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Posts Tagged ‘salary cap’

Should Lee take the Qualifying Offer?

Jul 9th, 2009
by Dan L.
2 comments

I’m sure Lee doesn’t want to take the qualifying offer, since it’s much less than he’s hoping to get this year. But if David Lee takes the qualifying offer (it worked out OK for Ben Gordon), the Knicks can sign a max free agent next year and retain Lee (and even overpay him, using his bird rights), only if the Knicks find a taker for Jeffries and get an expiring in return.

The cap hold is 300% of your expiring players’ salary (if that salary is less than the league average). In this case, Lee’s salary under the qualifying offer is $2,682,049. 300% of that is $8,046,147.

And what is Jared Jeffries scheduled to make in 2010? The answer is $6,883,400. Clearly, then, the key in this scenario is to trade Jeffries for an expiring deal that is worth more than Lee’s scheduled cap hold (the Knicks can take back up to 150% more than Jeffries’ salary in a trade, which comes out to $10,325,100).

If the Knicks can pull this off, then they can sign a max guy and overpay to keep Lee next year. Should they overpay to keep Lee? It’s not a good idea to be irresponsible with your cap, so no. But it’s an option.

Lee and the Qualifying Offer

Apr 27th, 2009
by Dan L.
2 comments

Alan Hahn speculates today that David Lee might take the qualifying offer from the Knicks this summer. Then, when he’s an unrestricted free agent, “for the Knicks, who have his Bird Rights, he could be signed up to a max deal, even if they are over the cap.”

Sure, this is true, and I’ve speculated as much before (like in January, and yes, I know the linked analysis is somewhat flawed too).

Problem is, under the CBA, the Knicks have to sign their own guys first, before signing any outside free agents, or completely renounce their own guys, and lose their bird rights. We know the Knicks won’t be over the cap in 2010 if the plan proceeds as we expect, but in considering the strategy Hahn set forth today (and I set forth in January), you have to factor in the fact that you need a significant amount of space to sign LeBron (or whoever) first, and then sign Lee (enough to fit Lee’s cap hold under the cap after signing LeBron).

The bottom line is, don’t overpay for Lee, bird rights or not.

2010: Consolation Prizes Pretty Good

Jan 14th, 2009
by Dan L.
17 comments

I’ll be the first to admit that perhaps the Knicks will not land Lebron James, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, or Amare Stoudamire. That doesn’t mean they can’t put together a sweet team of lesser stars. If you can’t sign any of the four mentioned above, then with the savings, maybe you can sign 3 1/2 players instead of 2 1/2. (Remember that after filling up all their cap space, the Knicks can still sign someone to the full mid-level).

Lets revisit the list of free agents.

  • Joe Johnson
  • Ray Allen
  • Josh Howard
  • Dirk Nowitzki
  • Kenyon Martin
  • Tracy McGrady
  • Yao Ming
  • Marcus Camby
  • Rudy Gay
  • Richard Jefferson
  • Randy Foye
  • Mike Miller
  • Tyson Chandler
  • Steve Nash
  • LaMarcus Aldridge
  • Brandon Roy

Would anyone be upset if the Knicks came away from the summer of 2010 with a combination of Joe Johnson, Rudy Gay, Tyson Chandler, and Mike Miller, added to a core of Wilson Chandler, Gallinari, and lets say, Ricky Rubio?

What about a combination of Richard Jefferson, Randy Foye, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Wilson Chandler, Gallinari, and Rubio or Brandon Jennings or Jrue Holiday or Stephen Curry?

Or Joe Johnson, Josh Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby with Wilson Chandler, Gallinari and a draft pick.

Yao Ming, Josh Howard, Mike Miller, Randy Foye, Chandler, Gallinari, Blake Griffin?

Even without catching the big fishes, the Knicks can still field a great team if they stick to the plan.

I’d like to hear some proposals for combinations from our readers…

Chad Ford thinks Jerry Sloan would love David Lee.

Jan 13th, 2009
by Dan L.
21 comments

So what do you say? Is Boozer good value in a trade for Lee, the MVP of the 14-22 Knicks?

Click to continue reading “Chad Ford thinks Jerry Sloan would love David Lee.”

Sunday Scattershot.

Jan 11th, 2009
by Dan L.
30 comments

Signing Pargo would continue the importing of players from those wildly successful late ’90s, early 2000s Bulls teams that has served us so well.

Click to continue reading “Sunday Scattershot.”

Kidd: Top Free Agents WILL Come to New York

Jan 9th, 2009
by Dan L.
10 comments

For the doubters of the long term plan, I got some news for you. Jason Kidd says that superstar free agents will flock to the Knicks in the summer of 2010. Here is what he said:

Click to continue reading “Kidd: Top Free Agents WILL Come to New York”

50 Losses Might Be the Only Way to Be Truly Great

Jan 8th, 2009
by Dan L.
51 comments

In the NBA you are rewarded for being good with championships and you are rewarded for being bad with draft picks. Still, you can mess it all up with bad management. For instance, you could already be bad or mediocre, then add salary to the point of being capped out, and give away draft picks in exchange for limited, losing players.

Click to continue reading “50 Losses Might Be the Only Way to Be Truly Great”

Steph for J.O. trade?

Jan 6th, 2009
by Dan L.
8 comments

Chris Alvino, via a Cleveland newspaper,  reports that the Raptors are willing to move Jermaine O’Neal. He throws out a Steph for Jermaine swap. This would indeed work under the cap. Toronto benefits because they get the cap space they wanted out of Jermaine a year early. The Knicks benefit because they get a defensive big man, even though he’s slowed down to a plodding crawl. Despite posted numbers far below hes career averages, O’Neal is still averaging about 2 blocks a game. Don’t forget the Donnie Walsh – Jermaine O’Neal connection. It wasn’t until Donnie left that the Pacers trade O’Neal. What would you guys think of such a deal?

Stephon who?

Dec 29th, 2008
by Dan L.
8 comments

Berman reports that:

Stephon Marbury said yesterday he won’t discuss a buyout with Donnie Walsh until his fine of two games’ pay – $400,000 – is settled by a league arbitrator.

My reaction: Stephon who?

Discuss.