Cap Space Plan

I wonder if Kaman will agree to a $5.3 million first year contract with $4.5 in the second year and only $500k guaranteed? Gives him identical money $9.8 million total contract with $5.8 guaranteed but saves the Blazers half a million from next years salary cap. Deals don't become officially signed until July 10th so often we see slight modifications such as this.

 

I think the plan is really more for downside protection than actually angling for cap space to acquire a stud free agent. The team expects LaMarcus to resign, they expect Rolo and Wes to have two good seasons and resign. But if someone has a big injury or LaMarcus decides to go to Texas at the least the Blazers will be left with a benefit of cap space. It would be a disaster if we brought in a bunch of high priced backups on long term deals this offseason then lose our starters next offseason. We'd have no cap room and a lottery bound roster.

I wouldn't be shocked to hear Neil discuss extensions for Rolo and/or Wes before the summer starts though. With how overpriced free agency can be it might be better to lock them up now if we can get a small discount.

 

Many of those Hoopshype salaries in the OP are incorrect. For instance Rolo contract is not a team option and its for over $6 million. But the context of the OP question is still totally valid.

 

Well yes and no; I don't totally agree with this. Yes the Blazers could've waited until the end of free agency and gambled of possibly grabbed a bargain player as they did last year with Mo. But we could've been left with the full MLE and nobody except minimum salary quality players remaining. Neil didn't have the benefit of knowing exactly what free agents will be available to settle for the MLE in two weeks so he shouldn't be judged exclusively in that context.

 

So are we going to give up LaMarcus or Lillard? Because Golden State isn't sure if they want to give up Klay for Kevin Love. They aren't sending him here for anyone outside of those two.

 

Klay is a lock for a max contract. Along with possibly Harden he's the best shooting guard in the NBA going forward.

 

I don't think that there is a specific plan for the cap space next summer. I see it as a kind of a fail-safe mechanism. If next season goes great and it looks like the team is on the way to contending for a title and LA re-signs, then the cap space may well be used up in just re-signing the core. OTOH, if Aldridge bolts or if it looks like there's a player that becomes available, either through FA or an unbalanced trade, then Olshey will have room to retool without a total rebuild.

 

I didn't think so either and left it as a regular salary in the OP. Good point though. I'm not sure they have CJ's quite correct either but it was used just more for examples sake.

If we have cap room, a big market has cap room, or they can get more money from their original team, what is the likelyhood they end up in Portland?

 

Read my post above didn't pay attention to the R next to his name which I assume means he's restricted. My bad.

 

Now it's a disappointment given that Hawes signed for the MLE with the Clippers.

 

This is exactly my worry about the cap space plan. Given other or similar options, players will go to bigger markets. Neil and Terry were down there first thing making him the #1 priority and he signs a contract that Portland could have offered.....with someone else.

 

Seeing how FA has gone this year teams are going apeshit.

I expect Wes Matthews to bolt. He's going to get PAID.

 

The Blazers shouldn't operate based on the hope that they snag a premium free agent. Hope isn't a plan and Portland has no proven ability to reel in top free agents. However, it's not a terrible idea to build a good team with some cap flexibility to open up room. While Portland shouldn't be expected to get a top free agent, it's also not an impossibility. A free agent like Marc Gasol deciding on a whim to sign with Portland because he likes the team he'd be joining or the city or whatever else is the kind of lightning that lead to a title.

You shouldn't pass up good opportunities in order to chase that less-likely scenario, but if you can keep that scenario possible while still building a good team, it's worthwhile.

 

Cap space works great being a third team. We got Lopez and t rob with cap space. Or you can use it in lopsided trades. Having solid cheap contracts work great with other teams in trades as well.

 

Yup. I think there's a very good chance that Wes leaves. We can't let Rolo go though.

 

Any player that doesn't want to be here is welcome to bolt, I don't think Wes fits that mold by any stretch

 

If some team offered him 10 million a year, I think he'd be crazy not to leave. I don't see how we could pay him that much.

 

You may be correct but Wes is a loyal guy, maybe loyal to the point of crazy. If any player took a paycut to keep the core together, it's Wes. Just an opinion. Fact is very few of these players would ever have to work a day in their lives if they retired tomorrow. Wes wants to win and win big

 

The Jazz took an undrafted Wesley Matthews and gave him a spot in their rotation. He immediately bolted to the Blazers for bigger money than the Jazz were willing to pony up.

I like Wes, but I think you're overstating his loyalty.