Between being hard capped and now ducking the tax, cutting a guaranteed contract severely limits their ability to improve the team the entire season, even if they're really good. So yes, in a vacuum waiving Didi to get under the tax is a no-brainer, but this move was yet another indication they aren't willing to do whatever it takes to put the best possible roster on the floor.
It doesn't limit the ability to improve. Portland still has all the same tools at their disposal to potentially improve the team as they did before.
This is a smart move, not a cheap move....Didi was going to waive a towel all year...what this tells me is that they valued the roster spot and could sign a two-way G league center and convert his contract to a roster spot later if we liked him....having that roster spot is valuable also at the deadline for 2 for 1 trades. Also nowhere did I read that the team is unwilling to pay luxury tax if say a Durant demands to play in Portland for example. You don't go into the luxury tax for a Didi Louzada but if an all-star comes available...you could go into the luxury tax.
1. Louzada traded along with a 2nd rounder or in a package deal to take back less was better — IMHO. 2. Louzada waived and stretched into eternity at a bit over $250K per year to receive $16 million? Wow. Easiest decision ever. To not move/waive Louzada — who wasn’t playing this year — would’ve been ridiculous. He’s worth paying a bit of tax? Good luck with that argument. He’s worth NOT getting $16 million? Really? Not the mountain to die on for me. 3. Calling J. Allen cheap for this? Not reasonable. Cheap on other things? Sure. 4. A 2:1 trade later (by the deadline) and bringing back less salary is still doable.
I guess I can understand that point. It’s valid but still at this point right now this is the move to make. My bigger problem was being hard capped in the first place but then I wasn’t in on the calls and negotiations being had. So I’m not sure he didn’t try things that could have been different and I don’t know who is actually calling the shots as it sits.
A roster spot is a tool for improvement....especially if it's a position of need..as I said, a G league 7 ftr...if you like him at the deadline you can convert him to a roster spot like we did with Watford.
But it's projected right now. Pretty much everyone considers this as a move to get under the cap except you i guess?
Ya, picking up a veteran backup PF ,who can consistently drain a shot, and rebound , makes no sense at all.
