State of the Suns Salary Situation

[Sun Scorched]

State of the Suns Salary Situation


Who will be joining Dragic and Blesdoe this offseason?

The Phoenix Suns are in a very unique position. They have a young core and tons of positional flexibility. What do I mean by this? They don't have anyone (outside of Dragic) that has firmly cemented their position with this organization moving forward. That's not to say that McDonough isn't going to sign Bledsoe to a nice offer sheet - he will. And Tucker? Yeah, he's probably coming back. But no one on this roster gives you a reason not to go after a blue chip star player this offseason.

Big name free agents available this offseason include: Dirk Nowitzki, Greg Monroe (RFA), Chris Bosh (ETO), LeBron James (ETO), Dwayne Wade (ETO), Carmelo Anthony (ETO) and Gordon Hayward (RFA).

So how do we get the maximum amount of cap space possible to pursue one of these free agents?

Firstly, let’s make some assumptions. Channing Frye opts into his player option. We waive the unguaranteed contracts of Ish Smith, Dionte Christmas and Shavlik Randolph. The only bird rights we retain are those for Eric Bledsoe and PJ Tucker (and we don’t offer Tucker the QO) – all others are renounced. We pick (per Draft Express) #14, #17 and #24 in the upcoming draft. Finally, let’s assume that the current NBA salary cap of $58,679,000 holds firm.

Great. Let’s begin.

Goran Dragic - $7,500,000
Channing Frye - $6,800,000
Gerald Green - $3,500,000
Alex Len - $3,649,920
Markieff Morris - $2,989,239
Marcus Morris - $2,943,221
Miles Plumlee - $1,169,880
Archie Goodwin - $1,112,280
Michael Beasley* - $778,000
Eric Bledsoe (Hold) - $6,566,183
P.J. Tucker (Hold) - $915,243
1st Round #14 (Hold) - $1,627,600
1st Round #17 (Hold) - $1,395,400
1st Round #26 (Hold) - $958,100

Total Salary - $41,905,066
Total Cap Space - $16,773,934

EDIT: Thanks to BigFoot - updated Beasley's cap hit.

So, as long as we hold out on signing Bledsoe or Tucker, we would have $15.2m to spend on free agents. Unfortunately, without any potential trades, this seems to by less than what would be needed to lure a big name to the Valley of the Sun. What to do?

[spanishninja]

sign and trade?

[bigfoot]

1) Work out a contract with Frye 4-years for $16M which gives and extra $2.8M to work with.

2) Draft and stash the late 1st rounders in Europe for a couple of years

3) Trade some 2014 first rounders for future first rounders.

[bigfoot]

Also, Beasley's number is wrong. It is only $778000 next year which gives another $1.5M to work with.

[Sun Scorched]

Also, Beasley's number is wrong. It is only $778000 next year which gives another $1.5M to work with.

How are you getting that?

[bigfoot]

Also, Beasley's number is wrong. It is only $778000 next year which gives another $1.5M to work with.

How are you getting that?

Per Coro:

Babby negotiated to reduce Beasley’s salary for this season from $6 milliion to $4.67 million and next season’s guaranteed $3 million of a $6 million salary to $2.33 million. Using the waive-and-spread provision of the collective bargaining agreement, the Suns will spread that $2.33 million in payment and cap hits over the years to $778,000 annually. The buyout, along with the ability to spread next year’s salary, creates $1.4 million in cap space this year (now about $6.7 million of total space) and $2.2 million more of cap space next year.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/ar ... asley.html

[Revived]

Good detailed, informative post man. I'll give you an and-1.

[phrazbit]

I'm not saying we will, or necessarily should sign a max free agent this summer, but I would not sweat a couple million dollars on our cap being something that would prevent us from doing so. Any number of things could be done to create that small amount of space. Trading away one of our draft picks, trading the Morrii (and they probably have value now as trade pieces), trading Len (who probably has no value at the moment), trading Frye (we would probably have to pair him with the Pacer pick or something just to dump his salary) or waiving Frye with the stretch provision.

Of those options I think the best bet would be to trade Len. I doubt we could get equal value for the twins, I wouldnt want to dump a pick just to get rid of Frye. While someone would probably take Len for a conditional future late pick.

[RunDogGun]

How many contracts can we stretch, since we already stretched Beasley's?

[phrazbit]

How many contracts can we stretch, since we already stretched Beasley's?

I dont think there is a limit.

