The Cap and Luxury Tax situation in 2024

[ScrantonBulls]

Joe Cowley questioned AKME about the cap and luxury tax situation going forward and made him look a bit foolish. He questioned how AK intendsmto make it work, knowing that the Reinsdorf's won't pay the luxury tax for a non-contender. The 2024-25 cap will be approx 141m and luxury tax will be 171m.

We all know AK wants to resign DeMar. He also wants to resign PWill. Without these guys, the Bulls are already at 130m next year. It's safe to say that together, these guys will net around 35-40m total, give or take. This pushes them right up to the tax without considering any other moves. It may push them into the tax.

In what world is this a sound idea? They are essentially running the exact same team back that has failed multiple times before. It gives them no room to sign additional talent. Is their plan to pray that Lonzo has a medical retirement? I just don't understand the thought process here. Maybe I'm missing something...

[ChiTownHero1992]

Huh its as if the Bulls fans had been saying this for weeks and yet the FO doesn't seem to understand how to do their job and create a winning basketball team? Who would have seen this coming at all?

They're going to run back the exact same team while being over the Lux-Tax and arguably worse than than the last 3 years.

[step]

We all know AK wants to resign DeMar. He also wants to resign PWill. Without these guys, the Bulls are already at 130m next year. It's safe to say that together, these guys will net around 35-40m total, give or take. This pushes them right up to the tax without considering any other moves. It may push them into the tax.

Because the majority on this side keep throwing 'we'll resign Demar on a team friendly deal' like anything AKME has shown in the past shows he'd able to negotiate that.

And secondly, a lot of people aren't even looking at the numbers. Oh we'll get to write Lonzo's contract off shortly... honestly, not even sure they'll explore that. They don't seem to be willing to acknowledge any past mistakes and probably hope that he comes back in some form or another.

It's obvious what the trajectory of the team is:
- Demar and Vuc are going to age out
- We lack any financial flexibility
- We most likely will be forced to come back with less than what we have now due to 'artificial' financial constraints
- And we lack future meaningful picks
- Our centerpiece is unhappy and disillusioned and doesn't even want to stay

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

[ChiTownHero1992]

We all know AK wants to resign DeMar. He also wants to resign PWill. Without these guys, the Bulls are already at 130m next year. It's safe to say that together, these guys will net around 35-40m total, give or take. This pushes them right up to the tax without considering any other moves. It may push them into the tax.

Because the majority on this side keep throwing 'we'll resign Demar on a team friendly deal' like anything AKME has shown in the past shows he'd able to negotiate that.

And secondly, a lot of people aren't even looking at the numbers. Oh we'll get to write Lonzo's contract off shortly... honestly, not even sure they'll explore that. They don't seem to be willing to acknowledge any past mistakes and probably hope that he comes back in some form or another.

It's obvious what the trajectory of the team is:
- Demar and Vuc are going to age out
- We lack any financial flexibility
- We most likely will be forced to come back with less than what we have now due to 'artificial' financial constraints
- And we lack future meaningful picks
- Our centerpiece is unhappy and disillusioned and doesn't even want to stay

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

WIth how this Bulls franchise works, i wouldn't be surprised if the FO is discussing a secret Lonzo Ball extension right now!

[2weekswithpay]

This is one of the reasons why dumping Lavine for a bunch of expiring contracts wasn't as bad as people thought. This team has very little flexibility.

[drosestruts]

This is one of the reasons why dumping Lavine for a bunch of expiring contracts wasn't as bad as people thought. This team has very little flexibility.

In the offseason you can still trade LaVine to a team with cap space. LaVine may very well still be a Detroit Piston on opening night in 2024. They'll have cap space to absorb him into.

[nitetrain8603]

Joe Cowley questioned AKME about the cap and luxury tax situation going forward and made him look a bit foolish. He questioned how AK intendsmto make it work, knowing that the Reinsdorf's won't pay the luxury tax for a non-contender. The 2024-25 cap will be approx 141m and luxury tax will be 171m.

We all know AK wants to resign DeMar. He also wants to resign PWill. Without these guys, the Bulls are already at 130m next year. It's safe to say that together, these guys will net around 35-40m total, give or take. This pushes them right up to the tax without considering any other moves. It may push them into the tax.

