Offseason Salary Cap Digest

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Detroit Pistons

May 3rd, 2016 at 10:00am CST by Chuck Myron

It’s no secret by now that the Pistons will keep Andre Drummond officially unsigned as long as they can to maintain his relatively paltry cap hold instead of a max-salary figure on their books. The maneuver will give the Pistons an opportunity to open cap space, but it won’t be a massive amount. They’ll most likely have less than $20MM to spend against a projected $92MM cap, which wouldn’t be enough for even the lowest tier of max salaries, and with eight players on the roster who have fully guaranteed salaries, not including Drummond, don’t expect drastic changes unless they come by trade. The Pistons have nearly $5MM in non-guaranteed salary to four players, giving them plenty of trade ballast, if necessary. See how Detroit’s cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.

Guaranteed salary

Tobias Harris ($17,200,000)
Reggie Jackson ($14,956,522)
Aron Baynes ($6,500,000)
Jodie Meeks ($6,540,000)
(Josh Smith $5,331,729) — Salary remaining from release via stretch provision
Marcus Morris ($4,625,000)
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($3,678,319)
Stanley Johnson ($2,969,880)
Reggie Bullock ($2,255,644)
Darrun Hilliard ($500,000) — Partial guarantee; non-guaranteed portion listed below
Total: $64,557,094

Player options

None

Team options

None

Non-guaranteed salary

Joel Anthony ($2,500,000)
Lorenzo Brown ($1,015,696)
Spencer Dinwiddie ($980,431)
Darrun Hilliard ($374,636) — Partial guarantee; guaranteed portion listed above
Total: $4,870,763

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Andre Drummond ($4,433,683/$8,180,228)

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Anthony Tolliver ($3,900,000)
Steve Blake ($2,821,605)
Total: $6,721,605

Other Cap Holds

No. 18 pick ($1,420,100)

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Memphis Grizzlies

May 2nd, 2016 at 3:53pm CST by Chuck Myron

The key for the Grizzlies this summer is re-signing Mike Conley, but if Memphis can quickly secure a verbal commitment from the point guard, the team can manipulate his relatively small cap hold to sign other free agents into cap space before circling back to formally sign him. It’s much the same strategy the Spurs employed when they used Kawhi Leonard‘s minuscule cap hold to create room to sign LaMarcus Aldridge last summer and the Pistons plan to execute with Andre Drummond‘s cap hold this summer. Conley isn’t a restricted free agent like Leonard was and Drummond will be, but because he’s on such a bargain contract, his cap hold is much cheaper than the estimated $26MM maximum salary he’s eligible to sign for. So, look for the Grizzlies to keep him unsigned as long as possible, thus maintaining a roughly $14MM cap hit instead of one nearly twice as large. See how the Grizzlies’ cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.

Guaranteed salary

Marc Gasol ($21,165,675)
Zach Randolph ($10,361,445)
Brandan Wright ($5,709,880)
Tony Allen ($5,505,618)
Vince Carter ($2,000,000) — Partial guarantee; non-guaranteed portion listed below
Jordan Adams ($1,465,080)
Jarell Martin ($1,286,160)
(Jamaal Franklin $163,296) — Salary remaining from release via stretch provision
Total: $47,657,154

Player options

None

Team options

Lance Stephenson ($9,405,000)
Xavier Munford ($874,636)
Total: $10,279,636

Non-guaranteed salary

Vince Carter ($2,264,057) — Partial guarantee; guaranteed portion listed above
JaMychal Green ($980,431)
Total: $3,244,488

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Bryce Cotton ($1,180,431/$1,180,431)
Xavier Munford ($1,074,636/$1,074,636) — Pending team option
Totals: ($2,255,067/$2,255,067)

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Mike Conley ($14,082,639)
Lance Stephenson ($11,700,000) — Pending team option
Chris Andersen ($9,500,000)
Matt Barnes ($6,730,750)
P.J. Hairston ($1,253,160)¹
Jordan Farmar ($980,431)
Total: $44,246,980

Other Cap Holds

No. 17 pick ($1,494,800)
Nick Calathes ($1,180,431)
Keyon Dooling ($980,431)
Total: $3,655,662

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

Footnotes:

The Grizzlies can’t re-sign Hairston to a contract with a starting salary worth more than the amount listed here because the Hornets declined their team option on his rookie scale contract before the start of the season. Charlotte subsequently traded Hairston to Memphis, which inherits the restriction.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Houston Rockets

April 29th, 2016 at 9:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Rockets GM Daryl Morey will have plenty of cap flexibility this summer to pivot away from the profound disappointment of this season, as long as Dwight Howard opts out as expected. Houston’s guaranteed salary commitments only come to about half the projected salary cap, so if the team moves on from the disjointed pairing of Howard and James Harden, it’ll have the chance to sign a new maximum-salary free agent and then some. See how the Rockets’ cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.

