Game Thread GAME# 50: BLAZERS @ SUNS - JANUARY 24, 2019 - THURSDAY, 6:00 PM, NBCSNW

According to HoopsHype, the Blazers committed salary next year is $123.4M. The cap is estimated to be at $109M.

Dumping Turners salary of $18.6 M would give us about $4.2M in cap space. Much less than the MLE. We definitely couldn't pick up a player of Turners skill for less than the MLE.

Dumping CJs salary of $27.5M woudl give us about $13.1M in cap space. Hmmm. Could we get a player to replace CJs productivity for $13.1M?

Keep in mind, if we free up that cap space, we also need to replace Aminu, Curry, and Layman's production next year. They could be brought back using the bird exceptions potentially after we use any available cap space. That 'cap space' gets eaten up pretty quickly.

My call - keep 'em together. Draft smart. Look for a consolidation/upgrade trade. Cap Space is fools gold.

 

Or we could trade CJ gor a pick and expirings (which we couldnt get for ET) and shed ET to clear $31M in cap space.

 

I voted Harkless….any real longtime Blazer fan sees recurring knee problems will tend to want to move him while he's still upright...to Memphis for Conley Jr.

 

Meh. 50% of Harkless > 100% of Turner.

 

C'mon man, you know the cap better than that. Having cap space doesn't mean you actually have the cap space. In both examples the hold for our free agents and minimum roster spots would negate any cap space so that wasn't the point. We'd no longer have any luxury tax concerns this year or next year opening up the Full-MLE, BAE, and trades with a bigger percentage able to come back (150% instead of 125%).

If we use cap space we'd have to renounce the rights to free agents so that wasn't what I was implying either. Not dumping ET if you had a chance to avoid the tax line would be completely reckless and a fire-able offense.

 

What % of Harkless are we getting?

 

And the answer is definitely Harkless. ET will be on expiring deal next season.

 

Trying to keep it simple and point out that by releasing guys like ET and CJ does not allow the Blazers to use their salaries to find free agents for the amount you've cut.

 

Um Harkless expires next season too at the exact same moment.

 

It's a nice thought but keeping anything cap related simple is pretty tough to do and stay within the lines. Seriously though. Getting Evan Turner off the roster would help in ways not even remotely connected to the cap situation. I'm just talking playing the game and minutes distribution for the players that are actually effective on the court.

 

So will Harkless

 

Advantage ET.

 

LOL what?

 

Dude what would you rather have. A $11.3 M expiring deal or a $18.6 M expiring deal?

 

I don't understand how that question helps your stance.

If I had to choose between getting rid of an $18.6 million contract or an $11.3 million contract I'd get rid of the $18.6 million one 100% of the time when you ask it like that.

 

It’s a tradeable asset. A team struggling next year may wish to give up an attractive player to receive the expiring deal.

 

The market is flooded with expiring contracts next year. We still have Harkless and Leonard on expiring deals. You want to stay in a position where we can't make significant moves for the rest of this season and the summer and be near or in the tax all because ET's contract may have more value in a trade (which it doesn't)? I'm sorry but that makes zero sense.

 

We aren’t making significant moves the rest of this season. That’s why it makes sense.