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

[Jmaciscool]

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?

I don't think they can tank for Flagg because they owe their pick to (of course) OKC. OKC actually has the rights to swap for the best pick between LAC and HOU, so I think the only way Clips get to keep the pick is if the Rockets end up with a worse record and better pick for OKC to swap. At least that's how I'm understanding it.

But to your point it definitely seems like a "get under the tax line" season at the very least for them.