Meet
Now…Bring on Free Agency and TRADES!
Posted by: Jazzaholic on June 30th, 2012
The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.The Jazz get a new Kevin and an old Mo and probably end up with a 13 man roster.
The old Kevin essentially ended up trading injured Memo for a healthy Mo, a draft pick, and saved a grundle of money too.
They have 7 players with expiring contracts, worth $46m, and a total payroll of about $60m.
Big Al = $15m
Devin Harris = $8.5m
Mo Williams = $8.5m
Paul Millsap = $7.2m
Raja = $3.5m
Earl Watson = $2m
Jamaal =$1.4m
Free Agent signings.
The Jazz don’t have a lot of needs and only have the MLE (Mid Level Exemption) to spend, since they are over the cap. They will be over the cap, at about $60m, but well under the $70m luxury tax. They have 2 empty roster spots available and may find an undervalued FA, like they did last year.
2013 could be a strong year for the Jazz in the FA market, with $46m coming off the books. That could be up to 3 max contracts!
In the meantime, those expiring contracts are valuable in the trade market.
Mo Williams is over paid, but it’s an expiring contract.
This Summer, through the Feb. trade deadline, could have some exciting deals is store.
The tough trade is going to be Raja Bell. He’s been at odds with the coach and management. He wants out. The Jazz would like to trade him, but, despite having an expiring contract, $3.5m is high for an aging, often injured, player. This has to be a dumper. “If you want Paul, ya’ gotta take Raja.” Right now the Jazz have 2 open roster spots, so there’s no need to even think about amnesty.
Big Al is a double double, near All-Star player, but $15m is tough on the salary structure for a trading partner.
Paul is an undersized workhorse. His salary is lower than his cap value, because of the up front payment in matching the Blazers. Paul should be a hot item on the trading block this year, if he doesn’t get extended.
Devin played well in the last half of the year. He has fair value to the right team, wait for the injuries.
Mo will have a trade lockout for (I think) about 90 days, where he can’t be traded.
Earl or Jamaal could be filler in any trade to make the numbers work, especially since the Jazz are loaded with guards.
Let’s hope the Jazz get more out of this group of expiring contracts, than they did last year. A couple of extra 2nd round picks would have been nice, instead of the big nothing, they got out of CJ and Josh.
Jazzaholic
Replies: 20
Views: 2048
20 Responses
Paco Rabadan: Ante Tomic firmara la proxima semana con el CSKA de Messina
Tomic is going to sign with CSKA in Moscow. He didn’t play well enough to resign in Spain and it will be hard for him to come to the NBA and make the Jazz roster loaded with big men.
Jazzaholic
It’s going to be interesting to see the effect of the new CBA on the bidding for FAs.
Jazzaholic
One of the interesting new items in the CBA is called “back loading.”
Millsap and Matthews were “front loaded”, with a bonus up front, to make it a “poison pill” offer. That’s why their contracts are so appealing now. The bonus was paid up front, but is averaged in for cap purposes. The actual amount paid per year by a new team is considerably lower.
The new “back loaded” offer goes something like this.
Offer a restricted FA your MLE of $5m for year one and two, then $15m for year three, or a $25m, 3 year offer sheet.
If a team really wants your RFA, they can make it very uncomfortable to match their offer.
Jazzaholic
Lets get this out of the way first of all before people get too excited about those expiring contracts equating to 3 Max contracts. That is not what is going to happen. Favors, Hayward and others are going to be on ever increasing contracts by then, and if all those 7 players were to be moved on we would have to replace them with something. At most we might be able to get two max contracts, and the rest of the money used to fill in the rest of our roster, but the chances of even that happening are slim.
Let’s put to bed once and for all the worth of Ante Tomic. He is not going to be seen in a Jazz uniform as his European contract is too high when you consider his performances in Europe. No other NBA player is knocking on KOC’s office door either so he isn’t going to be much use for trade bait. That was essentially a wasted pick that is of no use today, or the future.
Just like 5 into 2 didn’t fit at the expense of Jeremy Evans, I struggle to see where 4 guys that can play PG will fit together even if both Devin and Mo can crossover into SG territory. I was hoping that Portland might miss out on Lillard so that they might renew their interest in Harris. However now that they have I don’t see who is going to be interested in him when there are so many free agent PG’s looking for teams. That is one contract I would like to see off the books if only to free some revenue to sort other areas of the team, however I think it might be Watson or Tinsley that might move on if there are no takers for Harris.
