Yes, we have the ability to create a lot of cap room next season. However, in order to get that cap room, we need to do the following:
* Let Fournier walk this off-season;
* Renounce Marcus and Richardson next year;
* Waive and stretch Horford next year
Is that our best path going forward?
Let Timelord walk as well. If we can sign Beal or Kawhi (even better), imo it would be worth it.
Why would we let TL walk unless we had to?
That's what I'm saying. We'd have to let him walk. Here are the actual numbers.
Assuming that:
- The C's decline their 2022/23 team options for Grant and Edwards.
- We let Smart, JRich, Timelord, Grant and Edwards walk.
- We stash our 2022 pick or we trade it.
Payroll in 2022/231. Tatum $30,351,780
2. Brown $26,669,643
3. Romeo $5,634,257
4. Nesmith $3,804,360
5. Pritchard $2,239,200
6. rookie minimum $953,012
7. rookie minimum $953,012
8. rookie minimum $953,012
9. rookie minimum $953,012
10. rookie minimum $953,012
11. rookie minimum $953,012
12. rookie minimum $953,012
dead salary
Horford $4,833,333 (waived and stretched for 3 seasons)
Jackson $92,857
total: $80,296,514
The cap is projected at $115,787,000, hence we'd have $35,490,486 in cap space.
Beal's max will start at $40,525,450 (=35% of the cap). In the above scenario, we'd be $5,034,964 short of Beal's max. If we dump Horford for cap relief instead of cutting him, we'd be $201,631 short of Beal's max. Alternatively, if we trade Romeo for cap relief + future pick(s), we'd be $353,719 short of Beal's max. Long story short, we cannot keep Timelord.