QUOTE Thank you for posting this!
I have two questions if you'll humor me.
First, if the Lakers pick conveys at 3 and we select a player instead of trading the pick, how difficult does that make it to retain say, Smart and Baynes?
Second, if Smart takes the QO, how much does that change the space for us in those two scenarios (with pick and without)?
Also as a comment in general about the roster make-up, If anyone is suggesting we trade Rozier for a draft pick in this upcoming draft, should we also be talking about how much more leverage that gives Smart in free agency right after? I'm not sure how much that matters but I think the order of operations is unfriendly to keeping them both. QUOTE
Of course getting and keeping the 3rd pick does mean fewer players are returning from this years's team - but that would be a great challenge to have. Chances of Lakers pick conveying is very very small.
The #3 pick slotted salary is 6.5 mil. Baynes, Monroe, Smart, and Larkin are not under contract next year. If Morris is deemed redundant with Gordon coming back, he could be in play as well.
If we take Larkin and Monroe out of the picture, C's are still about 2.5 mill over lux tax threshold if they want to keep Morris, and Smart comes back at very low qualifying offer of 6.1 (unrealistic that he comes back for this low amount??) and Baynes signs for a 120% raise: 5.2 mill (too low as well?). One of this three would have to go to keep under lux tax if you are keeping the #3 pick. If say Morris were traded with no money coming back then C's could offer Smart a little more (on a 1 year contract?) or C's could offer Baynes more using some of the 8.6 mil MLE.
I think Smart's bargining power stems from what other teams are willing to offer him. Not sure how Rozier's presence or not affects how other teams value Smart. Just my opinion. Should be an interesting off season.