I personally think it would be a mistake to move Milsap on just to get rid of Bell’s contract. I think of the two Al and Paul, Paul is the more affordable and versatile player. Didn’t the Jazz get rid of a player many wanted to keep just to dump Harping’s contract?
Even though Bell’s contract is relatively low I would be tempted to use the amnesty on Raja’s contract, even if it only allowed us to get a couple of free agents kids who didn’t get drafted. Few people could be as offensively poor as Raja was the past couple of years, and if thats all the flexibility it gave us I would be tempted to take that gamble. Maybe having someone who can shoot every so often might just make the Jazz attack that bit less predictable.
Al’s contract though high, and in my opinion too high for the Jazz, is only for one year, a team that needs a scoring center might just be tempted to take the pain for now. I would explore that option first before accepting a Milsap plus (insert name here) deal.
It doesn’t look like Kevin is going for Max players, even in 2013, which is probably smart. Except for LBJ and KD, who else is really good enough, and young enough, for a max? Most of these max contracts are pseudo maxs, with over hyped players on offense and love sick GMs or owners, who are way overpaying for what they get.
ATomic probably stays in Europe and never gets to the NBA, like most of the 2nd round Euros. Off to Moscow now.
Too many guards. It was a surprise to see Jamaal picked up. Kevin must have a plan. Part of a future trade or fill in?
Just using Paul as an example with Raja. It could be you take our knuckle head and we’ll take your knuckle head. Or, give us a draft pick or money to take him. He’s just going to be hard to trade, but lots of time. If the Jazz needed a roster spot, they’ve got 2 slots open, or were in the luxury tax, amnesty might be a good idea, but not now.
If Raja really wants out, and would accept $1.5-2m, he could make up the rest with a veteran’s minimum on another team, but greed probably won’t allow that.
I expect Raja to swallow his pride and return. And, the Jazz try to showcase him for a possible trade, with some PT. But they may just say, “stay home and we’ll call you, when we make a trade.”
Big Al may very well accept a lower contract for 2014, when the Jazz still have his Bird rights, and the market may have softened, with the new CBA.
The nice thing about the 7 expiring contracts, is their appeal to other teams, who want flexibility.
Favors/Hayward don’t have to have a qualifying offer before June 30, 2015 and Kanter/Burks 2016. Then they are still restricted FAs.
It depends on injuries, but the Jazz have too many bigs and guards. I’d expect a trade to balance out the roster is nothing else. It might be as simple as a future draft pick or as complicated as Mo’s trade was.
Jazzaholic
I think that people could be wrong on the expiring contracts, at least those who say we cannot unload them. Why wouldn’t Houston team rent Al for a season, while waiting to play the Dwight free agency bid? There are several teams who might rent him for a season, just to dump salary prior to the new CBA hits come in the future. Same goes for any of our expiring contracts..
Tomic is just trade padding….
Think your right about something up KOC’s sleeve, Too many Guards, and its funny how others are still wanting to sign more.
I think the first thing that needs done is extend Pauls Contract. Even if your going to trade him in the future, a Sap with a contract is worth more than a sap with an expiring one especially since he comes at such a great value.
I just hope that Free Agency, brings more than this past draft has, or we could be in for a long season next yr. Yes, we may still make the playoffs and improve, but what happens then?
Without a trade we won’t improve as our best player won’t get the time he needs
Interesting read.. Talks about Pay vs performance.
http://www.slcdunk.com/2012/5/16/3024823/nba-player-salaries-for-2012-2013-who-looks-to-be-overpaid-in-the-8-0#storyjump
Jody had an article today, which touched on some of the same issues, but he said there were 14, instead of 13, roster spots filled, and $62m, instead of $60m. I’m not sure where he got his figures, but I rechecked and still get 13 players at $60m, plus $.5m when they sign the draft pick.
They can always unload an expiring contract, but at what cost, and what do they get back.
ATomic appears to be tied up with a new contract, but some team may want his rights in a trade.
Why extend Paul’s contract? They still have his Bird Rights at the end of the year. If extended, they lose flexibility in the cap, trading and next summers FA’s. Unless Paul wants to give the Jazz a real home town discount, what do the Jazz have to gain?
I’m trying to think of any extension, where the Jazz have gotten the better of the deal. AK, DWil, Booz, Memo?
That was my main objection to bringing Mo back, cutting into Alec’s time and improvement. And trading a big helps Favors and Kanter, the Jazz future.
That is a good article. The reason the Jazz improved last year was inefficient veteran players got injured and forced Ty to play the more efficient, and lower paid, young players.
Most GMs, agents and players base their pay on raw offensive numbers and fail to look at how efficient they make those points, what they do on the defensive end and how the team does when he’s on or off the floor.
