https://www.slamonline.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers-salary-cap-space-2020/ Other things that are not yet known are the salary cap and luxury tax figures that teams will need to abide by in 2020-21. Our own Keith Smith has assumed a $109 million salary cap with a $139 million luxury tax threshold from his reporting on the subject and its those figures that will populate the data contained within this series of posts. Projected Roster Players Trevor Ariza $12,800,000 $1,800,000 Guaranteed Zach Collins $5,406,255 Guaranteed Mario Hezonja $1,977,011 UFA, PO Rodney Hood $6,003,900 UFA, PO Damian Lillard $31,626,953 Guaranteed Nassir Little $2,210,640 Guaranteed C.J. McCollum $29,354,152 Guaranteed Jusuf Nurkic $12,888,889 Guaranteed Anfernee Simons $2,252,040 Guaranteed Gary Trent Jr. $1,663,861 Guaranteed Projected Free Agents Carmelo Anthony $1,620,564 Cap Hold – UFA Moses Brown $1,445,697 Cap Hold – RFA, 2W Wenyen Gabriel $1,620,564 Cap Hold – UFA Jaylen Hoard $1,445,697 Cap Hold – RFA, 2W Caleb Swanigan $3,665,787 Cap Hold – UFA Hassan Whiteside $32,742,000 Cap Hold – UFA Dead Money Andrew Nicholson $2,844,430 Anderson Varejao $1,913,345 2020 NBA Draft Picks 2020 Pick #16 $3,121,080 2020 Pick #46 No Cap Hold Exceptions Available Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $9,258,000 Bi-Annual Exception – $3,623,000 Key Offseason Decisions Will Portland bring back Trevor Ariza or waive him for just $1.8M? Ariza’s absence was felt when the Trail Blazers needed a bigger 3&D forward. He’s a nice fit alongside Portland’s stars because Ariza doesn’t need the ball, but can knock down shots. The Blazers aren’t so tight to the tax this year, so expect him to be back. Is Zach Collins worthy of an extension? Portland would love to get Collins locked up on a team-friendly deal. But it would have to be very team-friendly for it to be worth it for them. Expect Collins to bet on himself and then hit a better restricted market in 2021. Projected Team Salary $156,602,865 For the first time in a while, the Trail Blazers aren’t dancing around the luxury tax line. They could even have some cap space, if they chose to clear their books of all their non-guaranteed salaries. As it stands though, Portland will probably stay over. With the ability to use the full Non-Taxpayer MLE, and maybe even the Bi-Annual Exception too, the Blazers should be able to rebuild their depth.
Would the full MLE be enough to land Ibaka? Other FAs I like with the MLE Millsap Jae Crowder Favors Dunn Yeah there’s a theme. Defense.
Pau said that story of his brother going to Barca wasn’t true. It could still happen, but if he gets an offer to start in the nba, I don’t see him passing. Couple teams seem like a fit to me: Dallas, Boston, Golden State just off the top.
Ah, right on. I saw the headline, hadn't seen any follow up or bothered to look, thanks for the correction!
yeah I would take either of them over Melo. I like Melo, supported the idea of signing him, but with dame and CJ in the backcourt, we really need guys that are more like Ariza and less like Melo. Good defenders that can knock down open shots.
This line worries me, because Portland is in a no-win situation with Collins. Is Zach Collins worthy of an extension? Portland would love to get Collins locked up on a team-friendly deal. But it would have to be very team-friendly for it to be worth it for them. Expect Collins to bet on himself and then hit a better restricted market in 2021. If Portland signs him to a team-friendly extension but he doesn't improve then we're stuck with another Meyers Leonard/Maurice Harkless contract on our hands. If Portland decides to keep Zach but he bets on himself and has a tremendous year, there's a chance a team throws a toxic offer at Collins or we simply sign him outright for $10+ million. If Portland doesn't want to chance a RFA scenario, they can look to trade Zach this offseason but his value is somewhat low. With Dame and CJ locking up $75 million of the cap, Trent needing a payday next summer, and Nurk eyeing one as well the summer after, the Trail Blazers will have well over $100 million committed to just four players. If that scenario plays out, Portland must fill out the roster with cost-effective deals unless they want to go deep into the repeater tax. I don't project Zach as a 4 in the modern NBA. We already have Nurkic and there are efficient avenues at obtaining backup centers (TPE), so I'm not sure there's a role for Collins to fill. Although his value is lower than it was this time last year, I'd look to use him as one of our few realistic trade pieces. We could even Moneyball it, and use Zach to move up in a draft to acquire a long-term asset and have that player on a team-friendly deal for 3+ seasons.
If we can use Zach and even a future draft pick with #16 to move up to get Obi Toppin then we should and that's if Toppin slips out of the top 4, other than that I don't know if there is another guy we could use Zach to move up and get in the 5-8 range that would have a good enough impact to help Dame now. Obviously all signs point towards the correct move being trade CJ but that is my default setting.
When it comes to Zach, I would just make him prove himself, because at the end of the day he’s still just a RFA, so Portland still controls him to a certain extent. My gut says he’s not gonna be the type of player teams line up to throw max offers at.
Shams is reporting Rondo will turn down his player option (2.7m) and hit the market. Says the lakers want him back but other playoff teams will call. How about the BAE for Rondo?
I heard this. Why would he want to leave though? The Lakers are Champions. May very well be next season.
You let Whiteside walk. You let Swanigan and Brown walk. You keep Ariza. You resign Melo and Gabriel. Maybe Hoard. You are up to about $121 million in salary including returning salary, resigning a few players, the 16th pick, and dead salaries. You use the $7.1 TPE and MLE to upgrade the bench. You come in just below the luxury.
I hate it but that is very very likely what Olshey does. It does not make us a contender for anything but HCA and a second round exit.
I'm with you. I just want a big trade even though you are right, there is very little if any chance of that happening.