Important Question for Future

[tamburello]

Jamison will be 32 this summer, so I don't believe he came to the age to sign veteran mins for exceptional reasons (championship contender, hometown team etc.). He can easily sign a MLE with any team for 4 years long in worst case. I don't think he's an option for us, nor would we buy him bargain.

I had written down in another thread. The critical point is the following: even if we decide to sign-and-trade Okafor, until trade date, he'll engage a cap space about 14-15 millions. So without deciding Okafor's fate, we'll have very limited opportunities to upgrade the team (namely, only MLE and bi-annual)

This summer Felton and May are eligible for extensions, you know. I think May's situation is no question, he won't be extended until seeing him healthy on the floor, that means he'll be restricted FA in 2009 summer. Thus he won't be a threat to our cap space. Felton's situation is a little complicated. Maybe you can remember, once Larry Miller said that he'll extend Deron Williams to a maximum contract. Similarly, Chris Paul likely would get maximum. Felton was compared to them when they were drafted. So what is Felton's caliber comparing to these two? We should decide on that. I don't think Felton will be traded.

Similar contract situations of last year are: Jameer Nelson had 35 millions, Devin Harris had 42 millions of extension for 5 year. Is Raymond better them? I think yes. So I predict a 48-50 million extension for him, while Okafor will be settled for 65 million (if he deserves or not is another subject). Yes, beginning with 2009-10 season, we'll probably get into a terrible salary situation. Probably exceed the lux tax limit. But if we'd like to keep this core which we've been working on for almost 4 years, we have to pay.

We're not a rebuilding team or expansion team anymore. You can begin forgetting high paid FA's. We will have no more than MLE to sign 'em.

[dav7z]

Tamb i aeree with you on most of what you saying.
You and Spectra know caps and things well.
I don't agree with you about Jamison. Im local i've even talked to him Belive me he wants to play for Charlotte . Hes worth 10 milion just for the local croud draw. By his self he could fill 500 extra seats . So yes management would be instrested in him . And yes management would jump all over him at a MLE. IT may not happen but it's been wide spread talk the last two years. Even Bonnell has had articals in the news about it .

As far as all this gloom and doom talk about salries please explain thease two things to me and ill let it go.
1st Its 42 or 43 more players in this league paid more than our highest paid player.But yet this team is so straped and in such bad shape salery wize.

http://www.insidehoops.com/nbasalaries.shtml


2nd This year this team has the lowest payrole in the NBA but yet you guys keep saying we in such bad shape salerie wize i just don't understand it . It seems to me the other 29 teams would be in worse shape than us. let me find a link for this two . I just don't understand this please explain the gloom a doom.


http://groups.google.com/group/rec.s...a39dba8b1df182

[spectre]

We're not in bad financial shape...we just don't have the advantage of being under the cap as we have been in the past. We also have few assets or big contracts that we're willing to give up in order to make a big trade. Being a small market doesn't help either.

It's not that we're in worse shape than the other 29...it's that we're in the SAME shape. At least those not paying luxury money.

Tam, maybe a thread on the CBA and it's impact on caps and such? Not just on the 'Cats (of course put the focus there) but just the stuff most get confused over? You're better at this than me...maybe you start one at your leisure and the rest of us add on/ask questions?

We could just revise the Salary 07/08 thread, but this is slightly different.

[tamburello]

No, I'm not saying we're in a bad situation salarywise, I just say we probably will in 2 years' time. This situation also depends on how the salary cap will change. I expect 57 or 58 million for next season. But Dave, if you're looking for a team with better salary situation, look at Sixers, Grizzlies and Sonics. Sixers will very likely acquire someone like Ben Gordon this summer while keeping Iguodala.

At the moment we have the lowest payroll, but we have 4 heavy contracts (J-Rich, GW, Matt [at the moment], Mohammed). And after the possible extensions of Okafor and Felton, we'd have 6. And it'll be very likely we'll stick to them. What hurts the flexibility is these kind of contracts, not the payroll IMHO. Even the highest payer of the league, Mavs have 5 heavy contracts (Kidd, Nowitzki, Howard, Terry, Dampier). Despite this, they were able to land Kidd. Even if we wanted to acquire Kidd, we couldn't do that since Nets would be never willing to take back Carroll or Mohammed.

