Vince Carter's buyout

[Griffin]

There has been a lot of speculation amongst Suns fans that the Suns might trade Carter's contract which has a $4M buyout this summer. After all, that may be the Suns' biggest trade asset at this point, and could potentially bring in a decent player back and maybe a draft pick from a team desperate to shed some salary. Sort of like the Suns did when they traded Shaq for two players they immediately bought out, or like when they traded KT with picks to reduce payroll, or like when they traded Googs, or like...

The downside to trading Carter as opposed to buying him out is that whatever player(s) the Suns would get in return would almost certainly reduce the amount of cap space the Suns would have in 2012. Plus, obviously, they would cost money. If the Suns buyout Carter themselves, it will significantly reduce the payroll for next season. On the other hand, the Suns are in no risk of LT, so reduced payroll serves no other purpose other than to save money next season.

This was posted by Coro yesterday:

They won't trade Vince Carter's contract, opting instead to buy him out for $4 million in the coming days.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2011/06/18/20110618phoenix-suns-nba-draft.html

So, if Coro is correct, that should end any speculation on the matter. It's quite possible that the Suns general motivation is to create enough cap space in 2012 to sign a major free agent. It's debatable whether they will be able to attract any even if they have the cap space. Plus, if that were the case, then giving out long term contracts last summer to Warrick and Childress (along with Frye and Dudley) made even less sense. And by the way, with Carter gone, Childress becomes our second highest paid player on the roster.

The other motivation to buyout Carter instead of trading him is the obvious one: it will save the Suns $14M this season.

 

[devilalum]

I'd rather see the Suns do nothing than make a bunch of stupid moves like they did last summer.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Buying out Carter is the best option if they cannot get anything decent in trade for him. There is no point in taking back bad contracts so another team can clear cap space if it does not give the Suns something helpful.

 

[Mainstreet]

Buying out Carter is the best option if they cannot get anything decent in trade for him. There is no point in taking back bad contracts so another team can clear cap space if it does not give the Suns something helpful.

How will we ever know what Carter might fetch in a trade if Sarver will not explore this as an option? All I know is the almighty dollar seems to rule.

 

[desertdawg]

It will be all upside when Carter is gone, whether we pay him to disappear or we unload that stanky headcase. He is the only player on the Suns I feel this way about, he came with the Polish Machine (take the good with the bad) so I aint holding it against the front.

 

[Griffin]

Buying out Carter is the best option if they cannot get anything decent in trade for him. There is no point in taking back bad contracts so another team can clear cap space if it does not give the Suns something helpful.

Well, for the Suns to take back bad contracts, they would have to get something else in return such as a first-round draft pick.

It's also possible some teams that are in LT territory might wish to shed salary now, in which case the Suns could potentially trade Carter for players with one year left on their contracts if such trade would return a draft pick or two. In this scenario, the Suns 2012 cap space would not be affected at all. However, it would be equivalent to buying whatever draft picks we'd get in the trade for the $14M that the Suns will otherwise save if they buy out Carter outright.

 

[AzStevenCal]

How will we ever know what Carter might fetch in a trade if Sarver will not explore this as an option? All I know is the almighty dollar seems to rule.

Let's blame Sarver's greed for Global Warming also. You're being a bit judgmental don't you think, especially since we have absolutely no clue what's going on. We don't know if this Coro story is fact, speculation or just something under consideration. And, if it is accurate, we don't know what's already been done behind the scenes. I know most people here think Sarver is both evil and stupid but I'm pretty sure there are enough people involved in this process that someone probably researched the market for Vince Carter.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

Let's blame Sarver's greed for Global Warming also. You're being a bit judgmental don't you think, especially since we have absolutely no clue what's going on. We don't know if this Coro story is fact, speculation or just something under consideration. And, if it is accurate, we don't know what's already been done behind the scenes. I know most people here think Sarver is both evil and stupid but I'm pretty sure there are enough people involved in this process that someone probably researched the market for Vince Carter.

