The problem isn't how much Gilbert is willing to spend, it's how we can go about actually adding salary. It's not straight-forward, and we are restricted in how we can improve the team being so far over the cap.
(Gour, going to use your post as a jumping off point, not really responding to it directly)
This is why using the Haywood deal(and not just releasing him) is so key.
We're pretty stacked already when healthy, but you always want to continue to add present day help or future assets/flexibility. Without it, we have just the taxpayer MLE, the #24 pick in this draft, and the vet minimum to add players to next years team without trading out players already here making a contribution.
But with the Haywood contract, we can add one guy like Splitter, Ilyasova, Iguadola(all just examples based on their salary) on a 8-10 million per year contract. We can add two guys making a combined $10 million
We can add a guy who we don't plan on using, but for taking his bad contract we possibly get a future draft pick thrown in.
Even if we take on a contract of a guy we don't love, it still increases and prolongs our ability to eventually trade for a salary that we wouldn't be permitted to sign via FA.
Interested to see what they do with it.