Yi to Wiz in salary dump

[Jeff]

I don't think that those teams are going to be "major players" at all.  But I do think that cap room is very valuable for more reasons than just signing big name free agents.  Unbalanced trades is just one example.

Look at what Presti is doing in OKC, picking up picks for free and building a solid core of young talent.  I think that is what Washington would like to do (but I don't think they are doing it as well and I know Minn. isn't doing it as well).

[Jeff]

P.S. if Ainge can hold Paul and Ray to short term deals, he'll be looking at the same kind of flexibility in 2012 and beyond, which could be critical in the time following the new CBA

[Mr October]

Nets just starting over with a blank slate?  

Don't think New Jersey is likely to be successful in attracting free agents, but they (along with teams like Sacramento and Minnesota) may be positioning themselves to be big players in the trade market.  They could either pick up overpriced talent for essentially nothing, or pick up some extra draft picks and young pieces for helping facilitate other teams' trades.  If Golden State REALLY needed to get rid of Monta Ellis to shore up their profitability, New Jersey could take him on without having to send back any salary.

Wondering if some of these guys might try and hold onto that space through next years' trade deadline.

Planning for next year seams like a good business plan. Overpay guys on 1 year contracts, while still building your core of young talent and draft picks. -- unlike say Detroit who ran out last summer and blew that cash on Ben and Charlie and locked themselves into indefinitely lottery land.

[blackbird]

I don't see it as a salary dump. The Nets just made their team better.

Well he did average 14 and 8 last year.  He isnt great but he is a decent player.

I commented during one of the games last year that he was the worst defensive player I'd seen in a long time. Pretty sure that it wasn't during the game that they beat us since I was busy clawing out my eyeballs.

[acieEarl]

Some team is really gonna get burned this off season. or some teams, plural...

There's going to be 1 big free agent winner, followed by 1 ok winnner, followed by 2 really disappointed teams and fan bases.

Ironically the 2 NY are based teams are the ones falling on the outside right now.

If the Knicks sign Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire to big contracts, they can say a big hello to 3-5 years of .500 basketball.

Who'd be left for the Nets? Rudy Gay and David Lee? Wow, no thanks. That team would be lucky to win 35 games.

For this reason, a bunch of teams losing out on the big names, might throw a better offer at Pierce and or Allen then the Celts. Allen is the true professional and teams might want his shot and presence in the locker room.

[slamtheking]

P.S. if Ainge can hold Paul and Ray to short term deals, he'll be looking at the same kind of flexibility in 2012 and beyond, which could be critical in the time following the new CBA

that's an interesting take on what Danny might do.  OKC seems to be setting the standard at that practice this year.  of course once Durant, Westbrook and Green come up for new deals, that will change but OKC will be a dynamite team at that point with all that solid young talent.

If Danny is trying to go that route, I'm not so sure 2012 is the time he'll be able to do so unless he unloads everyone.  Ray (if sensibly resigned for 2 years) retires then, KG would need to either retire or be traded, PP would have to have had just a one year extension added to his current deal (then retire, be traded or sit in contract limbo to be resigned after everyone else is signed but we'd be stuck with his contract held on the cap) and BBD would be looking for a new home----then Danny would be a real player in free agency or as a trading partner picking up lots of talented youth and draft picks with potentially just Rondo, Perk, Bradley, next year's #1 under contract.  They probably won't contend that year (or the next) but would quite possibly have a future that looks as bright as OKC's does right now.

[Mr October]

Some team is really gonna get burned this off season. or some teams, plural...

There's going to be 1 big free agent winner, followed by 1 ok winnner, followed by 2 really disappointed teams and fan bases.

Ironically the 2 NY are based teams are the ones falling on the outside right now.

If the Knicks sign Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire to big contracts, they can say a big hello to 3-5 years of .500 basketball.

Who'd be left for the Nets? Rudy Gay and David Lee? Wow, no thanks. That team would be lucky to win 35 games.

For this reason, a bunch of teams losing out on the big names, might throw a better offer at Pierce and or Allen then the Celts. Allen is the true professional and teams might want his shot and presence in the locker room.

I think Ray wants to win, and I don't think those disappointed fan bases will be happy to see all the teams promise and future thown at a couple of guys who only have 1 or 2 good years left in them. But its gonna be a very interesting summer across the NBA, unlike any other.

