MIN - MIL .. Another Cheap Cardinal Exit

[shrink]

MIN GETS: Damon Jones (exp) + Adrian Griffin (unguaranteed)

MIL GETS: Brian Cardinal + BOS pick + $3 mil in cash

Why for MIN? Primarily, this removes $6.75 mil and our last bad contract from the 2009 payroll. We have potentially four 1st round picks next season, so we avoid his 2009 guaranteed salary. Damon Jones could serve as our 3rd string PG, meaning Ollie and Ahearn could both be cut, and we'd have a roster spot for both Chris Richard and David Harrison. We'd knock $1.84 mil off our salary this year, allowing us to use our previous TPE without going over the lux. Next season, Cardinal's $6.75 mil disappears, plus the guaranteed salary for the BOS pick (about $1 mil) for a two-year savings of $9.5 mil, less the $3 mil in off the books cash.

Why for MIL? They've already reached an agreement with Damon Jones not to show up at the Bucks camp, while they look to trade him. They don't need the cap space this year, so they can convert it into a late 1st. In effect, they are getting a pick for keeping Cardinal on the books for one season, and at a lower price since the $3 mil defrays about half his 2009 salary.

Finally, this deal could be expanded Dec 15th, since Craig Smith would get decent minutes with MIL's weak PF rotation, and Bogut and Elson behind him.