Memphis's cap room

[Three34]

Merits its own thread so that it doesn't get lost, for it will affect matters even after people's post-Pau moods die away.

This is what they have committed for next year.


Mike Jesus Miller: $9,128,575
Darko Milicic: $7,020,000
Brian Cardinal: $6,300,000
Swift or Collins (they earn the same): $6,200,000
Mike Conley: $3,630,480
Rudy Gay: $2,579,400
Hakim Warrick: $2,119,102
Javaris Crittenton: $1,381,560
Kyle Lowry: $1,163,520

Total: $39,522,637

Total doesn't include Stoudamire's buyout, which is somewhere between $0 and $2.3 million. Probably about somewhere halfway between.



FREE AGENTS TO BE RENOUNCED BECAUSE WHO GIVES A TOSS:

Andre Brown (cap hold would be $963,263)
Casey Jacobsen (cap hold would be $924,732)
Kwame Brown (cap hold would be $13,612,500)


FREE AGENTS THEY'LL WANT TO KEEP:

Juan Carlos Navarro (cap hold would be $886,517)



AARON MCKIE:

Will have an unguaranteed contract and will be waived. Might even happen immediately.



FIRST ROUNDER:

Its cap hold will range from $4,019,000 for the 1st pick to $2,394,600 for sixth. For argument's sake, we'll assume that they'll pick no worse than that.



ROSTER CHARGE:

For only having 11 players under contract, including renouncements, an additional cap hold of $442,114 will be billed for the 12th spot.




Now, for argument's sake, let's assume Damon got exactly half of his guaranteed money, leaving a buyout of $1.15 million with no set-off. Let's assume that all except Navarro are renounced, and let's assume that they pick third.

That gives Memphis a salary figure, before free agency, of $43,905,468, versus a salary cap of $57 millionish.

That's almost max cap room. It's certainly enough for almost anybody. But without Bird rights on Navarro due to Wallace's aforementioned incompetence over signing him, they'll have to delve into that to bring him back, which takes out a small chunk.

Anyway, long story short, they can afford to sign our two beloved problem children now (Gordon and Deng, not Duhon and Khryapa). They are players in free agency.


But, now look at the depth chart:

PG - Conley, Lowry, Crittenton
SG - Miller, Navarro
SF - Gay, Warrick
PF - The mighty Brian Cardinal
C - Milicic, Collins


It's easy to see how they want to prioritise power forwards first. Hmmm, if only they had a star one......


Also, more importantly - if they wanted Gordon or Deng, they could have just asked for one.



Still, thought you should know. It's one more possibility to consider.



EDIT: Got Navarro's cap hold wrong.

[JGeils]

I just went to your site to crunch the numbers. Should have come here instead. Good post.

[kyrv]

Thanks mucho Sham.

Maybe Memphis can get a good PF from the Lakers.

Wonder if they have any interest in Tyrus?

Woudl be fun to see Conley/Gay/Tyrus.

[fudgie]

Am I to understand that in a free agent class in which all the good free agents are RFA they're going to try and get a player better than Gasol (or at least as good).

Not bloody happening.

[Three34]

They can get a better fit, which was a large part of the point of shifting Pau. Boy is good, but the boy also doesn't fit.

[SlimD235]

They need a PF...we have a forward logjam.
We need a PG...they have PG logjam.

VK for Crittenton anyone?

[Wingy]

They can get a better fit, which was a large part of the point of shifting Pau. Boy is good, but the boy also doesn't fit.

Who does?

Great NBA $$ analysis as always. You should become a capologist for the Knicks...they could use you.

[Three34]

I've got a soul. Let's keep it that way.

[JCrossover#1]

Is Mike Miller second name really Jesus?

[JGeils]

ARE YOU SAYING GLEN GRUNWALD HAS NO SOUL?!?!?



Dude's Mr. Soul.

[Three34]

Is Mike Miller second name really Jesus?

Yes. It's pronounced "Hey, Zeus!".

ARE YOU SAYING GLEN GRUNWALD HAS NO SOUL?!?!?

Glen Grunwald has funk. Plenty of funk. Rarely do you see so much funk in one man. But he does not have a soul.

[Susan]

If I'm Memphis I'm sending Miller out too. Dump those large contracts, lose and go after Brand or Gilbert.

If they could even get a two for one where one player expires and one's just talent like a Ricky Davis & Cook for Miller trade I'd do it.

That would make them players for Brand or Arenas.

Also Washington's going to be under the cap once Gilbert opts out. There's like 3 players in free agency this summer now, but like 15 realistic big money players (Deng, Gordon, Calderon, Jamison, Brand (if he opts), Arenas, Josh Smith, Okafor, Childress (suddenly), Biedrins, Monta Ellis, Iggy, and possibly Louis Williams.

[Tommy Udo 6]

Also Washington's going to be under the cap once Gilbert opts out.

They go under the cap - but they would still have a cap hold equal to Gilbert's salary.

They could not go out & sign free agents for more than MLE unless they renounce Gilbert

[Pipedream]

Just to let you guys know, our GM has said that we might not spend that cap room this offseason, because we'll have even more the following offseason and the free agent pool might be better.

I doubt we'll make a run for Deng or Gordon.

We'll most likely play Rudy at the 4 for the rest of the season and see if we can get Beasley in the draft.