out cut him or anyone we'd still have to pay it until someone picked him up...then we'd get back HALF of the salary that team pays the player. That would probably be half the minimum salary which is nothing when you're talking 12 million bucks.

A lot didn't realize this, but last year when we picked up Derek Anderson and gave him a minimum contract he actually made around 14 MILLION bucks that year...coming from different buyouts from other teams.

Both could mutually agree to void it (never happen) or a career ending injury where insurance pays instead, but that might still count against the cap...not sure on that.

This was why I was initially against the Nazr trade...way too many long term contracts.

[dnbman]

The one bad thing about the Nazr trade is it definitely made the future seem a little less shimmery in terms of hopes to make the team significantly better. However, Nazr had a couple of plays last night that showed he could be a great asset. If he and Emeka can hold down the center, we might be o.k. to develop through the draft. If things look terrible in three years, we can reinvent ourselves after Richardson and Nazr's contracts expire.

This is what I think we really need: something put in place so our core (Okafor, Felton and Wallace) develops properly. If we an lock them up into long term contracts (with Wallace already locked up), we can shoot for a significant push in three years. I know everyone else wants a trophy right now, but it's likely not in the cards. The West will still dominate for the next couple of seasons. Hopefully by the time Dirk, Duncan, and Nash are on their way out, we'll be sitting pretty to make a strong playoff run, not just a playoff entrance.

From management's and coaching's perspective, I completely understand the Nazr acquisition. It's just a difficult pill to swallow when your fans hoping for a magic pill to make the team better.

[dav7z]

The one bad thing about the Nazr trade is it definitely made the future seem a little less shimmery in terms of hopes to make the team significantly better. However, Nazr had a couple of plays last night that showed he could be a great asset. If he and Emeka can hold down the center, we might be o.k. to develop through the draft. If things look terrible in three years, we can reinvent ourselves after Richardson and Nazr's contracts expire.

This is what I think we really need: something put in place so our core (Okafor, Felton and Wallace) develops properly. If we an lock them up into long term contracts (with Wallace already locked up), we can shoot for a significant push in three years. I know everyone else wants a trophy right now, but it's likely not in the cards. The West will still dominate for the next couple of seasons. Hopefully by the time Dirk, Duncan, and Nash are on their way out, we'll be sitting pretty to make a strong playoff run, not just a playoff entrance.

From management's and coaching's perspective, I completely understand the Nazr acquisition. It's just a difficult pill to swallow when your fans hoping for a magic pill to make the team better.

Good post and a realistic way of looking at things. REP IT UP. for the post and hope we excede your expectations.

[MattD]

I dont know why everyone hates j rich... hes not that bad, you need to relax its been 20 games, hes scoring, he shoots the three well and hes athletic, he is shaky on defense, but hes also a player that can draw fans, just relax... I like him more then most players on the bobcats to be honest. I wish that there were decent players in the nba who would agree to take a pay cut to make their team better, but I dont know who would be willing to do that...

[Muttley]

I dont know why everyone hates j rich... hes not that bad, you need to relax its been 20 games, hes scoring, he shoots the three well and hes athletic, he is shaky on defense, but hes also a player that can draw fans, just relax... I like him more then most players on the bobcats to be honest. I wish that there were decent players in the nba who would agree to take a pay cut to make their team better, but I dont know who would be willing to do that...


One of my favorites, Tayshaun Prince, took a paycut when he resigned with the Pistons a couple years back. He's not starving, but it was still less than he made before. Guy's real classy like that.

[twebb]

The Okafor resigning is just going to be that much tougher because of that Nazr trade. A backloaded contract might work but in order for it to coincide with Nazrs contract Okafor will have to earn nearly nothing in the first few years if we plan on signing a quality FA with our Draft Picks.

[dav7z]

I don't understand the worries about signing OK50. We will be seting at about 50 milion counting OKs contract.
We should be able to sign a free agent [Jameison] at about SIX or seven milion and resign OK5O to a very nice contract starting at about 13 milion and stay under the luxery tax of sixty eight milion .

[MattD]

thats just the thing, I think most people dont want to see the non contender bobcats close to the luxury tax without that wiggle room weve had and backloaded with contracts we cannot shake, will become a mini version of the knicks scaled back, not good with to many big contracts

[dav7z]

I agree but signing OK50 is a must. Signing Jamison to finish his carer at home will be at a bargin price. Hes said more than once he wanted to finish his carer in Charlotte.He would be a great free agent signing at a cheap price.

