Is Cap Space Overrated?

[Jamaaliver]

Two years ago teams were clearing cap space like crazy in hopes of signing one of the BIG free agents available that summer.

New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Miami dumped salary, waived contracts, gave away lesser players with plans to sign the like of LeBron, D Wade, Bosh, etc.

The problem is that the top stars looked past those major cities and congregated with an organization with a top basketball mind and recent track record of success.

Chicago ended up with Boozer.
New York ended up signing Amare.
New Jersey couldn't attract any top free agents.

My point is that cap space is pretty useless if no players want to come to your team. New Jersey is a prime example. They traded the house for Deron Williams and ended up using all that cap space years later on...Gerald Wallace? And JJ?

I'm not discounting Ferry's decisions. I am encouraged by his aggressive, proactive, vision-filled approach.
But I wonder if Josh and Al are enough to attract a CP3 or if Morrow, Louis and Josh can attract Dwight. If not, will we be satisfied with 2nd tier 'superstars' instead? Bynum, Harden, etc?

ATL's reputation for years has not been a good one when it comes to pro basketball. All the cap space in the world will be for naught if noone of consequence wants our money.

[Geaux_Hawks]

Cap space isn't overrated. The Nets end up building a Damn good team if you give Lopez his respect as a post scorer, despite not getting anybody that summer. The Bulls still ended up having the best record and one of the top teams in the NBA. Imagine if they had signed David Lee instead. The Hawks are in a good position to come away with a great team if they play their cards right next summer. Pekovich and Splitter are hopefully on Ferrys radar. If we want to, we could add a contract and pick up a pick or young prospect. Maybe Chandler doesn't fit in anymore for Denver, and are willing to trade him & Mozgov for Harris and a protected pick.

[Jamaaliver]

Cap space isn't overrated. The Nets end up building a Damn good team

I agree. But does it make you think twice at all that the 2nd biggest cog on their 'damn good team' is a player we just let go?

It seems quite often that teams sign players to huge contracts and then immediately regret it and begin looking for ways out or trade options.

Atlanta & JJ
New Jersey and Jason Kidd
Chicago & Boozer

[MaceCase]

Capspace is only overrated in the eyes of those that deem that it's only use is signing a big time free agent. When you narrow it's usefulness to such tight parameters then yes, it would seem a failure and waste of time if you don't walk away with Lebron James as the prize each time.

[parson]

Chicago ended up with Boozer.
New York ended up signing Amare.
New Jersey couldn't attract any top free agents.

My point is that cap space is pretty useless if no players want to come to your team. New Jersey is a prime example. They traded the house for Deron Williams and ended up using all that cap space years later on...Gerald Wallace? And JJ?

Good examples. They show the failings - and promise - of depending on cap space. It's not a given that anybody can take cap space and succeed. But I think your examples show the value of having available financial space.

CHI guessed wrong, as Boozer needs to be the primary scorer. The Bulls have Rose.

NY, however, would still be a lottery team without Stoudemire. And I don't think Carmello Anthony would have been as interested without him. Don't forget Tyson Chandler.

The Nets certainly improved, unless you're not impressed with Deron Williams, Wallace and Joe. Their problem is that they traded so much lottery talent away for Williams and Wallace. I think Brklyn got into too much of a hurry. They had the very best thing happen to a rebuilding team, in that they got lucky with big men in the draft. They should have tried to work Favors and Lopez together. If that didn't work out, since it appears Favors is a better Center than PF, they could have eventually traded Lopez for another starter (maybe PG or ...). Right now, they could have had Favors/Humphries/(SF)/Brooks/Harris, PLUS whatever they could have gotten for Lopez, PLUS Lillard (or whomever they preferred in the draft), PLUS even more cap space NOW. Cap space didn't fail the Nets - impatience did.

[parson]

One more thing: our cap space will allow us to take an overpriced big man, if there's another team looking to dump him.

Pau Gasol, for example. We could probably have him for Harris/Petro/Morrow (or Zaza). That's a pretty decent consolation prize, if we decide we won't be able to sign a major FA.

[Jamaaliver]

NY, however, would still be a lottery team without Stoudemire. And I don't think Carmello Anthony would have been as interested without him. Don't forget Tyson Chandler.

Great point.

Cap space didn't fail the Nets - impatience did.

Great line.

[Ruhiel]

Cap space didn't fail the Nets - impatience did.

The impatience of their impending free agent, Deron Williams. Likewise players in Atlanta can't rely on cap space to win them games right now.

They have to buy into sacrificing now to win later. Did Lou Will do that or did he go for the money grab?
The last time we had cap "someone" (JJ) went for a huge money grab that limited the team's ceiling.
Then his agent had the audacity to say he was going to go recruit a free agent to come play with the Hawks.
Ironically the agent used the words next "big act".

Hawks are/were A) an organization that gets held hostage by free agents to cough up more dough
B) a transitional place where players go to up their value (ie Lou Will, ie T-Mac).
C) Not a big time organizations where players sacrifice to play there.

As of now cap space is useless for free agents because no one respects the Hawks enough to not screw the franchise.
But Ferry is working on fixing that and giving the franchise more respect and power.

[Geaux_Hawks]

Cap space isn't overrated. The Nets end up building a Damn good team

I agree. But does it make you think twice at all that the 2nd biggest cog on their 'damn good team' is a player we just let go?

It seems quite often that teams sign players to huge contracts and then immediately regret it and begin looking for ways out or trade options.

Atlanta & JJ
New Jersey and Jason Kidd
Chicago & Boozer

We let him go because he was to expensive for what he gave us. Now JJ is in a better situation with a guy like Deron leading the way. He's still overpaid, but NJ can afford to overpay him as long as he performs like a 2nd-3rd option and maybe 1st depending on the night.

Do teams overpay for players? Yeah, every team overpays every now and then. If your FO is competent, then won't hardly make a difference. Sam Presti overpaid Perkins, but look at his overall job as the GM. When you have had the success he has in the draft, you can afford to find a guy you would be willing to overpay.

[dtown8]

Detroit also had cap space, and they ended up overpaying for Billups and trading part of their cap for Rasheed, drafted Tayshaun (we will see how Jenkins does) and they ended up building a championship team.

i don't think Ferry is going to make the same mistake with Hughes. if he can't get Dwight, CP, Harden, or Bynum, i don't see him throwing money at just anybody to fill out a roster spot.

[bballgm]

Cap space alone is useless, yes. You need to use it on the right players and have the ability to attract them to your team.