How would you hit the ground running?

[Matt52]

Larry Coon just tweeted something I had not been aware of:

@LarryCoon Enjoy your day. Please answer if have a second: After July 1st if a team has space below the salary cap...

@LarryCoon ...if they take on salary that uses up that cap space, do they have to renounce their exceptions like they would if signing a FA?

@RapsFan2 What do you mean by "take on salary?" If they have enough cap space to sign someone, then by definition they already don't have

@RapsFan2 ...exceptions. If you mean in trade, then no, they can keep their exceptions.

@LarryCoon Thanks, Larry! Yes, by "take on salary" i meant trade. So if Raps trade for Gay after July 1st, still have Barbosa TPE and MLE?

Larry Coon ‏@LarryCoon

@RapsFan2 Right.

So when this thread was started, the options given were not inclusive - the Raptors can trade (i.e. use cap space) and use exceptions after July 1st.

Despite all the public wailing of Colangelo about the near $12M in cap space the Raptors have before July 1st (and this is true, no team can offer the salary relief Toronto can offer prior to July 1st EXCEPT Sacramento - and possibly Denver with a $13M TPE and Utah with a $10.5M TPE), the Raptors can still use their cap space for a trade AFTER July 1st AND keep their TPE from Barbosa trade and mid-level exception plus Bird Rights for Bayless, Gray, and Weems.

The only disadvantage to a trade after July 1st is there will be many more teams with cap space thus increasing competition for a more advantageous deal.

Whether a trade happens before or after July 1st, the trade route - not free agency - seems to be the best way to 'spend' the room below the salary cap.

[ReubenJRD]

Larry Coon just tweeted something I had not been aware of:

So when this thread was started, the options given were not inclusive - the Raptors can trade (i.e. use cap space) and use exceptions after July 1st.

Despite all the public wailing of Colangelo about the near $12M in cap space the Raptors have before July 1st (and this is true, no team can offer the salary relief Toronto can offer prior to July 1st EXCEPT Sacramento - and possibly Denver with a $13M TPE and Utah with a $10.5M TPE), the Raptors can still use their cap space for a trade AFTER July 1st AND keep their TPE from Barbosa trade and mid-level exception plus Bird Rights for Bayless, Gray, and Weems.

The only disadvantage to a trade after July 1st is there will be many more teams with cap space thus increasing competition for a more advantageous deal.

Whether a trade happens before or after July 1st, the trade route - not free agency - seems to be the best way to 'spend' the room below the salary cap.

Matt posted! Matt posted!

Long story short. Trade rather than Free Agency to acquire or keep as many assets as possible.