One point that I didn't pay much attention to is Cronin specifically brought up an example of using the TPE to bring in players via S&T that make more than the MLE. Some candidates that could see a starting salary that could fit into our TPE: - Miles Bridges, maybe we can structure a 4 yr, 100 mil deal with a starting salary around 21 mil. His RFA status is obviously worrisome, and we'd have to make it really difficult for CHA not to match. - Oladipo, remains to be seen how healthy he can remain, but he can be an All NBA caliber defender as our third guard. - Bamba, as a potential Nurk replacement. Again, RFA, but it won't take an exorbitant contract to lure him away from Orlando.
In a sign and trade, CHarlotte would obviously have to be on board with not matching anyways. But I think anything we could fit in to our TPE, they'd be happy to offer to him.
Ya unfortunately we'd probably have to go to true max level to lure him away, and at that point, probably better to use capspace rather than the TPE if we want guys like Bridges/Ayton.
At 6'11 270 does Orlando see Wendell Carter as their center of the future? Hard to think he and Mo can play together. I would agree that Mo could be had if we overpaid a tad.
I can't imagine Phx or Cha declines to match, even max contracts. So seems like that would waste our cap, exceptions, and early days of free agency. I'm not sure if you can unrenounce exceptions if a RFA is matched. The trade route is a possibility, I just don't know we have much to offer. I guess Ant or draft picks, but thats a pretty steep price, and we wouldn't have much left to add a 3rd starter, let alone a 4th and 5th. Dame plus one of them as your two best players doesn't seem close to a contender. I'd move good assets to get a two way star like Jaylen Brown to pair with Dame. Bridges and Ayton are more similar to CJ/Roco/Norm/Nance/Nurk level players than a star IMO.
TJ Warren might be the only free agent I would have interest in going above the MLE to sign. But he hasn't played in 2 years so even that has a lot of risk.
would you rather have Bamba for 3/40, or Nurk for 4/70? If we can S&T Nurk for a good wing (I don't care for JG, but Nurk for Grant???), it's something to consider.
I think some players would do a sign and trade to go to cold Detroit. But my gut says Nurk is not one of them. But yes if we could get Grant and Mo this summer I would be good with it.
If I was Houston, I'd consider trading Wood to get out of Gordon's contract, especially if I didn't think Wood would re-sign in 2023. Would you be able and willing to scrounge $33 mil for Wood and Eric Gordon.
Gordon's playing really well this year. I wouldn't imagine it'd be all that tough for them to get out of his contract if they wanted to.
Yeah, seems like he could contribute to a contender. But why does Houston want to cut salary anyways? They aren't close to contending, so don't really need cap space. It makes more sense for them to trade Gordon to a team with an injured player or Westbrook type shit contract and get a pick.
I like the thought but Charlotte would've traded Bridges if they didn't want to give him $20M+ a year. Losing Nurkic for Bamba doesn't gain us an asset unfortunately. Don't see how the team gets better. Don't see how Oladipo comes close to making more than the MLE. It's sucks that this free agent class is so weak.
It's not really a this year thing, it's the ability for stars to get big money with extensions. Almost all the stars are signing extensions, and teams aren't trying to build through cap space. Stars used to get much more money by waiting for free agency as LaMarcus did. Now they can lock that in with extensions. Cap space is really only used for rebuilding franchises like the Thunder that take on bad contracts for picks. Another reason we appear to be on track of rebuilding, and not contending with Dame.
Why not throw a max deal at Bridges? I don't think it's a guarantee that Jordan matches that. How much is the most we can give him per year? He plays PF, though undersized.
