2015 Raptors Offseason - Everything rumors, musings and rumblings

[Nilanka]

Based on ESPN.com The top 3 team that have a chance of landing LA, if he decides to leave Portland are:

1) SA
2) Dallas
3) Lakers

They also said he might get a cold feet about leaving 30 million on the table and not leave but I guess the tax situation in Texas can reduce the blow when it comes to losing money.

Really not understanding the SA appeal. Nothing says failure (in the eyes of fans) like the inability to replace one of the greatest PFs in the history of the sport.

[Primer]

Based on ESPN.com The top 3 team that have a chance of landing LA, if he decides to leave Portland are:

1) SA
2) Dallas
3) Lakers

They also said he might get a cold feet about leaving 30 million on the table and not leave but I guess the tax situation in Texas can reduce the blow when it comes to losing money.

He'd make up the tax difference with endorsements in Canada. LMA has almost no endorsements right now, can anyone name a commercial he is in? He comes to Toronto and he's the biggest star since Vince. If Masai can get Blackberry commercials (the freaking GM) imagine what a legit star player like Aldridge can get.

[JimiCliff]

He'd make up the tax difference with endorsements in Canada. LMA has almost no endorsements right now, can anyone name a commercial he is in? He comes to Toronto and he's the biggest star since Vince. If Masai can get Blackberry commercials (the freaking GM) imagine what a legit star player like Aldridge can get.

The greatest Primo commercial of all time

[Nilanka]

He'd make up the tax difference with endorsements in Canada. LMA has almost no endorsements right now, can anyone name a commercial he is in? He comes to Toronto and he's the biggest star since Vince. If Masai can get Blackberry commercials (the freaking GM) imagine what a legit star player like Aldridge can get.

LaMarcus Aldridge Says Endorsements Are "Difficult" To Land Playing In The Northwest

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/D...-Aldridge.aspx

[BobLoblaw]

San Antonio's cap situation isn't great. They have anywhere from $0-$28M depending on cap holds, e.g. they have to start renouncing players to get their cap space up from $0. Here are the current cap holds.

Manu $10.5M
Duncan $15.5M
Green $7.6M
Leonard $7.2M
Baynes $4M
Ayres $2.3M
Belinelli $3.7M
Joesph $5M
Bonner $1M

Total cap holds $57M

Now, lets examine SA in a best case scenario:
Leonard will certainly get the max which is more than double his cap hold. How long is he willing to wait around while SA pursues free agents? To play devils advocate we'll say he'll wait all of free agency, so his cap hold stands as is.
Danny Green will likely get double his cap hold as well in free agency. How long is he willing to wait around before signing a deal somewhere else? Again, to play devils advocate we'll say he waits as long as it takes, so his cap hold stands.
Duncan deserves more than his cap hold, but best case he takes a deal like what he had last season and signs for $10.5M.
Ginobili retires so his cap hold is gone.
Can they afford to lose Joseph with Parker getting old? Let's say they can so they renounce him and free up his cap hold.
Same thing with Belinelli, it seems like they need him but let's say they waive him.
Everyone else is probably a safe bet to be waived. Now let's see where the cap holds stand:

Duncan $10.5M
Green $7.6M
Leonard $7.2M

Total $25.3M
Add in:
Guaranteed Contracts $34.2M (8 players total)
4 Empty Roster slot cap holds $2.1M
Inclusive Total $61.6M
Projected Cap $67.1M
SA Cap Space: $5.5M in a best case scenario

Let's say they can salary dump Splitter, that adds $8M more space ($8.5M - $500k empty roster slot)
New cap space: $13.5M which is still not enough

Salary dump Diaw to free up another $7M.
New cap space: $20.5M which I believe is a max level offer to LMA

So, best case scenario with a pure dump of Splitter and Diaw, Duncan taking only $10.5M, and Kawhi and Green both willing to wait while things shake out, they can make Aldridge a max offer, and should he accept, this is their roster with only minimums left (and mini MLE I think).

Parker, Mills
Green
Leonard, Anderson
Aldridge
Duncan

Is that really more enticing then just joining the Raps squad without them having to jettison any good players?

I think his max starts at 18.8 mil, I don't guarantee it though. Parker, Green, Leonard and Duncan is a very attractive supporting cast, if we are being honest, I think. If Duncan takes a paycut, maybe Splitter too. Plus whatever they can find with half a midlevel and minimums. Popovich, great organization, more money because of taxes -- especially if he stays there long term.

[Primer]

I think his max starts at 18.8 mil, I don't guarantee it though. Parker, Green, Leonard and Duncan is a very attractive supporting cast, if we are being honest, I think. If Duncan takes a paycut, maybe Splitter too. Plus whatever they can find with half a midlevel and minimums. Popovich, great organization, more money because of taxes -- especially if he stays there long term.

They can't keep Splitter at all, he's under contract already (not a free agent) and he'd have to be complete salary dumped to get them closer to making a max offer (gotta dump Diaw too). I also fully expect Danny Green to sign somewhere else, SA won't be willing to pay him what other teams are. So in reality, the most likely supporting cast is Parker, Leonard, Duncan. Who plays center? Does that team even get to the 2nd round of the playoffs in the west? Toronto is just in a much better situation with the players we have under contract and the fact we already have max cap space + some more money.

