Team-by-Team
Atlanta Hawks
Players In
- Marvin Williams
- Mike Bibby
- Zaza Pachulia
- Joe Smith
- Jason Collins
Players Out
- Solomon Jones
- Josh Childress — Childress went back to Europe so he’ll be a restricted free agent again next offseason for Atlanta
- Flip Murray
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Mario West (restricted free agent)
- Othello Hunter
- Thomas Gardner
Boston Celtics
Players In
- Rasheed Wallace
- Marquis Daniels
- Glen Davis
- Shelden Williams
Players Out
- Leon Powe
- Stephon Marbury
- Mikki Moore
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Charlotte Bobcats
Players In
- Raymond Felton
- Flip Murray
Players Out
- Sean Singletary
- Cartier Martin
- Sean May
- Juwan Howard
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Chicago Bulls
Players In
- Jannero Pargo
- Lindsey Hunter
- Aaron Gray
Players Out
- Ben Gordon
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Cleveland Cavaliers
Players In
- Anderson Varejao
- Anthony Parker
- Jamario Moon
- Rob Kurz
Players Out
- Nobody yet
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Wally Szczerbiak
- Lorenzon Wright
Dallas Mavericks
Players In
- Jason Kidd
- Shawn Marion
- Quinton Ross
- Drew Gooden
- James Singleton
Players Out
- Brandon Bass
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Gerald Green
Denver Nuggets
Players In
- Chris Andersen
- Anthony Carter
- Joey Graham
- Johan Petro
Players Out
- Linas Kleiza
- Dahntay Jones
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Jason Hart
Detroit Pistons
Players In
- Ben Gordon
- Charlie Villanueva
- Chris Wilcox
- Ben Wallace
Players Out
- Antonio McDyess
- Rasheed Wallace
- Fabricio Oberto
- Walter Herrmann
- Allen Iverson
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None left
Golden State Warriors
Players In
- Mikki Moore
- CJ Watson
Players Out
- Rob Kurz
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Houston Rockets
Players In
- Trevor Ariza
- Rashad McCants
- Pops Mensah-Bonsu
- David Andersen
Players Out
- Ron Artest
- Von Wafer
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Indiana Pacers
Players In
- Dahntay Jones
- Josh McRoberts
- Solomon Jones
- Earl Watson
- Luther Head
Players Out
- Marquis Daniels
- Jarrett Jack
- Rasho Nesterovic
- Stephen Graham
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Maceo Baston
Los Angeles Clippers
Players In
- Brian Skinner
- Steve Novak
Players Out
- Fred Jones
- Mark Madsen
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Alex Acker
Los Angeles Lakers
Players In
- Lamar Odom
- Ron Artest
- Shannon Brown
- Mickael Gelabale
Players Out
- Trevor Ariza
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Memphis Grizzlies
Players In
- Allen Iverson
Players Out
- Quinton Ross
- Hakim Warrick
- Juan Carlos Navarro
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Miami Heat
Players In
- Joel Anthony
- Jamaal Magloire
Players Out
- Jamario Moon
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Milwaukee Bucks
Players In
- Ersan Ilyasova
- Carlos Delfino
- Hakim Warrick
Players Out
- Charlie Villanueva
- Ramon Sessions
- Keith Bogans
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Damon Jones
Minnesota Timberwolves
Players In
- Ryan Hollins
- Ramon Sessions
- Sasha Pavlovic
Players Out
- Shelden Williams
- Rodney Carney
- Jason Collins
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Kevin Ollie
New Jersey Nets
Players In
- Nobody yet
Players Out
- Nobody yet
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Mo Ager
New Orleans Hornets
Players In
- Ike Diogu
- Sean Marks
Players Out
- Nobody yet
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Ryan Bowen
- Melvin Ely
New York Knicks
Players In
- Gabe Pruitt
- Sun Yue
- David Lee
- Nate Robinson
Players Out
- Chris Wilcox
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Oklahoma City Thunder
Players In
- Nobody yet
Players Out
- Earl Watson
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Desmond Mason
- Robert Swift
- Malik Rose
