Plans for Cap Space in Summer 2013

[Rookie]

I'd like to wait until 2014 and go after marc gasol.

 

[Dr. Gymbo]

If we can get Pau Gasol for like a S&T with Speights, we gotta do that, right? The Lakers might want to reduce their tax bill for the year and Gasol is in the last deal of an admittedly overpriced contract. We start Tristan at the 4 and Gasol at the 5. If Gasol has a good year, we would have bird rights on him and could hopefully keep him for around 10m a year on a short term new deal.

I actually like this a lot. It's a very creative way to utilize our cap space next year. If all it costs the Cavs is cap space/money, then I make that trade no question.

Gasol might be turning 33 this year, but he's still a multi-time All Star with a winning pedigree and championship experience. I think he could be a valuable influence on players like Tristan and Tyler. I also really like his versatility in terms of where he fits with our bigs.

Right now, the Cavs have $32.1M in total cap (Irving, Gee, Varejao, Thompson, Waiters, Zeller, Miles, Selby, and Speights*) allocated to next season. Assume the salary cap stays near where it is this year: $58.8M, and that leaves the Cavs with $26.7M in cap space. Furthermore, if Speights is lost to free agency and Miles is cut by the team, that's an additional $6.8M in cap space.

I'd like to keep Ellington and Livingston next year and assign them reasonable contracts. I'd probably offer Ellington a contract similar to what Gee obtained ($10M over three years). I'd offer Livingston a contract for the same length, but worth a little bit less ($7.5M over three years). Assume starting values for $3.5M (Ellington) and $2.5M (Livingston), and we're at $7M. Let's assume the Cavs draft 7th and 29th overall with their first round picks. There's an additional $2.33M (7th) and $857K (29th) for those two rookies based on the current NBA Rookie Pay Scale. Retention of Ellington, Livingston, and our two draft selections would total approximately $10.2M for four players, that would leave our lineup looking something like:

PG: Kyrie Irving/Shaun Livingston/Josh Selby
SG: Dion Waiters/Wayne Ellington
SF: Alonzo Gee/C.J. Miles/2013 Draft Pick (7th)
PF: Tristan Thompson/2013 Draft Pick (29th)
C: Anderson Varejao/Tyler Zeller

At this point the Cavs' money committeed to the cap would be approximately $42.3M (players committed, rookies, and re-signed FAs). This would still leave them around $16.5M under the cap. Pau Gasol is set to make $19.3M next year. If the Cavs traded (or signed and traded) Mo Speights and C.J. Miles, that would net us back $6.8M in cap space (as explained above), moving us to $23.3M under the cap, which would be more than enough to take on Gasol for next year and still leave us with a little cap space to play around with.

Why? If it is one year deal, gives us a good player to par with Irving for a playoff run next year, and it also gives us a good big man in 2014 when we sign a max free agent. It is ok to have some veterans on the team, Gasols game is shooting, and pick and pop, even as he ages he could still give us 18 - 9 from the Center potions, and would pair great with TT.

I agree with you here too. I think Gasol would be a really good fit with our current rotation of bigs. His ability to play either the 4 or the 5 allows him to start at the 5 next to Thompson or he can move over to the 4 when Andy comes off the bench. He's shown he's a good passer which is an important part of the offense Scott is looking to implement.

Next year is our make or break playoff year. I think Gasol takes us there. If we're looking to attract free agents to Cleveland in the summer of 2014, we're going to need to win and gain profile around the league. This includes pushing into the playoffs. His contract comes off the books that summer too. Which gives us flexibility with what to do with him. If we miss out on the high end free agents, but are able to get one the second tier guys (and Gasol) at a reasonable offer, I think that's still better than being left handing the bag with a ton of cap space and nobody (Dallas this year).

 

[Cavsfan1985]

Gasol will be paid 19 million next year. He is not a free agent. He will be a free agent the summer of 2014, not 2013. I don't know about you, but I don't see 19 million as cheap. There is no reason to be looking in that direction.

It is a lot of money yes, but we need to spend it anyway. Perfect way to get a good player on a one year deal. Then in 2014, he may be willing to take a massive pay cut to stay on the team should we sign a top FA. The key for next year is having a few big number guys, it will be hard to fill with one year deal players and meet the min requirement.

 

[Scholar]

So, some of you want to go and help LA clear cap space for 2014, eh? Brilliant thinking. I know that would be the very first thing on my mind. While you are pondering that thought, I hope all of you realize that Gasol's cap hold for 2014 should be over 20 million. That is going to inhibit your movement till you solve what you intend to do with him. Everyone had better also be ready to accept that Andy can't be on the roster with Gasol. Not if you even want to sniff any chance of signing, or trading for, one of the premier talents that off season. It just isn't going to be able to happen. What could very well happen is that you'd have to renounce your bird rights to Pau. That, of course, would defeat the whole purpose of this mega plan. You are going to out think yourself into disaster.

Btw, there is no reason to worry about filling the salary minimum. I believe that only comes into effect at the end of the season. So, you could very well make moves in February of 2014 to fill that in as wanted. Likely getting very nice deals on some players for that playoff push. The key to all of this is not burning assets that don't add long term pieces. Besides, the worst thing that happens if you don't reach the minimum, is that your players already on the roster earn the difference.

 

[MattyFos.]

The problem with this Pau plan is that the Lakers aren't going to give him away. And I'll be damned if we burn assets for Pau Gasol. A one year rental of Pau Gasol.

 

[FiveThous]

The problem with this Pau plan is that the Lakers aren't going to give him away. And I'll be damned if we burn assets for Pau Gasol. A one year rental of Pau Gasol.

*Insert regurgitated post here about how we have to eventually use the assets we acquired for deals like this*

 

[Cavsfan1985]

So, some of you want to go and help LA clear cap space for 2014, eh? Brilliant thinking.

