Wrong topic.
3rd + Vassell + HB for Wolves 1st and Lauri. Sounds really tempting, but that Markannen contract would require Fox leaving money on the table. You cant have 100 mil commited to two guys, before extending Wemby and Castle. So you would be close hitting those approns number while either Castle and Wemby are on rookie deal. No bueno
The only way it could work is if either Fox or Markkanen is traded before Wemby's extension kicks in 2027.
Nah wouldn't have to worry about luxury tax until 28-29 when Castle's first real contract would kick in and Lauri would be in the last year of his deal. Even in that year Markannen's deal would only be 26% of the cap. The 10% annual bumps in the cap for the next 7-8 years really should allow the Spurs to be aggressive.
Fox isn't taking shorts, he will cost 30% max and the Spurs are idiots trading for him if they're not willing to pay that. Also the cap will be $205 million when Castle starts the first year of a veteran deal.
Supporting cast would be thin with 3 max deals, but I guess those four and scrubs would be enough.
It's not like the Phoenix situation where they're paying two supermax and one regular max that look especially horrible because the cap stagnated from COVID. Markannen is like halfway between a fifth year max and a veteran 30% max, Fox will be a 30% max, Wemby probably a 35% supermax. Then Castle I imagine won't cost more than the fifth year 25% max. If he's supermax eligible then he became a superstar and you have a very good problem on your hands. And if that happens you have a huge expiring in Markannen to trade or you trade Fox for depth. This 10% yearly bump in the cap is a godsend for keeping a hypothetical Spurs team together. Unfortunately it's the same godsend for OKC too.
No disagreements with your calculations here, but just wanted to add that Castle will likely have a hard time earning a rookie max (let alone a SuperMax) on a team with Wemby, Fox and Lauri. If he does, it means that one of those three has been a let down and Castle has surpassed them, in which case you just do your best to move off of that player instead.
You won't get UTA version of Lauri it is probably closer to the CLE one where the offense is not built around him.
Holyyyy crap Jase Richardson is talented like I said before. I don’t care how crowded our guard position is. Jase would be a major get. Top 5 talent in this draft.
This Pedulla kid for Ole Miss looks like a future G-League MVP
Didn't Anunoby sign a max or near max a couple years ago? I really don't think Castle is going to be cheap even as a 4th option. Markannen will be an expiring for the first year of Steph's new contract so wouldn't be hard to get off if needed most likely.
OG signed a deal that started at 26% of the cap, so less than the max he was eligible for. But OG earned that contract while showcasing as the #2 option for Toronto (and it wasn't his rookie extension).
My point is that it would be extremely difficult for a 4th option to showcase themselves to earn a max contract extension, unless they were a straight lockdown defender (like All Defensive Team kind of guy). If Castle is the 4th option, it will be tough for him to earn a rookie-max deal (I can't think of any examples of this happening. Bane, for example, signed his after being the second leading scorer for MEM). He definitely won't qualify for a Rookie SuperMax that way.
He could definitely earn a rookie max as the Spurs 3rd option, but that would mean that one of Wemby, Fox or Lauri is your 4th option... in which case you've been really overpaying that guy. If it's Lauri though, it's not the end of the world because it wouldn't be too hard to get off his expiring when Steph's extension kicks in. If it's Wemby or Fox... well, something has gone wrong
I like Kon. I think he's great. But given our personnel needs, I prefer his 7 foot 2 teammate.
It’s my first time watching Wolf play in an actual game, and I have to say, I’m really impressed. A true 7 footer but moves like a guard. I’ve been watching basketball a long time, but I ain’t ever seen that before.
Wolf made himself a lot of money from his last college game
I think Richardson and Fears have a legit chance of going in the 5 to 7 range
Just want to say for those that might have been watching, Kevin Sampson ran one of the best inbound end of game plays I have ever seen...and the execution by his players was flawless. Multiple reads perfectly executed. Just great basketball
Careful you’re starting to like him
I know Fox is taking max money.
But Markanen 49, Fox (idk 57), Wemby 60 - that`s too much for only 3 players, and Markanen wouldnt even be your top 3 player.
In 2027-28, assuming a supermax extension for Wemby, it would be Markannen $49.8M, Fox $55.1M, and Wemby $65.5M for a total of $170.4M. Castle will be $12.7M so now you're at $183.1M. Luxury tax would be $227.4M so would give $44.3M to fill out the rest of the roster without hitting it. It would be pretty tight to get 8 players for $44.3M but probably doable assuming they jettisoned Vassell. 2028-29 you'd might have to trade Markannen's expiring though to make room for Castle's veteran contract.
Last edited by baseline bum; 03-29-2025 at 07:25 AM.
Agreed. Wemby + Khaman would be the towers of terror. On the other hand, the injury risk of two really tall 7 footers would be risky. I’d take the risk, though.
Think I’d rather have Naz at a deal starting at $30M than Mark at $55M. There is a talent drop off but not at $25M one in my view.
Preserve the flexibility for other roster needs.
I’m in the same boat. I was one of the leading proponents of trading for Lauri last summer, but that’s when we still needed our second banana to Wemby. We now have our second and third options already in the team in Fox and Castle and our needs our different. I still love Lauri as a player and offensively he would be perfect - but he leaves a lot to be desired on the defensive end and he costs $55M. I’d rather have Naz, Santi or Herb at their respective price tags. Whatever you lose offensively with those guys versus Lauri, you gain on the defensive end.
Khaman will be a top 5 pick. Will be gone by the time Spurs pick.
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