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I've been doing one of these for a couple years now, might as well post it again. These numbers are assuming the cap is set $109 million and the luxury tax is set at $132 million.

Blake Griffin $34,449,964
Andre Drummond $27,093,019
Reggie Jackson $18,086,956
Ish Smith $11,400,000 (cap hold)
Tony Snell $11,392,857
Langston Galloway $7,333,333
Josh Smith $5,331,729 (dead money)
Glenn Robinson $4,278,750 (team option)
Luke Kennard $3,827,160
Thon Maker $3,569,643
Wayne Ellington $2,859,691 (cap hold)
Zaza Pachulia $1,799,934 (cap hold)
Jose Calderon $1,618,486 (cap hold)
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk $1,416,852 (not guaranteed)
Khryi Thomas $1,416,852
Bruce Brown Jr. $1,416,852
Sekou Doumbouya $3,000,000 (rough estimate)
Deividas Sirvydis ?
Jordan Bone ?

Overall Total $140,292,078
Cap Space -$31,292,078
Luxury Tax Room -$8,292,078

Without Cap Holds And Glenn Robinson III

Overall Total $118,335,217
Cap Space -$9,335,217
Luxury Tax Room $13,664,783

I only have a rough estimate for Doumbouya's contract right now, the actual draft slot will be determined after/during the moratorium. If Sirvydis or Bone are signed to actual NBA contracts the overall totals will obviously go down, but probably not by much.

The MLE for non-taxpayer teams should be somewhere around $10 million. And that's about the only avenue Detroit has to sign players in free agency. Not sure if they used the bi-annual exception last summer or not, if not that's available too but it's not much. Right around or under $4 million. Probably not in the discussion if the team wants to use most of the MLE on a PG though. They'll have enough for that and a couple of veteran's minimum signings to stay under the tax.

Man I still hate seeing Josh Smith's name on this list.

DETermination wrote:Man I still hate seeing Josh Smith's name on this list.

I think this is the last season that he’ll haunt the franchise.

Even without Leuer we have a lot coming off the books next offseason. Reggie, Langston, Thon, and Josh Smith’s dead money.

Robinson was signed via the MLE last summer, so the BAE is available should they choose to use it. But like OP stated, its unlikely it becomes a factor is Detroit intends to use the entire MLE allotment and stay under the tax.

Also have Ish's bird rights if they want to bring him back and still have the MLE allotment. But $13.5 to spend under the tax isn't much to spend no matter the breakout.

Personally, I don't want to see anybody signed to more than a 1 year deal. Snell already ate up 1/3 of the cap space Detroit was projected to have next summer. I don't see any benefit in further canabalizing that cap space just to sign marginal free agents this summer.

thesack12 wrote:Robinson was signed via the MLE last summer, so the BAE is available should they choose to use it. But like OP stated, its unlikely it becomes a factor is Detroit intends to use the entire MLE allotment and stay under the tax.

Also have Ish's bird rights if they want to bring him back and still have the MLE allotment. But $13.5 to spend under the tax isn't much to spend no matter the breakout.

Personally, I don't want to see anybody signed to more than a 1 year deal. Snell already ate up 1/3 of the cap space Detroit was projected to have next summer. I don't see any benefit in further canabalizing that cap space just to sign marginal free agents this summer.

I’d be surprised to learn they’re all that concerned about cap space until Dre expires given the Snell trade, where 12 mill in cap space was dispatched pretty casually.

I'd probably cut Svi to open up more money. That is vet minimum money his 1.4M owed. Can we get a better veteran for that money and role - probably.

We're a bit out of balance - have only one PG in Jackson who is very injury prone and three bigs in Griffin, Dre and Maker. Then our wings - Kennard, Brown, Galloway, Thomas, Snell, Mykhailiuk, Doumbouya. We need two point guards and two bigs to carry a full roster.

I don't think we spend the full MLE but probably a less than Taxpayer MLE portion to not hard cap us. 5M of the MLE on a point guard, 4M (BLE) on a PF/Ce and then two vet minimum deals like Calderon and Zaza last season on a vet point and vet center.

Jackson|5M MLE FA|Vet Min FA|Bone(2-way)
Brown|Kennard|Galloway|Thomas
Snell|Mykhailiuk|Doumbouya
Griffin|Maker
Drummond|4M BLE FA|Vet Min FA

Ideally we'd trade Galloway away for a big on a equal deal. If we took on an extra year we'd get some draft pick sweetener. We get a $7M Pf/Ce type would go a long way on roster balance and with Kennard, Brown, Thomas we could carry Svi as our 4th SG and this would would allow us to spend the BLE on a SF to back up Snell and make sure we don't have to rely on Doumbouya for any minutes.

Snakebites wrote:

thesack12 wrote:Robinson was signed via the MLE last summer, so the BAE is available should they choose to use it. But like OP stated, its unlikely it becomes a factor is Detroit intends to use the entire MLE allotment and stay under the tax.