Orlando Magic
Players In
- Marcin Gortat
- Brandon Bass
- Matt Barnes
- Adonal Foyle
- Jason Williams
Players Out
- Hedo Turkoglu
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Ty Lue
- Jeremy Richardson (restricted free agent)
Philadelphia 76ers
Players In
- Royal Ivey
- Primoz Brezec
- Rodney Carney
Players Out
- Andre Miller
- Theo Ratliff
- Donyell Marshall
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Kareem Rush
Phoenix Suns
Players In
- Grant Hill
- Channing Frye
Players Out
- Matt Barnes
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Stromile Swift
Portland Trailblazers
Players In
- Andre Miller
- Juwan Howard
- Jarron Collins
- Ime Udoka
Players Out
- Nobody yet
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Michael Ruffin
- Raef LaFrentz
- Shavlik Randolph
Sacramento Kings
Players In
- Sean May
Players Out
- Ike Diogu
- Rashad McCants
- Cedric Simmons
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Bobby Jackson
- Calvin Booth
San Antonio Spurs
Players In
- Antonio McDyess
- Marcus Haislip
- Theo Ratliff
- Keith Bogans
Players Out
- Drew Gooden
- Ime Udoka
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Jacque Vaughn
Toronto Raptors
Players In
- Hedo Turkoglu
- Jarrett Jack
- Rasho Nesterovic
Players Out
- Shawn Marion
- Anthony Parker
- Carlos Delfino
- Joey Graham
- Pops Mensah-Bonsu
- Jake Voshkul
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- None
Utah Jazz
Players In
- Paul Millsap
- Ronnie Price
Players Out
- Jarron Collins
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Brevin Knight
- Morris Almond
Washington Wizards
Players In
- Fabricio Oberto
Players Out
- Nobody yet
Teams Undecided Free Agents
- Juan Dixon
Dave,
Item #1
Toronto Raptors
Players In
Hedo Turkoglu – 5 years $50+ million – click here
Players Out
Shawn Marion
Carlos Delfino
Anthony Parker
Joey Graham
Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Jake Voshkul
Teams Undecided Free Agents
None left
The two most cryptic words I’ve read, thus far, regarding the Raptors’ current situation.
Item #2
When you add together the expected salaries this coming season for 1/Calderon + 2/DeRozan + 3/Turkoglu + 4/Bosh + 5/Bargnani + 6/Banks + 7/Ukic + 8/Douby + 9/Evans + 10/Humphries + 11/Jawai + 12/O’Bryant how much money does it total?
Khandor,
The salary total is whatever the salary cap ends up being. I believe it will be officially announced on the 7th of July (tomorrow). Hedo Turkoglu will receive whatever money was available.
The Raptors will have somewhere around $57-58 million tie up in salaries. Toronto can only sign minimum contracts at this point. Anything else would require a trade.
Dave,
At this point, do you have those 12 players pencilled in for the Raptors’ current roster, like I do, as those with fully or partially guaranteed contracts for this coming season?
If so, and without considering any future trade possibilities, just yet, there would seem to be only 3 open roster spots at the moment. Is this correct?
Khandor,
I’d forgotten about Douby. I’d be amazed if he survived through training camp … which brings a thought to mind …
… I think there might be a timing problem on the horizon, with Colangelo waiting until late summer/training camp before making his decisions on three of the end of bench players (Douby, O’Bryant, Jawai). That would make signing useful additions more difficult, and create a shorter bench …
I think Douby gets waived. The others might stay though, and I think decisions on to waive will be put off until near the middle or end of training camp.
Raptors Roster
I’d break down the Raps roster as follows:
Starters: Calderon, DeRozan, Turkoglu, Bosh, Bargnani
Rotation Players: Reggie Evans
Non-rotation bench players: Ukic, Banks, Humphries, O’Byant, Jawai, Douby
I think the Raptors have only one bench player that they can truly rely on for serviceable minutes next season. Well two, but Jay Triano wouldn’t play Humphries last season so he probably won’t next season either, so I’m not counting him for now.
