PJ Update

[buttsR4rebounding]

The Spurs are right atthe luxury tax line with 13 players currently under contract. Hoopshype lists them at $65 million before adding Oberto who has a 3 year $10.5 million deal. http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/san_antonio.htm

Considering how much they paid to get below the threshhold, I'd say it is extremely unlikely the Spurs would pay above the vet minimum for PJ.

Hoopshype overstates the hit to the luxury tax, however. First, the Spurs have reached an agreement w/ Spanolis releasing him from his contract w/ no hit to the tax (1,944,000) and 2nd since Vaughn was signed to the vet minimum only about $700,000 counts toward the lux tax, so that puts them at about $63,000,000 before Oberto contract which reportedly starts at $3,100,000 next year, so they have about $1,600,000 before hitting the tax threshold and that is assuming they don't move Urich or Barry. However, the Spurs regularly do go over the luxury tax limit when it makes sense. They have paid the luxury tax 3 out of the past 4 years.

 

[azirish]

Hoopshype overstates the hit to the luxury tax, however. First, the Spurs have reached an agreement w/ Spanolis releasing him from his contract w/ no hit to the tax (1,944,000) and 2nd since Vaughn was signed to the vet minimum only about $700,000 counts toward the lux tax, so that puts them at about $63,000,000 before Oberto contract which reportedly starts at $3,100,000 next year, so they have about $1,600,000 before hitting the tax threshold and that is assuming they don't move Urich or Barry. However, the Spurs regularly do go over the luxury tax limit when it makes sense. They have paid the luxury tax 3 out of the past 4 years.

The issue is whether they will go "seriously" over the threshhold to take a guy for the purpose of keeping him from the Suns. Now it is clear they did it with Ely last season, but that move did not put them over the threshhold.

 

[buttsR4rebounding]

The issue is whether they will go "seriously" over the threshhold to take a guy for the purpose of keeping him from the Suns. Now it is clear they did it with Ely last season, but that move did not put them over the threshhold.

I agree the Spurs won't offer the whole MLE. I don't think they would offer more than $3,000,000. Then all they would have to do is move Urich to get back under the cap. If they can't move Urich then they can move Barry or pay a small tax. Also, Brown would be an upgrade at center for the Spurs. He wouldn't have to play more than 15 to 20 minutes a game, if that and wouldn't have to play 2nd games of back to backs. Heck, he could mimick Horry and not play until after the all-star break. He would maximize his chance for a ring. The Spurs slow down game probably fits Brown's physical capabilities as well. Just some observations.

 

[Covert Rain]

Kerr is very clear. He wants PJ and does not expect him to be in the rotation. At the same time, I don't think he slammed KT, just that he was not worth $16 million to them. If the Suns can replace KT with PJ at small salary, then the team is financially better off and not that much worse off on the floor.

First off if we sign PJ it's probably only to play San Antonio. If you sign him you still need to play him through the year. Also, I don't for 1 second think that Kerr didn't think KT wasn't worth $16 million. If Kerr had his choice I think he would have kept him $16 million and all. There is no doubt that was Sarver's call.

The real issue is the nature of the negotiations. Clearly PJ wants a lot more money than anybody has offered. He can go to any team he wants as long as he is willing to play for the vet minimum. My guess is that Suns are offering a little bit more because they really do need him. But they are not offering as much more as he wants.

I doubt that. PJ has been talking about retiring since last year. If he really wanted to get paid he wouldn't have brought up retirement last years and talked more about becoming a free agent.

But expecting him to tell us how he plans to play his hand seems a bit unrealistic.

So does Kerr sticking with his opinion of the Suns as an analyst. He loves small ball now.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

"The Phoenix Suns have made 74.5 million dollars in profit in two years "

Seriously? What's the source for that?

Forbes lists that as the Suns net profit for the last two seasons. They are far and away the most profitable franchise in the NBA in that time frame.

 

[SunsTzu]

Forbes lists that as the Suns net profit for the last two seasons. They are far and away the most profitable franchise in the NBA in that time frame.

I'm pretty sure Forbes listed them #1 in '04-'05 as well.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

But what about the cash flow?! The cash flow!

 

[Joe Mama]

Forbes lists that as the Suns net profit for the last two seasons. They are far and away the most profitable franchise in the NBA in that time frame.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I believe in those two years their team's salary was significantly less. Maybe somebody could look it up. Off the top of my head I want to say it was about $50 million less than the team salary over last season and this upcoming one.

