Author Topic: Melo staying at OKC  (Read 2672 times)

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Melo staying at OKC
« on: June 23, 2018, 02:04:20 PM »

Offline Birdman

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Melo has opt in for next season to stay at OKC..Wonder if George will stay there too or sign with Lakers
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Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2018, 02:08:47 PM »

Online tazzmaniac

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There was no suspense in that. 

It would be funny if the Lakers strike out in free agency again. 

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2018, 02:11:59 PM »

Offline colincb

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This was virtually a lock as Melo wasn't going to get more money as a free agent. As such, the opt-in doesn't affect Paul George, but don't be shocked if he stays in OKC. Supposedly Russell Westbrook has worked hard to keep George there.

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2018, 02:17:35 PM »

Offline saltlover

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I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George.  Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)

Can they even afford to sign PG13?  That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax.  I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.

EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary.  They are in such a bind.
« Last Edit: June 23, 2018, 02:23:08 PM by saltlover »

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2018, 02:59:05 PM »

Offline No Nickname

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I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George.  Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)

Can they even afford to sign PG13?  That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax.  I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.

EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary.  They are in such a bind.

It’s almost like they don’t think about these things before they make moves.

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2018, 03:19:21 PM »

Offline Monkhouse

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I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George.  Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)

Can they even afford to sign PG13?  That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax.  I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.

EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary.  They are in such a bind.

Amazing they honestly believed Melo would've put them over the top, not taking into account his trade kicker, and his over-bloated cap space heavy contract.
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Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2018, 03:24:36 PM »

Offline jambr380

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Best case for OKC seems like convincing George to re-sign and then trading Melo to the Lakers (absorb mostly into cap space) to play with Lebron. They would have to pray LAL strikes out in FA beyond Lebron.

I suppose Melo could also be traded to Philly, too, but another big 1 yr deal for Redick would probably be better.

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2018, 03:27:52 PM »

Offline RodyTur10

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I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George.  Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)

Can they even afford to sign PG13?  That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax.  I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.

EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary.  They are in such a bind.

That's very expensive, wow! Miami, Portland and Washington are other teams who have serious salary issues and are stuck in the middle.

It's a good time to be a rebuilding team. Many ways to gain assets or even stars by taken on salaries from teams who want to avoid the luxury (or repeater) tax and the market for free agents is much better with the reduced cap space.

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2018, 03:27:54 PM »

Offline Monkhouse

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Best case for OKC seems like convincing George to re-sign and then trading Melo to the Lakers (absorb mostly into cap space) to play with Lebron. They would have to pray LAL strikes out in FA beyond Lebron.

I suppose Melo could also be traded to Philly, too, but another big 1 yr deal for Redick would probably be better.

Lakers have been trying to get rid of Deng for years now. I find it highly unlikely they'll take on Melo, even if he's a one year rental. Unless for some reasons, OKC decides to take on Deng's contract, which would be beyond my logic.
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Can't define how I be dropping these mockeries."

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Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #9 on: June 23, 2018, 03:28:34 PM »

Online Neurotic Guy

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There was no suspense in that. 

It would be funny if the Lakers strike out in free agency again.


Not funny... utterly fantastic.  I am sick to my stomach that once again (as with Shaq) they'll steal the best player in the league by just tanking and creating cap space.  Disgusting how easy the formula is for the Laker in every basketball generation.  They'll inevitably catch the C's in championships because they never have to go more than 5 years without being in contention.  If they get a Big 3 (LBJ, George and Paul or Leonard) this off-season, Magic will get credit -- but, in all honesty, I could be GM of the Lakers -- well, maybe not me...  but it's the easiest GM job in sports. 

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2018, 03:42:07 PM »

Offline saltlover

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I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George.  Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)

Can they even afford to sign PG13?  That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax.  I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.

EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary.  They are in such a bind.

Amazing they honestly believed Melo would've put them over the top, not taking into account his trade kicker, and his over-bloated cap space heavy contract.

I think they were more focused on getting Russ to accept his extension, which he didn’t do until after the Carmelo trade, and hoped they’d figure everything else out later.  The first part worked.  But now they have Carmelo, who not only is going to make $27 million this year, but also has a no-trade clause so can’t simply be salary-dumped to a team with a draft pick.

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2018, 03:54:24 PM »

Online tazzmaniac

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I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George.  Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)

Can they even afford to sign PG13?  That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax.  I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.

EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary.  They are in such a bind.

Amazing they honestly believed Melo would've put them over the top, not taking into account his trade kicker, and his over-bloated cap space heavy contract.

