So which team does Ezeli end up with, and what do we have to add?

You're missing the comma and the word "fully".
1M guaranteed, fully guaranteed if not waived before "date"

 

There's a little more to it though. Brooklyn would have to send something in the trade. It could be cash, rights to an unsigned player etc...

 

Maybe, but as the deadline gets closer, if another team doesn't make a better offer, Aminu and a pick are better than nothing. If Ibaka and his agent indicate that he'd be willing to do an extension, then a first rounder would certainly make sense, but I'd certainly think that they're going to want to test his market value this summer.

 

My guess is Portland will just keep Festus and reap the cap savings by cutting him this summer. The only viable trade partners I can see are those that are similarly capped out and looking to get under the Luxury Tax threshold. I'd look it up, but I don't have the time right now.

 

Aminu and a first-round pick would be better than nothing. Aminu and a second-round pick, probably not. The value there is so low, they're likely better off keeping him for the rest of the year and getting more information on how well he fits with the team to better decide if they're going to try and re-sign him. Then, even if he leaves, it's not like they lost much of value by not taking Portland's offer.

 

Well, I don't see a couple of months rental of Ibaka is worth Aminu plus a first rounder so there may not be a deal to be had if they see it as you suggest.

 

I'd agree. I'm not really hoping for an Ibaka deal.

 

Unless it includes a new deal for him.

 

Even then. I don't want to pay him a big money deal. The Ibaka of 3-4 years ago I would, but his defense is on the decline.

 

I will tell you this. We aren't drafting 3 players in the first round for ourselves to keep. We won't have 3 rookies on our team next year imo, two at most. So honestly, I know Ibaka is a big risk but I would be fine with giving our worst 1st rounder for him (CLE's). I know it won't be a popular opinion necessarily but at some point you have to take a risk if you are small market like us. I don't think he gets full max. Close though sure. And I think he would sign with us before ORL. So maybe we lose him but if we are sending out bad contracts (1-3 of Leonard, Crabbe and Ezeli) then I am up for it. I would look at other deals for other players first though.

 

Stats say so, but some could be minutes and the team he is on and how they play him.

 

He seems the most "get-able" of the mentioned names. Of course there is probably a reason for that...

 

are Blazers holding a press conference to announce the trade/Nurk?

 

Your math is off and you assume there will be no other trades between now and the last game of the 2017-18 season.

The season isn't half over, it's 54/82 (65.9%) over. Ezeli's contract this year is $7.4 million. So, he's owned $2.52 million this season - not ~$4 million, and it goes down by $90,000 per game. So, the maximum savings of dumping Ezeli will be below $5 million - and that assumes no other trades to get us below the luxury tax threshold between now and the 2018 trade deadline. If we are below the tax threshold, the total mount Ezeli would cost us is below $3.5 million. All this assumes insurance is not paying any of Ezeli's contract. If the Blazers were able to purchase insurance, this all becomes moot.

Still, if they don't think he'll ever play again, there could be incentive to move him, but it's not as great as your numbers would indicate.

I'm actually surprised they didn't find a way to include him in the DEN trade, as DEN is one of the teams far enough below the salary floor to absorb Ezeli's contract. Which would seem to indicate they aren't that desperate to move him.

Of course, if they are still talking to PHI about Okafor, Ezeli could be part of that deal as well since PHI is one of the other teams sufficiently below the cap floor to absorb Ezeli's contract.

BNM

 

Yes. It was 3 MIL per trade. Now it is 3 MIL cap for the full year.

 

The Maximum Annual Cash Limit is $3.5 million this season and $3.6 million for 2017-18. It can be spread among multiple transactions up to the maximum limit.

BNM

 

It's $3.5 million this SEASON. And, just to be clear, it's based on the season, not the calendar year.

BNM

 

Thanks. And season would be July 1st to June 30th correct? That is full year. I didn't say Calendar year (as in Jan 1st to Dec 31st).