Steve

Agreed. If anything the Suns have proven that they answer their phone alot over the past few seasons. If there was a market I would think they would explore the option. However, I think the Suns ultimately don't want any contracts in return which is the deciding factor to buy him out.

 

[dodie53]

goodbye VC

 

[Mainstreet]

Let's blame Sarver's greed for Global Warming also.

Talk about overreaching.

You're being a bit judgmental don't you think, especially since we have absolutely no clue what's going on. We don't know if this Coro story is fact, speculation or just something under consideration. And, if it is accurate, we don't know what's already been done behind the scenes. I know most people here think Sarver is both evil and stupid but I'm pretty sure there are enough people involved in this process that someone probably researched the market for Vince Carter.

I base my opinions on Sarver's past history of money saving moves (I hope you remember not extending JJ, the KT trade and selling draft picks) and what I can glean from from a good source like the Suns beat writer. I also remember Amare walking for nothing but an exception. Just a thought, did the Suns use all of Amare's exception?

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is another tidbit for you AzStevenCal. ESPN ranks Suns as worst in Valley in giving back to the fans.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/

 

[Cheesebeef]

Let's blame Sarver's greed for Global Warming also. You're being a bit judgmental don't you think, especially since we have absolutely no clue what's going on. We don't know if this Coro story is fact, speculation or just something under consideration. And, if it is accurate, we don't know what's already been done behind the scenes. I know most people here think Sarver is both evil and stupid but I'm pretty sure there are enough people involved in this process that someone probably researched the market for Vince Carter.

Steve

i wouldn't put anything past the front office of idiots as to their lack of general basketball knowhow. they didn't even know they could get a trade exemption for amare.

 

[AzStevenCal]

i wouldn't put anything past the front office of idiots as to their lack of general basketball knowhow. they didn't even know they could get a trade exemption for amare.

Sure, but that occurred when we had basically no front office. I have no idea what we have now but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt. As far as I'm concerned, I hold this FO responsible for the Gortat acquisition and the Dragic trade. I liked the deal with Orlando immediately and I understood the reasoning behind the Brooks deal.

Maybe they'll turn out to just be puppets for Sarver but I'm not prepared to rush to judgement on them just yet. Not because I'm sure they'll stand on their own but because I see no reason to continue following the Suns if the stupidity of the past decade or so is the highlight of our Sarver-directed future.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

I have not seen one trade proposal for VC's contract that makes sense. Has anyone got one? Anyone? Anyone at all?

This summer's FA market is tainted by a potential lockout. So there are not that many teams trying to shed cap to sign free agents. The details of any upcoming labor agreement are unsure. VC's greatest value is as an expiring, period.

The only way to trade his deal would be to do something like take Rashard Lewis and a pick from Washington. Yuck.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I have not seen one trade proposal for VC's contract that makes sense. Has anyone got one? Anyone? Anyone at all?

This summer's FA market is tainted by a potential lockout. So there are not that many teams trying to shed cap to sign free agents. The details of any upcoming labor agreement are unsure. VC's greatest value is as an expiring, period.

The only way to trade his deal would be to do something like take Rashard Lewis and a pick from Washington. Yuck.

Actually, depending on how the deal is done, I'd do that trade in a heartbeat. Lewis has more playing more value than Carter unless the training staff has worked off-season miracles on Vince. I have no problems with eating up (or exceeding) our CAP space because I think we're destined for irrelevancy for a years anyway. My only condition to the deal is that it's unprotected and at least a few years in the future. You always hear people saying clever (trite?) things like "the future is now" - well, when it comes to the Suns they're quite wrong IMO.

Steve

 

[SirStefan32]

Actually, depending on how the deal is done, I'd do that trade in a heartbeat. Lewis has more playing more value than Carter unless the training staff has worked off-season miracles on Vince. I have no problems with eating up (or exceeding) our CAP space because I think we're destined for irrelevancy for a years anyway. My only condition to the deal is that it's unprotected and at least a few years in the future. You always hear people saying clever (trite?) things like "the future is now" - well, when it comes to the Suns they're quite wrong IMO.

