That is true and yet it is not entirely true. You can be over the cap but under the luxury tax level. Over the cap limits you but nothing like being in luxury tax area. At that level things like getting a smaller MLE, not getting a Bi-Annual exception, and not being able to take players in Sign and Trades happen. So it isn't just about Paul Allen paying more money out of his pocket to the NBA. It is about not being able to improve down-the-line in a lot of cases.
Good point. So for 2013-14 the salary cap will be $58.7 million, the luxury tax line will be $71.7 million. My understanding is we are at 61.2 this year, so we basically have about 10 million to play with long term. Almost all of our young player's contracts increase a little each year. Lopez will cost us 6 million more when he signs (That gives him 11/yr) I am guessing that it will be players like Wes and Nic that will be effected the most by Lillard's next contract.
At this point, I still think I would consider dealing Nic/Wes for another big name player. Wright has proven that he can be useful in the starting lineup. Barton can play the backup role. We need one more guy to go with Dame/LA.
So a SG/SF who is basically all star caliber. (Or close to it) I am skeptical, but certainly not opposed especially if that player is mid 20's or younger and can grow with Lillard. Easier said than done though
Even with his sometimes inconsistency isn't basically who you are describing Batum? Batum is no All-Star but I am also hard pressed to find a guy who I think makes more sense on our team unless that guy is making max.
I like Nic. I think he does a lot of things well. I'm just wondering if we need a legit third star if we really want to contend.
Just wondering who people have in mind that is going to be worth giving both Wes and Nic up for? You aren't getting LeBron of course.
The availability of stars can fluctuate, so it's difficult to say who will be on the market this summer. Which wing do you think are worth those two, regardless of availability? Obviously LeBron and Durant, but who else?
Setting aside the availability parameter, name some names of All-Star SGs/SFs you think would be a good fit. The way I see it there's such a dearth of talent at those positions that if you DO manage to find an upgrade, and that player DOES become available to us, it won't be a very significant upgrade. I still think getting weaker (and cheaper) at PF but stronger at positions 6-9 will be a better bet. Once we extend LMA we're going to become the next Denver Nuggets.
Just for clarification, how would we become the Nuggets? And pre-Melo or Post-Melo (or during-Melo, I suppose) Nuggets?
We'll become the Melo-era Nuggets and then the post-Melo Nuggets. We'll be just good enough to be a perennial Playoff team but not good enough to do anything once we get there. And ultimately we'll end up breaking the team up after several unsuccessful attempts, because with LMA and Lillard on MAX deals we won't be able to do anything to improve the roster enough to make us a contender.
FFS! You wanted to blow up the team last summer by trading away LMA, because you were pissing your pants thinking he'd leave Portland. Now, you're upset that this year's team isn't good enough to win a title right now? Portland is going to win a title one way at this point, and that is the Piston approach with LMA/Lillard/Batum/Matthews/Lopez/bench. Once Oden and Roy both had their careers destroyed by injury, the superstar to Portland thing went away. Unless the team goes back to winning 20 games a year, which would mean blowing everything up, the window for a superstar dynasty has closed. This seems so simple to me, logically.
