Whether this year or next, Presti may have just fixed the Perkins issue. Issue is...Perkins isn't up to par with the team, but the team is so close to Tax and obviously over the cap that the best they can offer is MLE (~5 million) to a FA and trading for someone over MLE is going to take young players or established vets...both growing pains. If Presti successfully (and it all signs point to it) pulls of a TPE for Martin with Minnie then the Thunder would own a TPE of ~7 million. Teams under the tax sending out 0-10 million get a TPE worth 150% +100,000 (est. 10.6 million) to add in contract(s). All together that means the Thunder possibly will increase their options at Trade deadline and next off season to more then just trading players/offering MLE. Presti has said the Thunder don't want to go into the tax such that they hit the repeater tax, so I would expect a potential TPE to be used next offseason (good for 1 year).
Correction to above. If the TPE is traded simultaneously to the original trade...it is worth the 10.6 mentioned (assuming 7 mill). If it is non-simultaneous...it is worth outgoing salary (again assuming 7 mill) + 100,000.
