The 2013 Master Plan

[vander]

anything short of D Howard and M Ellis and I'm a be disappointed

[CGD]

1. If he plays really well and helps the Spurs make a deep playoff run, then he signs for nothing less than the full MLE.

2. I have no idea what Lorbek's intentions are, but if he comes to the NBA he should command a contract similar to Splitter's (3yrs/11M).

3. Once the MLE is gone, there is no way to come up with dollars for Diaw. Just not possible.

Not sure I've fleshed out your response to 3 yet. Per the calculations made by timpv above, before re-signing Duncan this summer the Spurs sit at 49M in a years where the cap (as I understand) is supposed to near 59M.

Even if the Spurs re-sign Green, give Mills that PO, and retain Blair, couldn't they sign another player up to the cap amount, and then use the Bird Exception to sign Duncan?

Sure the Spurs could exceed the cap amount (the whole point of the Bird Rule), but if I'm Holt I'm happy my FO was shrewd enough to saved me having to pay RJ for nothing, and, up to a certain point, I'm happy to use the difference to pay luxury tax on Duncan's salary.

So by my count:
(1) 49M in committed salary
(2) 1M player option for Mills
(3) 3M -- max that I see Spurs matching on a QO from Green
(4) 3M -- Diaw (I just don't think his negotiating posture is that strong)
(5) MINUS 1M by letting Blair walk

That puts the Spurs at 55M

The Spurs could then use the Bird Exception and MLE on Duncan and Lorbek respectively even if it means exceeding the $59M cap.

[Mel_13]

Even if the Spurs re-sign Green, give Mills that PO, and retain Blair, couldn't they sign another player up to the cap amount, and then use the Bird Exception to sign Duncan?

I'm just quoting this part of your post because this is where the problem is with your scenario.

Until Duncan signs a new contract or is renounced by the Spurs he counts for a cap hold of 22M against the salary cap. So there is no cap space to sign another player. There is only the MLE.

[therealtruth]

I'm just quoting this part of your post because this is where the problem is with your scenario.

Until Duncan signs a new contract or is renounced by the Spurs he counts for a cap hold of 22M against the salary cap. So there is no cap space to sign another player. There is only the MLE.

If you can get Duncan to sign for less than 10M and amnesty Bonner there should be at least 3M cap room. The more below 10M Duncan signs the more cap room.

[Mel_13]

If you can get Duncan to sign for less than 10M and amnesty Bonner there should be at least 3M cap room. The more below 10M Duncan signs the more cap room.

If you have 3M in cap room, then you use the MLE. Can't use both.

[Brutalis]

The Spurs will still have Manu and Gary imo

[Ditty]

I don't think OKC will be able to afford James Harden unless they amnesty Perkins, but I would love for him to be our number 1 option that summer even if he is restricted replacing Ginobili.

[therealtruth]

With the new amnesty rule another option is picking up amnesty targets.

[SenorSpur]

I don't think OKC will be able to afford James Harden unless they amnesty Perkins, but I would love for him to be our number 1 option that summer even if he is restricted replacing Ginobili.

Nice thought, but I highly doubt OKC would allow Harden to leave under any cir stances. After all, he's the third member of their "new" big three.

Besides, the Spurs need an athletic PF, not another swingman.

[TDMVPDPOY]

the sooner the big3 and vets on this team bend over hand the keys to KL the better, we are holding him back from what could be a franchise player in the making...

[Mel_13]

With the new amnesty rule another option is picking up amnesty targets.

If you mean claiming players that have been waived by other teams via the amnesty rule, that is possible if you have sufficient cap space.

If you mean trading for players and then using the amnesty on that player, that is not possible under the rules.

[yavozerb]

Nice thought, but I highly doubt OKC would allow Harden to leave under any cir stances. After all, he's the third member of their "new" big three.

Besides, the Spurs need an athletic PF, not another swingman.

OKC are going to have to choose between Harden and Ibaka soon..No way they can keep both for what others will offer them on the market..

[SenorSpur]

It's true that OKC will have some "hard" decisions to make. One would have to believe that their Big Three (Durant, Westbrook and Harden) are untouchable. As for making room for Ibaka, my guess is that they'll probably try and ship out Perkins because Ibaka is just too valuable to their rebounding and defense to ever allow him to hit free agency. Presti and staff are very astute and very shrewd. They'll figure out a way to secure Ibaka.

Now, I'd absolutely love if the Spurs could somehow get in on the bidding for his services, but I highly doubt it would ever come to this.

[CGD]

I'm just quoting this part of your post because this is where the problem is with your scenario.

Until Duncan signs a new contract or is renounced by the Spurs he counts for a cap hold of 22M against the salary cap. So there is no cap space to sign another player. There is only the MLE.

Oh ok, that was the missing piece for me I guess.

Why, though, would the Spurs be able to offer Mills a PO for next year, and not run up against the same problem? Is it because he signed his contract this year, and not as a FA this summer?

Is this the same reason why the Spurs would be able to match any offer received for Green without running up against the same cap hold issue?

[therealtruth]

OKC are going to have to choose between Harden and Ibaka soon..No way they can keep both for what others will offer them on the market..

Since they own their bird rights technically they can. The issue will probably be whether they want to pay luxury tax.