BOS or LAL trade for and waive Zion, open cap

[nolaPELSfan]

Jrue, Porzingis, Hauser
for
Olynyk, Zion
with Antonio Reeves to a 3rd team for nothing(BKN, UTA?)

or

McCollum, Zion
for
Reaves, Knecht, Rui, Maxi, Gabe, Vandy

Both teams waive Zion before July 15th so that he only counts as 7.9 million againts their cap next year. They only both do so to open as much cap as possible. This is as easy a path to cap for those teams as there is likely to be, since it only invoves two teams (nearly for BOS), and doesn't require picks going out, and is a unique waive opportunity.

Pels do it to move on quickly in the only fashion with any kind of return. They hope another team will value the opportunity to waive him more than they do.

Would this be opportunistic for these teams? Are there any other teams who might seek a salary dump like this involving Zion?

[nolaPELSfan]

Rui, Maxi, Gabe & #55
for
Zion

works as a simpler trade for the Lakers as well.

Kuzma, Connaughton & #47
for
Zion

works also.

[Godaddycurse]

pretty sure his salary has to be guaranteed in order to match incoming salary of that magnitude

[Texas Chuck]

pretty sure his salary has to be guaranteed in order to match incoming salary of that magnitude

It does. NBA killed this loophole. Which made me sad because Dallas abused it--as in fact its how they got Tyson Chandler the year they won the title

[nolaPELSfan]

pretty sure his salary has to be guaranteed in order to match incoming salary of that magnitude

It is and it isn't matched i guess because they have until July 15th to use the out on his contract, that is when it becomes guaranteed. I'm not the smartest on that, but i don't see how it wouldn't work that way.

[nolaPELSfan]

Another one to Denver could be

Murray & Porter Jr.
for
McCollum, Olynyk, Zion

[nolaPELSfan]

pretty sure his salary has to be guaranteed in order to match incoming salary of that magnitude

This is what the google A.I. said. I couldn't follow it's sourcing; hopefully it was the CBA haha:

"In the NBA, a player's contract is traded as it is, and the trading team cannot guarantee or waive the contract after a trade. If a player has an out in their contract, that can be exercised, but it must be done before the trade deadline."

Maybe the receiving team can't guarantee or waive either though? Is that what yall are essentially saying?

[nolaPELSfan]

This is from the CBA and may be what yall were saying, idk:


Section 3. No Conditional Options.
If a Contract contains any Option or ETO, the right of the Team or player to exercise such Option or ETO must be fixed at the time the Contract is entered into
The Effective Season of such ETO also must be fixed at the time the Contract is entered into.

Section 4. Exercise Period.
Any ETO must be exercised by 5:00 p.m. eastern time on the June 29 immediately prior to the Effective Season of such ETO. Any Option must be exercised by 5:00 p.m. eastern time on the June 29 immediately prior to
the Season covered by the Option, except that an Option in favor of a player who would become a Restricted Free Agent if the Option were not exercised must be exercised prior to the June 25 immediately prior to the Season
covered by such Option.

Article VII 263
(2) A player and his Team may amend a Player Contract
(including by entering into an Extension but not by entering into a Renegotiation) pursuant to an agreement between such Team and another Team concerning the signing of the amendment and subsequent trade of the amended Contract; provided, however, that: (i) no such agreement may be made during the period from the last day of the last Regular Season covered by the Contract (or the last day of any Regular Season that could be the last Regular Season covered by the Contract based upon the exercise or
non-exercise of an Option or ETO) through the following
June 30;


Is that the loophole? The calendar dates not allowing for it anymore?

[Scoot McGroot]

pretty sure his salary has to be guaranteed in order to match incoming salary of that magnitude

This is what the google A.I. said. I couldn't follow it's sourcing; hopefully it was the CBA haha:

"In the NBA, a player's contract is traded as it is, and the trading team cannot guarantee or waive the contract after a trade. If a player has an out in their contract, that can be exercised, but it must be done before the trade deadline."

