Zach Lowe: Celtics calling around the league to rent out cap space

[Lucky17]

I think Ainge will end up calling 29 teams.

[Lucky17]

BTW, which teams right now are over the luxury tax threshold?

[Fafnir]

BTW, which teams right now are over the luxury tax threshold?

Knicks and Nets?

Not a ton of others are paying it right now.

[saltlover]

Expect Ainge to call up at least 3 teams; the Pelicans, Nuggets, & Warriors. Eric Gordon, JaVale McGee, Danillo Gallinari, & David Lee each have 2 years left on their contracts (1 after this year) and could likely be acquired using some of our players on expiring contracts (Bass, Thornton). Golden State might be willing to offer a future 1st (which is bound to be late in the lottery) and Lee for expirings and possibly a 2nd rounder or two. Cs could then flip David Lee for another asset when his contract is set to expire. These are the types of players that have contracts Ainge may be willing to trade for. He will be looking for more compensation in the form of future draft picks.

Ainge has repeatedly expressed that he wants expiring contracts.  Don't expect this at all for anyone below All-Star level.

[Lucky17]

BTW, which teams right now are over the luxury tax threshold?

Knicks and Nets?

Not a ton of others are paying it right now.

http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm

Is the lux tax threshold still $76.8 mil? If so, OKC and NOP are over the threshold too, interestingly.

[Assuming hoopshype's numbers are accurate. I hate that Shamsports is still behind the times.]

[saltlover]

BTW, which teams right now are over the luxury tax threshold?

Knicks and Nets?

Not a ton of others are paying it right now.

Clips, Cleveland, and Thunder I think, but all under the apron.

[BleedGreen1989]

As long as we take on deals that expires after the 2015-16 season  i'm fine with it, add more picks, develop your youth then attract FA's with 45-50 million in cap space.

While I've generally advocated that strategy too, Danny's done such a bang-up job of keeping the books clear for next summer I no longer support that move, unless the return is really high.  We're getting very close to having the room for two max free agents (if the salary cap rises a lot in advance of the TV deal, as the NBA wants, we might be already there).  Combine that with using Wallace's expiring and some of our many picks, and we could add three stars (or budding stars) next summer.  If the free agents don't materialize, cap space can always be used at that point for Thornton/Zeller type trades.

Great post as usual SL.

Danny is doing his due diligence, but i doubt he takes significant money into next season unless the return is great.

I've come around on this and flipped. I want clean books.

[saltlover]

BTW, which teams right now are over the luxury tax threshold?

Knicks and Nets?

Not a ton of others are paying it right now.

http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm

Is the lux tax threshold still $76.8 mil? If so, OKC and NOP are over the threshold too, interestingly.

[Assuming hoopshype's numbers are accurate. I hate that Shamsports is still behind the times.]

Hoopshype includes Asik's salary incorrectly for luxury tax purposes.  His cap/tax hit is only $8.3 mil, not $14.5, so NO is clear.

[Lucky17]

As long as we take on deals that expires after the 2015-16 season  i'm fine with it, add more picks, develop your youth then attract FA's with 45-50 million in cap space.

While I've generally advocated that strategy too, Danny's done such a bang-up job of keeping the books clear for next summer I no longer support that move, unless the return is really high.  We're getting very close to having the room for two max free agents (if the salary cap rises a lot in advance of the TV deal, as the NBA wants, we might be already there).  Combine that with using Wallace's expiring and some of our many picks, and we could add three stars (or budding stars) next summer.  If the free agents don't materialize, cap space can always be used at that point for Thornton/Zeller type trades.

Great post as usual SL.

Danny is doing his due diligence, but i doubt he takes significant money into next season unless the return is great.

I've come around on this and flipped. I want clean books.

Yeah, I do too. I think there's much more flexibility for Ainge if he wants to package a couple prospects and picks for a max salary guy than to try to acquire one using expiring contracts as filler.

[Lucky17]

BTW, which teams right now are over the luxury tax threshold?

Knicks and Nets?

Not a ton of others are paying it right now.

http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm

Is the lux tax threshold still $76.8 mil? If so, OKC and NOP are over the threshold too, interestingly.

[Assuming hoopshype's numbers are accurate. I hate that Shamsports is still behind the times.]

Hoopshype includes Asik's salary incorrectly for luxury tax purposes.  His cap/tax hit is only $8.3 mil, not $14.5, so NO is clear.

Didn't drill down that far. Thanks, SL.