His contract does expire after next year. The only way we would do a trade like this is if we paid penny's on the $. LA is in cap hell next year, so I don't think it would take much.

I just think if you have a chance to get a All Star type big man, that would not require any core assets, or ruin are cap space for 2014 you make the move.

 

[miller810]

So, some of you want to go and help LA clear cap space for 2014, eh? Brilliant thinking. I know that would be the very first thing on my mind. While you are pondering that thought, I hope all of you realize that Gasol's cap hold for 2014 should be over 20 million. That is going to inhibit your movement till you solve what you intend to do with him. Everyone had better also be ready to accept that Andy can't be on the roster with Gasol. Not if you even want to sniff any chance of signing, or trading for, one of the premier talents that off season. It just isn't going to be able to happen. What could very well happen is that you'd have to renounce your bird rights to Pau. That, of course, would defeat the whole purpose of this mega plan. You are going to out think yourself into disaster.

Btw, there is no reason to worry about filling the salary minimum. I believe that only comes into effect at the end of the season. So, you could very well make moves in February of 2014 to fill that in as wanted. Likely getting very nice deals on some players for that playoff push. The key to all of this is not burning assets that don't add long term pieces. Besides, the worst thing that happens if you don't reach the minimum, is that your players already on the roster earn the difference.

I see L.A. taking Speights and Miles for Gasol. And why can't Gasol and Andy be on the same team? And doesn't AV's contract expire next year? (Believe 13'-14' is a team option).

I guess Lebron wouldn't wanna play with a 7 footer who can pick and pop, and a 7 foot energy guy who can rebound and play defense and play the pick and roll well....(Sarcasm)...Oh, and still have TT and Zeller in the rotation.

I'm not as skilled at Scholar at the salary side of things, but wouldn't Gasol and AV (if they decline his team option) be free agents therefore clearing their salaries? And wouldn't they be apt to sign with us for less money if say like....Lebron came back?

I'm sorry I always seem to disagree with you Scholar. This seems pretty bad ass to me.

2013/2014-
Kyrie/Livingston/Selby
Waiters/Ellington
Gee/Draft pick
Gasol/TT/Draft pick
AV/Zeller or maybe even Oden

2014/2015-
Kyrie/Livingson/Selby
Waiters/Ellington
LeBron/Gee
Gasol/TT
Oden/AV/Zeller

 

[Zone]

I see L.A. taking Speights and Miles for Gasol. And why can't Gasol and Andy be on the same team? And doesn't AV's contract expire next year? (Believe 13'-14' is a team option).

I guess Lebron wouldn't wanna play with a 7 footer who can pick and pop, and a 7 foot energy guy who can rebound and play defense and play the pick and roll well....(Sarcasm)...Oh, and still have TT and Zeller in the rotation.

I'm not as skilled at Scholar at the salary side of things, but wouldn't Gasol and AV (if they decline his team option) be free agents therefore clearing their salaries? And wouldn't they be apt to sign with us for less money if say like....Lebron came back?

I'm sorry I always seem to disagree with you Scholar. This seems pretty bad ass to me.

2013/2014-
Kyrie/Livingston/Selby
Waiters/Ellington
Gee/Draft pick
Gasol/TT/Draft pick
AV/Zeller or maybe even Oden

2014/2015-
Kyrie/Livingson/Selby
Waiters/Ellington
LeBron/Gee
Gasol/TT
Oden/AV/Zeller

Varejao's guaranteed $4 million if he ends the 2013-14 season with us. It's a team option as to whether they pay him the $4 million or his full salary that season ($9+)

 

[CornerThree]

You can renounce Gasol's cap hold and then sign him to a contract with your existing/remaining cap space. That's what we did with Z that summer we signed Hughes, et al.

 

[pinoycavsfan]

plan:

1. get a SF in the draft
2. sign al jefferson for a 1 year deal with team option on the next year
3. make the playoffs
4. go all out for the 2014 free agent class
5. win championship

 

[Smooth]

When taking into account the Cavs re-signing a few of their free agents (some combo of Ellington, Speights and Livingston) and the Cavs also bringing in 2-4 players from the draft (doubt it'll be 4), the roster space for a free agent isn't really there...

The Cavs have been really careful to preserve cap space for '14, whether it's right or wrong, so I don't see them being players in sort of big deals at all... On top of that, there really isn't a player or two that would really help the Cavs enough for them to consider it..

What the Cavs will likely end up doing is a deal similar to CJ Miles this year... They'll have a roster spot or two to use up and will likely take a chance on a free agent that could have some upside at a low cost...

 

[BobQCarter]

What are the rules on front loading a contract? Say for example you wanted to give a guy 12mil over three years, can you give him 8-2-2 instead of 4-4-4? Seems like that would pay the guy the same money but give a little more flexibility for the future. Seeing as I haven't seen it mentioned, there's probably a hitch.

 

[shoes22]

What are the rules on front loading a contract? Say for example you wanted to give a guy 12mil over three years, can you give him 8-2-2 instead of 4-4-4? Seems like that would pay the guy the same money but give a little more flexibility for the future. Seeing as I haven't seen it mentioned, there's probably a hitch.

Can't do it. Against the new CBA. You can add a "signing bonus" to a contract, but it still counts against the cap evenly among the years in the contract.

 

[wuck]

What are the rules on front loading a contract? Say for example you wanted to give a guy 12mil over three years, can you give him 8-2-2 instead of 4-4-4? Seems like that would pay the guy the same money but give a little more flexibility for the future. Seeing as I haven't seen it mentioned, there's probably a hitch.

Short answer is there appears to be very little flexibility in terms of frontloading contracts in the current CBA.

For a longer answer, see post #20 in this thread.