08-07-2021, 10:39 PM
(08-07-2021, 09:34 PM)DallasBasketball Wrote: 1. Are you saying there is no under the cap route? Or that you disagree with the notion that the Mavs would use said route. If it’s the latter, makes sense given the potential of the roster is higher.
2. Okay I’ll give in. JJB is the player I wasn’t going to name.
They started over the cap, and the only way to cap room is to start discarding various holds, rights, and exemptions. It is my belief that they have passed the point of making a choice, as some moves have been formalized.
We have heard reports that they are done.
I also think they really don't want to elevate the ongoing payroll further, so squeezing out some cap room (if they could) would be of no interest.
That's not an unreasonable way for them to plan, given the huge jump coming next summer (with new deals upcoming for all of Luka, Brunson, DFS, and WCS). If we just assume fairly modest raises for all of them except Luka, they're probably looking at being well past the apron, with a big tax bill. (And if they don't keep some of those players, all of them have a real role, so they'd be looking at finding a replacement for any they don't keep, which is just as costly.)
It's crucial this year for KP to elevate his game and be worth that huge contract, where it's a big payroll for a big winner rather than for a lower seed one-and-done level club. If he doesn't, they have to get off of his $30+M salary. DP's overpay is also going to be uncomfortable too, so they will want to elevate his value and be able to move him, I think, especially if they keep KP.