[CsBanner18]

To elaborate on why Golden State would do this: I believe they will be looking to unload Lee's salary so they are able to re-sign Draymond Green. Also Klay Thompson has a contract extension that will kick in soon.

I think it would be best if a Ainge finds a contract that fits within the 12.9 mil range we have for the traded player exception (TPE). McGee works, but I have some doubt that Denver would be willing to offer a first rd pick to get rid of him. They are not contending and their 1st rd picks would be too valuable to trade.

With that said, maybe Ainge can squeeze out another "conditional 1st rd pick" that turns into 2 seconds. In return the Celtics take on the immediate cap space and send two serviceable role players on expiring contracts to Denver in the process.

Bottom line: any team which possesses a player who has 2 years left on his contract (or 3 yrs w/ the final year being a team option) could offer Boston a conditional 1st rd pick for expiring contracts. The player can't be too talented (i.e Nicholas Batum) unless Ainge is willing to give up assets in the early stages of this rebuild.

So essentially the team trading with the Celtics would be getting expiring contracts & a trade exception up to 12.9 mil. That trade exception could be valuable to a team like GS who might be looking to add another player in the offseason. With the TPE they could add another player w/ a large salary or two players w/ smaller salaries.

[Lucky17]

I wonder what Ainge might be able to squeeze out of New York for taking on Bargnani's expiring deal. Would a 2018 1st be beyond the pale?

[Nerf DPOY]

To elaborate on why Golden State would do this: I believe they will be looking to unload Lee's salary so they are able to re-sign Draymond Green. Also Klay Thompson has a contract extension that will kick in soon.

I think it would be best if a Ainge finds a contract that fits within the 12.9 mil range we have for the traded player exception (TPE). McGee works, but I have some doubt that Denver would be willing to offer a first rd pick to get rid of him. They are not contending and their 1st rd picks would be too valuable to trade.

With that said, maybe Ainge can squeeze out another "conditional 1st rd pick" that turns into 2 seconds. In return the Celtics take on the immediate cap space and send two serviceable role players on expiring contracts to Denver in the process.

Bottom line: any team which possesses a player who has 2 years left on his contract (or 3 yrs w/ the final year being a team option) could offer Boston a conditional 1st rd pick for expiring contracts. The player can't be too talented (i.e Nicholas Batum) unless Ainge is willing to give up assets in the early stages of this rebuild.

Yeah, I like your NOP suggestion. Their front office has demonstrated a disregard for future 1sts and a desperation to make cap room for vets to put around Davis. I like the Gordon for a '17 1st idea.

Edit: We could do that for Thornton/Bass and still have our Rondo TPE for something else, right?

Double edit: Just realized you mentioned that at bottom of post on last page.

[CsBanner18]

I agree. I just hope he can somehow get another 1st rounder instead of a conditional one that turns into two seconds. I'd take either, but another 1st in '17 would be great

[saltlover]

To elaborate on why Golden State would do this: I believe they will be looking to unload Lee's salary so they are able to re-sign Draymond Green. Also Klay Thompson has a contract extension that will kick in soon.

I think it would be best if a Ainge finds a contract that fits within the 12.9 mil range we have for the traded player exception (TPE). McGee works, but I have some doubt that Denver would be willing to offer a first rd pick to get rid of him. They are not contending and their 1st rd picks would be too valuable to trade.

With that said, maybe Ainge can squeeze out another "conditional 1st rd pick" that turns into 2 seconds. In return the Celtics take on the immediate cap space and send two serviceable role players on expiring contracts to Denver in the process.

Bottom line: any team which possesses a player who has 2 years left on his contract (or 3 yrs w/ the final year being a team option) could offer Boston a conditional 1st rd pick for expiring contracts. The player can't be too talented (i.e Nicholas Batum) unless Ainge is willing to give up assets in the early stages of this rebuild.

So essentially the team trading with the Celtics would be getting expiring contracts & a trade exception up to 12.9 mil. That trade exception could be valuable to a team like GS who might be looking to add another player in the offseason. With the TPE they could add another player w/ a large salary or two players w/ smaller salaries.

These are trades that happen over the summer.  Golden State has the best record in the NBA, and is under the luxury tax.  If they want to move Lee to keep Green, next summer is when that happens, not now.  It will be a cheaper price to move Lee at that point, and it won't disrupt a team in the middle of a playoff run.  There's no reason Golden State dumps Lee in February, unless he tears an ACL or something. Just makes no sense.  Same with all your other proposals-- you move those guys when a better way to spend the money presents itself, and not before.  This is why Gerald Wallace is still a Celtic.