saltlover, does this set a cost for taking salary at all? I think it might.
Yesterday, we were talking about the Kings absorbing Anderson's salary of 40 million over the next two years. You contended that the cost would be two 1sts. I thought one 1st might get it done.
Here, the Hawks not only got Melo and his 27 million over 1 year, but they also had to trade away talent (Schroeder, although he probably wasn't a huge plus), and they only got a lottery protected 1st in 2022. And Melo will never even play for them, unlike Anderson.
I guess I'd argue from this that the cost to deal away that much salary is still only one 1st round pick (and maybe even a protected one), especially if that player can be a useful player for the team receiving him.