[davcbow]

I agree but signing OK50 is a must. Signing Jamison to finish his carer at home will be at a bargin price. Hes said more than once he wanted to finish his carer in Charlotte.He would be a great free agent signing at a cheap price.


We do need to resign Mek and I like the Jamison idea. Would we be able to still do that if we were to sign Boykins? :g:

[TheBeagle]

I dont know why everyone hates j rich... hes not that bad, you need to relax its been 20 games, hes scoring, he shoots the three well and hes athletic, he is shaky on defense, but hes also a player that can draw fans, just relax... I like him more then most players on the bobcats to be honest.
He's just too damn inconsistent and shaky with the ball in his hands. The strength of his game is standing behind the arc, making either GW or Raymond draw defenders to them so that they can kick out and he can have an open 3. Matt does this even better and he's being paid 7 million less. He's athletic, sure, but what does he do with that athleticism? Obviously not drive to the hope consistently; not defend man-up. His ballhandling is embarrassing for a 2 guard in the NBA, plain and simple. I assure you, in my heyday I could dribble than he can now. Likewise with the FTs. A true scorer can knock these down; hell, that's where the star 2 guards get half their points, and this guy just throws up clanker after clanker. Also, I really doubt the guy's basketball IQ; he makes so many bonehead plays, be it passes, unforced TOs, poor shot selection (he's not the only one, I admit). He is nothing more than a glorified role player at this point.

If he can turn it around, I assure you, I'll be the happiest kid on this site. I really wanted to like this guy; I loved the trade when it was announced!!!!!! But he has turned out to be not only like some of the critics advertised but WORSE!!

[dvdbumpus]

I'll have to say that J-rich should focus more on driving to the basket and moving. I'd like to see more Rip Hamilton movement out of him. He'd be MUCH more effective.

[dav7z]

I agree but signing OK50 is a must. Signing Jamison to finish his carer at home will be at a bargin price. Hes said more than once he wanted to finish his carer in Charlotte.He would be a great free agent signing at a cheap price.

I doubt we would as that would add about five million more if we sign Boinkins . I would rather wait til the end of seasom and make a run for Jameison or another good free agent befor we sign OK50.We have just enough room to make one good free agent singing this year.

We do need to resign Mek and I like the Jamison idea. Would we be able to still do that if we were to sign Boykins? :g:

[davcbow]

Thats what I was thinking but didnt have the #'s in front of me so I figured someone could answer that. Thanks Dav.... :g:

[spectre]

We do need to resign Mek and I like the Jamison idea. Would we be able to still do that if we were to sign Boykins?

If we offered Boykins a one year deal AND Jamison would settle for 6-7 million...then yes.

Someone brought up a backloaded contract I think.  The league dictates how much that's allowed to go up...something like 7% or 8%...something like 10% or 11% if you have the players' bird rights.

BTW, so long as Johnson is willing, no signing will affect us paying Mek whatever we feel he's worth due to our having his bird rights.

[twebb]

I know that Okafor has those Bird Rights but I dont want to see us go that far into our cap without any room to make moves. Signing people like Jamison does not give us a man who can prove to be our go to guy. Right now we still dont have an identity and I dont know how adding Jamison will give us one except for a UNC team

[MattD]

Bill Walton said it, and I agree, Okafor should be delivering much more. Hes not worth 13 and in my opinion hes hardly worth 8 with his ridiculously inconsistent game from being a nobody to being a powerplayer on the court. I dont know what it is, but I just dont think he is a piece of championship team

[Muttley]

Bill Walton said it, and I agree, Okafor should be delivering much more. Hes not worth 13 and in my opinion hes hardly worth 8 with his ridiculously inconsistent game from being a nobody to being a powerplayer on the court. I dont know what it is, but I just dont think he is a piece of championship team


You can't say he won't be a piece of a championship team. How big of a role he might play could be discussed.

However, Bill Walton is the greatest ambassador for the sport of Basketball as far as I'm aware, and I eat up anything he says. He's right. Oak should get more agressive. I'm not sure it's in his nature, but it could be. He needs to play pissed each game (the American "pissed," not the British).

[Mustachio]

I dont know what it is, but I just dont think he is a piece of championship team



you think wrong then.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9gnMiKpz2dHNDkB1RCjzbkF/SIG=12781risn/EXP=1198072105/**http%3A//nigeriasports.com/uploads/articles/1/374.jpg

[MattD]

yeah and ever since then hes really developed into a player that can achieve the same greatness on this next level... nope ???