Remember "cap space" does not = "under the cap". If you are $15M over the cap and a $15M guy's K expires, you cannot simply sign a free agent for the $15M because that puts you over the cap. The Warriors are almost to the luxury tax, so they are around $20M over I believe. If they trade Monta for Ray Allen, they get near the cap, but that does not mean they automatically can go after Amare/Bosh, etc. I guess, if they get Allen and the Claxton/Bell/George/?? $12M expires, that's $30M and now you are talking.
The current NBA salary cap is $57.7 million. Next year it is projected to drop to $52 million. Our current roster is at $65.6 million, so we are currently $8 mils over the cap. This summer, we will have $12.5 mils come off the books. That will put us at $53 mils, or $1 mils over the projected $52 mils cap. Bad Vlad has a player option for $6.8 mils. If for some crazy reason he declined it, we will be at about $46.2 mils, or roughly $6 mils under the cap. But most likely we will be $1 mils over cap. Ray Allen is making (gasp) $19.8 mils. So if we do Monta/Mags for Allen, we will be about $19 mils under the cap. Then we will sign LeBron. However, this rumor appears to be out of Boston, and apparently Riley/Nellie are laughing at it: http://www.insidebayarea.com/warriors/ci_14267968
If the Warriors can dump Maggette in the deal it makes more sense to give up on Ellis who has plenty of upside. Ellis also reminds me of Iverson and it's tough to build a contending team around that type of player. I can't stand Ray Allen so it would be hilarious to watch him go from a Championship contender to a team rebuilding (again.) For his short stay in the Bay maybe he can take Curry under his wing?
I didn't like how he left the Sonics organization. He always seemed like a pompous ass to me, but then again I like Kobe. The main thing was the situation in Seattle though.
I recall that Allen was traded; he did not go to the Celts by demanding a trade. Allen on the Celts is not his prime, I saw him in person near the floor about 3 years ago and he was the sweetest shooter I had ever seen. He was unstoppable. He's one of the good guys in the league.
Yeah, I always thought he was a good guy, though I don't know where I got the idea... but he sure is an awesome shooter... and he never shows much emotion, or shows anyone up... and he's not a gang banger or baller... So that leaves him in the small minority of NBA players leftover who are the "good guys!"