[SUNSofBUCKets]

I was actually thinking about posting a similar post today. I would like to possibly package two of our picks, or a player and a pick for a higher pick or for a higher caliber player. We have a lot of nice assets to play around with

I am really interested to see what kind of off-season moves people want them to make. I personally would like to move Frye. I can't imagine would opt out. I would like a big man who can board and play defense a little better. Hopefully Len can make a big step this off-season. I'm interested in the likes of Bosh (if he leaves), Love (if we can make the right deal with MIN, I feel like we have some pretty good assets to offer), Monroe (though he's restricted), Gasol (scared of his fragile/ness of late), Spencer Hawes (can stretch the floor with a decent outside shot), Gortat, Asik (in some sort of deal).

As far as other guys, I would like a guy like Bayless off the bench (he seems to play hard), Shaun Livingston, kind of like Deng but I'm sure someone will overpay for him. Like Ramon Sessions, but he will probably get overpaid by somebody else, Patty Mills has had a nice season with SA.

I really like the Morris twins production this season. They play hard and stretch the floor nicely. If we can keep Tucker for the right price and Bledsoe (no idea how that is going to turn out)... I like Dragic, Bledose, Green, Tucker, Morris Twins, Len, Plumlee... That's a nice young, not too expensive team to build on. Bring in a couple hard playing vets and they can really start to look like something scary. I love the potential this time has. Not to mention we've seem to have found a gem in Hornacek. Sky is the limit

[JDLAW]

I'm not saying we will, or necessarily should sign a max free agent this summer, but I would not sweat a couple million dollars on our cap being something that would prevent us from doing so. Any number of things could be done to create that small amount of space. Trading away one of our draft picks, trading the Morrii (and they probably have value now as trade pieces), trading Len (who probably has no value at the moment), trading Frye (we would probably have to pair him with the Pacer pick or something just to dump his salary) or waiving Frye with the stretch provision.

Of those options I think the best bet would be to trade Len. I doubt we could get equal value for the twins, I wouldnt want to dump a pick just to get rid of Frye. While someone would probably take Len for a conditional future late pick.

They are not trading Len and they are not trading the Morris twins. The Salary cap # will likely be up a little next year. Some are projecting $62M but i think it will be closer to $60M. Cap hold #s should not rise because they are based on last year's salaries per the CBA. If it bumps up along with the lower Beasley number the Suns could have just under $18M but subtract a million from that because PJ's cap hold will be $1.8M and and add $0.4M if we make the playoffs (our pick will be 20 not 14) So we are at $17 to $17.5 M. Trading two of the first rounders for future picks could put us at $20M. That'll be competitive for just about any of the available free agents- assuming the want to come here.

[MathiasPW]

We won't draft 3 picks, that is for sure. And I am not too sure we'll go after big FA names, other than Love and perhaps Bosh.

Most likely we''ll be facing trade scenarios and a roster revamp (improvevement) with teams where we can get good cheap assets (teams that failed to deliver and have unhappy stars).

I am so damn scared to see Josh Smith coming this way...

[grumpysaddle]

We won't draft 3 picks, that is for sure. And I am not too sure we'll go after big FA names, other than Love and perhaps Bosh.

Most likely we''ll be facing trade scenarios and a roster revamp (improvevement) with teams where we can get good cheap assets (teams that failed to deliver and have unhappy stars).

I am so damn scared to see Josh Smith coming this way...

McDonough doesn't have a long track record as a GM, but I'm pretty confident he'll make smart moves based on what he's done so far. Lance Blanks is gone, don't expect McD to give out crazy albatross contracts all willy-nilly.

[bwgood77]

I don't think we will make many moves to sign a top tier free agent this summer. I don't think any top tier free agents will come and/or opt out.

I think McD will smartly retain that cap space and look for possible deals to potentially absorb a contract (as long as it expires) to also get an asset. Other teams may be willing to give up a useful piece if they can dump salary to get under the tax or make deals or sign free agents themselves.

Using this course of action netted us Bledsoe by absorbing Butler. We could do something similar, like how Utah absorbed salary to get two future draft picks.

I think he will keep the salary space open for Love and/or deals absorbing deals like I mentioned above. But even if he absorbs deals I think he will make sure we are in a position to sign Love next summer and present him with a good situation where he can go to a warm weather city to play for a young, up-n-coming team.

I definitely don't think we trade Len or Goodwin, or even the twins. The only potential way this would happen if it nets us Love and he opts in to the final year of his contract giving us at least two years of Love plus the potential to offer him more money than anyone else when he does become a free agent in 2016.

If we can't get Love in the summer of 2015, I might target Millsap second depending on our forward situation and Asik third depending on the development of Plumlee and Len.

Len and Goodwin were his first picks ever as GM. He is invested in them.

