This is the one that could have impacts on what the Blazers do this summer: They're committed to $59.5 mil and presumably will want to re-sign Camby. Howard's and Mills's contracts are also both up this summer. Add a first round draft pick and they're going to have a tough time staying under the tax threshold. It will be even tougher the following season if they give Oden a big contract.
a year from now (if he remains on the roster) Joel's 7.4M would be coming off the books and Miller's contract would be at the team option crossroads for another season at 7.8M for sure they'll need to chose/spend their money wisely... Batum would seem to be a priority to wrap up as well STOMP
The days of the Blazers being under the cap are gone. We had the lowest salary in the NBA year this year...and that's saying something considering the fact our highest paid player at $9,000,000 was Darius Miles. It's time to be over the cap for a while as our bargain basement priced young players get onto their 2nd contracts and we add some free agents. That's got to be assumed by the front office if they expect to have success on the court. http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm http://hoopshype.com/salaries/portland.htm
True enough. Just to be clear, though, I was talking about the luxury tax threshold, not the salary cap. The Blazers, like all NBA teams, are going to want to stay under the luxury tax number so they don't get dinged with paying a dollar for dollar tax for any amount over the threshold.
If Joel is out next season insurance will start to pick up his contract. I think there might be some relief from luxury tax?
Cap $3-6 mllion higher than projected last summer? Well, Stern had to figure out a way to let the Knicks have cap space for 2 max contracts, didn't he?
Ok, stupid question... I thought the salary cap number was the threshold for starting to pay luxury tax? Aren't they the same? **********answering myself...through the glories of google...WOW...I had no idea they were different numbers...I'm not very smart... Apparently in 2009-10 the cap was $57.7M and the luxury tax threshold was $69.9M. I really do learn something new every day.*** But, 10 of the 11 tax paying teams made the playoffs. So, 10/16 playoff teams paid the luxury tax. 2 of the glaring non-paying playoff teams were OKC and Portland which are obviously rebuilt around draft picks. It may turn out that in order to stay competitive you have to get into luxury tax territory. I'm sure that's some of why the coming labor battle will be brutal...
And this is why I was a proponent of playing hardball with Roy and Aldridge on their extensions. That extra few million per season will loom large shortly. Very tough choices in filling out the rest of the roster will be our future. IMO Paul Allen will be reluctant to go over the luxury tax threshold. He will have to be really excited about the situation to sign off. Will he even be around or in control when that happens? IMO Vulcan will be adamantly opposed to going 1 penny over the threshold. They do not want to re-break the previously "broken financial model". Be prepared.
Problem is ALL the perennial contenders are over the threshold. And the reason we're not is because our guys are on rookie contracts. How would you plan on "hardballing" Roy?!? He's worth what he's worth. You either pay and keep him or don't pay and lose him... his max worth is pretty obvious. LA, there's more room to think MAYBE we could have gotten him signed in the fall for less...but more likely we would have to let him play the season, go restricted FA into a market where a TOM of teams have cleared cap space. Not all those teams are going to sign Lebron...so they're going to need to throw that money somewhere to make use of it. So...why not throw it at LA (like we did with Milsap) and force the Blazers to pay even more to keep him. My feeling after looking at teams over the cap is basically you need to be there under this current system to be a constant, long-term, contender...
