da_suns_fan
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Hey Obama, Phoenix Suns owners need some stimulus too
http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/20...oenix-suns-own
By Phoenix Stan
President Obama touched down in Phoenix this afternoon just hours after signing the massive $790 billion stimulus package. While the Hoopster-in-Chief is here in town for some policy speech on housing foreclosures or something, I am hoping our team's chief executive can grab a few minutes of his time to lobby for a little fiscal love too.
The Phoenix Suns are currently sitting with the 8th highest payroll at $75m this season and are looking at paying about $4m extra for being over the $71m luxury tax line.
Next season the Suns currently have under contract 10 players whose salaries total $76m, and that doesn't include Grant Hill or the other two players the team needs to have on the roster to meet the mandated minimum number of 13 players. That means you are looking at about an $80m payroll.
That's for a season in which it is widely anticipated that the luxury tax line will be lower than it is now. The Suns, if they make no moves, will be looking at a luxury tax bill that would easily be $10m.
What do you think the Suns ownership group -- in this economic climate, facing an almost certain decline in season ticket sales and sponsorship revenue -- is going to do about that? Would you want to pay $10m extra in tax money that goes directly into the pockets of franchise owners who are below the line for a team that has almost no chance of competing for a championship?
I didn't think so.
That brings us to Thursday's trade deadline and Leandro Barbosa. With it looking more and more likely that the Suns will hang on to Amare for the rest of this season, Leandro becomes the one expendable asset on the roster. A guy whose contract is a reasonable $6-$7m per year for the next 3 years. A guy who is coming into his own as a basketball player.
It is my understanding that the discussions are underway to send our Brazilian Blur to Memphis, a team with only $52m on the books which allows them to take The Blur and not have to send back any players at all. You heard that right. We could trade Leandro for a 2nd round pick and that's exactly what might happen.
http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/20...oenix-suns-own