If no season,what team signs Howard ?

[heitingas]

Lakers (amnesty rule long or short usage LA have 67,6 million including fisher and artest, if they amnesty gasol they would be at almost 49 million so it depends how big salary cap will be)

Clippers (if deandre jordan won't sign as a FA then they could offer Gordon a big qualifying offer and get Howard too, they are in LA and staples center, rivalry with the lakers and a big market)

Nets (biggest market in NYC, if dwill stays it's appealing, or they could sign CP3 if dwill won't sign anything, then Howard goes there, they will amnesty outlaw and they could also offer brook lopez a qualifying offer and have room for humphries too-it's all possible for them)

Knicks (depends on salary cap,they could amnesty Balkman and not opt in on Toney Douglas then they are at 39 million so they got a big shot of getting either Howard or CP3, but they seem to like CP3 more, atleast Melo likes him)

Celtics (We already have a top 5 PG arguably, and the best coach among these: mike brown,del negro,avery johnson,pringles. we can't trade for CP3 in this case since he's also a FA and we surely won't use the amnesty on Rondo or Pierce)



Those 5 teams are Howard's choices as a FA, Orlando are out of the question.
It comes down to one important thing mainly, the cap size, hopefully it's a  low cap like 54 mills or less then the Celtics are probably the front runner to get Howard as we could put up a better team with vets like KG and ray on minimum contracts and not guys like juwan howard or larry hughes.

[Roy H.]

If the salary cap really does go up to $60 million (which I'm a bit skeptical of), and the reported details of the new system are accurate, I think it's got to be the Nets.

They will amnesty Travis Outlaw, and will use their "stretch" exception on either Johan Petro or Jordan Farmar.  Let's assume Petro.  Let's also assume that Deron stays put.  That means that, even after "cap holds", the team would have around $30 million to spend on free agents.

If sign-and-trades are still allowed, they can either keep Brook Lopez, or send him to another team for assets.  The most logical trade is to Orlando for Dwight Howard.  So, let's assume that that happens.  That leaves the Nets with at least $10 million to sign another free agent.  David West might be a good fit.

So, realistically, the Nets could have a core of Howard / West / ? / Morrow / Williams.  That's pretty impressive.  If you don't like West's fit, just find another PF or SF you like more, and plug him in.

[heitingas]

Great post,but what if sign and trades are not there anymore and the cap is around 54-55 million region ?

What system issues are you referring too that might help the Nets ?
If Brook stays for slightly above the QO and so on.. Where do you put the Celtics chances among these teams ? ranking wise.

[Celtics4ever]

Do you really think Allen and Ray would sign for the minimum?   I don't think they would.   I think they both think they can play.  During the lockout I hear them as proud men pussing others for a hard stance.   I don't know that KG and RA have the loyalty to us to give us that gimme.

Do you think KG will go into the HOF as a C or Timberwolf?

[heitingas]

Do you really think Allen and Ray would sign for the minimum?   I don't think they would.   I think they both think they can play.  During the lockout I hear them as proud men pussing others for a hard stance.   I don't know that KG and RA have the loyalty to us to give us that gimme.

Do you think KG will go into the HOF as a C or Timberwolf?

I hope both resigns, Ray said he will retire in Boston and he wanted to be drafted by Boston and he wore a Celtic jersey as a kid, KG who will lose 21 million this year is an uncertainty but he's already made 270 million besides endorsments so a year or so shouldn't be a problem,especially with a year off.

[Who]

New York - way out in front of the pack.

[Roy H.]

New York - way out in front of the pack.

I get the feeling that New York will grab CP3.  Howard would probably be a better fit, though.

[TA9]

I really hope that we sign Howard. That would be a good step forward after the Big 3. But if Dwight signs somewhere else, at least Roy Hibbert and JaVale McGee is still available. We should be able to sign one of them.

[snively]

I like Houston as a dark horse candidate.  Affordable, high-level veteran offensive support in Kevin Martin and Luis Scola, a very solid young PG in Kyle Lowry.  A lot of young role-player types on team options.

I don't think New York goes for him.  Nobody in the backcourt, a great free agent class for guards.  They should trade Amare and make Dwight a priority, but I don't think they will.

Lakers have no chance.  Amnesty Pau (which they'd never do), dump Odom and Bynum and they still couldn't offer a max. 

The Clippers certainly offer the most intriguing collection of young talent, but Howard will likely prefer veteran help.

I think Boston, Nets and Orlando are the three most aggressive contenders.

[diconzo]

I like Houston as a dark horse candidate.  Affordable, high-level veteran offensive support in Kevin Martin and Luis Scola, a very solid young PG in Kyle Lowry.  A lot of young role-player types on team options.

I don't think New York goes for him.  Nobody in the backcourt, a great free agent class for guards.  They should trade Amare and make Dwight a priority, but I don't think they will.

Lakers have no chance.  Amnesty Pau (which they'd never do), dump Odom and Bynum and they still couldn't offer a max. 

The Clippers certainly offer the most intriguing collection of young talent, but Howard will likely prefer veteran help.

I think Boston, Nets and Orlando are the three most aggressive contenders.

New York is definitely out. The only reason LBJ/Wade/Bosh worked is because they all signed for significantly less, which Melo and Amare didn't do. (Not their fault, NY offered too large of contracts) And Lakers have way too much committed between Kobe, Pau and Bynum if they extend him. Clippers wouldn't offer Howard a max (I'm not even convinced they will keep Griffin, Gordon and Jordan around) and Orlando needs more than one amnesty to get their salaries on track. I think it comes down to Boston, New Jersey, and any other dark horses.

[manl_lui]

I'm not sure how the amnesty works...but is there a limit of how much players you can cut?

cuz that'll be stupid if you just end up cutting half your team just to have salary cap to sign one player...

[Roy H.]

I'm not sure how the amnesty works...but is there a limit of how much players you can cut?

cuz that'll be stupid if you just end up cutting half your team just to have salary cap to sign one player...

You can only "amnesty" one player.  That's reported to remove one player's salary in its entirety from a team's salary cap.

There's also the "stretch" exception.  I haven't seen a reported limit on the number of guys you can cut with this rule.  It allows you to "stretch" cap hits over several years (twice the number of years left, plus one more year).  So, if a guy has two years left at $5 million each year, the remaining $10 million is spread over 5 years, making the cap hit $2 million (instead of $5 million) each season.

[Army_of_One_Nation]

If the Celtics don't get DH12, I hope he signs with the Shanghai Sharks.

[manl_lui]

I'm not sure how the amnesty works...but is there a limit of how much players you can cut?

cuz that'll be stupid if you just end up cutting half your team just to have salary cap to sign one player...

You can only "amnesty" one player.  That's reported to remove one player's salary in its entirety from a team's salary cap.

There's also the "stretch" exception.  I haven't seen a reported limit on the number of guys you can cut with this rule.  It allows you to "stretch" cap hits over several years (twice the number of years left, plus one more year).  So, if a guy has two years left at $5 million each year, the remaining $10 million is spread over 5 years, making the cap hit $2 million (instead of $5 million) each season.

thanks for clearing that up...so if youre able to use it once, won't that also put the Lakers back in the picture for possible destination for Howard, assuming theres no season

[heitingas]

reports about the salary cap

1st two years the cap and tax both stay at current levels, then adjusted year 3.

this means a cap of 58 million,assuming there is a season and Dwight reached free agency.