Guaranteed Salary

James Harden ($16,784,032)
Trevor Ariza ($7,806,971)
Corey Brewer ($7,612,172)
Patrick Beverley ($6,000,000)
K.J. McDaniels ($3,333,333)
Sam Dekker ($1,720,560)
Clint Capela ($1,296,240)
Montrezl Harrell ($1,045,000)
Total: $45,598,308

Player Options

Dwight Howard ($23,282,457)

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Michael Beasley ($1,403,611)
Andrew Goudelock ($1,015,696)
Total: $2,419,307

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Donatas Motiejunas ($4,433,683/$5,720,513)
Terrence Jones ($3,532,643/$6,223,825)
Totals: ($7,966,326/$11,944,338)

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Dwight Howard ($30,300,000) — pending player option¹
Josh Smith ($980,431)
Jason Terry ($980,431)
Total: $32,260,862

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

Footnotes:

The cap hold for Howard if he opts out will be the maximum salary for a veteran of 10 or more seasons. The number shown here is an estimate based on the projected cap figure.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Dallas Mavericks

April 28th, 2016 at 11:00am CST by Chuck Myron

The salary cap puzzle for the Mavericks this summer depends largely on three player options worth more than $30MM. Chandler Parsons will almost certainly decline his to seek more on the open market, and Dirk Nowitzki has said he plans to opt in as long as the Mavs don’t start a rebuilding project. Deron Williams is undecided, though his is the smallest of the options. A Williams opt-in would nonetheless make it a tight squeeze for the team to sign a player for the middle-tier max of roughly $25MM, presuming the Mavs also re-sign Parsons. Here’s a look at the numbers for the Mavs as owner Mark Cuban and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson prepare for the summer ahead.

Guaranteed Salary

Wesley Matthews ($17,145,838)
Devin Harris ($4,227,996)
J.J. Barea ($4,096,950)
Justin Anderson ($1,514,160)
Jeremy Evans ($1,227,286)
(Maurice Ndour $437,318) — Salary remaining from release via stretch provision
(Gal Mekel $315,759) — Salary remaining from release via stretch provision
Total: $28,965,307

Player Options

Chandler Parsons ($16,023,000)
Dirk Nowitzki ($8,692,184)
Deron Williams ($5,621,026)
Total: $30,336,210

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

JaVale McGee ($1,403,611)
Salah Mejri ($874,636)
Total: $2,278,247

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Dwight Powell ($1,180,431/$1,180,431)

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Chandler Parsons ($19,969,950) — Pending player option
Dirk Nowitzki ($12,500,001) — Pending player option
Zaza Pachulia ($9,880,000)
Raymond Felton ($7,505,595)
Deron Williams ($6,454,769) — Pending player option
David Lee ($2,502,805)
Charlie Villanueva ($980,431)
Total: $59,793,551

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: New York Knicks

April 27th, 2016 at 2:43pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks will once more go big-game hunting in free agency this summer, though whether they’ll have the cap flexibility necessary to sign maximum-salary free agents, most of whom will cost upward of $25MM for next season, depends in large measure on what Arron Afflalo and Derrick Williams decide to do with their player options. New York could alternatively create room by offloading Jose Calderon, as we note below. As Hoops Rumors continues its look at each’s team salary cap situation for the season ahead, here are the numbers in the books that team president Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills will tend to:

Guaranteed Salary

Carmelo Anthony ($24,559,380)
Robin Lopez ($13,219,250)
Jose Calderon ($7,708,427)¹
Kristaps Porzingis ($4,317,720)
Kyle O’Quinn ($3,918,750)
Jerian Grant ($1,643,040)
Total: $55,366,567

Player Options

Arron Afflalo ($8,000,000)
Derrick Williams ($4,598,000)
Total: $12,598,000

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Tony Wroten ($1,050,961)

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Langston Galloway ($2,725,003/$2,725,003)
Cleanthony Early ($1,180,431/$1,180,431)
Totals: ($3,905,434/$3,905,434)

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Arron Afflalo ($9,600,000) — Pending player option
Derrick Williams ($5,280,000) — Pending player option
Kevin Seraphin ($3,376,800)
Lance Thomas ($2,127,895)
Lou Amundson ($2,126,119)
Sasha Vujacic ($980,431)
Total: $23,491,245

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

Footnotes:

Waiving Calderon via the stretch provision, a maneuver that’s been the subject of much speculation, would reduce his salary for next season to $2,569,475.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Brooklyn Nets

April 26th, 2016 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

New Brookyn GM Sean Marks is poised to have maximum-level cap flexibility to work with in the offseason ahead, even if all three of the Nets who have player options decide to opt in, and even with multiple cap hits remaining from previous buyouts. Hoops Rumors is looking at each team’s cap situation for next season, starting with the Nets:

Guaranteed Salary

Brook Lopez ($21,165,675)
Thaddeus Young ($12,278,652)
(Deron Williams $5,474,787) — Salary remaining from buyout via stretch provision
Bojan Bogdanovic ($3,573,020)
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson ($1,395,600)
Chris McCullough ($1,191,480)
Sean Kilpatrick ($980,431)
Jarrett Jack ($500,000) — Partial guarantee; non-guaranteed portion listed below
(Andrea Bargnani $323,599) — Salary remaining from buyout
Total: $46,883,244

Player Options

Wayne Ellington ($1,567,500)
Shane Larkin ($1,500,000)
Thomas Robinson ($1,050,961)
Total: $4,118,461

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Jarrett Jack ($5,800,000) — Partial guarantee; guaranteed portion listed above

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Shane Larkin ($1,875,000/$1,875,000) — Pending player option
Willie Reed ($1,215,696/$1,215,696)
Markel Brown ($1,180,431/$1,180,431)
Totals: ($4,271,127/$4,271,127)

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Sergey Karasev ($2,463,754)¹
Wayne Ellington ($1,800,000) — Pending player option
Thomas Robinson ($980,431) — Pending player option
Donald Sloan ($980,431)
Henry Sims ($980,431)
Total: $7,205,047

Other Cap Holds

Andray Blatche ($1,788,285)
Jason Collins ($980,431)
Jerry Stackhouse ($980,431)
Total: $3,749,147

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

Footnotes:

The Nets can’t re-sign Karasev to a contract with a starting salary worth more than the amount listed here because they declined their team option on his rookie scale contract.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.