Also have Ish's bird rights if they want to bring him back and still have the MLE allotment. But $13.5 to spend under the tax isn't much to spend no matter the breakout.

Personally, I don't want to see anybody signed to more than a 1 year deal. Snell already ate up 1/3 of the cap space Detroit was projected to have next summer. I don't see any benefit in further canabalizing that cap space just to sign marginal free agents this summer.

I’d be surprised to learn they’re all that concerned about cap space until Dre expires given the Snell trade, where 12 mill in cap space was dispatched pretty casually.

I agree. I could see us moving Galloway for a 2 years remaining contract - either at a position of need, a better player, or get a pick along with it. Hell we took on an extra year and $12M for #37 and a 2024 second rounder - we set our price there. So a team trades us a extra year player for Galloway and sends us two second rounders.

Kilo wrote:

Snakebites wrote:

thesack12 wrote:Robinson was signed via the MLE last summer, so the BAE is available should they choose to use it. But like OP stated, its unlikely it becomes a factor is Detroit intends to use the entire MLE allotment and stay under the tax.

Also have Ish's bird rights if they want to bring him back and still have the MLE allotment. But $13.5 to spend under the tax isn't much to spend no matter the breakout.

Personally, I don't want to see anybody signed to more than a 1 year deal. Snell already ate up 1/3 of the cap space Detroit was projected to have next summer. I don't see any benefit in further canabalizing that cap space just to sign marginal free agents this summer.

I’d be surprised to learn they’re all that concerned about cap space until Dre expires given the Snell trade, where 12 mill in cap space was dispatched pretty casually.

I agree. I could see us moving Galloway for a 2 years remaining contract - either at a position of need, a better player, or get a pick along with it. Hell we took on an extra year and $12M for #37 and a 2024 second rounder - we set our price there. So a team trades us a extra year player for Galloway and sends us two second rounders.

I also don’t think they’d have any apprehension using our MLE on a 2 year deal if the can get a guy they want.

Snakebites wrote:

Kilo wrote:

Snakebites wrote:I’d be surprised to learn they’re all that concerned about cap space until Dre expires given the Snell trade, where 12 mill in cap space was dispatched pretty casually.

I agree. I could see us moving Galloway for a 2 years remaining contract - either at a position of need, a better player, or get a pick along with it. Hell we took on an extra year and $12M for #37 and a 2024 second rounder - we set our price there. So a team trades us a extra year player for Galloway and sends us two second rounders.

I also don’t think they’d have any apprehension using our MLE on a 2 year deal if the can get a guy they want.

All of these are probabilities, sadly.

Its been quite awhile since anybody in Detroit's front office practiced patience and had vision of the bigger picture past what was right in front of them currently.

If you can get the right guy on a full MLE deal for 4 years you lock them up.... It's got to be the right guy though it can't be someone who isn't one of our top 5 players. It would have to be someone who would probably be a starter for us.

Marcus Morris
Rozier
Rose (Iffy with his injury issues but he was great last season..... still only 31)
Rubio
Harrison Barnes
Patrick Beverly
Danny Green probably
Thad Young maybe

Kilo wrote:I'd probably cut Svi to open up more money. That is vet minimum money his 1.4M owed. Can we get a better veteran for that money and role - probably.

We're a bit out of balance - have only one PG in Jackson who is very injury prone and three bigs in Griffin, Dre and Maker. Then our wings - Kennard, Brown, Galloway, Thomas, Snell, Mykhailiuk, Doumbouya. We need two point guards and two bigs to carry a full roster.

I don't think we spend the full MLE but probably a less than Taxpayer MLE portion to not hard cap us. 5M of the MLE on a point guard, 4M (BLE) on a PF/Ce and then two vet minimum deals like Calderon and Zaza last season on a vet point and vet center.

Jackson|5M MLE FA|Vet Min FA|Bone(2-way)
Brown|Kennard|Galloway|Thomas
Snell|Mykhailiuk|Doumbouya
Griffin|Maker
Drummond|4M BLE FA|Vet Min FA

Ideally we'd trade Galloway away for a big on a equal deal. If we took on an extra year we'd get some draft pick sweetener. We get a $7M Pf/Ce type would go a long way on roster balance and with Kennard, Brown, Thomas we could carry Svi as our 4th SG and this would would allow us to spend the BLE on a SF to back up Snell and make sure we don't have to rely on Doumbouya for any minutes.

My guess is Doumbouya gets most of his minutes at PF with Maker splitting between there and C. A bigger veteran center will be brought in on the minimum to play when needed. Puts a lot on Thon as a backup, but hey why not. Might as well ride it out with him for a season instead of spending decent money on someone else. I don't have much faith is seeing a ton more from Maker but if that's the roster gamble this year that's the gamble. I'd rather it be at PF/C than PG, SG, or SF.