Maybe the receiving team can't guarantee or waive either though? Is that what yall are essentially saying?

That’s saying essentially nothing.

Starting the day after the last day of the regular season, the number that counts for outgoing salary matching in any trade is the lesser of their salary for the remainder of the current season (as in, before July 1) or the guaranteed salary for the following season, which for Zion is $0. The team receiving Zion would have to account for his full salary number either way.

In this case, New Orleans sending out Zion means he would have $0m for salary matching, and they’d have to use exceptions to return any salary. In those scenarios, NO would be unable to bring back anywhere near the salary you have them bringing back.

As Chuck said, the league closed the loophole that used to exist long ago of being able to trade a non guaranteed salary and then the receiving team waiving them for their non guaranteed in savings.

[SkyHook]

Spoiler:

pretty sure his salary has to be guaranteed in order to match incoming salary of that magnitude

This is what the google A.I. said. I couldn't follow it's sourcing; hopefully it was the CBA haha:

"In the NBA, a player's contract is traded as it is, and the trading team cannot guarantee or waive the contract after a trade. If a player has an out in their contract, that can be exercised, but it must be done before the trade deadline."

Maybe the receiving team can't guarantee or waive either though? Is that what yall are essentially saying?

That’s saying essentially nothing.

Starting the day after the last day of the regular season, the number that counts for outgoing salary matching in any trade is the lesser of their salary for the remainder of the current season (as in, before July 1) or the guaranteed salary for the following season, which for Zion is $0. The team receiving Zion would have to account for his full salary number either way.

In this case, New Orleans sending out Zion means he would have $0m for salary matching, and they’d have to use exceptions to return any salary. In those scenarios, NO would be unable to bring back anywhere near the salary you have them bringing back.

As Chuck said, the league closed the loophole that used to exist long ago of being able to trade a non guaranteed salary and then the receiving team waiving them for their non guaranteed in savings.

Only the 2025-26 season becomes guaranteed by trading Zion, the next two are still subject to the guarantee criteria, right? Zion could go to a third team—say one that's tanking and doesn't care if he plays or not—who could treat him like an expiring contract, but would require draft compensation.

BOS trades: Porzingis + Jrue + X draft capital
BOS receives: Collins + Sexton + $17.4MM in payroll savings

NOP trades Zion + Olynyk
NOP receives: Porzingis + Jrue

UTA trades: Collins + Sexton
UTA receives: Porzingis + Jrue + X draft capital

[Or if the cap savings is a higher priority, BOS could take Clarkson instead of Sexton with Juzang (unguaranteed each year) going to NOP and get $22.3MM in payroll savings instead. Gets them under the second apron.]

[Scoot McGroot]

Spoiler:

This is what the google A.I. said. I couldn't follow it's sourcing; hopefully it was the CBA haha:

"In the NBA, a player's contract is traded as it is, and the trading team cannot guarantee or waive the contract after a trade. If a player has an out in their contract, that can be exercised, but it must be done before the trade deadline."

Maybe the receiving team can't guarantee or waive either though? Is that what yall are essentially saying?

That’s saying essentially nothing.

Starting the day after the last day of the regular season, the number that counts for outgoing salary matching in any trade is the lesser of their salary for the remainder of the current season (as in, before July 1) or the guaranteed salary for the following season, which for Zion is $0. The team receiving Zion would have to account for his full salary number either way.

In this case, New Orleans sending out Zion means he would have $0m for salary matching, and they’d have to use exceptions to return any salary. In those scenarios, NO would be unable to bring back anywhere near the salary you have them bringing back.

As Chuck said, the league closed the loophole that used to exist long ago of being able to trade a non guaranteed salary and then the receiving team waiving them for their non guaranteed in savings.

Only the 2025-26 season becomes guaranteed by trading Zion, the next two are still subject to the guarantee criteria, right? Zion could go to a third team—say one that's tanking and doesn't care if he plays or not—who could treat him like an expiring contract, but would require draft compensation.