Steve

I agree with you. We're not going to be relevant for a few years anyway, so taking a horrible contract for 2 years isn't really that big of a deal. Give me two unprotected future first-round picks, and I'll gladly take Lewis' contract.

Now, if they think they can get Paul or Williams next year, then it's a different story.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

I wouldn't argue with a straight buyout if the Suns had an actual strategy. Unfortunately, I have no faith in this FO that they actually do have a coherent strategy. Balance Sheet Bob would probably look at the capspace next year and be elated at it. Then the Suns would trot out Gani Lawal as our 1st round pick because he's had two years to develop....

 

[Mainstreet]

I wouldn't argue with a straight buyout if the Suns had an actual strategy. Unfortunately, I have no faith in this FO that they actually do have a coherent strategy. Balance Sheet Bob would probably look at the capspace next year and be elated at it. Then the Suns would trot out Gani Lawal as our 1st round pick because he's had two years to develop....

We seem to have the same questions about the Suns FO. I wish and hope the Suns have a long term strategy. The Suns obtaining Gortat was one of the best moves this franchise has made lately. I'd like to see more moves like this. I'm curious to see what the Suns do with Brooks.

 

[Errntknght]

Then the Suns would trot out Gani Lawal as our 1st round pick because he's had two years to develop....

It seems like a long time but Lawal has only been in the league one year...

I'm curious to see what the Suns do with Brooks.

He didn't show enough, IMO, to be worth what he's asking for. I have little doubt he'll have to settle for a lot less than he thinks he's worth but if we're the first team to low ball him, he'll always resent it.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

No, I'm saying that the Suns will whiff in FA next offseason and trot Lawal out in 2012 as our first round pick....

 

[Gaddabout]

The 2012 UFA list is crap beyond Dwight Howard, and the Suns won't even be within the same universe of what Howard would be asking if he doesn't re-sign with Orlando before that.

 

[elindholm]

The 2012 UFA list is crap beyond Dwight Howard, and the Suns won't even be within the same universe of what Howard would be asking if he doesn't re-sign with Orlando before that.

Yeah, I think we can pretty much give up on the Suns being major FA players any time soon. They have almost no young talent and a front office that has acquired a reputation for incompetence. Why would any star want to come play in Phoenix, given that better offers will surely be available elsewhere?

 

[Gaddabout]

Actually, depending on how the deal is done, I'd do that trade in a heartbeat. Lewis has more playing more value than Carter unless the training staff has worked off-season miracles on Vince. I have no problems with eating up (or exceeding) our CAP space because I think we're destined for irrelevancy for a years anyway. My only condition to the deal is that it's unprotected and at least a few years in the future. You always hear people saying clever (trite?) things like "the future is now" - well, when it comes to the Suns they're quite wrong IMO.

You want to give $45 million over the next two years for a player on wrong side of his career, can only play one position, and couldn't beat out the 38-year-old starter in front of him?

Rashard Lewis is so done.

 

[SunsTzu]

The 2012 UFA list is crap beyond Dwight Howard, and the Suns won't even be within the same universe of what Howard would be asking if he doesn't re-sign with Orlando before that.

Chris Paul and Deron Williams can both be FAs as well, but I agree Suns have no chance at any of those players. I also really doubt Howard re-signs with the Magic.

 

[SirStefan32]

You want to give $45 million over the next two years for a player on wrong side of his career, can only play one position, and couldn't beat out the 38-year-old starter in front of him?

Rashard Lewis is so done.

You are missing the point. Lewis is irrelevant to this argument. It could be Shaq making 45M over the next two years.

The point is that since we are going to be irrelevant for the next 3-4 years ANYWAY, why the hell not take on a horrible contract for two years if it gives you some younger player/ drafts picks, etc in addition to the horrible contract?