Current roster and salaries (Kevin, $.5m, not signed yet)
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/utah.htm
Jazzaholic
Any news about AK?
They are planning to replace him, but nothing yet as far as meetings. The Nets should be close to the top of his list.
Jazzaholic
Here’s a NY Post repost on AK 7/1/12 10pm
“Contrary to a report from Europe, former Utah Jazz swingman Andrei Kirilenko remains undecided about a return to the NBA.
According to a source, Kirilenko is still mulling over whether he should remain with CSKA Moscow, arguably the best team in the world outside of the NBA, or come back to the league this fall. He’s not in a rush to make a decision, as he’s allowed to leave CSKA at any time this summer to return to the NBA if he chooses to do so.
The 6-foot-9 small forward, who spent several years playing alongside Deron Williams, who the Nets hope to re-sign this week, signed a three-year contract with CSKA – formerly owned by Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov – last October during the lockout, and helped lead the team to the Euroleague final, where they were upset by Greek power Olympiacos.
Kirilenko, 31, averaged 14.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.9 in 17 games in the Euroleague for CSKA, continuing to be an incredibly versatile player. That was his strong suit throughout his 10 year career with Utah, where he averaged 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.
The Nets, who have consistently been linked to Kirilenko because of his friendship with Prokhorov, had interest in Kirilenko after the lockout ended, but any interest was put aside when Brook Lopez suffered a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. That forced Billy King to acquire Mehmet Okur from Utah, which eliminated any cap space the Nets had available to sign Kirilenko.
If Kirilenko does decide to come back to the U.S., the Jazz would still control his Bird rights.”
tbontemps@nypost.com
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/netsblog/kirilenko_still_undecided_on_nba_D7uqeEsgnsZR5NowMZp2JL#ixzz1zUmZaIUX
The way the nets are heading (Wallace and Johnson) there’s not going to be any room for a big contract for AK. The Jazz can use his Bird rights to resign him, without using the MLE, but they can’t do a sign and trade under the new CBA, because he wasn’t on the team last year.
That leaves SAC as the only place with money above the MLE and why would he go there???
AK loves the area and the Jazz. Would he take 1 + 1 team option = 2 year deal?
The Jazz want that $40m+ FA money for next year, so they are not going to offer any long term deals, unless they are the future of the Jazz.
AK, give the Jazz a little credit for those years you were overpaid and come back for a low cost year.
I don’t think he heard me.
Jazzaholic
tribjazz Updated: “UtahJazz plan to ship Devin Harris to Atlanta Hawks for Marvin Williams”
We knew there was something up when Kevin retained Tinsley and the Jazz had too many guards. Now they’ve got too many bigs. Nahhhhhh, you can never have too many bigs.
Salaries are very close. Marvin has a $7.5m player option next year.
Locke has a nice breakdown on him
http://weareutahjazz.com/lockedonjazz/
One of the reasons I didn’t like Mo coming in was pushing Gordon to 3, when he is a much better 2, and diminished minutes for Alec.
Trading Devin, using Mo as a point guard, and starting Marvin at 3 relieves all those problems.
Obviously, Kevin know what he’s doing!!! Nice trade…again!
Jazzaholic
Quite a difference watching Kevin wheel-n-deal since Greg is in control, vs Larry.
Larry was very emotionally attached to players and reluctant to OK trades. Greg seems just the opposite and the trades roll on at an increasing rate.
Jazzaholic
Does anybody know if Danny Green is a restricted or unrestricted free agent?
He was subject to a qualifying offer, I’m not sure, but I think SA didn’t make it, making him a UFA. He had a tweet sounding like he was going back to SA. I could be wrong.
News on AK
Ettore Messina: “There are four players in (CSKA’s) roster who have until July 15th to decide if they go to the NBA: Shved, Vorontsevich, Kirilenko and Krstic” Rusia Hoy
Jazzaholic
ATomic just blew up!
“Center Ante Tomic has reportedly signed a three-year contract with FC Barcelona. The 7-foot-2, 220-pound Croatian big man was drafted No. 44 overall by the Jazz in 2008, but never played a game for Utah. A message left for Jazz General Manager Kevin O’Connor on Thursday was not immediately returned. Sulia”
That pretty well flushes any chance of coming to the NBA or the Jazz down the toilet.
Jazzaholic
However now that they have I don’t see who is going to be interested in him when there are so many free agent PG’s looking for teams.
Team jerseys cause for concern
http://www.nbastoreusa.org/
http://www.aunbastore.com/
http://www.nflstoreusa.org/