RealGM

What is the general consensus on Butler? It seems like he isn't playing great basketball this year, but I haven't seen much Wiz basketball to know if this is really the case. He is making about $10 mil this year and about $10.8 mil next with no commitment beyond that. Doesn't seem like a huge commitment, except acquiring him would cut into our 2010 cap space. According to the Wiz board, the suspensions of Arenas and Crittendon actually get the Wiz to be only $3.3 mil over the lux this year. I believe this deal gets them under the lux plus gets them nice players in Sessions and Gomes (with Arenas and Crittendon suspended, Wash could really use Sessions).

Washington IN: $14.288 mil Sessions, Gomes, Cardinal
Minnesota IN: $17.979 mil Butler, Mike James, Crittendon, cash to help buyout James

If we wanted to not sacrifice 2010 cap space, we could probably try to add Hollins to the deal, but I was having trouble getting Hollins in there (with some combo of Sasha, Jawai, Blount, Wilkins, Oberto, McGuire, Boykins, Crittendon) but I was having trouble both adding Hollins and keeping the $3.3 mil difference to get Wash under the lux.

I'd rather not. Butler is getting old and playing poorly. I have to think we can do better than him with our cap space.

Also, I'm not sure how suspensions like this work, but I'd be very surprised if Arenas and Crittendon's contracts didn't still count against their books as far as the luxury tax is concerned.

I agree, it doesn't seem to make any sense that there contracts would no longer count against the cap. If this were the case, then they could make trades without the salary matching requirement, so they could add a bunch of salary, and then a whole bunch more when Arenas is back next year. This would defeat the whole purpose of the salary cap and would reward teams whose players get injured. Possibly somoene with more knowledge can verify this for sure, but I don't see any way this can be true.

Out of anyone from the Wiz I want McGee

According to the guys on the Washington board, an NBA player is paid on a per game basis based on 8 preseason games + 82 regular season games. So Arenas and Crittenden played 8 + 32 before they were suspended. The games after they were suspended, the Wiz are only on the hook for 50% of their salary (which I believe is paid to the league).

Actually looking at the numbers, I think the guys on the Washington board might have their numbers wrong. I think they were using 35 games played rather than 40. I'm getting that they are still $4.22 mil over the lux currently and if Crittendon would be included in the trade, we'd need to clear $4.5 mil.

I'd say this trade would get them close, but not under the lux.

I don't want to trade for anyone on the wiz roster

This deal would be sick.

I think if we're saving WAS $7.5 mil up front, then we deserve more than just Butler. I'm concerned that Butler's deal is not going to look good at $10.8 mil when we get more 2010 contracts being inked.

shrink wrote:I think if we're saving WAS $7.5 mil up front, then we deserve more than just Butler. I'm concerned that Butler's deal is not going to look good at $10.8 mil when we get more 2010 contracts being inked.

Gomes + Sessions + Hollins = 10.5 mil in 2010. Butler = 10.8.

If the deal is modified slightly to be Gomes + Sessions + Hollins + Expirings for Butler + Expirings does it make any more sense?

I honestly can understand liking or not liking the deal for a variety of reasons. It would potentially be a way for us to add a somewhat talented wing player without disturbing our core and without hurting our 2010 cap space. If 10.8 is too expensive for Butler, then I think we can consider Gomes to be bought out in the offseason (or traded for expirings + minor benefit at trade deadline).