Just trying to follow along. We started with 14 roster slots signed plus (3) 2-way slots.
BOS subtracted:
Simons, Boucher, Minott, and Tillman (-4)
Added:
Vucevic, Williams (+2)
I believe that this gets BOS to exactly $842,292 under the tax with 12 roster players, correct? Harper could get elevated, and assuming his salary hit would be the same as Williams ($490,128), that gets to $352,164 under with 13 contracts. Is there any realistic way that the 14th slot could be filled and stay under the tax threshold? I guess waiting the full 2 weeks for both Harper and whoever ends up being #14 would reduce the prorated portion some, is that enough to do it?
I believe that the tax line is $187,895,000. The first apron is $195,955,000. We probably have to stay below the First Apron if we sign someone's buyout, but we are not restricted based on what they earned before, correct? So we could go after a bigger name buy out (assuming they accept a prorated min contract) but that would put us back over the tax for sure. It seems to me that we end up back over the tax no matter what. I don't see that as the end of the world (to be a tax payer this season) as unless we can go back under sometime in the next couple of seasons, BOS is still a repeater, I believe.
Harper has multiple seasons of NBA experience, so he would count for the prorated two year vet minimum.
Do you know what that means in terms of a specific number for this season? Is it more or less that the hit of $490,128 for Amari Williams? It would be a hair more, correct?
It's more. Closer to $800k+
Yeah. I think they will be able to sign him for the last day of the regular season to make him playoff eligible, but the Celtics are going to be that close to the tax line even that it is not a given.
My guess is that Zarren and company have this worked out to the dollar and we'll definitely fit beneath the tax. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been sending out as much cash as we did. And I think your instincts are correct about Harper.
