backup plan for salary space

[elindholm]

I know we're talking about the same things over and over, but it's been a while since we visited this particular topic:

One promising idea for the Suns, I think, is to keep part of their salary space into the start of next season. The idea would be not to save it for the summer of 2005, but to use it to help with a trade during the middle of the year.

Last season, it seemed like almost every rumored trade in the entire league got stuck on salary figures, and then someone would raise the possibility of using a team under the cap as a third party to make it all work out. When another team or two really wants to get something done, being the team under the cap is an incredibly powerful position. (Just look at what Utah got in the Gugliotta trade.) This will obviously be even more true if the luxury tax is looming again.

If the Suns lose White to expansion (looking more likely to me, especially if they include the cash bribe), fail to get Bryant, and decide Dampier isn't worth it, then I don't see them using all of their cap space. I still think they should try to add an impact player, but carrying something like $4 or 5 million into the season could be a great strategy. One possibility would be to absorb a big expiring contract in order to move Eisley.

I guess all I'm really saying is that, superstar free agents aside, cap space is probably even more valuable during the season than it is during the summer. It's like an investment -- sit on it patiently, wait for the right opportunity, and then cash it in for maximum profit.

 

[Dylan]

I agree... it is nice having cap room, the options are many. It could even
be helpful on draft day if we have a 1-2-3 pick, or if someone really wants
someone at our 7 slot. On draft day some teams get all caught up in the
pick and you may get a good player with a bigger contract, or they are
drafting a player at a position they have a veteran, and wanna move him...
Suns really have to be smart with this money... like you said, cash it in
for the most... having cap room can make you very popular!

 

[George O'Brien]

Keep cap space becomes vastly more valuable if the Cap is kept at the current level, or even drops slightly to $43 million as has been rumored.

The Suns are currently scheduled to pay $33.8 million. If the Cap is at $43, it would leave the Suns only $9.2 million under. If White gets taken, it gives the Suns $15 million to work with. If they use $2 million for Vujanic, $2 million for Dice, and $2 million for the draft pick - this would leave the Suns $9 million or so in cap space.

This plan works really well if the Suns get Okafor.

 

[F-Dog]

I guess all I'm really saying is that, superstar free agents aside, cap space is probably even more valuable during the season than it is during the summer. It's like an investment -- sit on it patiently, wait for the right opportunity, and then cash it in for maximum profit.

Certainly, Utah's cap space turned out to be valuable last year, but the Suckers, er Suns won't be buying any more cap in 2005.


Seriously, I'm not sure that Phoenix would get much for their cap space if they held on to it. My guess is that salaries have been going down for a while thanks to the CBA, and Atlanta and Utah will probably offer competition as cap-space sellers.

It's better to do nothing at all than make a bad decision with long-term consequences, of course.

 

[George O'Brien]

It's better to do nothing at all than make a bad decision with long-term consequences, of course.

It may be better to do nothing than to make a "so-so" deal that reduces flexibility.