Joe

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I believe in those two years their team's salary was significantly less. Maybe somebody could look it up. Off the top of my head I want to say it was about $50 million less than the team salary over last season and this upcoming one.

Joe

Player expenses (including benefits and bonuses):

04: 66 million
05: 48 million
06: 57 million

They obviously don't have the 07 numbers yet as the season hasn't happened.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

And I will note that the 74.5 million dollars the Suns have made is after all penalties are assessed.

At an averaged of 37 million dollar profit, the Suns could have paid Kurt Thomas, Jr, both rookie picks, and still made more money than the world champion Spurs. In fact, such a 20 million dollar bill (after taxes) would still have put the Suns in the middle of the NBA profit margin.

If the Suns were Mark Cuban and losing 24 million dollars a year I could see the issue with the fire sale, but they aren't. It is a simple matter of greed.

 

[Ronin]

Come on Brown, come to papa D'Antoni!

 

[Rab]

Article today says he is thinking about offers from Dallas, PHX, Orlando, Boston.

Nothing new I guess.

http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/193771.html

 

[azirish]

Article today says he is thinking about offers from Dallas, PHX, Orlando, Boston.

Nothing new I guess.

http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/193771.html

Actually the mention of the Clippers is new. Up to this point it seemed like their main objective was to find an point guard. Playing Cassell 48 minutes is not much of strategy. But then again, using Aaron Williams and Tim Thomas to replace Brand sounds doubtful as well.

The only thing standing in the Clippers way is:

1) PJ wants to play on a contender and they aren't without Brand (and probably even if he is healthy)

2) These are the Clippers and paying money is not part of the plan.

 

[Rab]

Yeah, Brown on the Clippers doesn't make sense on a lot of levels, so I didn't include them. They don't seem like they'd be a legit threat to signing him.

 

[fordronken]

Actually the mention of the Clippers is new. Up to this point it seemed like their main objective was to find an point guard. Playing Cassell 48 minutes is not much of strategy. But then again, using Aaron Williams and Tim Thomas to replace Brand sounds doubtful as well.

The only thing standing in the Clippers way is:

1) PJ wants to play on a contender and they aren't without Brand (and probably even if he is healthy)

2) These are the Clippers and paying money is not part of the plan.

The Clippers already signed Brevin Knight for a portion of their midlevel.

 

[scXfreakX]

Yeah I heard about that. Well, they're in deep doodoo now without Brand. And they weren't in good shape to begin with.

 

[azirish]

The Clippers already signed Brevin Knight for a portion of their midlevel.

My understanding is that they used the LLE ($1.8), so in theory they still have their full MLE. Still, this is not a contender.

 

[scXfreakX]

The Clippers are definitely not a contender, and I don't understand why Brown would want to play for them, other than if he thinks he'll get major minutes now? Nah, he'd be smarter to play here in Phoenix. Better team, nice weather, light practices.

 

[Sunsman44]

PJ going elsewhere or retiring will prove to be a blessing in disguise. He is not going to get much minutes no matter where he goes - and would get the least minutes in the Suns' system.

PJ deciding to go elsewhere will allow Suns to pickup another big man - somebody that will prove to be a better option than older PJ.

I still believe an Ely or Skinner would serve well.

 

[AZBALLER]

You're correct, if we're only talking about the regular season. Unfortunately, we need someone that is aloud to play defense on Timmy in the post season. Kurt was, Amare wasn't. I'm pretty sure PJ would be aloud to play D on Timmy(by the refs).

 

[Mainstreet]

PJ going elsewhere or retiring will prove to be a blessing in disguise. He is not going to get much minutes no matter where he goes - and would get the least minutes in the Suns' system.

PJ deciding to go elsewhere will allow Suns to pickup another big man - somebody that will prove to be a better option than older PJ.

I still believe an Ely or Skinner would serve well.

I tend to agree with you. I remember Pike considering retirement before coming to the Suns. Perhaps he should have retired but I can understand a player wanting to pick up a couple million if offered. Maybe PJ has something left in the tank, maybe not. I certainly wanted him to play for the Suns in his younger years. If the Suns could get him reasonably like for the veteran minimum I would be elated. Actually the Suns could use a couple of bigs.