[Axel]

Really not understanding the SA appeal. Nothing says failure (in the eyes of fans) like the inability to replace one of the greatest PFs in the history of the sport.

Word is that Aldridge likes the way that Pop has managed to extend the careers of his aging stars. Plus the way they keep winning Championships, have no state tax and are in his home state.

If Kwahi wasn't there, then I'd agree with you that trying to extend the dynasty is a big burden, but with Kwahi there, hard to bet against the Spurs remaining a top team.

[Balls of Steel]

Ooh, if the market is dead for Biyombo (and it might be if they didn't bother to QO him), maybe he's a candidate for backupmC with the Room exception. Probably not but if he was?

LMA for 19M. Aminu for 4M. Biyombo for 3M. Adding a lot of defence there for reasonable cost.

Only 19M for LMA? Seems kinda low. No?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[planetmars]

The fact that LMA will talk to 9 teams tells me he just wants to be wined and dined. I really hope TL is there helping recruit him. He'll know exactly what to say to him.

It's still a long shot, but not as long as it could have been.

If he can't get him.. hopefully Masai is still interested in a max contract to Middleton. I think he's a great fit.

[Balls of Steel]

Word is that Aldridge likes the way that Pop has managed to extend the careers of his aging stars. Plus the way they keep winning Championships, have no state tax and are in his home state.

If Kwahi wasn't there, then I'd agree with you that trying to extend the dynasty is a big burden, but with Kwahi there, hard to bet against the Spurs remaining a top team.

San Antonio is a major threat to sign LMA. But I still believe he wants to get out of the west at all costs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Balls of Steel]

They can't keep Splitter at all, he's under contract already (not a free agent) and he'd have to be complete salary dumped to get them closer to making a max offer (gotta dump Diaw too). I also fully expect Danny Green to sign somewhere else, SA won't be willing to pay him what other teams are. So in reality, the most likely supporting cast is Parker, Leonard, Duncan. Who plays center? Does that team even get to the 2nd round of the playoffs in the west? Toronto is just in a much better situation with the players we have under contract and the fact we already have max cap space + some more money.

And we don't have to gut the roster. Masai did a wonderful job "clearing the deck".


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Letter N]

16 years of incredible success and the greatest coach in the world makes people give you the benefit of the doubt, even if you have had trouble replacing a top 10 player in history.

Just imagine Pop selling LMA on a future of him and Kawhi. Then you also have the mentorship of Duncan for another year, Parker probably for another 3 years. And a management who has consistently not only found diamonds in the rough but molded them into gems themselves (Horry, Jackson, Finley, Bonner, Green, Mills, Splitter, etc., etc., etc.).

Can't believe anyone here or anywhere else in the NBA could call out SA as being a bad place for a FA to go.

[BobLoblaw]

They can't keep Splitter at all, he's under contract already (not a free agent) and he'd have to be complete salary dumped to get them closer to making a max offer (gotta dump Diaw too). I also fully expect Danny Green to sign somewhere else, SA won't be willing to pay him what other teams are. So in reality, the most likely supporting cast is Parker, Leonard, Duncan. Who plays center? Does that team even get to the 2nd round of the playoffs in the west? Toronto is just in a much better situation with the players we have under contract and the fact we already have max cap space + some more money.

If Green leaves as you say, then they can keep Splitter. If Duncan takes a big paycut, they might even keep both. Them losing everyone except Parker, Duncan and Leonard doesn't sound like a realistic scenario...

But if they do lose all of them somehow, then maybe Toronto is more attractive. It's in an easier conference. But the Spurs would still offer a great proven organization, a great coach, more money because of taxes. And that supporting cast would still be quite good.

[Primer]

If Green leaves as you say, then they can keep Splitter. If Duncan takes a big paycut, they might even keep both. Them losing everyone except Parker, Duncan and Leonard doesn't sound like a realistic scenario...

But if they do lose all of them somehow, then I'd agree, Toronto is maybe more attractive. It would then offer less money, similar quality supporting cast, lesser coach, but much easier conference and much easier road to deep playoff rounds.

They'd need to waive Green or have him sign elsewhere before they get that cap hold gone. Then they'd still need to salary dump one of Splitter or Diaw to make room for Aldridge, with Splitter being much much easier to dump.

2nd bold, Toronto would offer the same max deal as everyone else, not less money. If you're talking taxes, I think endorsements would more than make up the difference.

Basically SA sales pitch needs to be that Pop will build a new contender around Kawhi and Aldridge, which is a decent sales pitch. I just think our pitch will be strong also, and we don't have to clear the roster and we're not in the West. Let's not forget San Antonio got eliminated in the 1st round as well, they're not coming off a championship season.

[BobLoblaw]

Only 19M for LMA? Seems kinda low. No?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It's pretty low, that's why he'll take a 1 year deal. Next summer he can sign bigger max that starts at around 30 mil.