MettaWorldPanda wrote:AirP. wrote:I still get that health is a concern, but do you really think Butler is nearly done when he's currently dunking more than games played at age 35 which he hadn't done in any season his whole time in Miami?
What if, Butler's game and how he keeps himself in great shape can keep him a high level player deep into his 30s?
What I'm watching on the court this year to me doesn't really point towards a player that's nearly done. Why waste a few of Bam's prime years and take a massive step backwards if you don't have to, buy yourself a few more years to have the FO be more ready to pivot to a new build vs taking on some assets that probably won't bring back another high-level player in the next 2-3 years? If Herro's finally figured out his shot diet (will he be effective in the playoffs with teams able to scheme more against Miami) and the younger guys are developing, maybe 1 or 2 key moves could make this team a contender with Bam and Butler for the next few years.
I wasn't expecting Arison to cosign Bernie Lee's comment yesterday. If you have commitment from the ownership then there's nothing more to really discuss other then this is just a hot rumor and obviously something that causes max news for the talking heads. Butler is eligible to negotiate extra years of he takes this to free agency next year. Heat hold plenty of leverage even with Butler hitting free agency. Even if by some miracle a team opens up enough cap space which is highly doubtful the Heat stand to benefit with his 50 million cap hit alleviating any tax concerns. In the end Butler and the Heat most likely come to agreement spreading out the money and helping out with the cap. That's just my current guess after the Lee blasting Shams and Arison backing it up.
Right, Miami can use Butler leaving to get out of the tax but this owner isn't going back into the tax without what he considers a star on his roster. Now about being out of the tax, that doesn't mean you have all that much money for free agents, there's a gap between available FA money and the tax.
There are many lines now with team roster salaries.
1. The minimum line of 90% (126.5 mil) of the salary cap, either teams pay this much for their roster or have to distribute the money under that line to the players on the roster.
2. The salary cap (140.6 mil), an amount of money the team has to add players from free agency.
3. The tax line (170.8 mil).
4. The 1st apron (178 mil).
5. The 2nd apron (188 mil).
So, just using last year's numbers as an example (above), not having Butler's contract (49 mil) from the current 184.9 mil contract leaves Miami with a roster cost of ~136 leaving Miami with 4 mil for a free agent but could have used the MLE without going into the tax. Miami won't be just exchanging Butler's contract with the same money, they'll be getting under the tax and won't have much money to hunt to sign players in FA, they'll have to try to do a S&T for free agents like they did with Butler.
I'm pretty sure ownership won't be allowing the FO to be in the tax without a star and with the repeater tax looming they may have to get out of the tax completely for the next 2 years but more than likely out of the tax until the next star is in Miami which could be a while. Having no real hope year after year is brutal, some of you started going through that right before Butler showed up in Miami.
