Preseason Game 4: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Dallas Mavericks | 6:30pm CST on TNT

[F Gump]

Clippers current roster salary: 172,279,116                              Mavs current roster salary: 175,518,261

Currently hardcapped at: 178,132,000                                    Currently hardcapped at: 178,132,000 

Total space: 4,852,884                                                          Total space: 2,613,739


DJJ's current salary is 9.5 mil. Maxi's is 11 flat. Clippers could easily absorb the extra 2 mil and are allowed to do so as they are not above any 1st apron.

LAC's cap situation is not that simple.

They are a repeater tax team, and have a real window this season to slip under the tax line and log a year under the line, which then has an impact for the 4 following years. At the moment, they are less than one minimum salary over the line.

Obviously Ballmer can afford it. But there are big questions whether they are going to be competitive. 

If they are competitive, then yes they have room to work with. A few more dollars won't matter, as long as they feel it makes them better. 

BUT IF they are NOT competitive, why wouldn't they pull the plug at some point, get someone to take a contract, and slide under the tax line? If that's where they appear to be headed, I don't think they will want a trade that is taking them the other way and increases their team payroll. And the fact that Kawhi is out "indefinitely" would tend to make them a bad team.

There's even another factor - if Kawhi is hurt enough to wreck their season, shouldn't they just tank for Flagg? Are they smart enough to see that? And in a wasted season, isn't that when you make sure you are UNDER the tax line?