Thanks BNM. Sooooooo that would put us at about $8,764,455 in cap space right now. That's not enough money to get a "needle mover," assuming we could ever get a needle mover to sign here.
So instead, we keep crabbe, but dont keep Meyers or Sign Turner, puts us 10M over cap, but under tax, AND with a 8M MLE......sigh. Would have been so much better
Man.... I just don't see that happening. Not after they built up that summer as our time to add a key piece. Can you imagine the shit storm if we didn't get anyone?
There was a pretty big and I think justified shit storm when all they got was Evan Turner last summer after all the hype. We have a bit of one now too with all of those shitty signings hampering their ability to do anything this summer too, especially seeing almost every team in our division get much better.
Okay so we get burned by Free Agency year in and year out, even Andre Miller was considered a bad settle of a signing at the time. Realistically we have to go back to Brian Grant for the last great signing... And people are lementing the lack of cap space as if we have a chance... Going into last summer many thought Meyers would get $14-$15 mill and were relieved we were able to keep him on the contract we did. He still can be worth his contract. Crabbe we had to match or let walk. Turner was brought in to be a 3rd ball handler, overpaid probably but not drastically, but the sum of those 3 is the problem. Our best bet is to have trade assets and draft picks. Neil drafts well and makes good trades but those of you most critical of the signing and not having the financial freedom this summer would probably agree that FA signing is Neil's strong suit so why put that on the front burner.
Wait what??? Revisionist history much?? We were WELL aware of the contract extension that was offered and well aware that Butters turned it down to "bet on himself ".... We watched him lose that bet. The market spoke and there were no reported offers for Butters services. We then were ASTOUNDED when Neil signed him to the SAME FUCKING DEAL... Am I missing something?
Uh, yes you are. Your post is an defense of Neil Olshey's prior moves. How they hell am I supposed to fix Neil's mistakes by posting on a message board?
Because we are two days into the free agent negotiation period and it seems like every other team in our division is bringing in superstars via trade and solid role players on much more favorable contracts. The draft is 10 days in the rear view mirror. Our summer league team hasn't laced up their sneakers yet and training camp is over two months away. If we're not supposed to talk about free agency now, when are we supposed to talk about it? What should we be talking about instead, the trade deadline, the 2018 draft, or worse, the 2018 lottery? BNM
Absolutely nobody thought he'd get that much at this time last year. His performance had regressed and he missed the playoffs with a shoulder injury. This time last year, he was damaged goods and had just come off a disappointing season. Maybe, at some point in the distant past, someone thought he'd get that much if he continued to improve, but that ship had already sailed by this time last year. BNM
No way in hell were the Portland Trail Blazers going to sign a "needle mover" free agent with under $10 million. It's far better to have the salary locked up in the hopes you can get involved in a deal in the future. There was no way we were bringing in a guy for under $10 million who would produce better than those 3 players. We have more options with these salaries than we did with cap space. And cap space doesn't produce at all. The mistake Olshey made was made over 2 years ago (when he didn't trade Aldridge). I'm good with nearly everything else he's done.
Even Turner was surprised by what Neil offered. No one else was bidding for Meyers. Should have S&T Crabbe. Sure hindsight is 20/20 but no one was offering Turner that much and Neil should have to give back part of his salary for drafting Meyers in the first place and more egregiously, then re-signing him.
I don't understand most of this thread. In what universe is it the right decision for a 3rd tier team to spend more money than all the other teams in the league just so it can still stay a 3rd tier team?? Any of you really thought Turner is getting us to the level of 2016 Clippers or OKC?? that's delusional. And i have been beating on this drum since last summer. I'd rather have nothing than Turner and Meyers. As long as there's a salary cap, Having one of the highest payrolls in the NBA was never a good thing and it never will be.
There was no hindsight needed on that Turner deal. I was on a road trip listening to NBA Radio on XM last year at the free agent signing period. I remember all the hosts of the programs were killing the Blazers for the awful contract and poor fit immediately after it was announced. Anyone that knew the NBA, knew is was massive mistake before he even put on a Blazer uniform.