I think the Raptors need to sign a minimum of four new players to fill out that bench. One point guard, two wings, and a fourth big in the rotation … at the minimum … otherwise Colangelo is inviting problems on himself. I’d rather sign five players (another wing, or a combo forward type).
I’d waive Douby and O’Bryant right away. I’d also consider waiving Jawai.
Dave,
Am I correct in asuming that the guaranteed portion of the contract for any waived player must still be retained as part of the team’s salary structure for the current season? … and, whatever players are signed in their place must then be added in, as well?
If Douby, O’Bryant and Jawai are all waived, for example, then that would allow the Raptors to sign up to 5 new players, before reaching the roster limit [i.e. 15]?
If the Raptors are at the Salary Cap Threshold [@ $58.0 M], as is, with Turkoglu amongst the 12 players listed above, and then they waive Douby, O’Bryant and Jawai, this would then mean that they could sign up to 5 new players for a total of @ $10.0 M?
[i.e. if the Luxury Tax Threshold kicks in at @ $68.0 M, and the team once again refuses to exceed that specific limitation]?
… sorry, forgot to add:
which would then leave them with 14 players, in total, and 1 remaining “open” roster spot for an emergency add as the season plays out.
Khandor,
Yes, you’re correct, the guaranteed portion of the contract will stay on the books. And if the Raptors waived those three players, they’d then have 6 open roster spots and could sign 6 new players.
Edit: Ah, just saw the part about 14 used roster spots and one left available.
The Cost
A rookie minimum contract can cost as little as $475k.
A veteran’s minimum contract costs a maximum of somewhere around $825k — they can cost more than this, but this is the figure that goes on the cap and the figure the team pays. The league pays the rest. It’s so minimum contracts can continue rising as a player gets older (1-5 years experience versus 10-15 years), but without age discrimination getting in the way of clubs signing older players.
So, the max cost for 6 new players, would be $5 million plus the guaranteed portion of those three waived contracts. Appearently, all three of those Raptors are now on fully guaranteed contracts. I’d like to get confirmation on those contracts being guaranteed, but I think they are. So that’s another $2.5 million, for a total of $7.5 million.
The Raptors are still a ways away from the expected luxury tax threshold (around $4 million, maybe more).
Given the distance from the Luxury Tax Threshold the Raptors would actually be …
What would be the reason [if any] they would HAVE to settle for signing only Minimum Contract players?
… as opposed to [for example]:
Player 1 $4.5 M
Player 2 $3.0 M
Player 3 $0.8 M
Player 4 $0.8 M
Player 5 $0.8 M
Khandor,
The salary cap threshold ($57-58 million) is where the line is drawn. It’s a soft cap so teams can go above it, but they are only allowed offer certain contracts once they are above the cap.
Those are exceptions:
(1) Mid-level exception
(2) Lower-level exception
(3) Minimum contract exception
The Raptors had to waive their rights to the MLE and LLE in order to use their cap space, so now they can only offer minimum contracts. The Raptors are not allowed to offer any contracts above the minimum.
Next offseason, the Raptors will have their exceptions back and can offer the MLE and LLE to someone.
Dave,
1. Is it the case that teams are allowed only 1 MLE and 1 LLE per year?
2. Teams are also able to exceed the Salary Cap in order to re-sign any of the own free agents.
Anyone who reads this thread should now have a clear understanding of the Raptors situation heading into training this fall.
Khandor,
(1) Yes — Teams are only allowed to spend the LLE once every two years. They can however spend the MLE year after year.
(2) Yes, if they hold their player’s bird rights. If they hold the player’s full bird rights, they can offer up to a maximum contract despite being over the cap.
Dave,
How might a Sign & Trade with Marion going to Dallas …
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4310011
alter the Raptors’ ability to add only Minimum Contract players to their roster at this point?
Khandor,
It’s a nonsense story. I wouldn’t pay it any heed if I were you.
The Raptors can’t take back any salary. If they take back any salary, the Raps can’t sign Hedo Turkoglu to his contract. By getting back Stackhouse, a minimum of $2 million would be added to the Raptors cap for next season. That would lower the Raptors offer to Turkoglu by $10 million over five years.
It’s a nonsense story. Nothing to it.
