Do we actually have cap space?

[LarBrd33]

Say we let Bradley walk...

is cap space at all a possibility?

63.2 mil salary cap next season.

Rondo - 13 mil
Green - 9.2 mil
Wallace - 10.1 mil
Bass - 7 mil
Joel Anthony - 4 mil
Kelly - 2.1 mil
Sully - 1.5 mil
#6ish pick - 3 mil
#17 pick - 1.4 mil

Total = 51.3 mil

Am I missing something?  Isn't that about 12 million in cap space?

Then if we used that stretch provision on Wallace (where we spread out his remaining 2 years 20 mil over 5 years... ) wouldn't his cap hit go from 10 mil to 4 mil... Leaving 18 mil in cap space to offer up to a Melo (or whoever)?

I must be missing something here.  Someone check my  math.

[beantownboy171]

Hrmm, i know one thing your missing is that there is a cap-hold for every roster spot you leave empty (below 12 players i believe.) That cap hold is league minimum salary.

I can't say whether the rest of your calculations are correct. Im not sure.

[Lucky17]

Cap hold for Humphries until he resigns, signs elsewhere, or is renounced.

Cap hold for the TPE until it is used or evaporates.

Cap hold until Anthony formally accepts his player option.

Faverani's salary is guaranteed.

http://data.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/celtics.jsp

[LarBrd33]

Cap hold for Humphries until he resigns, signs elsewhere, or is renounced.

Cap hold for the TPE until it is used or evaporates.

Cap hold until Anthony formally accepts his player option.

Faverani's salary is guaranteed.

http://data.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/celtics.jsp

I added Joel Anthony.  The humph thing is irrelevant since we can just renounce him.   I missed Fav... what's he?  2 mil?

So are we looking at 10 mil in cap space/16 mil in cap space if we restructure Wallace's contract?

[LooseCannon]

As I've pointed out in the past, the Celtics can easily manufacture more cap space if absolutely necessary by sending out draft considerations to a team with cap space if they take on contracts such as the expiring deals of Brandon Bass and Joel Anthony.

If a team like the Knicks would rather have that draft pick than lose a free agent for nothing, that's the condition for negotiating a sign-and-trade, which would allow the Celtics to not have to renounce Bradley or any other free agent.

If Carmelo Anthony wants to be a Celtic and Danny Ainge is willing to give him $20+ million, it's not impossible.

[saltlover]

You forgot cap holds for each player we are short of 12 players, at $500k per player.

The issue is that the amount of cap space we'll have is pretty near the value of the TPE.  It's not difficult to get a S&T worked out for a $10 million free agent -- probably doesn't cost more than a 2nd round pick when you're not sending any salary back.  And once you're talking Melo territory, you're probably going to need to do some significant trading to clear the room or just involve NY (although Jeff Green plus all of our non-guaranteed deals work to match salary, so then it's a matter of picks).

Melo is certainly possible.  I just think that if he winds up somewhere other than NY, a sign-and-trade will be involved, unless Sam Hinkie is a mad genius and sells him on Philly.

[Celtics4ever]

I hope we use the trade exemption somehow.

[McHales Pits]

Zero chance Wallace's contract gets stretched. Wouldn't you rather just bite the bullet and get rid of him next year when he is an expiring contract as opposed to having a mid-level equivalent salary on the books for the next four seasons? Bass, Anthony, and the trade exception are our big salary pieces to move this offseason.

[slamtheking]

as others mentioned, the PE is still on the books.  stretching Wallace doesn't make any sense.  this team is more than 1 mediocre FA away from improving.  getting an extra $6 mill and renouncing the TE (accounting for Fav and the cap holds get you what, about $12 mill maybe.  not getting a difference maker for that kind of money. 

just sit tight for one more year of accruing assets.  next year we'll be looking much better.
- Bass expires
- Anthony expires
- Green and Wallace are now in their last years and are expiring deals.  much more palatable to other teams looking to unload an unhappy all-star and clear salary.
- Sully and KO are 1 year better as players and improved assets
- #5 & #17 draft picks should be promising players and draft assets
- C's back in lottery with their own pick and have the Clips pick which may turn out much better than expected pre-Sterling mess
- Pressey may play himself into a decent backup PG or trade asset
- Fav's contract is only guaranteed through next year.  trade asset next year similar to Bogans this year.  either that or he shows he can play and becomes a decent backup center

[LooseCannon]

Zero chance Wallace's contract gets stretched.

I can see him being stretched in a scenario where the Celtics want to retain Avery Bradley while creating cap space to sign a major free agent.

[Roy H.]

Zero chance Wallace's contract gets stretched. Wouldn't you rather just bite the bullet and get rid of him next year when he is an expiring contract as opposed to having a mid-level equivalent salary on the books for the next four seasons?

Unfortunately, Wallace's contract won't be an expiring one next year.  We've got that albatross on our books until 2015/16.  There's almost zero chance we'll be able to move him next season, and I think the "expiring contract" thing has become a little overrated as a trading chip.

[saltlover]

Zero chance Wallace's contract gets stretched.

I can see him being stretched in a scenario where the Celtics want to retain Avery Bradley while creating cap space to sign a major free agent.

I can't.  In this hypothetical scenario started by the OP, Bradley isn't re-signed, and we only have $10-$12 million.  If Bradley is re-signed,  say at $5 million for year 1, which would at least not cause some members of this board to riot (even if I think it's low), then you're at $5-7 million cap room (probably $6 million when you account for cap holds).  So then you waive Wallace, and you're at $12 million.  The TPE is $10 million.  What player are you going to get for $12 million who is so much better than the player you could get for $10 million that's it's worth having $4 million in dead money on the books for the next four seasons after this one?  Furthermore, Bogans+Pressey+Johnson+Babb can bring you back $11.75 million in salary if all packaged together, which is pretty much where we'd be with the cap room.  Yes, you'd have to do a sign-and-trade, but those generally aren't hard if you're not getting a franchise player and you're making the other team take on zero dollars of guaranteed salary.  Might cost us two second round picks.  That's a fine price to pay when the alternative is having that much deadweight on your cap for such a long period.

[kozlodoev]

I think the "expiring contract" thing has become a little overrated as a trading chip.

Blame the amnesty provision.

[McHales Pits]

Hasn't the amnesty provision run it's course by now though? There are only a few players left that can actually be amnestied...

[McHales Pits]

Zero chance Wallace's contract gets stretched. Wouldn't you rather just bite the bullet and get rid of him next year when he is an expiring contract as opposed to having a mid-level equivalent salary on the books for the next four seasons?

Unfortunately, Wallace's contract won't be an expiring one next year.  We've got that albatross on our books until 2015/16.  There's almost zero chance we'll be able to move him next season, and I think the "expiring contract" thing has become a little overrated as a trading chip.

We acquired Wallace one year into his 4/40 contract leaving 3/30 to go. After this season, he now has 2/20 to go. After this next season, he will be an expiring contract.