LMA on whether Portland is 1st option: "We'll see"

[claudio-br]

The whole Texas and Florida no income tax thing is moot when the players are paid based on the games when they are in a different state. Spending 41 games away and paying taxes in those states equally isn't really saving as much money as one would think.

It's half of their salary though

[Rafael122]

The whole Texas and Florida no income tax thing is moot when the players are paid based on the games when they are in a different state. Spending 41 games away and paying taxes in those states equally isn't really saving as much money as one would think.

It's half of their salary though

You're getting taxed more for playing more games that's not in Texas or Florida.

So 41 games in San Antonio, 4 games in Dallas, 4 games in Houston and 2 games in Florida. So you're not taxed on 51 of your games. I believe Memphis also doesn't have a state income tax and neither does DC. So add 3 more games to that.

[moss_is_1]

LA to San Antonio makes the most sense.

- He's from Texas
- He enters a real winning situation
- He learns from multiple GOATs
- He plays alongside future star Khawi Leonard.

Let's be real. If he is complaining about Portland lifestyle, why would he go to San Antonio? When have they ever signed a high level free agent? IIRC, they were close on Tmac(might of been Grant Hill?) back in the day..that's it.

So what would be the Spurs' cap situation with a maxed out Leonard and a max LMA? They've got $33 million tied up in Parker, Diaw, Splitter, and Mills. Maxing out both guys would put them near the cap already would it not?

They'd probably look to flip one of Diaw/Splitter. Look to sign back Duncan/Gino for less then their capholds, then sign LMA, then bring back Leonard(so his hold is valued at less $$), and they'd probably have to let Danny Green/Belli walk. That Parker deal is going to hurt them it looks like.

Parker / ? / Leonard / LMA / Duncan with Mills, Diaw or Splitter, Kyle Anderson. They'd need to retool their depth for sure. Still a huge long shot, and I don't see it happening.

[Froob]

LMA to the original Portland, ya heard it here first.

[NOOB77]

Next years starting 5 for the Knicks

Galloway
Danny Green
Melo
LMA
Towns

[Run PDX]

Maybe Olshey will have to try to turn Batum/McCollum/the 2015 Pick/a TPE into something on draft night... so that Aldridge sees something big before he makes up his mind... I don't know what that package could get, but it might be enough to sway him.

[kodo]

Next years starting 5 for the Knicks

Galloway
Danny Green
Melo
LMA
Towns

Knicks fan have been screwed for so many years...they deserve this team.

[Jonatton Yeah]

Since he is a private, stay at home kind of guy I don't see wanting to move to a large market.

Maybe he's a private, stay at home kind of guy because he's in Portland? No snark intended.

[dreamcloud]

Next years starting 5 for the Knicks

Galloway
Danny Green
Melo
LMA
Towns

Knicks fan have been screwed for so many years...they deserve this team.

Or maybe they should try to build their own team with players they draft, instead of trying to steal other team's/fan's franchise players instead.

[dreamcloud]

Since he is a private, stay at home kind of guy I don't see wanting to move to a large market.

Maybe he's a private, stay at home kind of guy because he's in Portland? No snark intended.

As far as I know, he doesn't party in the offseason though either like some other players on the team? Likes to spend time at home with his family in Dallas

[ComeAtMeBro]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/BaxterHolmes/status/592415362353737728[/tweet]

Ok and what bearing does this have on LaMarcus?

I want info from the horses mouth, and that's what we care about. Same **** with Mo Williams and bron before the decision.

All these players have their own agenda, especially that fake good guy but actual thug Damian Llillard.

[ciregno]

I hope he goes to the Spurs so that Gasol can come to my Knicks.

[RichieW]

The whole Texas and Florida no income tax thing is moot when the players are paid based on the games when they are in a different state. Spending 41 games away and paying taxes in those states equally isn't really saving as much money as one would think.

It's not moot, but you do make a fair point. The benefit is approximately halved, although in the Southwest it's better because you're guaranteed 4 of your away games to still be in Texas and another 2 in Tennessee where there is no state income tax.

Still, the difference between Oregons 11% tax to Taxas 0% is significant. Even taking in to account only half of the salary being affected, that's still a 5.5% bump in salary. That's $5m over the life of a $90m/5yr deal.