[Sun Scorched]

If we look at this team, here is our current roster next season:

PG - Bledsoe
SG - Dragic / Green / Goodwin
SF - Tucker / Morris
PF - Frye / Morris
C - Len / Plumlee

Clearly we need something positive to happen in the froncourt, either through the draft, rookie improvement or free agency. I would love to keep Green, but think that Plumlee has become a solid trade chip for us. We turned a bench stiff into a servicable rotational big, and those are valuable across the league.

Frankly, of the free agents available this offseason, only Bosh makes sense and I really, really can't stand him. He's mentally soft and I'm not sure he fits with our crew. In fact, I'm pretty sure part of the reason why this squad works so well together is because they're all younger non-stars getting paid decent (bot not stupid) contracts.

[Puff]

If we look at this team, here is our current roster next season:

PG - Bledsoe
SG - Dragic / Green / Goodwin
SF - Tucker / Morris
PF - Frye / Morris
C - Len / Plumlee

Clearly we need something positive to happen in the froncourt, either through the draft, rookie improvement or free agency. I would love to keep Green, but think that Plumlee has become a solid trade chip for us. We turned a bench stiff into a servicable rotational big, and those are valuable across the league.

Frankly, of the free agents available this offseason, only Bosh makes sense and I really, really can't stand him. He's mentally soft and I'm not sure he fits with our crew. In fact, I'm pretty sure part of the reason why this squad works so well together is because they're all younger non-stars getting paid decent (bot not stupid) contracts.

Good Post

I really do not see a huge weakness in this roster and am not excited by any of the potential free agents available, except Bledsoe. We must sign him or else we will have to find his replacement. I have no idea who that might be.

While we need improvement in certain areas we may already have the solution to our weaknesses with guys on the roster. If Len, Plumlee and Goodwin continue to develop we could be scary good in a couple of years.

I hope we draft a big and a wing in the upcoming draft and let them develop. We could use a couple of guys pushing Len,Plumlee and Goodwin to get better quickly. It would also be nice to draft a Euro and stash him for a couple of years.

I expect I am in the minority but I hope we can keep Channing Frye around for a while on a reasonable reworked extension. As some one suggested a 4 year 16 Mil extension could be good for everyone concerned. While he frustrates me at times like everyone else, you cannot have too many good teammates.

My hope is that we do not spend money on a free agent that will prevent us from keeping guys like Green, Dragic and the Morris Brothers on this team going forward.

I like this team.

[gaspar]

It wouldn't surprise me if we kept Ish for next season. He has $992,435 fully unguaranteed for next year.

[WeekapaugGroove]

It wouldn't surprise me if we kept Ish for next season. He has $992,435 fully unguaranteed for next year.

yeah I actually assume they will pick up the option since it's so cheap and he's a serviceable backup point. Heck if they needed to clear his number I'm sure some team looking for pg depth would take him off our hands. Same with fry; if they end up needing his cap room some team would throw us a 2nd rounder for his last yr of his deal. He's a decent stretch 4 with some value.

Really there's only a couple guys worth breaking the bank for this summer Bron, bosh, maybe Melo or hayward although I'm not really a fan of either guy. My biggest fear is using the space foolishly on role players.
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[Barkley6]

If I was the Suns GM here is what I'd do:
Keep Ish Smith as an emergency PG. (Invite someone to camp to compete with him though)

Resign Tucker at around 12m/4 years. I dont think anyone is going to give Tucker the MLE as a 3 and D, hustle type. He also wants to be here, and 3m per season should be enough to do it. It's also a very tradeable contract.

Resign Bledsoe at 48/4. This is a Steph Curry-esque deal and Bledsoe can't really ask for much more than that.

Sign Jordan Hill at 15m/3. I think he's more of the finisher that we'd like to see on the PnR game than either Plumlee or Frye, and he put together a nice season this year, averaging 9.4ppg, 7.4rpg on 54% shooting. At 26, he'd fit right in with our team.

Draft:
At 14- Aaron Gordon. I know a lot of people have him going higher but his lack of a true position, jump shot and abysmal FT shooting will likely drop him a bit. He's perfect for our system, high energy, crazy athletic, good defender, solid BBIQ.

17- TJ Warren. Does a variety of things well, can score the ball, good in transition and plays with effort on D. Sounds tailor made for the Suns.

26- Vasilje Micic- Pass first PG with decent size, only 20, would be someone to stash overseas for at least a season.

Roster:
PG-Dragic/Smith/Goodwin
SG-Bledsoe/Green
SF- Tucker/Morris/Warren
PF- Frye/Morris/Hill/Gordon
C- Plumlee/Len

Not a MAJOR upgrade to the team, but if the rookies from this year progress, and the drafted rookies can contribute, it's easily a playoff team and DAMN fun to watch.