Important Question for Future

[dvdbumpus]

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

I'd rather give Brand 11-13 mil a year, resign Felton, then draft another big. Just my opinion.

I'd love to resign Okafor but I don't know about the cost.

Another thing of note is with Morrison coming back, as well as possibly May, it will be like gaining 2 more 1st round picks, or at least the quality of a first (morrison) and 2nd (May). We'll have 3 upgrades over this years players with Morrison upgrading over DA, May an upgrade over Othella, and the draft pick/Boykins upgrading over Mcinnis. If nothing else we'll much improve the bench.

[davcbow]

Agreed next season if May and Morrison can play again plus our draft picks or with draft night trades included we should be awesome next season maybe even give Orlando a run for the division title.

[TheBeagle]

I'd rather give Brand 11-13 mil a year, resign Felton, then draft another big. Just my opinion.

I'd love to resign Okafor but I don't know about the cost.

Another thing of note is with Morrison coming back, as well as possibly May, it will be like gaining 2 more 1st round picks, or at least the quality of a first (morrison) and 2nd (May). We'll have 3 upgrades over this years players with Morrison upgrading over DA, May an upgrade over Othella, and the draft pick/Boykins upgrading over Mcinnis. If nothing else we'll much improve the bench.

Agreed next season if May and Morrison can play again plus our draft picks or with draft night trades included we should be awesome next season maybe even give Orlando a run for the division title.

Absolutely agree with all the above. If we can get Brand for 13M, get that deal done!! Mek deserves no more than 11.5M, though I suspect management will still offer him the 13M that was offered before the season. Brand would just make Raymond (who should most definitely be re-signed!!) that much better of a PG; imagine having a post player who has a feel for low post offense and doesn't travel 4 times a game because of pivot foot issues.

The point about May and Morrison is so very true; it is like adding two additional picks, and I have to imagine it only helps our chances to, as dw points out, compete for the division next year!!!! Still say we draft big this year, and look for an MLE PG in FA (is that enough letters for you? )

[dvdbumpus]

Think we should keep Boykins? Or should we make a run after Chris Duhon? I personally would take a shot at both.

Here are some other options:

Tyronn Lue
Carlos Arroyo
Anthony Johnson
Jason Hart


Personally, I'd take Duhon, then Hart, then Lue.

[MattD]

you guys need to chill... we have tons of room. Lets just look. Right now we have roughly 53 mill under contract (including BK buyout).

Next year we lose Hollins, Boykins, Othella, McInnis (already cut but we still pay), Anderson and most importantly, MEK.

That brings our under contract to around 40 Mill. 12.222 jrich, 8 for gerald, 4.8 for matt, 6 for nazr etc. We can option Ammo (which I think we did) so 44.

Ok 44 million, we have to resign mek, add Jamison, and add some glue bench warmers.

Mek goes for 10 mill lets say. (I think that is as high as I would go but if he turns it down I would let him test the market, its not a happy one this summer)

54 Mill. Mid level for Antawn, 3 year approx 20 mill, I would be good with. Now that puts us around 60. Veterans min for anderson, and if we could swing it Boykins again, would set us up with 13 players under contract, and then our draft picks would put us at 15.

rounded out roster that is very solid and doesnt touch the luxury tax level. Probably around 63-65 mill. That would still put us in the bottom third of the nba salary wise.

Pretty solid too. If jamison doesnt go for the exception, could we offer him before Mek and then resign mek with bird rights? Just a question.

[spectre]

Pretty solid too. If jamison doesnt go for the exception, could we offer him before Mek and then resign mek with bird rights? Just a question.

Nope...capholds. It's a multiplier of his last season's salary (or his QO...not sure which; think it's QA for RFAs) and it will count against our cap until his situation is resolved. NBA pretty much forces you to deal with your FAs first.

[dnbman]

Pretty solid too. If jamison doesnt go for the exception, could we offer him before Mek and then resign mek with bird rights? Just a question.

Nope...capholds. It's a multiplier of his last season's salary (or his QO...not sure which; think it's QA for RFAs) and it will count against our cap until his situation is resolved. NBA pretty much forces you to deal with your FAs first.

Although, the hold would be $7-8 million, or something like that.

[tamburello]

Pretty solid too. If jamison doesnt go for the exception, could we offer him before Mek and then resign mek with bird rights? Just a question.

Nope...capholds. It's a multiplier of his last season's salary (or his QO...not sure which; think it's QA for RFAs) and it will count against our cap until his situation is resolved. NBA pretty much forces you to deal with your FAs first.

Although, the hold would be $7-8 million, or something like that.

No. It's about $13-14 million. That's why I'm continually saying that don't be so hopeful about the free agency this summer although it looks like we have huge cap room. We don't, indeed. Please take a look at what the rule book says for Okafor's situation:

Kind of free agent: Larry Bird, following the fourth season of his rookie scale contract
Previous salary: At least the average salary
Free agent amount: 250% of his previous salary*

* Not to exceed the player's maximum salary, based on years of service. If the difference in salary between the last two seasons of the player's contract exceeded $4 million, then the percentage is based on the average salary in the last two seasons of the contract.

So, what is maximum salary for a 4 year player?
Years in NBA: 4
Defined maximum salary: $9,000,000 or 25% of cap**
2005-06: $12,000,000
2006-07: $12,455,000
2007-08: $13,041,250
**whichever is greater.

Okafor is earning $5,427,306 this season. 250% of it is $13,568,265. It's exceeding the maximum salary, so Okafor will count $13,041,250 against the cap when he'll turn a free agent.

Holybook for a modest NBA fan: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm

[MattD]

interesting stuff... while I still think Jamison will pull the trigger on the MLE, we will have to see. Maybe a championship contender will pick him up.

[dnbman]

Pretty solid too. If jamison doesnt go for the exception, could we offer him before Mek and then resign mek with bird rights? Just a question.

Nope...capholds. It's a multiplier of his last season's salary (or his QO...not sure which; think it's QA for RFAs) and it will count against our cap until his situation is resolved. NBA pretty much forces you to deal with your FAs first.

Although, the hold would be $7-8 million, or something like that.

No. It's about $13-14 million. That's why I'm continually saying that don't be so hopeful about the free agency this summer although it looks like we have huge cap room. We don't, indeed. Please take a look at what the rule book says for Okafor's situation:

Kind of free agent: Larry Bird, following the fourth season of his rookie scale contract
Previous salary: At least the average salary
Free agent amount: 250% of his previous salary*

* Not to exceed the player's maximum salary, based on years of service. If the difference in salary between the last two seasons of the player's contract exceeded $4 million, then the percentage is based on the average salary in the last two seasons of the contract.

So, what is maximum salary for a 4 year player?
Years in NBA: 4
Defined maximum salary: $9,000,000 or 25% of cap**
2005-06: $12,000,000
2006-07: $12,455,000
2007-08: $13,041,250
**whichever is greater.

Okafor is earning $5,427,306 this season. 250% of it is $13,568,265. It's exceeding the maximum salary, so Okafor will count $13,041,250 against the cap when he'll turn a free agent.

Holybook for a modest NBA fan: http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm

Oh, man! I'm very familiar with the site and how the deal works. I just never realized there was that fourth year bar. I just looked at the first one after the rookie contract.

Man... 250%!? that hurts a bit.