[RichieW]

From 2 years ago..

LaMarcus Aldridge has wanted out of Portland since the last week of the Trail Blazers' season and did not re-sign sponsorship deals in Portland this past year, including agreements with Cadillac, Chevy, and Providence Hospital while asking to get out of a lease on his Pearl District condo.

Aldridge tried to put a clause into his lease that he will not have to pay penalties if he was traded.

“This is why I hate being in Portland,’’ Aldridge said during the last week of the season. “You can’t do anything.’’

According to the report, Aldridge would not only welcome a trade from the Blazers, but he hopes for one, believing the city is too boring and small.

Neil Olshey said he sympathized with the constant change Aldridge has gone through with the Blazers, but the GM was adamant he would not be shopping the All-Star forward.

“Well, I’ll tell you this: I’m not going to be making any phone calls to move him,’’ Olshey said. “But if the phone rings and it makes the team better ...

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/22 ... -Too-Small

If he thought Portland was small and boring I don't think he's gonna love San Antonio...

Yeah he's from Texas but if he's looking for a larger city Houston and Dallas are the places he should aim for, and I can't see Houston really being a realistic option given their cap situation or Dallas because they're kinda in flux

This article sounds like a guy looking for a big market..And he'd be wise to go East if he's trying to avoid he gauntlet out West

That quote about Portland being to small and boring is misleading. I can not find the follow up that was done but he was asked about that and he was referring mostly to the local media reporting on everything he did. Since he is a private, stay at home kind of guy I don't see wanting to move to a large market. If he does leave I highly doubt it is because Portland is small and he wants to be in a large market. He will leave for his family.

Very interesting. In that case I imagine he will avoid the New York media and LA paparazzi like the plague

[RichieW]

So what would be the Spurs' cap situation with a maxed out Leonard and a max LMA? They've got $33 million tied up in Parker, Diaw, Splitter, and Mills. Maxing out both guys would put them near the cap already would it not?

There are a couple of assumptions that need to be made for the Spurs to have a max slot. The first is about Duncan and Manu, and what they want to get paid. Either they retire or they are willing to take the Room Exception and Minimum, the only exceptions you can use alongside cap space. An example of this would be $2.5m for Duncan (Room Exception) and $1.5m for Manu (League minimum for 10+ year vet).

Next is Green and Kawhi. They need to be willing to wait for the Spurs to sign a free agent before signing their new contracts. If Kawhi signs an offer sheet with another team (seemingly unlikely), the Spurs will have to sign a free agent within the 48hr window they have before they match it. This is because their cap holds (around $7.5m each) is less than their expected new contracts.

If those two things happen, the Spurs would have around $15.4m to offer a free agent. They can fiddle around the edges by stashing their draft pick, but it'll be tough to get to Aldridge/Gasols max without dumping some salary.

The obvious dump is Patty Mills who earns $3.5m. Get rid of him and the Spurs will jump to around $18.8m, which is probably close enough to a 7-9 year vet max which will be around $19.5m.

If Timmy and Manu want more, we would have to look at dumping someone different. We could trade away Splitter, give Timmy $5m, open up similar cap room of around $19m then sign Manu for the Room Exception at $2.5m. Alternatively we could keep Splitter, let Green walk and do pretty much the same thing.

Basically, who we have to lose depends on what Timmy and Manu want. If we can bring them back for exceptions, we can keep pretty much ever major player except Mills, otherwise a player like Diaw, Splitter or Green would have to be sacrificed.

[ComeAtMeBro]

Next years starting 5 for the Knicks

Galloway
Danny Green
Melo
LMA
Towns

Knicks fan have been screwed for so many years...they deserve this team.

Or maybe they should try to build their own team with players they draft, instead of trying to steal other team's/fan's franchise players instead.

Lol wat.

The butthurt blazer fans are checking in....say goodbye to lma.

[The Sparest]

This is a strange idea, but what about the Bucks? They should/could have enough space to offer him a max deal.

IMO adding LMA would make that a top 2-3 seed in the East. It wouldn't bring him back home, but it would give him an easier road in the playoffs.

If making a deep run in the post season is his goal, then this might be an idea he looks at seriously.