like i pointed out before, your way of looking at it would mean that we should look at Scals salary as being doubled because he is not part of the core even though we signed him 3 years ago. I mean, was the plan to not be competing in 2008 when we signed Scals?
Yes, you're finally catching on. Scal makes about $3M this year and $3.5M next year. If we trade him for an expiring contract before the deadline we save $7M next year. If we trade TA for an expirer before the deadline we save $5M from his $2.5M. If we trade Sam for a player who makes $1.5M in 09-10 that costs us $3M. Get it? Saying that Tony's contract counts as double and not Scals because of the order they were signed in is crazy. They're both seen as the same. If we're over the cap WITHOUT Posey then if he's on the books for $13M over the last 2 years of his contract he's costing is $26M whether it improves your argument or not.
If, for some reason, you disagree with this, explain how I'm wrong. Explain how TA's contract counts as double and Scal's contract doesn't. Explain how the distinction either changes the amount the Celts pay this year and/or next in salaries and tax, or explain how calling one "double" and not the other changes the amount the Celts have to pay in luxury tax if they get rid of one of them as opposed to the other. If you don't see anything wrong with my logic, admit that the argument that you keep using about my not being able to choose which salary to double makes no sense at all.
In effect, if you think that Posey will be a good player for the next 1.5 years or so then, unless Danny breaks up the team for a complete rebuild, we'd be paying $50M for him for those 2 good years and 2 years where, as you put it, it would be Bill Walker's turn to try and guard those wing players. Even if there's no tax in years 3 and 4 it's still $37M.
Then take a look at all of those "lopsided: trades that I listed. Figure out how much money the team trading away the more talented players is saving and compare it to the $26M you wanted Ainge to pay Posey beyond the time he thought James would be worth the money. If you then consider that a) we could win the title without Posey and b) we could lose the title with him on the roster, then you might come to the conclusion that maybe Ainge made the right choice after all. Maybe you'll understand why other teams weren't fighting with NO to sign Posey.
Or, more likely, you'll continue to insist that the money doesn't really matter and any chance to improve our odds is worth any amount of money.