07-13-2025, 09:00 AM
(07-12-2025, 08:38 PM)F Gump Wrote: PAYROLL NOTES
1 As mentioned before, the Mavs' have a payroll problem looming in 2026 (well over A2) with a PJW extension expected to be ahead.
2 It can be solved by erasing ALL the salaries of Martin, Hardy, and Omax, but only 1 of those has to happen this summer (to get room for Exum). They can wait until next summer for the other 2, keep the extra depth, and see if it turns useful this season.
3 Erasing all of those would enable them to land under A2 while also paying their FRP and having money for a TxMLE.
4 As we have heard before, Omax seems the most likely one this summer, to get room for Exum. They have a decision coming on his year 4 option for 2025-26. It would be for 5.3M, and declining it erases his Bird rights next summer. I can't imagine they want to be obligated to that number.
5 If it happens, getting a taker for OMax is likelier after rosters have settled and some team has a space left over (with cap room or a TE to take his salary and take a chance on him). The Mavs could include cash to cover his 3M salary and be waived, but hopefully some team would want him as a keeper (and he makes barely over minimum salary).
6 A worst-case option they have in their back pocket for getting cap room for Exum would be to waive BW and then sign him back as a two-way, assuming he would agree. One pitfall on that approach is that they would risk losing him, if they did so and he got an offer from another team for a regular 15-man deal.
... I notice that BW is not on the Mavs SL team. Could that tell us something? For example, are the Mavs avoiding any injury potential, to enable them to waive him with no cost if they need to? (If a NG player gets injured in a game or camp, his NG contract becomes guaranteed until he is healthy, unless it has an E9 or E10 clause, ie a summer or camp contract.)
7 Yes both B Will and Kai Jones are two-way eligible. The question is whether either or both would be interested in such a deal. The Mavs have one slot left. So far they have a PG and a SG/SF filling the 1st 2 slots.
8 Around the league, it seems like players of the caliber of BW and KJ are taking 2-way slots, grabbing them when offered, if they are on the bubble for getting a 15-man deal. More important to note, teams are starting to aggressively use their two-way slots as an avenue to having discount-priced 3rd stringers (since those salaries don't count on your cap), with the hard cap being an issue for many. Those 2-way signees are no longer just long shots who will mostly be in the GL, but teams are looking for players they will be able to use so they can leave their 15th slot open.
Is this with or without Russell? Can I already reserve our TXMLE for Lebron next year?
I found it interesting that Hardy and Omax are both in Vegas and at the games. I guess they are both under contract and young, but just found that interesting. Maybe they are fringe guys and now they need to take advantage of every opportunity?