Science The Hard Cap and you - please read

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Natebishop3, Jul 1, 2022.

  1. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    "The Tax Apron is the amount above the Tax Level that cannot be exceed by any team that uses the non-taxpayer mid-level exception or the bi-annual exception, or by any team that acquires a free agent in a sign-and-trade. When the Tax Apron applies to a team, it serves as a “hard cap” that the team cannot exceed under any circumstances. The Tax Apron for the 2019-20 season is $138.928 million. (Because there were so many sign-and-trade transactions during the 2019-20 free agency period, along with a few teams that used the non-taxpayer mid-level and bi-annual exceptions, half of the league is hard-capped.) The Tax Apron amount increases (or decreases) each year at one-half the rate of increase (or decrease) in the Salary Cap."

    https://cbabreakdown.com/salary-cap-overview

    This is important because now that we will be hard capped, we cannot go above the salary cap for any reason. That includes signing veteran minimum players.

    Also important, NBA teams are required to have a minimum of 13 players on their roster. 12 active and 1 inactive.

    Here is a scenario that we can no longer do because of the hard cap:

    upload_2022-7-1_11-41-10.png

    This would not work because we remove 5 players from our team, bringing us down to 10. Durant makes 11. We would need one more player to achieve the minimum active 12 players. We would need 2 players to hit the 13 player mark, but no cap space to sign those players because we would still be at the hard cap.

    If I am getting any of this wrong @hoopsjock let me know.
     

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  2. tykendo

    tykendo Don't Tread On PDX

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    Explain to me how a Warriors team that is at 300 mil. is not hard capped.
     
  3. RR7

    RR7 Well-Known Member

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    They didn't use the full mle, BAE, or receive anyone in a S&T, which is what triggers the hard cap.
     
  4. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    This is the part you're looking for:

    The Tax Apron is the amount above the Tax Level that cannot be exceed by any team that uses the non-taxpayer mid-level exception or the bi-annual exception.

    We gave GP2 the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is what triggers the hard cap.
     
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  5. oldmangrouch

    oldmangrouch persona non grata

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    At the end of next season, I wonder what team will have the worst ratio of wins-to-dollars-spent?
     
  6. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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    Just edit that one line. We will be WAY over the salary cap.
     
  7. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

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    we'll be fine in that metric because our tax bill will still be < 10 mil with any other moves. our payroll even with the tax is about 14th in the league currently.

    next year might be an issue as a repeater, but you hope we'll be better then.
     
  8. noknobs

    noknobs Well-Known Member

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    Does that already apply even though he hasn't actually signed yet?
     
  9. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    No, but here's the problem, as others have pointed out the order of operations doesn't matter. As soon as he signs it, we have to be at or below that threshold. You can't go over it for any reason. So it's not like we can go make a bunch of other moves and then sign him. If he signs that contract, we have to be at or below the apron. Period.
     
  10. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    I'll admit...I have not watched much of Bruce Brown so I can't really gauge his talent against Payton, who I have seen quite a bit of

    but if you had your druthers, which would you pick:

    1) Payton for the MLE with Blazers being hard-capped

    or

    2) Brown for the tax-MLE without Blazers being hard capped
     
  11. CJ_is_Gone

    CJ_is_Gone Well-Known Member

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    Next year Portland will not be in the repeater either. Earliest it can happen is the '24-'25 season.
     
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  12. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    I'd take Brown because not being hard capped is key. We can't even try to go after a KD or Simmons or any other consolidation trade.
     
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  13. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    Here's a consolidation trade example that works from a CBA standpoint:

    upload_2022-7-1_14-6-12.png

    EDIT: And I think leaves enough space to sign two vets at minimum contract value.
     
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  14. Blazer Freak

    Blazer Freak Superstar in the Making

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    This make sense...but am I wrong in thinking that gives PDX from now until GP2 signs the deal to trade Bledsoe in a deal that keeps us under the hard cap? Blazers could also include Keon and Didi in the deal to relieve even more money.

    I'm assuming we make a deal for a starting SF with a package that contains some (or all of these pieces): Nas/Hart/Bledsoe/Picks

    or

    Bledsoe/Didi/Keon for a backup younger 4/5 with potential

    then signing GP2 and being hard-capped.

    Am I wrong in that not being possible? Or as long as the deal including EB keeps us below the hard-cap it would work?
     
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  15. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    I would love to see that happen.... but a week ago Toronto wanted the 7th pick and either Hart or Little AND a future pick.
     
  16. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    Meh. It's an example for illustration purposes only. And things change.
     
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  17. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    I almost wonder if the reason why the Detroit trade isn't done is because we convinced them to give us time to either use Bledsoe or the TPE. I kinda wonder if now the trade will be for Bledsoe instead of the TPE.
     
  18. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    Have to think at this point it can't include Sharpe because he just signed his contractor. So it would have to be for Hart/Keon/picks.
     
  19. Blazer Freak

    Blazer Freak Superstar in the Making

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    I'm sure that is the reason. I think a majority of the roster is set, it just revolves around the 3 and I think Cronin and Co. are keeping as many options open as long as possible to potentially be a facilitator in a KD/Kyrie deal. Could we consolidate with picks for OG still? Simmons? If we can preserve the TPE it would potentially allow for the use of it until the deadline, correct?
     
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  20. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    Take protections off the Chicago pick.

    Offer Toronto Hart/Keon/Two FRPs for OG.

    Dame/GP
    Ant/Sharpe
    OG/Little
    Grant/Winslow
    Nurk/Watford/Eubanks
     

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