In what world is this a sound idea? They are essentially running the exact same team back that has failed multiple times before. It gives them no room to sign additional talent. Is their plan to pray that Lonzo has a medical retirement? I just don't understand the thought process here. Maybe I'm missing something...

Posted it in another thread. Darrell Mayberry and someone else pressed the same question - and they were very clear. Bulls fans are upset, you haven't made a trade in 3 years and some fans are talking about boycotting. The other train of thought if that you are doing your job, staying somewhat competitive and filling the seats. What do you say to that? And AK confirmed it.

This organization is not trying to build a championship contender. MR is giving leeway to AKME to do what they deem fit (without going over the cap), and AKME has no idea what he's doing.

[aramada]

Ok I’ll preface by saying I’m with everyone disappointed with the lack of moves at the deadline. Clearly a sign that AKME are not doing a good job.

With that said regarding the OP’s topic, my assumption was that before the season ending injury, their plan A was to trade Lavine and that some future cap flexibility would have to be factored in. Once again the fact that they weren’t able to execute another plan with Lavine out is ridiculous.
But that option will be back on the table in the offseason, with probably Zach’s value a bit lower.
As mentioned, they may be able to retire Lonzo, if not that means he’s a “new” roster player?
They can also still elect to trade Vuc, although they haven’t shown the willingness to take the loss here. That would be my wish for this offseason - move on from Vuc and get some better rim protection and PNR defense. Resigning DDR in this context would not be terrible

[FriedRise]

I don't think they can accurately answer how they're gonna do it until it comes time. We're talking about numbers here, and there are too many unknown variables.

What I know for sure is they're guaranteed gonna figure out how to bring a similar roster back and it will be under the luxury tax line. That is known.

[kodo]

The best player that might actually be available in FA is probably Derozan.

Most likely,
Conley - stays with his top WC team
Holiday - stays with BOS
Maxey - Sixers control
Quickley - Toronto control
Russell - takes player option to stay in LA
Hield - I assume Sixers didn't trade for him to let him walk
OG - NY didn't trade for him to let him walk
PG13 - stays in LA
Siakam - Pacers didn't trade for him to let him walk
Tobias Harris - Morey most likely S&Ts him vs letting him walk

You don't really acquire expiring players in FA anymore, you first trade for them with assets and then you resign them. Eg, Dallas traded for Kyrie, then resigned him.

And the Bulls have failed to make any trades so we can expect nothing to happen in FA other than resigning our own players or minor moves like Jevon & Torrey.
Free agency starts at the trade deadline.

[2weekswithpay]

This is one of the reasons why dumping Lavine for a bunch of expiring contracts wasn't as bad as people thought. This team has very little flexibility.

In the offseason you can still trade LaVine to a team with cap space. LaVine may very well still be a Detroit Piston on opening night in 2024. They'll have cap space to absorb him into.

The Pistons have to want him though and Zach's value is as low as ever right now.

[Dominator83]

Joe Cowley questioned AKME about the cap and luxury tax situation going forward and made him look a bit foolish. He questioned how AK intendsmto make it work, knowing that the Reinsdorf's won't pay the luxury tax for a non-contender. The 2024-25 cap will be approx 141m and luxury tax will be 171m.

We all know AK wants to resign DeMar. He also wants to resign PWill. Without these guys, the Bulls are already at 130m next year. It's safe to say that together, these guys will net around 35-40m total, give or take. This pushes them right up to the tax without considering any other moves. It may push them into the tax.

In what world is this a sound idea? They are essentially running the exact same team back that has failed multiple times before. It gives them no room to sign additional talent. Is their plan to pray that Lonzo has a medical retirement? I just don't understand the thought process here. Maybe I'm missing something...

Don't forget about Drummond

[sco]

The best player that might actually be available in FA is probably Derozan.

