Why we could see a spending spree from the Timberwolves this summer

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

http://www.1500espn.com/wolves-2/2016/03/why-this-summer-could-be-a-spending-spree-for-nba-teams-like-the-timberwolves/Why we could see a spending spree from the Timberwolves this summer

"Minnesota saved $4 million overall with the Martin buyout. At the time of the buyout, Minnesota owed Martin $1.7 million this year and $7.3 million next season. Martin walked away with half of the money that was owed to him.

The Timberwolves will have a cap hit of $6.3 million this season and $4.1 million in 2016-17. Minnesota can elect to stretch the $4 million owed to Martin starting in July to cover three seasons.

In short, with the salary cap projected to rise to approximately $90 million next season, the Timberwolves' cap figure will drop from $67.42 million to $64.2 million. Should the team choose to divvy up the $4 million owed to Martin over the next four years with the "stretch provision" they will have even more cap space.

For those scoring at home, that would mean nearly $30 million dollars in spending room this summer.

That number could drop further, too. It seems right now like it's no guarantee Kevin Garnett will be back for another season. If KG retires, that would be $8 million more spending freedom for the Wolves. Should the team succeed in trading Adreian Payne without taking salary back, that would mean $2 million more in cap space, pushing their cap room to nearly $40 million.

But there is such a thing as too much cap space. For instance, should the team not meet the salary floor, the difference between their payroll and the amount it would take to get to the salary floor is split up between the players on the current roster as a penalty.

As it stands, the Timberwolves are going to have to shop until they drop this summer just to reach that floor. For the 2015-16 season, the salary floor was $63 million, or $7 million below the salary cap itself. If the cap does wind up at $90 million as expected and their payroll without stretching Martin is $64.2 million, which means Minnesota would need to spend $19 million on two roster spots to avoid a penalty.

Similarly, it may not make sense to do anything about Nikola Pekovic this summer unless he decides to call it quits himself. As of right now, his salary helps the Timberwolves more than he hurts them because he pushes the team closer to that salary floor.

This is why this summer is going to be crazy, as far as contracts and trades are concerned. Teams like the Timberwolves, who are young and promising but not yet attractive free-agent destinations, are going to have to get creative if they would like to avoid the penalty.

Realistically, this team is probably not going to be a player for the likes of Mike Conley, Dwight Howard, and Chandler Parsons. As a result, we could see the Timberwolves take on a larger contract another team no longer wants or overpaying for a couple of decent players.

There are two schools of thought here. The first is that everyone is going to be spending, and as long as it's a short-term deal, it's not going to hurt you just to get to the floor. On the other hand, why spend just to spend? If you're going to spend the money anyway, why not just spread it amongst the players already on the roster? Suffice it to say we've never seen a cap situation quite like this one."

[thedoper]

Sign Horford and Conley. Wooohoooo!!!!

[Monster]

There is absolutely no benefit to spend just to get to the floor. Nobody is going to complain about splitting up that extra money to the players on the roster assuming you actually put forth a real NBA team doing so.

Also KG better play again this season of he doesn't hang it up and play next year. I'm glad he was here this year and all that but he needs to be able to play more than half a season to stick around especially getting paid that much money although like the above post mentions it may not matter.

When it comes to FA next year there are probably a couple nice players like Batum that would make a lot of sense to eager as guys you have to put up the big dollars to get. Personally I might be more interested in going for some young eyes to fill out the roster and maybe still have some upside or at least fill a need. If the Wolves don't draft a center maybe throw a decent offer at a guy like Miles Plumblee and see if you an get him away from the Bucks. Teams even with all the money that will be available will end up going crazy and there will be some guys that will be available to sign for reasonable deals and some of those guys will turn out to be steals for some teams. The Wolves need to add at least a solid rotation guy in FA and obviously they have the money to do it and the Wolves might have some attraction to some players because of the young talent on the team.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Kent Bazemore is set to become an UFA this off-season. I'd be fine with an overpay for him and use him as our sixth man playing SG and SF. Still just 26-years old too. Something around four-years, $36M sounds alright.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

Kent Bazemore is set to become an UFA this off-season. I'd be fine with an overpay for him and use him as our sixth man playing SG and SF. Still just 26-years old too. Something around four-years, $36M sounds alright.

I like Bazemore too, but in the new FA age, he'll get substantially more than $9M a season.

[Carlos Danger]

Good read/info. Thanks for posting. This is part of why I wasn't upset with buying out guys like Martin and Miller vs. trading them and getting some crap contracts back. Really, the only "bad" contracts we have right now would be Pek and KG. I assume KG retires. Pek we're stuck with. Maybe he'll have value as a 3rd Center/expiring contract down the road. The only other potential bad deal is Bjelica. But even if he sucks again next year we are only on the hook for $8M over the next two years, so it's not a huge impact. And if he plays well - it will be good value.

I'm excited. Between the draft and the available FA money, they should be able to add three very good players to next year's team. Choose wisely!

[Brooklyn_Wolves [enjin:14608167]]

Sign Horford and Conley. Wooohoooo!!!!

Is it a serious post?

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Kent Bazemore is set to become an UFA this off-season. I'd be fine with an overpay for him and use him as our sixth man playing SG and SF. Still just 26-years old too. Something around four-years, $36M sounds alright.

I like Bazemore too, but in the new FA age, he'll get substantially more than $9M a season.

Maybe. He might be able to command something like DeMarre Carroll's four-year, $60M deal he got last year if there's a team willing to pay that much. He's just not as big as Carroll nor is he as good of a 3P shooter. Think he's more so in this tier below and if I was negotiating, I'd use these other FA deals against him:

- Danny Green: 4 years, $45 million with Spurs

- Jae Crowder: 5 years, $35 million with Celtics

- Iman Shumpert (35): 4 years, $40 million with Cavaliers

- Arron Afflalo (39): 2 years, $16 million with Knicks

- Corey Brewer (45): 3 years, $24 million with Rockets

- Marco Belinelli (59): 3 years, $19 million with Kings

[thedoper]

Sign Horford and Conley. Wooohoooo!!!!

Is it a serious post?

I wish it were. I just don't think it's possible.

[thedoper]

Conley has upped his scoring since Gasol went out and the Griz are 6-2. Guy is a winner. It's insane they haven't dipped.