(09-03-2021, 02:28 PM)omahen Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think they are doing anything wrong by discussing this deal before Sep 15th, while no discussion with free agents should be had before free agency start.
You are correct.
The issue with the deals under investigation is not about trade talks between teams. Instead, it is over contractual AND trade negotiations that may have occurred between player and team(s) before such negotiations were allowed to happen.
This is just a trade of players under contract, and there is no prohibition from talking about such things.
(09-03-2021, 05:07 PM)sterlingmallory Wrote: [ -> ]https://twitter.com/Schultz_Report/statu...09478?s=19
How reliable is this Schultz guy?
I mean, he has the fact that Dragic hasn't been bought out yet on his side.
Again, if Toronto was going to guy him out, then they would have done it already.
(09-03-2021, 05:07 PM)sterlingmallory Wrote: [ -> ]https://twitter.com/Schultz_Report/statu...09478?s=19
How reliable is this Schultz guy?
I'm not sure, but he seems to be implying that Dragic wouldn't choose to sign with Dallas if he's bought out, and that he hasn't even given thought to a buyout yet.
Based on public comments Dragic has made he doesn't want to be in Toronto, and I would be shocked if he chose to sign somewhere other than Dallas IF he is bought out based on wanting to play with Luka.
So in this case this guy seems to be a bit suspect imo...
(09-03-2021, 06:49 AM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: [ -> ]It does feel a little rich on the Dallas side of things, but Boucher is UFA in the summer.
I'll have to eat the theory on KP as a PF, but I agree on how it sets up the roster. I think Boucher and Maxi would be somewhat interchangeable in terms of who starts. Both block shots and can defend both big positions. Boucher can be a small ball center and switch things better than KP can. Once the playoffs hit, you could narrow things down to 8 fairly easily with
C/PF covered by KP/Maxi/Boucher and some minutes from DFS
Wings covered by DFS/THJ and Bullock getting minutes behind each
Ball Handling handled by Luka/Dragic
Day to day, I see it more like:
Luka/Dragic/TBD
THJ/Brunson/Brown
DFS/Bullock/Green
Maxi/(DFS/Boucher)
KP/Boucher/Moses/Boban
That would be an excellent team. It also could make Brunson an interesting trade piece at the deadline if we wanted
(09-03-2021, 05:07 PM)sterlingmallory Wrote: [ -> ]How reliable is this Schultz guy?
As a general rule, it's pretty safe to ignore all ESPN talking heads not named Woj. Hot sports opinions for clicks is a pretty lame business.
And this particular "rumor" is certainly bold. Do we believe Fischer, Cato, Stein, Luka's IG feed, and Dragic himself about his interest in Dallas? Or do we believe a rando ESPN personality who stands alone implying they're all lying and there's nothing to see here?
I have a strong suspicion that there's no way he'd bet his own money on this particular take. It's all performative.
He's not saying that Dragic wont sign with the Mavs if bought out by Toronto.
He's saying that Dragic wont sign with the Mavs because him and Toronto haven't even discussed a buyout.
His wording is a little goofy
Well they wouldn't talk buyout or signing with anyone if the plan was to trade Powell+Moses for Dragic.
(09-03-2021, 11:21 PM)Branduil Wrote: [ -> ]Well they wouldn't talk buyout or signing with anyone if the plan was to trade Powell+Moses for Dragic.
It's a really weird way to deliver the message, but I can roll with that interpretation:
"Tell me Dallas is trading for Dragic without saying they're trading for Dragic."
(09-03-2021, 11:41 PM)Tyler Wrote: [ -> ]It's a really weird way to deliver the message, but I can roll with that interpretation:
"Tell me Dallas is trading for Dragic without saying they're trading for Dragic."
The problem with a buyout is that it does not help the Raptors with their luxury tax problem. They still have to carry the dead money, so if Dragic were to sign for the minimum with Dallas, he´d still count with ~17M against the tax. Unless a team still has and is willing to pay the MLE for Dragic, which I doubt. So a trade centered around Powell (or any other trade) is much more sensible option for the Raptors. I think for a buyout to occur right now Dragic would have to forfeit $6-7M in salary, which seems highly unlikely.
(09-04-2021, 01:26 AM)Mavs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]The problem with a buyout is that it does not help the Raptors with their luxury tax problem. They still have to carry the dead money, so if Dragic were to sign for the minimum with Dallas, he´d still count with ~17M against the tax.
TOR doesn't look to have a tax issue that can't be solved in an easy and obvious manner. (I'm sure they have great number crunchers, and didn't end up in this spot, without already knowing exactly how they would make the tax issue go away. It's not like they will be a major contender this season at the mercy of having to find a way to fit together too much talent onto their roster. You don't pay tax in a rebuilding season, unless you were already buried in payroll and can't get out.)
In fact, a by-the-book Dragic buyout looks like their obvious SOLUTION, rather than an obstacle.
The Raps have 17 players under NBA contract, and will only keep 15. Their current payroll total for all 17 contracts is 139.8M. The tax line is 136.6M.
Once Dragic agrees to a buyout of his salary minus minimum (the NBA by-the-book discount, since Dragic will get back the minimum when he signs with Dallas), that will leave them with 16 contracts totaling about 137.2M (which includes Dragic's dead money). That leaves just the move to shed that one extra player, one who has little (if any) guaranteed money, to be under the tax. They have multiple choices that would provide more than enough..