I think they were more focused on getting Russ to accept his extension, which he didn’t do until after the Carmelo trade, and hoped they’d figure everything else out later.  The first part worked.  But now they have Carmelo, who not only is going to make $27 million this year, but also has a no-trade clause so can’t simply be salary-dumped to a team with a draft pick.
They could always cut him and stretch him to get down to a 9M hit for the next 3 years. 

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2018, 03:58:01 PM »

Offline saltlover

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I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George.  Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)

Can they even afford to sign PG13?  That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax.  I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.

EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary.  They are in such a bind.

Amazing they honestly believed Melo would've put them over the top, not taking into account his trade kicker, and his over-bloated cap space heavy contract.

I think they were more focused on getting Russ to accept his extension, which he didn’t do until after the Carmelo trade, and hoped they’d figure everything else out later.  The first part worked.  But now they have Carmelo, who not only is going to make $27 million this year, but also has a no-trade clause so can’t simply be salary-dumped to a team with a draft pick.
They could always cut him and stretch him to get down to a 9M hit for the next 3 years.

Certainly they could.  But stretching a $27 million contract is far from ideal, and can really clog up your flexibility further. $9 million a year for three years that you can’t trade away is quite the stone around your neck.

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2018, 04:23:12 PM »

Online tazzmaniac

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I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George.  Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)

Can they even afford to sign PG13?  That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax.  I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.

EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary.  They are in such a bind.

Amazing they honestly believed Melo would've put them over the top, not taking into account his trade kicker, and his over-bloated cap space heavy contract.

I think they were more focused on getting Russ to accept his extension, which he didn’t do until after the Carmelo trade, and hoped they’d figure everything else out later.  The first part worked.  But now they have Carmelo, who not only is going to make $27 million this year, but also has a no-trade clause so can’t simply be salary-dumped to a team with a draft pick.
They could always cut him and stretch him to get down to a 9M hit for the next 3 years.

Certainly they could.  But stretching a $27 million contract is far from ideal, and can really clog up your flexibility further. $9 million a year for three years that you can’t trade away is quite the stone around your neck.
Yes but if doing so allows them to get out of the repeater tax they almost have to do it.  They could try to work a salary dump trade where the team getting Melo agrees to buy him out but that is going to cost them a lot.  There are not many teams with the cap space to absorb 27M.   

Re: Melo staying at OKC
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2018, 04:55:36 PM »

Offline saltlover

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I don’t even know what OKC is hoping for with George.  Even if he opts out, they can only sign minimum-salary players and can’t fill their roster to avoid going over the tax (in other words, signing only minimums and having 15 players puts them in the tax, so they have to stick with 14.)

Can they even afford to sign PG13?  That would put them roughly $30 million over the tax, which is a $90 million luxury tax.  I almost think they’d rather lose him to the Lakers and tell their fans they tried, rather than paying $120 million next year (salary plus tax) to keep him on a team with a 2nd-round ceiling.

EDIT: OKC is repeater tax eligible this year, so keeping George would give them a $120 million tax bill alone, plus his $30 million salary.  They are in such a bind.

Amazing they honestly believed Melo would've put them over the top, not taking into account his trade kicker, and his over-bloated cap space heavy contract.

I think they were more focused on getting Russ to accept his extension, which he didn’t do until after the Carmelo trade, and hoped they’d figure everything else out later.  The first part worked.  But now they have Carmelo, who not only is going to make $27 million this year, but also has a no-trade clause so can’t simply be salary-dumped to a team with a draft pick.
They could always cut him and stretch him to get down to a 9M hit for the next 3 years.

Certainly they could.  But stretching a $27 million contract is far from ideal, and can really clog up your flexibility further. $9 million a year for three years that you can’t trade away is quite the stone around your neck.
Yes but if doing so allows them to get out of the repeater tax they almost have to do it.  They could try to work a salary dump trade where the team getting Melo agrees to buy him out but that is going to cost them a lot.  There are not many teams with the cap space to absorb 27M.

If George signs with OKC, stretching Melo saves them a lot of tax money this year ($95 million) so yes, ultimately they should.  It would probably guarantee that they’d be a tax team, still at the repeater level, for the three years he is stretched, and would limit the type of players they could bring in with Russ and PG13.  So it’s far from ideal and limiting their long-term options.

If George walks, they keep Melo and stay under the tax.  If they need to they can stretch Kyle Singler’s salary this year over 5 years, at $1 million per year, saving $4 million in tax space this season.