Our Salary Cap Situation in 2017

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

We have one of the best salary cap situations going into next year, per Spotrac. Only the Sixers have more available capspace in 2017 than us. http://www.spotrac.com/nba/cap/2017/

That's good news for us in keeping Gorgui, as other teams will know we can match them and the Sixers are unlikely to tender for Gorgui with their abundance of bigs. I still would like to try to get Gorgui signed for about 15 Million.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Yeah, salary cap next year will not impact our ability to retain Gorgui...or Shabazz, for that matter. The problem comes in the next two years as Wig, Zach and Zach command max or near-max contracts. For the sake of argument, let's say Thibs keeps Gorgui for $15 million per, and that Wig and KAT eventually get max contracts and Zach gets slightly less...say, $20 million. Here is how we will look in 2018-9 and 2019-20:

2018-9:

Wig $26
Zach 20
Ricky 15
Gorgui 15
KAT 8
Aldrich 7
Dunn 4
Tyus 2

Subtotal 97

$97 million for 8 players leaves only $25 million under the lux tax threshhold for the remaining 7 players, and doesn't account for Belly or Bazz. I think they will have to let Bazz go, try to extend Belly for one year for $10 million , and then fill out the rest of the roster (6 players) for less than the remaining $15 million. Clearly, there will not be room to sign a big free agent in 2017-8 with our cap space if we intend to retain either Gorgui, Belly or Bazz.

2019-20

KAT $27
Wig 26
Ricky 20 (just a guess)
Zach 20
Gorgui 15
Dunn 5

Subtotal 113

Let's say the lux tax threshold increases to $125 million in 2019-20. The Wolves will only have $12 million left to pay the remaining 9 players. So, what does that mean? I think Aldrich, Belly and Tyus will cost too much to retain, unless they decide to move Ricky or he gives them a home town discount. It's not unconceivable that having made over $70 million in his career, Ricky might agree to take a big discount in order to be the starting PG on a championship team. If not, I think they are hoping that either Tyus or Dunn can step up and become the starting PG so they can let Ricky go.

Sorry about the long post, but cap management is one of the most important issues facing this franchise with the max contracts of the Big Three looming in the near future. Bottom line: I don't see any way that we are a participant in free agency next off-season despite our enormous cap space.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

LST, I agree with your take. I am just glad to see other teams use up their capspace as it reduces the numbers of teams who might be tempted to make a big bid on our free agents. I'm hopeful we don't get a team bidding 18 million or more on Gorgui. If so, we'll have to choose between matching or looking elsewhere for another big. Since we have capspace we have options. I hope Zach shows he is worthy of a 20 Million plus contract, but if not, then we could use our capspace to find an alternative.

Regarding your 2019-2020 scenario, we'll probably have to face some tough choices just as OKC did. To keep the band together sacrifices will need to be made. I think some of our core players would have to sacrifice some pay and I think Ricky would have to take less than 20M. If not, Zach, Ricky or Gorgui would be potential trade candidates. At least this situation is three years down the road and our front office has time to plan for it.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Good points TR, and I have confidence that Theydon and their capologist are thinking long-term with every move that they make, as evidenced by their modest free agency activity this summer.

I have little basis for this opinion, but somehow I see Ricky as the kind of guy who might take a home-town discount that allows us to keep him. He will have already made more money than he can spend in a lifetime and, having been on losing teams for so many years, will probably love the experience of challenging for championships as the youngsters mature. Duncan gave the Spurs a 75% discount to allow them to sign the types of players he needed around him to stay on top, and that seems like the kind of move Ricky might consider doing at the end of his big contract.