Will Gerald Wallace's contract keep us from signing a third star if we get Love?

[Jailan34]

I as most Celtic fans think Love would be a great fit on this team especially running the pick and roll or pick and pop with RR. However, I'm a little confused how we fill our other needs and stay under the cap once we trade for him.

We would still need a rim protector and a third "star" player. We also would need to dump a considerable amount of salary to do this. Any thoughts on how or who would be our best trade partners to do so?

[GreenWarrior]

I as most Celtic fans think Love would be a great fit on this team especially running the pick and roll or pick and pop with RR. However, I'm a little confused how we fill our other needs and stay under the cap once we trade for him.

We would still need a rim protector and a third "star" player. We also would need to dump a considerable amount of salary to do this. Any thoughts on how or who would be our best trade partners to do so?

Wallace will likely be here till at least the last yr. of his contract. no team is taking him on right now.

so we likely won't be able to get that 3rd star in this upcoming season if we were to get love.

[Roy H.]

There's no way we're going to be able to trade Wallace's contract this year, unfortunately.

The most realistic way to add quality players would probably be to acquire Asik with our trade exception, and maybe absorb Kevin Martin's contract in the Love deal.

Asik
Love / KO
Green
Martin / Bradley
Rondo

It's not a contender, but it's probably the best we could do in terms of a one-year makeover.  We'd then have the MLE  to add an additional player (or multiple cheaper players).  We could also re-sign Humphries with Bird rights.

No idea how close that would take us to the tax line.

[timpiker]

I'd love to have Love on our team.  I don't think this move makes us a title contender, it will take many more - rim protector and stud crunch time scorer.

Wallace's contract has nothing to do with anything.  The owners will go over the cap IF THEY THINK WE ARE A CONTENDER.

[Jailan34]

I'd love to have Love on our team.  I don't think this move makes us a title contender, it will take many more - rim protector and stud crunch time scorer.

Wallace's contract has nothing to do with anything.  The owners will go over the cap IF THEY THINK WE ARE A CONTENDER.

I also think they will go over the cap if necessary, but I don't think we can say that 10 mil in dead cap space means nothing. It's going to be a tough problem for DA to work around.

[knuckleballer]

I'm still amazed at how fast Wallace's talents eroded.  He went from being a very good all around player to being totally cooked seemingly overnight.  I can't recall another player losing their ability so suddenly without a significant injury.

[saltlover]

No, Wallace's contract is not the issue for "signing" a third star.  Star players command max or near max deals in free agency.  To sign three outright in free agency, you'd have to have no more than about $8 million in salary and cap holds, which includes draft picks and unused roster spots.  If , in the summer of 2015 for example, we had no draft picks, and no one under contract aside from say Olynyk or Sullinger and our #17 draft pick from this year, we could sign Rondo, Love, a third star, and fill the rest of the roster with minimum contracts, and offer one player a "room" exception contract.  To get three stars under the current CBA requires too much cap room to have anyone else on your roster.

So yes in 2015, it's Wallace, but it's also our #6 overall pick, Green if he doesn't opt out, Bradley if he comes back, even at a cheap price of $4 million per year, one of Sullinger or Olynyk, next year's picks, anyone else we get this year who we want to keep in 2015, etc.  In 2014, it's also Bass, Faverani, Anthony, etc.  To get three stars, sign-and-trades are the way to go, because those let you exceed the soft cap, so you can have salary allocated to role players.  And in 2015, Wallace will be an expiring contract to include in such a sign-and-trade, because we'll need to send outgoing salary to acquire the free agent, and other teams will want that salary to be for no more than one year.

[JBcat]

Couldn't we amnesty Wallace's contract if we really needed to since his contract was signed prior to the new collective bargaining agreement?

[saltlover]

Couldn't we amnesty Wallace's contract if we really needed to since his contract was signed prior to the new collective bargaining agreement?

No.  Firstly, his contract was signed in the current CBA, not the old one.  Secondly, you can't amnesty players whom you acquired in a trade.  The only player on our roster who is amnesty-eligible is Rondo.

[BballTim]

Couldn't we amnesty Wallace's contract if we really needed to since his contract was signed prior to the new collective bargaining agreement?

No.  Firstly, his contract was signed in the current CBA, not the old one.  Secondly, you can't amnesty players whom you acquired in a trade.  The only player on our roster who is amnesty-eligible is Rondo.

  I heard they have some kind of stretch provision where you'd spread out his contract hit over 5 years to reduce the current impact. They could do that if they felt the need, that would give us $6M more in cap space I think.

[BballTim]

There's no way we're going to be able to trade Wallace's contract this year, unfortunately.

The most realistic way to add quality players would probably be to acquire Asik with our trade exception, and maybe absorb Kevin Martin's contract in the Love deal.

Asik
Love / KO
Green
Martin / Bradley
Rondo

It's not a contender, but it's probably the best we could do in terms of a one-year makeover.  We'd then have the MLE  to add an additional player (or multiple cheaper players).  We could also re-sign Humphries with Bird rights.

No idea how close that would take us to the tax line.

  That would be pretty good for the first year, probably a fringe contender. The thing to remember is that if you have Rondo and Love (and possibly Asik) you have a few years to build your team. They're all still relatively young so you have time.

[arctic 3.0]

JB: we can't amnesty Wallace contract.
But I really don't think his contract is that bad, he played injured last season and had/ is having surgury this summer. If he comes back healthy he is at worst a slightly overpaid back up. He can guard multiple positions and always plays hard.

[JSD]

There's no way we're going to be able to trade Wallace's contract this year, unfortunately.

The most realistic way to add quality players would probably be to acquire Asik with our trade exception, and maybe absorb Kevin Martin's contract in the Love deal.

Asik
Love / KO
Green
Martin / Bradley
Rondo

It's not a contender, but it's probably the best we could do in terms of a one-year makeover.  We'd then have the MLE  to add an additional player (or multiple cheaper players).  We could also re-sign Humphries with Bird rights.

No idea how close that would take us to the tax line.

I disagree with this assessment that Wallace can't be traded. I think he has the perfect one-two punch that any rebuilding team would need: 1: short term contract (2 years) for big money ($20 millionish) 2: He's terrible and doesn't need time of the court. He allows the Timberwolves to meet salary requirements while still being able to play the young assets and draft picks they are about to acquired.

Wallace goes in any deal for Love.

[JSD]

I don't believe that's the direction the Timberwolves go though. I think a package involving Love for Harden makes the most sense to me, with Love going and Kevin Martin returning to Houston.

[JSD]

Another option is Utah, who might be willing to absorb Wallace for a 1st round pick.