Jamison may come here if we offer MLE, and I'd be very happy if this happens, but I believe MLE is the worst case for him. He'd definitely draw interest from contenders and my prediction is that he'll be signed and traded to a contender for 7-8 mil per year. Since Wizards will also try to keep Arenas, Jamison would be on his way out. But not to NC, imo.

spectre, that thread can be created, but only this website would be enough too: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm

Immediately after the trade deadline, I have updated the Salary 07-08 thread, we can also discuss it there.

But what we should discuss is the "extension of Okafor" issue. Some of guys here claim we should let him go. I believe Okafor is the most important player of the team, and he should definitely be signed thru 5 more years. He is among those type of players whose values and importances are understood better while they are absent. A defensive center is invaluable in this league.

[ohara831]

I just dont see how we can have Carroll, Nazr, J-Rich, Crash, Okafor and Ray all with relative big Contracts, much less think about adding Jamison to the equation. However much he thinks of playing in NC, if the difference is 2-3 mil/yr between playing for us and playing for someone else, he aint stupid enough to pass up that kind of $.

I'm just not sure that the smartest move is not to consider moving the more expendable between Okafor and Ray IF we can get something like a nice Lottery pick, or perhaps 2 that are just on the cusps of bing in the Lottery. There is talk of the Clippers trading their pick if they got the right player, right from Sterling's mounth. Would you not consider trading into a top 5 pick, getting out of the monetary difficulty with Okafor's or Ray's Contract, and then have 2 Lottery picks? One of them can be used on a Center or PG and there are a few we could grab in the Lottery. Then, we have our own pick, probably a Lottery, which we can add the best available player, which is nice. As another option, what if Phoenix is willing to trade both their pick and Atlanta's for Okafor or Ray. Atlanta's is currently a Lottery, but Phoenix is heading that way, too. Heck, they are 6th in the West and losing ground quickly. Would 2 picks in the range of 10-17 not be a good swap. There are some terrific players, Bigs, PGs, SG's and SFs which you can grab at that level.

I'm not advocating we definitely do this. I'm just saying that for the financial stability, and flexibility in the future, this might be the way to go. I'm just a little fearful of tying myself down to 6-7 long term Contracts because if they are not working out, we are going to be stuck in that bad situation for a few years. If this franchise gets stuck in mediocrity for the next 5 yrs, I dont know that the franchise can remain viable. And I desperately dont want to see that happen.

[dav7z]

I personally would rather sign Okafor to say like a six year 65 milion contract. Is that seven milion a quilifing offer and we have the right to match it like the Cavs thing. I think he has more value than just two mid first round picks. A sign and trade might be a smart move for the right player. Somthing like Arenas and a first for Okafor, . Arenas wants out so somthing like that might be pulled off. But i still don't know if that would be enough. We might even be able to do the same with Felton on a smaller scale a sign and trade .

I still think the smart move would be to resign Ok and use our MLE whitch i think Jamison takes. If Jamison turns it down offer our MLE to another P/F 6milion should pick up a nice P/F in such a tight market.
The Wizzards would probely try to do a sign and trade just to get a return [Nazr]

[Icky Thump]

Real concerned about the contract they sign Okafor too. I know when we brought him in as such a high draft pick that we tried to make him the cornerstone of our franchise but he has hardly lived up to that. I hope we dont try and pay him like he is a franchise player cause he isnt playing up to that. He is a good player but thats about it at this point. I would not even begin to think of paying him big money. If he balks at an ok deal get him out of here.

[ohara831]

Let's say we lose Okafor but gain Bayless and one of either Hibbert/Jordan/Lopez? Is that a bad trade-off? I think it's pretty nice. Or what about Bayless and Hibbert and Love? You' re filling 3 quality positions right there. I think either of those scenarios sound quite nice when you consider the youthful talent at a much smaller price tag which gives us flexibility if changes are needed over the next 3-5 yrs.

[bizzlecatz]

Let's say we sign Mek to a reasonable contract, and still sign one of those platyers

I'm just not feeling the youth movement, for more youth that you are purposing.3-5 yrs. form now Mek still won't be in his prime, and will be just as tradeable.

[ALong13]

I think Felton and Okafor will both return, Felton will get $7 million a year, while Okafor gets between $11-13 IMO...