Most likely,
Conley - stays with his top WC team
Holiday - stays with BOS
Maxey - Sixers control
Quickley - Toronto control
Russell - takes player option to stay in LA
Hield - I assume Sixers didn't trade for him to let him walk
OG - NY didn't trade for him to let him walk
PG13 - stays in LA
Siakam - Pacers didn't trade for him to let him walk
Tobias Harris - Morey most likely S&Ts him vs letting him walk

You don't really acquire expiring players in FA anymore, you first trade for them with assets and then you resign them. Eg, Dallas traded for Kyrie, then resigned him.

And the Bulls have failed to make any trades so we can expect nothing to happen in FA other than resigning our own players or minor moves like Jevon & Torrey.
Free agency starts at the trade deadline.

Great point! IMO, a good move for us would be to facilitate his move via S&T. I would rather give Coby, Zach, AC, Pat, Vuc a chance. At the very least, we can rehab Zach's trade value.

[drosestruts]

This is one of the reasons why dumping Lavine for a bunch of expiring contracts wasn't as bad as people thought. This team has very little flexibility.

In the offseason you can still trade LaVine to a team with cap space. LaVine may very well still be a Detroit Piston on opening night in 2024. They'll have cap space to absorb him into.

The Pistons have to want him though and Zach's value is as low as ever right now.

Very true. I just used them as an example due to their reported interest and likelihood of having a lot of cap space.

[patryk7754]

Not sure if it was mentioned but I just learned that starting this upcoming offseason, teams in the Luxury will not longer be able to package multiple players to match the salary of one player in one trade. For example, we won’t be able to package Lonzo and Vuc for Davis. It needs to be a one for one.

This hamstrings the bulls more than most Luxury teams, because at least most of the other ones are legit playoff teams. It will be extremely difficult to improve the team moving forward

[ChettheJet]

.
Free agency starts at the trade deadline.

And that's not just for looking at the Bulls, what needs to be looked at is the other teams.How well do the players that got traded fit into their new team next year after what they showed the last 30 games this year?

Of the trades made
PJ Washington and Gafford are signed long term in DAL, how does that effect the front court players they have around them that might be becoming UFA at the end of next year?
How many UFA that got traded want to either want to or can stay with their new team or think they showed a lot with a contender that they deserve a big new contract?
Which young kid did a team put their faith in but he came up short or he pushed some vet back on the bench?

Those are the 9 month out questions that they have to think about inside the building. By the summer who is going to be released, resigned, unwelcome or expendable? And who made a bad move this week that they want to undo and find a different answer in June - August which could be DeRozan, Lavine, Caruso ad the Bulls make the moves.

[sco]

Even if we dump Zach in a salary dump trade, somehow get Ball off the books and let Demar walk, I fail to see how this team improves next season. We're not landing some player who is better than those guys who'd give us a new stud core.

I don't see us moving Zach in the offseason as his questionable play this season coupled will be compounded by questions about his foot until he plays next season. Honestly, it's the smart move to wait until next deadline.

[TheSuzerain]

Joe Cowley questioned AKME about the cap and luxury tax situation going forward and made him look a bit foolish. He questioned how AK intendsmto make it work, knowing that the Reinsdorf's won't pay the luxury tax for a non-contender. The 2024-25 cap will be approx 141m and luxury tax will be 171m.

We all know AK wants to resign DeMar. He also wants to resign PWill. Without these guys, the Bulls are already at 130m next year. It's safe to say that together, these guys will net around 35-40m total, give or take. This pushes them right up to the tax without considering any other moves. It may push them into the tax.

In what world is this a sound idea? They are essentially running the exact same team back that has failed multiple times before. It gives them no room to sign additional talent. Is their plan to pray that Lonzo has a medical retirement? I just don't understand the thought process here. Maybe I'm missing something...

I'm all for embarrassing AK.

But a Lonzo medical retirement may not require much prayer.

[HomoSapien]

Given the non-moves we made, it’s imperative to keep Drummomd. The team is significantly worse without him and we supposedly passed up draft capital to keep him. If the intention isn’t to resign him, we needed to make a trade.

[vxmike]

Given the non-moves we made, it’s imperative to keep Drummomd. The team is significantly worse without him and we supposedly passed up draft capital to keep him. If the intention isn’t to resign him, we needed to make a trade.

Problem is without a medical retirement for Lonzo I don’t think they can re-sign DDR, PWill and Drummond and remain under the tax.