[The Walker Wiggle]

I don't see it as a salary dump. The Nets just made their team better.

I disagree, particularly if the move only clears the way for New Jersey to badly overpay a second tier talent (Rudy Gay?) or a third tier talent (Carlos Boozer?).

Yi hasn't developed the strength, focus, or defensive wherewithal to be a good starting option, but then neither has the moodier, injured, Andray Blatche. And he's easy to love as a stretch 4 off the bench who has an inordinate, impact on a franchise's bottom line (the value of which shouldn't be understated in the face of declining revenues...).

[LarBrd33]

I'm trying to figure out what Jersey's plan is...


So they have this under contract?

Devin Harris - 8.9 mil
Humphries - 3.2 mil
Lopez - 2.4 mil
T. Williams - 2.2 mil
Courtney Lee - 1.3 mil
Dooling - .5
Q. Ross - 1.1 mil

That adds up to:  19.6 million...

But they also drafted
#3 - D. Favors (guessing 4 mil based on last year)
#24 - D. Jones (guessing 1.1 mil based on last year)

Now we're looking at:  24.7 mil...   If the Cap is set at 54 they have around 29.3 mil... which really isn't enough to bring in two max contracts at 16 mil each...

I'm just going to go with the rumor about World Wide Wes telling the Knicks and Nets to trade for Chris Paul and it will bring in LeBron.   How do the Nets trade for Chris Paul?... gotta give back the Hornets cap room (take on the *bad* Okafor contract signed on forever), a replacement star guard, picks and young talent... I'd guess.

So...

Nets trade:
PG - D Harris -  8.9 mil (solid starter)
PF - D Favors - 4 mil  (#3 pick this year)
SF - Damion James - 1.1 mil (#24 pick this year)
the expiring contracts of:
K Humphries - 3.3 mil
T Williams - 2.2 mil
K Dooling - .5 mil
Q Ross - 1.1
C Lee - 1.3
... and probably a couple future 1st rounders

Total = 22.5 million

FOR:
PG - Chris Paul - 14.9 million
PF/C - Emeka Okafor - 11.5 million

Total = 26.4 million


Hornets save 4 million this year, but also another 8.4 in expiring contracts (get rid of Okafor's horrible contract)... They also get a ton of talent in return for Chris Paul... Harris, Favors and James... C Lee also if they decide to keep him...
That leaves the nets with:

PG - Chris Paul - 14.9 Million
SG - ?
SF - ?
PF - Emeka Okafor - 11.5 Million
C - Brook Lopez - 2.4 mil

Total = 28.8 million


If the cap is set at 54 that leaves them with 25.2 million in cap room.  You give LeBron his 16 mil and then have 9.2 million left over... maybe they go after Ray Allen or Rudy Gay with that... or split it to a couple guys.

PG - Chris Paul
SG - Ray Allen or Rudy Gay
SF - LeBron James
PF - Emeka Okafor
C - Brook Lopez

... sign a bunch of bums with the vet minimum to fill out the bench.


Lol ... win the title in 1 year minimum... 5 years maximum

[greg683x]

P.S. if Ainge can hold Paul and Ray to short term deals, he'll be looking at the same kind of flexibility in 2012 and beyond, which could be critical in the time following the new CBA

that's an interesting take on what Danny might do.  OKC seems to be setting the standard at that practice this year.  of course once Durant, Westbrook and Green come up for new deals, that will change but OKC will be a dynamite team at that point with all that solid young talent.

If Danny is trying to go that route, I'm not so sure 2012 is the time he'll be able to do so unless he unloads everyone.  Ray (if sensibly resigned for 2 years) retires then, KG would need to either retire or be traded, PP would have to have had just a one year extension added to his current deal (then retire, be traded or sit in contract limbo to be resigned after everyone else is signed but we'd be stuck with his contract held on the cap) and BBD would be looking for a new home----then Danny would be a real player in free agency or as a trading partner picking up lots of talented youth and draft picks with potentially just Rondo, Perk, Bradley, next year's #1 under contract.  They probably won't contend that year (or the next) but would quite possibly have a future that looks as bright as OKC's does right now.

Only problem with this whole plan to begin with is why would Pierce opt out of one year 21 million just to sign a two year contract??  Even if we paid him like 2 years 42 million, if the players really are preparing for a lockout, he knows hes only gonna see half of that money, so he'd be basically right back to where he was before he opted out.