mabber
08-06-2006, 10:47 AM
Free Agency Update - who is still shopping?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At this point, most NBA teams have spent all their money and the cash has dried up. Here is a quick update on who has money to spend and whether we think they are willing to do so, for some of the remaining talent.
SUMMARY
There are still quite a few players who may be looking for an MLE-ish or bigger type of deal. The list includes Bonzi Wells, Jumaine Jones, Lorenzen Wright, Keith Van Horn, Melvin Ely, Drew Gooden, Reggie Evans, Chris Wilcox, etc. Some of these (Ely, Gooden, Wilcox) are possibilities to stay with their prior team via Bird Rights, but none has a deal yet and uncertainties abound.
We see the following teams as the most likely competitors for the best remaining talent: Atlanta, Cleveland, Indiana, Milwaukee, Toronto, Utah.
Teams that have the ability to spend (ie, still have cap room or an MLE) but that we deem unlikely to do so, are Boston, Charlotte, Denver, GS, Memphis, Miami, NJ, Philly, Portland, Seattle.
With so many players left and so few competitors, teams without spending room but with willingness to add talent might have a shot at grabbing another player via creative means or as a bargain.
DETAILS
Here is our reasoning on the teams that technically still are able to compete financially with cap room or an MLE. Besides the teams below, everyone else has no cap space and has already spent their MLE.
Cap room
Charlotte ... still has a ton of room to spend under the cap but their stated strategy is to wait and use their cap room at the deadline to offer tax relief at a price to a team who will miss the playoffs. May try to retain Jones and Ely. (Philly or NY?)
Atlanta ... still has a ton of room to spend under the cap, no idea what they will do
Toronto ... still active with lots of spending room
MLE still available
Boston ... They have room to spend the MLE if they want to without incurring tax (currently at about 54M) but they already have 17 players under contract. Doubtful.
Cleveland .... With LeBron's max extension kicking in next year and Varejao a RFA next summer, it appears they have spending room this summer for either Gooden or their MLE but not both.
Denver ... At tax limits already. Reportedly want to sign Van Horn at a less-than-MLE price but are trying to work a SNT instead of using their MLE to make it a salary swap rather than a salary addition, because of the tax consequences. Looks like they wont spend their MLE.
GS ....Per hh they appear to already be at the tax limit, unlikely to spend MLE
Indiana ... Assuming they add Harrington, still have room to spend the full MLE or very close to it, with some added flexibility in the form of NG contracts. Still very active.
Memphis ...They appear to have room to spend the MLE if they want to (currently at about 60M) but they already have 15 under contract. Very doubtful.
Miami ... With Wade's max extension kicking in next year and Shaq's monster deal still on the books, they are at tax limits and unlikely to use their MLE
Milwaukee ... They have room to spend the MLE if they want to (Booth's salary was amnestied, so they are only at about 53M). Uncertain if they'll add anyone else: they already have 15 under contract, but the bottom of the roster is very unproven (2nd rounders on minimum deals) and they lack depth at the 2 and 3.
NJ ...Per hh they are at the tax limit, unlikely to spend MLE
NY ... Their MLE will go to Jeffries unless Washington exercises its ROFR on him, which appears unlikely
Philly ... Per hh they appear to already be over the tax limit (68M?) and unlikely to spend MLE
Portland ...May have room to spend MLE without tax (DAnderson was an amnesty waiver, leaving them at about 60M so far), but their financial woes likely has them going young and cheap for any more additions this year.
Seattle ...They have room to spend the MLE if they want to (currently at about 50M) but their financial situation makes that doubtful.
Utah ...They appear to have room to spend the MLE if they want to (currently at about 60M)
hh = salary lists at hoopshype.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At this point, most NBA teams have spent all their money and the cash has dried up. Here is a quick update on who has money to spend and whether we think they are willing to do so, for some of the remaining talent.
SUMMARY
There are still quite a few players who may be looking for an MLE-ish or bigger type of deal. The list includes Bonzi Wells, Jumaine Jones, Lorenzen Wright, Keith Van Horn, Melvin Ely, Drew Gooden, Reggie Evans, Chris Wilcox, etc. Some of these (Ely, Gooden, Wilcox) are possibilities to stay with their prior team via Bird Rights, but none has a deal yet and uncertainties abound.
We see the following teams as the most likely competitors for the best remaining talent: Atlanta, Cleveland, Indiana, Milwaukee, Toronto, Utah.
Teams that have the ability to spend (ie, still have cap room or an MLE) but that we deem unlikely to do so, are Boston, Charlotte, Denver, GS, Memphis, Miami, NJ, Philly, Portland, Seattle.
With so many players left and so few competitors, teams without spending room but with willingness to add talent might have a shot at grabbing another player via creative means or as a bargain.
DETAILS
Here is our reasoning on the teams that technically still are able to compete financially with cap room or an MLE. Besides the teams below, everyone else has no cap space and has already spent their MLE.
Cap room
Charlotte ... still has a ton of room to spend under the cap but their stated strategy is to wait and use their cap room at the deadline to offer tax relief at a price to a team who will miss the playoffs. May try to retain Jones and Ely. (Philly or NY?)
Atlanta ... still has a ton of room to spend under the cap, no idea what they will do
Toronto ... still active with lots of spending room
MLE still available
Boston ... They have room to spend the MLE if they want to without incurring tax (currently at about 54M) but they already have 17 players under contract. Doubtful.
Cleveland .... With LeBron's max extension kicking in next year and Varejao a RFA next summer, it appears they have spending room this summer for either Gooden or their MLE but not both.
Denver ... At tax limits already. Reportedly want to sign Van Horn at a less-than-MLE price but are trying to work a SNT instead of using their MLE to make it a salary swap rather than a salary addition, because of the tax consequences. Looks like they wont spend their MLE.
GS ....Per hh they appear to already be at the tax limit, unlikely to spend MLE
Indiana ... Assuming they add Harrington, still have room to spend the full MLE or very close to it, with some added flexibility in the form of NG contracts. Still very active.
Memphis ...They appear to have room to spend the MLE if they want to (currently at about 60M) but they already have 15 under contract. Very doubtful.
Miami ... With Wade's max extension kicking in next year and Shaq's monster deal still on the books, they are at tax limits and unlikely to use their MLE
Milwaukee ... They have room to spend the MLE if they want to (Booth's salary was amnestied, so they are only at about 53M). Uncertain if they'll add anyone else: they already have 15 under contract, but the bottom of the roster is very unproven (2nd rounders on minimum deals) and they lack depth at the 2 and 3.
NJ ...Per hh they are at the tax limit, unlikely to spend MLE
NY ... Their MLE will go to Jeffries unless Washington exercises its ROFR on him, which appears unlikely
Philly ... Per hh they appear to already be over the tax limit (68M?) and unlikely to spend MLE
Portland ...May have room to spend MLE without tax (DAnderson was an amnesty waiver, leaving them at about 60M so far), but their financial woes likely has them going young and cheap for any more additions this year.
Seattle ...They have room to spend the MLE if they want to (currently at about 50M) but their financial situation makes that doubtful.
Utah ...They appear to have room to spend the MLE if they want to (currently at about 60M)
hh = salary lists at hoopshype.com