OK, so how about that TPE? Remember, if we want to use capspace this offseason, we need to use it before the end of the year. So, we need to keep these things in mind:
- If we take back a player who's not expiring, there's that much less capspace for next year (and the year after, if applicable)
- Therefore, if we're taking back an expiring, the only reason a team would give us an expiring player is really if we are giving them a pick they want or they want to get out from under the tax this year (or they want a tpe to make a 3 way deal to get a different player).
- If the player is not expiring this year, the C's are taking that player either because they like him and want to keep him going forward or because there's another asset (pick, prospect) coming too.
This is part of the reason I don't see the C's using capspace this offseason. They could use the TPE now to gain an asset and a contract that doesn't expire this year but does expire next year with Wallace; then when wallace and the TPE player come off the books, they'd have more room and a bunch of picks to make or deal. Or they keep their own FAs on 1 year deals and keep the TPE into next season to do the same thing.
So who's in that range?
Here's players making under 13 million down to 5.4 million, with some notes.
Nene Hilario, PF Washington Wizards $13,000,000.00
- no way, they want to compete.
Eric Bledsoe, PG Phoenix Suns $13,000,000.00
- Don't see it. Just signed him, we have smart and bradley, and we'd have to give up extra assets to get him with the TPE
Andrew Bogut, C Golden State Warriors $12,972,973.00
- THE key defender on a title favorite
Derrick Favors, PF Utah Jazz $12,950,000.00
- Hmmm. A binky of mine who is a rebounding/defending anchor who would perfectly complement sully and olynyk?
Rajon Rondo, PG Boston Celtics $12,909,090.00
- Obvs, no
Joakim Noah, C Chicago Bulls $12,700,000.00
- Defensive anchor for a contender.
Tony Parker, PG San Antonio Spurs $12,500,000.00
- No
Serge Ibaka, PF Oklahoma City Thunder $12,350,000.00
- Defensive anchor for a contender.
Andre Iguodala, SG Golden State Warriors $12,289,544.00
- GS does have wing depth, does want to get under the tax, and David Lee doesn't fit into our TPE. However, Iggy would not be part of a rebuild plan. He's on the decline. He's signed through 16-17. And GS's picks are bad, they owe a furture 1st to Utah, and they don't have any prospects I want that they'd be willing to deal. No.
Nikola Pekovic, C Minnesota Timberwolves $12,100,000.00
- Intriguing, useful, overpaid, probably cheap to obtain in terms of assets, but a bad C fit for our two PFs since he is good at offense, weak at D.
David West, PF Indiana Pacers $12,000,000.00
- Too old.
Kyle Lowry, PG Toronto Raptors $12,000,000.00
- On a contender.
Al Horford, C Atlanta Hawks $12,000,000.00
- On a playoff team, FA soon, i'm a bit scared of his health.
Nicolas Batum, SF Portland Trail Blazers $11,765,500.00
- Plateaued and declined.
Ty Lawson, PG Denver Nuggets $11,595,506.00
Andrea Bargnani, C New York Knicks $11,500,000.00
DeAndre Jordan, C Los Angeles Clippers $11,440,123.00
- Contender
Tyreke Evans, SF New Orleans Pelicans $11,265,416.00
- Nah.
JaVale McGee, C Denver Nuggets $11,250,000.00
Larry Sanders, C Milwaukee Bucks $11,000,000.00
- Interesting.
Danilo Gallinari, SF Denver Nuggets $10,854,850.00
Stephen Curry, PG Golden State Warriors $10,629,213.00
Marcin Gortat, C Washington Wizards $10,434,782.00
Jrue Holiday, PG New Orleans Pelicans $10,404,495.00
Tim Duncan, PF San Antonio Spurs $10,361,446.00
Gerald Wallace, SF Boston Celtics $10,105,855.00
DeMar DeRozan, SG Toronto Raptors $10,100,000.00
Luol Deng, SF Miami Heat $9,714,461.00
- See Iggy.
Anderson Varejao, C Cleveland Cavaliers $9,704,545.00
Steve Nash, PG Los Angeles Lakers $9,701,000.00
Kendrick Perkins, C Oklahoma City Thunder $9,654,342.00
Paul Millsap, PF Atlanta Hawks $9,500,000.00
- FA soon.
