I propose a "sticky" thread titled Mixum's Musings. It would end up being quite large as he always has something to say, and so many people choose to bash him.
Major screw-ups IMO: 1. Trading ZBO too quickly before seeing what we could have done with Oden or holding it. I don't think, in looking back, it really would have hurt that much. 2. Not utilizing RLEC. that's all really. Maybe passing on DeJuan Blair several times too. Not moving up in the draft to try and snag Ty Lawson. Those were minor issues though.
the cap space was built up from Imaginary cap space from the ZBO trade and sat on for 2 years. he did not use the expiring contract.
The imaginary cap space came from the expiring contract. That's what expiring contracts give you, if you're below the cap: cap space (imaginary or otherwise) to sign free agents (imaginary or otherwise). Kpee could have traded that expiring contract to another team, allowing them to use the cap space. He instead chose to let it expire and use the imaginary cap space for Portland, to sign the imaginary Andre Miller.
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/or...f/2009/02/lafrentz_gets_141361_each_game.html The imaginary cap space came from the expiring contract of Steve Francis, not Raef LaFrentz. This was the money used to sign the real Andre Miller.
Had they traded RLEC for another contract that didn't expire, I don't believe they would have been under the cap enough to sign Miller. They had about $7-8 million in free agency...the LaFrentz contract was over $12 million. So they were solidly over the cap with it (or another, equivalent, contract or combination of contracts had they dealt RLEC).
Miller was not the target. He was an afterthought of "who was left". Hence, the pitfalls of imaginary cap space.
Doesn't really matter who they ended up with and who was the target. The fact is they had a chance at signing their #1 rated FA. That's all that matters. And btw, thank goodness they didn't Instead they signed Miller, who I personally liked more anyways, to a much more friendlier deal.
Not relevant to the question of whether he "used" RLEC. He did, to acquire Miller. Sometimes assets are used to acquire non-primary targets. You can't always get what you want...but if you try, sometimes you'll find...you get what you need!
I agree. That way it will act as a "quick-reference" guide for all those times we need quick access to Mixim's insightful posts and analysis.
