06-29-2024, 10:42 AM
(06-29-2024, 08:58 AM)omahen Wrote: Mavs salary for next season (THJ for Grimes trade already accounted) is 160.052 mil + 2.208 mil of McGee dead money, which is a bit over 162.2 mil. However, the allocations are calculated at 163.761 mil, so I assume there is one empty slot salary added to that. First apron minus 163.761 gives you the 14.89 mil space below the first apron.
FA agent brought into that 14th spot would replace the empty slot salary, which means the actual available salary for the 14th guy is around 16.3 mil (this is the number Keith Smith mentioned). Take away 1 mil cushion and you are at 15.3 mil. If DJJ takes a couple of million below the max MLE, Mavs could get to over 17 mil of first year Thompson salary, if they only send Green out for air.
We happen to have a TPE of $16.2mm from the THJ trade.
This is the scenario I brought up last night where you bring Thompson into this slot. DJJ takes about $10.5mm and you keep Maxi. You have your cushion, but you have to trade Green into space, a TPE or someone's NT MLE (or to LAC depending on everything else). At that point you've traded THJ/Green for Thompson/Grimes. You gave up some seconds and would presumably get seconds back (at least one of which would go to GSW for the S&T).
One last note. How positive are we Grimes is here to stay. One design no one has looked at yet is Grimes/Maxi as the outgoing. DJJ (and a little OMax) is your backup behind PJ, Green/Thompson share the 3 and you've created more space for Hardy to get some minutes. You can take Thompson into that same TPE from the Hardaway deal, but DJJ has to take about $11mm.
I've got to go do some yard work, but I wonder if there is a version where Wiggins, Moody, Maxi and Grimes go to LAC and Thompson coming here for Maxi/Grimes. You have flexibility in setting Thompson's number (or you sub in Exum instead of Grimes or BP instead of Moody. I don't have time to work out the math, but it feels like there is a version in there somewhere depending on what Thompson is really willing to take (which we don't know for sure)