RealGM

Updated 4/16 with waiving of Shavlik Randolph and signing of Chris Babb to a two year contract.

Current Cap Space: None. $31,990,705.00 over (this figure is inclusive of all Exceptions added back against the Cap)
Maximum Cap Space: $2,661,766.00 (if all options/guarantees were not picked up, all FAs renounced, no draft picks were to be signed this season, and all Exceptions were renounced)
Luxury Tax Space: $16,321,195.00
Tax Apron Space: $20,321,195.00
2015-2016 Maximum Cap Space: $24,517,875.00

How I got there:

Guaranteed Contracts (15): Chris Babb, Brandon Bass, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Luigi Datome, Jonas Jerebko, Kelly Olynyk, Phil Pressey, Marcus Smart, Jared Sullinger, Isaiah Thomas, Evan Turner, Gerald Wallace, James Young, Tyler Zeller

Partial/Non-Guaranteed Contracts Kept to date (0): None

Carried Money (7): Will Bynum ($2,915,908.00), Andre Dawkins 1 ($29,843.00), Andre Dawkins 2 ($29,843.00), Chris Douglas-Roberts ($915,243.00), Virtor Faverani ($2,090,000.00), Erik Murphy ($100,000.00), Nate Robinson ($1,417,332.00)

FA Cap Holds (13): Carlos Arroyo, Dana Barros, P.J. Brown, Mark Bryant, Michael Finley, Nenad Krstic, Grant Long, Stephon Marbury, Roshown McLeod, Michael Olowokandi, Shaquille O'Neal, Scot Pollard, Chris Wilcox

Draft Pick Holds (0): None

Current Exceptions: Non-Taxpayer Exception at $2,027,000.00 (partially used on Evan Turner). BAE at $2,077,00.00. TPEs of $152,757.00 (Joel Anthony), $285,816.00 (Keith Bogans), $1,334,092.00 (Kris Humphries), $625,280.00 (Jameer Nelson), $507,336.00 (Dwight Powell), $7,707,865.00 (Taysaun Prince), $689,840.00 (Austin Rivers), $12,909,091.00 (Rajon Rondo), $1,336,394.00 (Marcus Thornton), $5,000,000.00 (Brandan Wright).

Updated OP on 6/2.

Updated OP 6/13 to include Joel Anthony exercising his player option for 2014-2015.

Updated OP on 6/27 to reflect Draft moves.

Updated OP on 7/1 to reflect current standing.

Hey Smitty, sorry but I might be a little confused on this. What exactly is your estimate of their projected salary as of right now with the two draft picks signed?

Why don't you recalculate assuming they use the stretch provision on Crash and Bass.

lordjeff05 wrote:Hey Smitty, sorry but I might be a little confused on this. What exactly is your estimate of their projected salary as of right now with the two draft picks signed?

The current space includes their cap holds. Those holds however are a bit low, because they will likely actually sign for 120% of their scale amount. Almost all draft picks do this. Teams can sign them to anywhere from 80% to 120% of their scale amount. Andre Roberson of the Thunder signed for only 80% and is the last guy I can remember not taking the 120% amount.

Long answer to a short question, I have the Celtics at a total of $111,504,437.00 inclusive of all cap holds. That number is a bit misleading as the Celtics carry cap holds for 13 former free agents. Some of this group haven't played basketball in getting close to a decade now. If you remove all the cap holds, including the ones for this year, but add in the rookie holds and Bradley's Qualifying Offer, the Celtics would be at $64,052,052.00, which is slightly over the projected cap of $63,200,000.00.

There is no correct or incorrect way to make these projects, which is why I have chosen to keep things to what we know for sure right now.

Curmudgeon wrote:Why don't you recalculate assuming they use the stretch provision on Crash and Bass.

Why would someone do that?

Curmudgeon wrote:Why don't you recalculate assuming they use the stretch provision on Crash and Bass.

Because things get confusing at this time of year, I've chosen to only do the series on what we know for sure and is official. Beyond that, I don't think that it is realistic to think they would stretch both Wallace and Bass. Wallace possibly, but they would better off to just let Bass expire, or use him as a trade piece.

HartfordWhalers wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote:Why don't you recalculate assuming they use the stretch provision on Crash and Bass.

Why would someone do that?

To acquire a free agent the Celtics really want? It's not as if they give a pig's petunia about those guys as players. They just take minutes away from the young guys they are trying to develop.

Curmudgeon wrote:

HartfordWhalers wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote:Why don't you recalculate assuming they use the stretch provision on Crash and Bass.

Why would someone do that?

To acquire a free agent the Celtics really want? It's not as if they give a pig's petunia about those guys as players. They just take minutes away from the young guys they are trying to develop.

I don't see the Celtics willing to take a 4m a year cap hit for the next 5 years to gain 6 in space this offseason when they still won't have much space anyway. That is the cost of stretching (just) Wallace.

HartfordWhalers wrote:

Curmudgeon wrote:

HartfordWhalers wrote:
Why would someone do that?

To acquire a free agent the Celtics really want? It's not as if they give a pig's petunia about those guys as players. They just take minutes away from the young guys they are trying to develop.

I don't see the Celtics willing to take a 4m a year cap hit for the next 5 years to gain 6 in space this offseason when they still won't have much space anyway. That is the cost of stretching (just) Wallace.

I agree. Ainge isn't going to chase good money after bad. Especially in the case of Bass who is still a very useful player and isn't wildly overpaid. I don't even think they will do it with Wallace, but you could talk me in to that one.

Thanks Smitty, that was very helpful. As for the stretch, the Pels have a similar issue with Eric Gordon. However ,in my opinion you don't use the stretch for a 2 years player unless it is a) the only option and b) you need that space for a specific move that is 100% guaranteed to go down. Both Gordon and Wallace have 2 years. Stretching their contracts makes them 5 year contracts. That's a long time to have even nominal money on the books. You don't make a move like that just because, or for generic cap space.

Updated OP on 7/3 to reflect team resigning Avery Bradley.

Updated OP on 7/8 to reflect signing of Marcus Smart.

Updated OP on 7/10 with official Cap and Tax Apron Numbers and three team trade with Brooklyn and Cleveland.

Updated OP on 7/12 with James Young signing.

Updated OP on 7/15 with Phil Pressey becoming Fully Guaranteed and to remove Kris Humphries Cap Hold.

Updated OP on 7/15 with official numbers for Avery Bradley.