Dallas Mavericks
They can’t get Shawn Marion … but using Jerry Stackhouse in a sign and trade is a very good option for them. It’ll effectively allow them to sign another player in the $5.8-$9 million price range in free agency.
They can trade Stackhouse and throw in cash considerations. They could offer the full $3 million, and then the team they’re dealing with could waive Stackhouse and make a cool one million for a day’s work. Nice business if you can get it.
This is an option Dallas should investigate fully. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if there’s many free agents left on the market that would be better options than a straight Stackhouse-salary-dump trade.
Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion should sign a one year MLE contract with someone, and then re-enter free agency next offseason. There will be a lot more veteran teams with cap space that summer and he’ll have a much better chance at getting a larger contract. And if things don’t work out like that, he can then just sign his 5 year MLE contract next offseason, nothing lost.
The Raptors need to create approximately 9 mil in cap space to sign Turkoglu to the reported contract. If they trade Marion for Stackhouse in a sign and trade on Wednesday they are very likely over the cap if they retain the cap hold for Delfino (or Parker). If they then turn around on Thursday and buy out Stackhouse they drop 5 mil from their payroll. If they then sign one of Delfino or Parker to a moderate (2 mil-ish) deal and renounce the rest of their free agents they might be in a position to afford Turkoglu and, maybe just maybe, still have their exceptions because they were over the cap on judgment day. Not sure if that works but that’s the logic, I think, behind a trade for Stackhouse. It’s not crazy for either team so it just may happen.
The Raptors might still have to dump Hump for nothing to a team under the cap. Maybe Memphis.
Dave,
How is the Raptors’ situation effected [either positively or negatively] if it’s a three-team trade scenario involving Toronto + Dallas + Someone Else [A. Over, or B. Under, the Salary Cap]?
From what I’m reading elsewhere on-line, there are quite a few others who think it entirely possible for the Raptors to end up with Hedo Turkoglu, one [or even both] of Parker and Delfino, as a LLE, and acess to their accumulated Trade Exceptions.
[1. I'm interested in hearing your take on this possibility. 2. Sorry, for asking ... if the answer is still the same, from your end, despite the chatter from others elsewhere.]
Khandor,
Stackhouse for Marion
If the Raptors can clear salary elsewhere, then it’s entirely possible but they have to cut a fair bit of salary and it looks highly unlikely to happen.
Although, if the Raptors cut salary elsewhere — say a Humphries trade, where he sent to a team below the cap, and the Raptors take no salary back, freeing up close to $3 million more in cap space — if the Raps manage to do that, I don’t understand the incentive to make a straight Marion-Stackhouse sign and trade. Why give up $2million of that $3million, why not just use the $3 million on a player like Carlos Delfino and build a better team?
Three Team Trade
I’ve read those three team trade scenarios too, in theory it should work out fine. I can’t recall ever seeing a sign and trade that was setup like that though … which makes me wonder why I haven’t seen it.
Generally speaking, I only learn about these salary cap rules from past experiences. Since I haven’t seen any other deals like these suggested ones, I’m not sure. I think it should work though.
Stackhouse goes to a team like Oklahoma. Dallas sends $3 million their way, so that they can waive Stack and make a tidy profit. The Raptors sign and trade Marion, Dallas receives him for say an $8 million per year deal. The Raptors get a trade exception from the Thunder.
If a third team gets involved, and is below the cap (otherwise a contract would need to be sent to Toronto, so it needs to be a team below the cap), a sign and trade with Marion to Dallas seems possible.
I don’t understand how the Raptors will be able to dump Banks’ contract though. That would force the Mavs to send another sizable contract to the team below the cap, which is fairly large burden. If there really is a deal being worked on, this will likely prove to be a snag in the deal.
Raptors Cap Space
I have the Raptors at $8.5-$8.9 million in cap space (now that the cap is known at $57.7 million) depending on whether Douby’s contract is guaranteed or not. The information available on Douby’s deal contradicts one another so I’m not sure whether it’s guaranteed or not.
That leaves roughly $50-52 million for Hedo Turkoglu’s five year contract. Not a lot of wiggle room here.