So that $2.6M they will get back from Dragic looks like an obvious (and logically already-planned) path to staying tax free.
Also, they will want to do it before the season, not later. The by-the-book discount gets reduced the longer they wait (the pro-rated minimum he gets back by signing elsewhere would dwindle in proportion to how much of the season remains, and instead of saving $2.6M, it might be as little as a third of that).
(09-04-2021, 06:17 AM)F Gump Wrote: [ -> ]TOR doesn't look to have a tax issue that can't be solved in an easy and obvious manner. (I'm sure they have great number crunchers, and didn't end up in this spot, without already knowing exactly how they would make the tax issue go away. It's not like they will be a major contender this season at the mercy of having to find a way to fit together too much talent onto their roster. You don't pay tax in a rebuilding season, unless you were already buried in payroll and can't get out.)
In fact, a by-the-book Dragic buyout looks like their obvious SOLUTION, rather than an obstacle.
The Raps have 17 players under NBA contract, and will only keep 15. Their current payroll total for all 17 contracts is 139.8M. The tax line is 136.6M.
Once Dragic agrees to a buyout of his salary minus minimum (the NBA by-the-book discount, since Dragic will get back the minimum when he signs with Dallas), that will leave them with 16 contracts totaling about 137.2M (which includes Dragic's dead money). That leaves just the move to shed that one extra player, one who has little (if any) guaranteed money, to be under the tax. They have multiple choices that would provide more than enough..
So that $2.6M they will get back from Dragic looks like an obvious (and logically already-planned) path to staying tax free.
Also, they will want to do it before the season, not later. The by-the-book discount gets reduced the longer they wait (the pro-rated minimum he gets back by signing elsewhere would dwindle in proportion to how much of the season remains, and instead of saving $2.6M, it might be as little as a third of that).
Spotrac has them at $146M.
(09-04-2021, 07:16 AM)Mavs2021 Wrote: [ -> ]Spotrac has them at $146M.
Look in the upper right corner of the Toronto page...$139.8mm.
The $146mm figure includes QO's for Trent and De Colo. Don't know why they haven't updated those.
(09-03-2021, 10:21 PM)jesusshuttlesworth82 Wrote: [ -> ]He's not saying that Dragic wont sign with the Mavs if bought out by Toronto.
He's saying that Dragic wont sign with the Mavs because him and Toronto haven't even discussed a buyout.
His wording is a little goofy
I agree, and I think his wording is a direct result of his source, as if he has someone from Toronto (someone intending to negotiate in public) feeding him the info. Otherwise, there is literally no reason to tag the Mavs in the tweet. They're STILL trying to tell Dallas they won't buy him out, I assume. I don't know what the truth is, but I can't wait to see how it turns out.
(09-04-2021, 03:27 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]I agree, and I think his wording is a direct result of his source, as if he has someone from Toronto (someone intending to negotiate in public) feeding him the info. Otherwise, there is literally no reason to tag the Mavs in the tweet. They're STILL trying to tell Dallas they won't buy him out, I assume. I don't know what the truth is, but I can't wait to see how it turns out.
That's what I thought when I read it (Toronto source). And astute observation, pal, about there being no reason for Dallas to be mentioned unless it's Toronto negotiating.
Seems like their strategy is to hold out for some second rounders or something until the last minute before they have to buy him out.
(09-04-2021, 07:32 PM)fifteenth Wrote: [ -> ]Seems like their strategy is to hold out for some second rounders or something until the last minute before they have to buy him out.
But I don't get it, at this point.
There really isn't a way Dallas can just TAKE the $19 million off their books - they'd have to send salary back, right? Unless I'm really rusty with my basic cap stuff, I don't think the TPE is big enough. There's no way they believe they're going to get something GOOD from Dallas in the exchange - they don't HAVE anything good that would be appropriate for this deal. I mean, is Josh Green REALLY worth taking on Powell's money past this season, even if Toronto likes him? I kind of doubt this is over 2nd round picks. That seems silly.
I think the most logical conclusion is that Dragic wants most of that $19 million and they want him to accept quite a bit less in a buyout than he is currently willing to take. This whole thing is so interesting, though.
(09-05-2021, 01:25 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]I think the most logical conclusion is that Dragic wants most of that $19 million and they want him to accept quite a bit less in a buyout than he is currently willing to take. This whole thing is so interesting, though.
Agree. Assume this is a staring contest between Dragic and TOR over the amount of money he gets in a buy out.
(09-05-2021, 01:25 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]I think the most logical conclusion is that Dragic wants most of that $19 million and they want him to accept quite a bit less in a buyout than he is currently willing to take. This whole thing is so interesting, though.
Yeah, this makes more sense than what I said.
"As I say, that's my goal and I believe that you can always fight. We'll see how the season goes but in my opinion we can be there, fighting for everything. I don't know if we need one or two players or what exactly, we have to start playing and there we'll see what happens".
"Well, we've done many changes, especially in the staff and the goal is still to fight for the championship. The truth is that I'm very excited for the season we're about to face."
"I think he is an excellent coach who also knows a lot about how to play basketball and how to coach a team. It's an excellent opportunity to grow and I think it will help me a lot."
https://bolavip.com/en/nba/mavericks-sta...-0031.html