Biff Cooper wrote:younggunsmn wrote:Keeping this team together after this year will be very expensive and difficult, KAT and Gobert will combine for 96 million next year.
We will be about 20 million into the tax and over the very punitive 2nd tax threshold before even thinking about re-signing 2 of our top 7 players, Conley and Anderson. Trading KAT or Gobert this offseason is a legit talker.
Just to throw out some numbers in support of this... Sportrac has us at approx. 164 million of a 172 million luxury tax without contracts for Conley, Anderson, McDaniels, (or McLaughlin). McDaniels extension is a big question mark. I'm personally thinking in the $20 million range is fairer than $15 or $25, but TBD based on this season. I don't expect an extension prior to RFA.
I'd think Conley's days of getting $20-$30 million contracts are probably over, and he could potentially be had for ~$10-15. Anderson could probably get a bit of a raise from the $9M he is currently getting. Definitely into the 2nd tax threshold when you put it all together.
I'm expecting the team to mesh this year, be healthy, finish near the top in the West, win a couple of playoff series, engage the fan base, and have ownership justify going $25M over the luxury tax line to support of an improving team. Until they disappoint, I don't see the point of talking KAT or Gobert trade.
I laid the 2024/25 cap situation out in the capology thread:
I think Jaden will get more than Cam Johnson (4/108 or 27 mil/yr), so I pegged him at 27.5.
Could be less, but not a lot less. I'd be very very surprised at anything under 25.
This all assumes the cap goes up the max 10%:
2024/25 Estimated Salary Cap 149.523,100
2024/25 Estimated Luxury Tax 181,823,400
2024/25 Estimated 1st Apron 189,580,600
2024/25 Estimated 2nd Apron 201,073,400
2024/25 Estimated 25% Max (0-6 yrs) 37,380,750
2024/25 Estimated 30% Max (7-9 yrs) 44,856,930
2024/25 Estimated 35% Max (10+ yrs) 52,333,085
2024/25 Estimated 2 Yr vet min 2,220,984
Guarantees:
1. Towns 52,333,085
2. Gobert 43,827,586
3. Edwards 37,380,750
4. McDaniels 27,500,000 (estimate)
5. Reid 13,986,432
6. NAW 4,600,000
7. Moore 2,537,000
8. Minott 2,019,699
9. Miller 1,800,000
Total 185,984,552
+ 5 vet mins 11,104,920
Total 197,089,472
Player Options:
Milton 5,200,000
+2,979,016 than a vet min
Brown Jr 4,100,000
+1,879,016 than a vet min
Draft Picks
Own 1st rounder
2nd, lesser of Mem/Washington
Free Agents
Conley (unrestricted, bird rights)
Anderson (unrestricted, early bird rights)
Garza (2-way restricted)
We are bare minimum at 197 million, 16 mil into the tax and 4 mil below the 2nd threshold.
That's just paying our guaranteed salary and filling out the roster with minimums.
That's before Conley, Anderson, our 1st round pick, or picking up the options on Milton and Brown Jr.
That's why I think we will have to show some major winning for KAT/Gobert to both be back.
Gobert is already not tradable for positive value given his contract.
So it will have to be KAT or Jaden moved if the edict comes down to cut costs.
There is risk in waiting. Easier to trade and salary match 36 mil vs 52 million.
Or 3.9 for Jaden vs a big extension with a poison pill due to the big salary jump.
That's why teams were calling us on him during the draft.
But there is also risk in pulling the plug too early.