MLE: Can you split it and use part of the split on the allocated rookie contract

[KGamblePreBigContract]

Sorry if this is a 'stupid' question:

As we know, the Mid Level Exception (MLE) was split and used on House and Posey.

My question: Can the MLE be split and part of the split used to cover the amount allocated to a rookie?

Specifically, could Ainge offer Posey a million less and use that free million to sign Giddens?  Is that what is holding up the Giddens signing, Ainge leaving out the possibility if Posey doesn't sign for the full MLE, or if we loose Posey, then he will use part of the MLE on the rookie contract? 

Or is the MLE only for veterans?

[Roy Hobbs]

Teams can go over the salary cap to sign their first-rounders to a "scale" contract, so there's no need to use the MLE on them.  Each draft slot has a slotted salary, and teams can pay as little as 80% or as much as 120% of that number.

For second rounders, you can use the MLE to sign them.  Second rounders can be signed to two-year deals using the minimum salary exception or the LLE.  However, if you want to offer a three year deal to a second rounder, you need to use the MLE (unless you're under the salary cap).

[KGamblePreBigContract]

So does it make sense that Ainge is holding off on the rookie contracts so that he optimizes the pre-luxury tax salary cap, knowing he can then bring in the rookie contracts once everyone else is lined up. 

I.e. - From what I understand about Bird rights, teams have to renounce a player or keep their salary plus a % on the books so that they can't scam the system and sign a bird rights player once the pre-luxury tax salary cap has been filled.

Is this the same way teams can 'scam' with rookie contracts - i.e. if he signed Giddens today, would Giddens count towards the salary cap - but if Ainge waits to sign him till the pre-luxury tax cap is filled, then Giddens contract can be signed so that the pre-luxury cap was optimized?  I know we are only talking about a million dollars here.

I guess, everything I just asked, is irrelevant, if the Celtics already are over the cap.

But hypothetically, could a team under the cap wait on signing their rookie class till they've maxed out their salary cap so that they can optimize it.  Does it matter, do rookie contracts over the cap count toward the same penalty as any other contract over the salary cap?

[Roy Hobbs]

But hypothetically, could a team under the cap wait on signing their rookie class till they've maxed out their salary cap so that they can optimize it.  Does it matter, do rookie contracts over the cap count toward the same penalty as any other contract over the salary cap?

In terms of the salary cap, rookie deals have a cap hold at 100% of the scale amount, as soon as they're drafted.  If the player is then signed for  a different figure in the 80% - 120% range, the cap implications are then readjusted.

So, yes, it would be possible to hold off on signing, say, a 120% scale contract to give yourself more cap space.  So long as your intention to sign the rookie to the greater amount wasn't disclosed, you could have a small bit of additional cap space.