The Spurs’ decision on whether to pursue Chris Paul will play a role in which free agents return next season, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. The organization would have to clear a massive amount of cap space to offer Paul a max deal, which would probably mean renouncing Patty Mills and not matching an offer sheet for restricted free agent Jonathon Simmons. In addition, Dewayne Dedmon and David Lee both have player options and might also be renounced if they opt out. If the Spurs are able to sign Paul, they will have to fill out the roster using their mid-level exception and veterans minimum deals.
There’s more news out of San Antonio:
- If the Spurs want to keep Simmons, they will get some help from an “arcane” rule, McDonald notes in the same story. The Gilbert Arenas provision limits first-year offers to Simmons to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which will be roughly $8.4MM next season. Of course, offer sheets can be heavily backloaded over the final two years, similar to what the Nets did with Tyler Johnson last summer. If the Spurs are operating over the cap, they won’t have the ability to spread the hit evenly over four seasons, so they could be looking at a substantial salary commitment in 2019/20 and 2020/21 for a player who turns 28 in September.
- To make a realistic run at Paul, the Spurs would have to find a taker for LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green or Tony Parker, writes Nick Moyle of The San Antonio Express-News. That means trading them without taking back salary, which will almost certainly require giving up draft picks. Aldridge would probably be the most difficult of the three to move, as he is signed for $21.461MM for next season, along with a $22.347MM player option for 2018/19. Green will make $10MM next year, with a $10MM player option the following season. Parker is entering the final year of his contract at $15.453MM.
- Lee won’t need surgery for a strained patellar tendon in his left knee, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. The injury, which Lee suffered in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, is expected to heal in about six weeks.
Let Simmons go. He was great without Kawhi but not worth a Tyler Johnson type contract. I’d rather see them go after a Bledsoe if getting a PG thru FA won’t work. Bledsoe is underrated IMO.
lol he’s not worth a Tyler johnson contract, yet has proven 10x more than Tyler Johnson. Like I posted before white role players don’t have to prove anything and still will get paid more than a black role player.
Luckylefty2 just so you know Tyler Johnson is black, not white.
Two notes: first, doesn’t the new CBA now allow teams who’s Arenas RFA’s accept offer sheets to choose how to spread the commitment? Second, Simmons has such a small cap hold they could hypothetically quickly sign Paul and then match a Simmons sheet.
Of the three (Aldridge, Parker and Green) it absolutely makes sense that Green is most likely to be shown the door. Aldridge is a focal point in the offense, and the only reliable frontcourt option. Parker is a Spur for life, and he would take a backup/split role professionally. Green has underwhelmed recently, two straight seasons shooting less than 40% from the field – some of his magic has worn off. A guy like him with that salary is expendable in today’s game – 3 and D players matching his production can be found for cheaper.
The Celtics could afford Aldridge but he does the same things Horford does. I’d take Green in Boston along with two firsts for a second rounder this year…. He’s the type of player Boston needs.
so green and two first rounders for a second rounder? you crazy?
You want Chris Paul? You want to dump salary? You’ve got to give something. Anyway, their picks will be in the 25-30 range. Not a huge loss for San Antonio.
Forget Chris Paul, he wouldn’t be a good fit for the Spurs … if they want to go after a point guard, I would consider bring George Hill back
Can’t count how many games I looked to see how awful the starting back court was. Green can’t make a shot within the arc and even beyond that is a stretch. He needs to go.