I think the Pistons roll with 14 guys on the roster instead of a full 15 too, much like they did at the start of last season (I think lol). Saves a little on the salary cap right away and gives them some flexibility to add when needed. No reason to dump Svi either.

Jackson / MLE / VETS Minimum
Kennard / Brown / Galloway
Snell / Thomas / Mykhailiuk
Griffin / Doumbouya
Drummon / Maker / VETS MINIMUM

With Bone as one of the 2-way players that doesn't count for the base 15. The wrench is the situation with Sirvydis. Sounds like his current team wants the buyout for him. If Detroit brings him over then there's a full 15 roster with too much overlap/guys to develop on the wing (already is though). Don't think he's stashed in the G-League, maybe buyout his current contract and let him sign with another team in Europe for a year.

bstein14 wrote:If you can get the right guy on a full MLE deal for 4 years you lock them up.... It's got to be the right guy though it can't be someone who isn't one of our top 5 players. It would have to be someone who would probably be a starter for us.

Marcus Morris
Rozier
Rose (Iffy with his injury issues but he was great last season..... still only 31)
Rubio
Harrison Barnes
Patrick Beverly
Danny Green probably
Thad Young maybe

A combo forward like Morris shouldn't be on Detroit's radar. Blocks Sekou's minutes + makes Snell completely useless
Rozier will get better offers
Highly doubtful Rose would interested in Detroit
Rubio probably goes to Indiana via their cap space
Barnes likely gets offers from better situations, and again would Block Sekou's minutes and make Snell useless
Beverly will get better offers from better teams
Danny Green will be 32 when the season starts, so ewe to him on full MLE
Young another combo forward, see above. And he'll be 31, so ewe again.

thesack12 wrote:

bstein14 wrote:If you can get the right guy on a full MLE deal for 4 years you lock them up.... It's got to be the right guy though it can't be someone who isn't one of our top 5 players. It would have to be someone who would probably be a starter for us.

Marcus Morris
Rozier
Rose (Iffy with his injury issues but he was great last season..... still only 31)
Rubio
Harrison Barnes
Patrick Beverly
Danny Green probably
Thad Young maybe

A combo forward like Morris shouldn't be on Detroit's radar. Blocks Sekou's minutes + makes Snell completely useless
Rozier will get better offers
Highly doubtful Rose would interested in Detroit
Rubio probably goes to Indiana via their cap space
Barnes likely gets offers from better situations, and again would Block Sekou's minutes and make Snell useless
Beverly will get better offers from better teams
Danny Green will be 32 when the season starts, so ewe to him on full MLE
Young another combo forward, see above. And he's be 31, so ewe again.

This.

More likely we overpay someone for 2 years. Maybe Curry.

bstein14 wrote:If you can get the right guy on a full MLE deal for 4 years you lock them up.... It's got to be the right guy though it can't be someone who isn't one of our top 5 players. It would have to be someone who would probably be a starter for us.

Marcus Morris
Rozier
Rose (Iffy with his injury issues but he was great last season..... still only 31)
Rubio
Harrison Barnes
Patrick Beverly
Danny Green probably
Thad Young maybe

You do this and we're shallow as hell at our other need position. I mean you use the full MLE on a wing and we have Reggie Jackson and bupkus at PG - literally nothing. And only enough cap space for a vet minimum back-up and only one. So Jackson, somebody like Calderon and #57 OA 2-way Bone.

If it was a PG we'd survive a little better but our bigs would be Dre, Griff, Maker and 18 yr old raw Doumbouya.

Mook maybe signs for the MLE - I wouldn't want him here on it though. Rozier will sign for a lot more, Rubio a lot more, Barnes will get near double, Beverly MIGHT sign for the MLE, but will start off looking for $15M range. Green isn't worth a full MLE four year deal.

Given our salary structure Snell has to be starting SF for us. We can't pay a wing the full MLE to put Snell on the bench. Leaves us barren at point and bigs.

Why is Thon Maker on this team? He's bad at basketball.

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flow wrote:Why is Thon Maker on this team? He's bad at basketball.

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I do agree. I hope Seku isn't drawn to him in any way and would like to trade him away for that reason. I want Doumbouya sat next to Blake Griffin or Sean Sweeney at all times.

Johnson for Maker another bad decision by Ed and Co. Took on that extra year for nothing.

Trading Reggie Jackson for cap space makes things flow.

They can sign two point guards and one front court player (maybe two) with 18 million.

Ekpe Udoh
Khem Birch
Cheick Diallo
Nicolo Melli
Thomas Heurtel
Derrick Rose

Combined, the MLE+BAE is $13million. We have $13.5 to spend under luxury tax. What's the problem? Seems to me our FO planned perfectly to use both. Unless something crazy happens and we keep Ish and become a tax payer but doubt it.

With Lonzo Ball going to the Pelicans I think Elfrid Payton would be a good player to target. Played really well at times last year.

I'm also on-board with Derrick Rose.