Trade & FA 2024-25:

[F Gump]

Not that I have the greatest of faith in my numbers BUT I show the Mavs as being $228k OVER the apron with Lawson as the 15th. My guess is that some of the difference is in interpreting bonuses and which ones count toward the Apron.

That being said, my gut says the fix is waiving Lawson and replacing him with Ajinca. Ajinca (being a draft pick) is exempt from the 2 year veteran for ALL minimum salaries, when projecting Apron.

My heart HOPES we can trade Hardy (who -as a pick himself- actually makes it worse by 80k) or Exum with Powell for 2 players whose salaries are equivalent to 3 minimum salaried veterans (~$ 6.3 million).

I think the raw salary numbers at Spotrac are accurate. (Their totals are unclear as to how they are derived, and often include irrelevant items, so I ignore them. But the individual salaries tend to be reliable.)

I currently show them as being 493,056 below apron 1.

For apron purposes, (1) all incentive bonuses count (trade kickers do not) and (2) all one-year minimum contracts are the same, at 2-yr-experience level, except for 2nd rounders in year 1 or 2.

Mavs supposedly have 15, but there is still room for some noodling around at the bottom of the roster.

We've been told Morris will be added. If Lawson will be replaced by Morris, they gain about 33K in room.

There is no value in carrying a player (Ajinca) who has no real purpose and who is not useful to develop. If/when they waive Lawson, they can just leave the space empty, and you have lots of room (and a space to add a player when needed, such as a buyout).

I tend to think they will carry 14. I understand the Mavs rationale for having Morris on the roster, but it sure seems like there should be a more efficient solution, financially, if you want a cheerleader-chemistry person to hang out with the team. 

Waiving Lawson is one part of how they might get to 14 (or 15), but will there be something else? Your thoughts (moving players like Hardy or Exum for draft capital) make sense if they pursue more.