Is Carlos Boozer On The Way Out?
The Desert News reports
Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer told a Chicago radio station today that he expects to soon be traded, and that he’ll be happy if he is.
According to a transcript from WMVP 1000-AM, the ESPN affiliate in Chicago, Boozer — who has not spoken to Utah media since the Jazz’s season ended in late April — said this when asked if he thought he’d be dealt: “Yeah I do. I had a talk with the Jazz. The Jazz told me they want to go in a different direction and I respect their decision. We mutually agreed to work out a trade that was beneficial for them and beneficial for my family and me. So with that being said, I’m gonna be traded relatively soon or in good time.”
The article mentions some of the teams linked to Boozer over the past few days
Rumors circulating today have Chicago, Miami, New York and Detroit among potential destinations for Boozer.
Boozer also had some good things to say about the Chicago Bulls.
Utah’s Needs
What is Utah looking for in a Carlos Boozer trade?
I think it should be cap savings. I think they should be trying to clear his entire salary off the cap, or at least the majority of it.
Most teams will be unwilling to give up a star talent for Boozer due to his contract situation – Boozer being an expiring contract, fear of him being a one-year rental, someone who’ll leave in 12 months time – which limits the type of talent that Utah could demand in return. Most of the players they’ll be offered will be expensive role players, and I don’t think those guys are worth the added cost to Utah’s payroll.
I think Utah is best off by taking as much of a salary dump as they can possibly acquire. Maybe try to get some cheap talent in return, or a draft pick, if possible. But the primary goal should be dumping Boozer’s contract.
How much do Kirilenko, Williams, Okur and Millsap cost per annum for the next two years? Plus, talk about their effect on Utah’s cap.
Deron Williams will cost $13.76 million next season, and $15.2 million the following year. Andrei Kirilenko is the club’s top earner at $16.45 million and $17.82 million respectively over the next two years. Memo Okur is on the books for $9 million this season and is due $10-11 million the following year. Paul Millsap will count for $7.225 million in both his first and second years against the salary cap.
Therefore, the foursome will cost $46.44 million during the 2009-10 season, and roughly $50.75 million in 2010-11 season.
In other words, Utah’s core is already taking up a huge chunk of their payroll. Adding another player who’ll cost $10-13 million a season (for example, Rip Hamilton) will put the club under a lot of pressure for at least the next two years.
Matt Harpring, Kyle Korver, and Ronnie Brewer
Matt Harpring and Kyle Korver both have expiring contracts. They combine to make $11.75 million.
Ronnie Brewer’s rookie scale contract expires at the end of next season and he’ll be up for a contract extension, a contract which will likely pay him somewhere between $6-7 million in 2010-11. This is important, because when it’s added to Utah’s main four guys, and the new $10-13 million player who replaces Boozer, Utah will be up around $70 million in salaries for just their top seven guys.
How much of a cap hit are Utah willing to take?
In the Paul Millsap post I wrote, I figured the Jazz would have a payroll of around $99 million next season if they matched the Millsap offer. That has them signing one more minimum contract player, the luxury tax payments, and the signing on fee for Millsap, and them not finding a salary dump for Boozer.
If Utah did trade Boozer for talent, and took back an eight figure per annum contract, the Jazz would likely have a payroll of somewhere around $90 million in 2010-11 too — $70 million for the top six guys, 6.5 milllion more for Miles + Koufos + Maynor, and say another $5 million to fill the rest of the bench out. Then luxury tax payments – and that figure would be even greater if the luxury tax threshold falls significantly, which looks very likely right now. That could easily climb up towards $100 million before all is said and done.
That would have Utah paying out $60 million more in paychecks than normal, over two years. And in all likelihood, for a team that is still a notch below a title contender.
Start at the beginning …
I think Utah should be looking for a salary dump in a Carlos Boozer trade. Either his full contract, or at least the majority of it, completely off of Utah’s books.