BOS trades: Porzingis + Jrue + X draft capital
BOS receives: Collins + Sexton + $17.4MM in payroll savings

NOP trades Zion + Olynyk
NOP receives: Porzingis + Jrue

UTA trades: Collins + Sexton
UTA receives: Porzingis + Jrue + X draft capital

[Or if the cap savings is a higher priority, BOS could take Clarkson instead of Sexton with Juzang (unguaranteed each year) going to NOP and get $22.3MM in payroll savings instead. Gets them under the second apron.]

Correct. Only the immediately following season would need something gtd to be used as trade matching and would not impact any other future years and their guarantees.

[SkyHook]

Spoiler:

That’s saying essentially nothing.

Starting the day after the last day of the regular season, the number that counts for outgoing salary matching in any trade is the lesser of their salary for the remainder of the current season (as in, before July 1) or the guaranteed salary for the following season, which for Zion is $0. The team receiving Zion would have to account for his full salary number either way.

In this case, New Orleans sending out Zion means he would have $0m for salary matching, and they’d have to use exceptions to return any salary. In those scenarios, NO would be unable to bring back anywhere near the salary you have them bringing back.

As Chuck said, the league closed the loophole that used to exist long ago of being able to trade a non guaranteed salary and then the receiving team waiving them for their non guaranteed in savings.

Only the 2025-26 season becomes guaranteed by trading Zion, the next two are still subject to the guarantee criteria, right? Zion could go to a third team—say one that's tanking and doesn't care if he plays or not—who could treat him like an expiring contract, but would require draft compensation.

BOS trades: Porzingis + Jrue + X draft capital
BOS receives: Collins + Sexton + $17.4MM in payroll savings

NOP trades Zion + Olynyk
NOP receives: Porzingis + Jrue

UTA trades: Collins + Sexton
UTA receives: Porzingis + Jrue + X draft capital

[Or if the cap savings is a higher priority, BOS could take Clarkson instead of Sexton with Juzang (unguaranteed each year) going to NOP and get $22.3MM in payroll savings instead. Gets them under the second apron.]

Correct. Only the immediately following season would need something gtd to be used as trade matching and would not impact any other future years and their guarantees.

Thanks. Assuming that the Pels are interested in doing something like this with Zion, I like the Clarkson deal as a clean way to get the Celts under the second apron. From there it's not the hardest thing to get them under the first apron as well. Hauser into someone's NTMLE + another small move.

[nolaPELSfan]

New loop hole: trade for him and just don't play him = 7.9 million guaranteed only? Or just becomes an expiring the next summer at 36 mil or something? I'm still confused as to how that works.

[Zeno]

Though his contract would need to be guaranteed for this year, there is the option to waive and stretch him after trade given the remaining years on his contract can be doubled plus one year for stretching purposes and they are all non-guaranteed. So 39 million over 7 years is roughly a cap hit of under 6 million per. Don’t know who wants to do that. Maybe MPJ, Nnaji, Saric unprotected 1st for Zion, Kelly. After the waive and stretch, Denver would have full access to MLE and BAE to add depth.

[Scoot McGroot]

New loop hole: trade for him and just don't play him = 7.9 million guaranteed only? Or just becomes an expiring the next summer at 36 mil or something? I'm still confused as to how that works.

The games played affect his guarantee amount for the following season (2026/27). He played less than 41 games this last year, so he’s $0 gtd for 2025/26.

However, if NO trades him, only his gtd salary counts toward salary matching for players to bring back. So if he’s $0 gtd to be waived, he can only return $0 in player salary in return.

[nolaPELSfan]

Gotcha, thank you. So i think in his case it would be 7.9 million guaranteed (his weight clause benchmarks were hit, but not games played), not 0. So only that as a return.

[Scoot McGroot]

Gotcha, thank you. So i think in his case it would be 7.9 million guaranteed (his weight clause benchmarks were hit, but not games played), not 0. So only that as a return.

I haven't seen anyone reporting either way on that yet, but if he has hit all 6 of his weigh-ins, then yes, he would be 20% guaranteed.