Thaddeus Young, SF Minnesota Timberwolves $9,410,869.00
Tiago Splitter, PF San Antonio Spurs $9,250,000.00
Jeff Green, SF Boston Celtics $9,200,000.00
Lance Stephenson, SG Charlotte Hornets $9,000,000.00
Jordan Hill, C Los Angeles Lakers $9,000,000.00
Mike Conley, PG Memphis Grizzlies $8,694,216.00
Trevor Ariza, SF Houston Rockets $8,579,089.00
Channing Frye, PF Orlando Magic $8,579,088.00
Marcus Thornton, SG Boston Celtics $8,575,000.00
Ryan Anderson, PF New Orleans Pelicans $8,491,500.00
Jeremy Lin, PG Los Angeles Lakers $8,374,646.00
Omer Asik, C New Orleans Pelicans $8,374,646.00
Monta Ellis, SG Dallas Mavericks $8,360,000.00
George Hill, PG Indiana Pacers $8,000,000.00
O.J. Mayo, SG Milwaukee Bucks $8,000,000.00
Jeff Teague, PG Atlanta Hawks $8,000,000.00
Taj Gibson, PF Chicago Bulls $8,000,000
- Intriguing as a defensive pair to oly/sully, but he's already 29!
Dirk Nowitzki, PF Dallas Mavericks $7,974,482.00
Ersan Ilyasova, PF Milwaukee Bucks $7,900,000.00
Tayshaun Prince, SF Memphis Grizzlies $7,707,865.00
Boris Diaw, PF San Antonio Spurs $7,500,000.00
Arron Afflalo, SG Denver Nuggets $7,500,000.00
Wesley Matthews, SG Portland Trail Blazers $7,245,640.00
Isaiah Thomas, PG Phoenix Suns $7,238,606.00
Avery Bradley, PG Boston Celtics $7,191,011.00
Pau Gasol, PF Chicago Bulls $7,128,000.00
Jose Calderon, PG New York Knicks $7,097,191.00
Kyrie Irving, PG Cleveland Cavaliers $7,070,730.00
Marvin Williams, PF Charlotte Hornets $7,000,000.00
Amir Johnson, PF Toronto Raptors $7,000,000.00
Manu Ginobili, SG San Antonio Spurs $7,000,000.00
Brandon Bass, PF Boston Celtics $6,900,000.00
Kevin Martin, SG Minnesota Timberwolves $6,792,500.00
J.J. Redick, SG Los Angeles Clippers $6,792,500.00
Wilson Chandler, SF Denver Nuggets $6,757,913.00
Jason Richardson, SG Philadelphia 76ers $6,601,125.00
Carl Landry, PF Sacramento Kings $6,500,000.00
Greivis Vasquez, PG Toronto Raptors $6,400,000.00
Derrick Williams, PF Sacramento Kings $6,331,404.00
Jarrett Jack, PG Brooklyn Nets $6,300,000.00
Kyle Korver, SG Atlanta Hawks $6,253,521.00
Landry Fields, SG Toronto Raptors $6,250,000.00
Robin Lopez, C Portland Trail Blazers $6,124,729.00
Jason Thompson, PF Sacramento Kings $6,037,500.00
Gerald Henderson, SG Charlotte Hornets $6,000,000.00
Jodie Meeks, SG Detroit Pistons $6,000,000.00
J.R. Smith, SG New York Knicks $5,982,375.00
Chuck Hayes, C Toronto Raptors $5,958,750.00
Jason Terry, SG Houston Rockets $5,850,313.00
Patrick Patterson, PF Toronto Raptors $5,831,326.00
P.J. Tucker, SF Phoenix Suns $5,700,000.00
Enes Kanter, C Utah Jazz $5,694,674.00
Anthony Davis, PF New Orleans Pelicans $5,607,240.00
Anthony Bennett, PF Minnesota Timberwolves $5,563,920.00
Andrew Wiggins, SF Minnesota Timberwolves $5,510,640.00
Greg Monroe, PF Detroit Pistons $5,479,934.00
- Available, but no point. We would't have his bird rights. So we'd need space to sign him and if we have space, just sign him.
Louis Williams, SG Toronto Raptors $5,450,000.00
Courtney Lee, SG Memphis Grizzlies $5,450,000.00
Obviously Ainge is a lot more creative than me. The market will change to in the offseason when there's a new cleveland that wants to pay to ditch salary and open up space. but it looks more bare than i expected.
I think Favors is intriguing; does Utah really see Favors as part of their plan since they've got a very young team, like exum, just maxed out Hayward, need to sign Kanter, will need to sign trey burke, and alec burks is signed long term for more than Bradley? Would teh TPE plus a Cle#1 and another #2 get it done? What else to add?
Because if Smart progresses, a Favors/Olynyk/Sully frontcourt is pretty balanced. Add a real wing (overpay via trade with more assets, luck out in draft, wait for FA in 1-2 years, luck out with drafting a 4th legit big and deal oly/sully for a wing, etc) and there's maybe a glimmer of hope.