If I had more time, I would actually input every team into the whatifsports.com simulator and play it out.
Plugged the Nets in, just over 76 million payroll
Pos Player PPG RPG APG TOPG SPG BPG Salary
Clear Spot Replace Player PG 82-83 Maurice Cheeks 12.5 2.6 6.9 2.3 2.3 0.4 $5,547,898
Clear Spot Replace Player PG 76-77 Don Buse 8.0 3.3 8.5 2.9 3.5 0.2 $5,364,734
Clear Spot Replace Player SG 05-06 Richard Hamilton 20.1 3.2 3.4 2.2 0.7 0.2 $5,988,858
Clear Spot Replace Player SG 92-93 Drazen Petrovic 22.3 2.7 3.5 2.9 1.3 0.2 $5,678,184
Clear Spot Replace Player SF 83-84 Adrian Dantley 30.6 5.7 3.9 3.3 0.8 0.1 $7,894,051
Clear Spot Replace Player SF 03-04 Jim Jackson 12.9 6.1 2.8 2.2 1.1 0.3 $6,178,492
Clear Spot Replace Player SF 02-03 Bruce Bowen 7.1 2.9 1.4 0.9 0.8 0.5 $4,829,901
Clear Spot Replace Player PF 79-80 Dan Roundfield 16.5 10.3 2.3 2.9 1.2 1.7 $6,749,531
Clear Spot Replace Player PF 09-10 Pau Gasol 18.3 11.3 3.4 2.2 0.6 1.7 $6,473,563
Clear Spot Replace Player PF 78-79 George McGinnis 22.6 11.4 3.7 4.6 1.7 0.7 $6,302,113
Clear Spot Replace Player C 04-05 Amare Stoudemire 26.0 8.9 1.6 2.4 1.0 1.6 $7,978,527
Clear Spot Replace Player C 79-80 Dan Issel 23.8 8.8 2.4 2.0 1.1 0.7 $7,300,735
Totals 18.3 6.4 3.6 2.5 1.3 0.7 $76,286,587
The Chicago Bulls, in the seasons I picked, check in at $87.4M
Draft Picks: 12/12 Payroll: $87,394,785
SF 02-03 Tracy McGrady 32.1 6.5 5.5 2.6 1.7 0.8 $8,438,463
Clear Spot Replace Player SG 77-78 David Thompson 27.6 4.9 4.5 3.1 1.2 1.2 $7,701,548
Clear Spot Replace Player PF 13-14 Blake Griffin 24.1 9.5 3.9 2.8 1.2 0.6 $7,683,940
Clear Spot Replace Player C 76-77 Bob Lanier 25.6 11.6 3.3 2.6 1.1 2.0 $6,513,862
Clear Spot Replace Player PG 07-08 Deron Williams 18.8 3.0 10.5 3.4 1.1 0.3 $7,599,447
Clear Spot Replace Player PF 91-92 Larry Nance 17.0 8.3 2.9 1.1 1.0 3.0 $8,010,350
Clear Spot Replace Player C 92-93 Brad Daugherty 20.2 10.2 4.4 2.1 0.7 0.8 $7,169,405
Clear Spot Replace Player SG 96-97 Hersey Hawkins 13.9 3.9 3.0 1.6 1.9 0.1 $6,536,899
Clear Spot Replace Player SF 06-07 Tayshaun Prince 14.3 5.2 2.8 1.2 0.6 0.7 $6,924,962
Clear Spot Replace Player PG 16-17 John Wall 23.1 4.2 10.7 4.1 2.0 0.6 $7,306,597
Clear Spot Replace Player C 06-07 Marcus Camby 11.2 11.7 3.2 1.7 1.2 3.3 $6,145,544
Clear Spot Replace Player SG 80-81 Micheal Ray Richardson 16.4 6.9 7.9 3.8 2.9 0.4 $7,363,768
Totals 20.3 7.0 5.3 2.5 1.4 1.1 $87,394,785