Right. But my overall point is that West comes here knowing that 9 times out of 10 he's not going to be in the game in the closing minutes of a close one. Moreover, come playoff time, both Rondo and Allen could be looking at 40 mpg, leaving him only about 16 mpg even if he backs up both spots.
It'd be one thing if he were playing for the Knicks, but he'd be walking away from a team that almost beat the champion Celtics last year to be a backup on a team with two very good guards who will demand a lot of minutes. I'd love for him to do it; I'm just not sure I'd count on him wanting to come even if the C's do throw midlevel money at him.
You are probably right about that, Jon. Overall, it's probably a better situation for him in Cleveland, even with the fact that Gibson's minutes will increase this year and the Cavs just committed to five years with him.
If I was DW, though, I would also be wary of signing a 5-year offer sheet with anybody, because I would not want to be stuck in Cleveland from 2010-2013 if Lebron hits the road.
You guys really have to keep in mind that Cleveland is severely over the cap, at $80M, which doesn't include Gibson's extension. They would do exactly like we did if they had the Posey situation. Fact is, they won't pay Delonte big money just to be a little closer to the championship, while tying up their future flexibility and paying a HUGE luxury tax this year. They would be much better off signing a cheap guy like House.
Good point. Maybe they're looking at Gibson taking over West's role, and just looking for somebody to take over Gibson's role from late last year - 3 point shooting off the bench. Maybe. But, see below.
As for Delonte's value - I don't think it's the full MLE, not at all. I'm thinking a salary starting somewhere between $2.5 and 3.5 mil per year is fair for him. But I think Cleveland would probably match despite the fact their payroll will increase to probably about $87 mil (estimating $3 mil contracts for both Delonte and Gibson). Delonte's QO is 2.75 mil, and Cleveland already offered that, so for this year, something around that level will probably not make them stop.
Plus, Cleveland has a problem this year, but doesn't have the long term cap constraints we have - they have about $29 mil in expiring contracts this year and their salary drops to about 57 mil next year (estimating Gibson's deal starts at 3 mil/year). The following year, the only players under contract in Cleveland are Lebron (player option), JJ Hickson (team option) and Daniel Gibson (plus probably 1-2 draft picks at about $1.2 mil salaries).
So they have plenty of cap space after this season; since they've already offered West $2.75 mil for this year, future years at relatively short money shouldn't be a major concern. They will still have space to max out Lebron in 2010 AND offer a max contract to another player. That's got to be their real hope, right? That Amare or Bosh or somebody agrees to come in and join Lebron? They'd probably have to renounce all of Z, Ben Wallace, Sasha and Varejao to do it, but it could be the incentive it takes to keep Lebron from fleeing to Brooklyn or NY.
They would have to fill out the roster with vet. min. players, but maybe Ilgauskas would come back for a couple years at the minimum - a lineup of West, Gibson, Lebron, Bosh/Amare and Ilgauskas, with Hickson and three other first rounders might be a good start, and enough to get a lot of guys to be willing to take minimum contracts.
So while a 5 year, $17.4 million contract (starting at 3 mil with 8% annual raises) for West may cost Cleveland $3 mil extra in luxury tax dollars in 08-09, that still makes it 5 years, $20.4 million. That same offer would cost us an extra $3 in 08-09, $3.24 in 09-10, possibly/probably $3.48 in 10-11, maybe $3.72 in 11-12. So that becomes a much more expensive 5 years and $23.64, $27.12 or even $30.84 million contract for us. To me, considering the Cavs have already invested so much in this year, it actually makes more sense to sign a young guy like Delonte for that kind of money than to let him walk to save $6 mil. Of course, maybe at this point they're just hoping somebody signs him to an offer sheet so they don't have to pay that $5.5 mil ($2.75 QO with luxury tax) to Delonte next year.
Sorry to go so in depth on the Cavs. Back to the Cs. That long term deal makes a little less sense. BUT, I do like what Delonte would bring to us a lot. I think if he did come here, we'd be set at the 1 and 2 spot, and would only have to really address the backup center spot. Like Jon said, go with a Giddens/Walker combo to back up the 3, maybe throw Miles a vet min. contract.
