mafra
Legend
Ughh.
Best case scenarios have us with $28mil in cap space this offseason, worst case $21mil.
We will most likely have 6 players on the roster (Curry, Jeffries, Gallo, Chandler, Hill and Douglas).
$17mil to Lebron. Best case leaves us with $11 mil to fill the rest of the roster. Worst case leaves us with $4mil (not enough to sign Lee or Harrington)
Say we give $9mil to Lee. Now we have $2mil to fill the rest of the roster. The roster now stands at 8 players. You need a minimum of 12.
Any money spent on players exceeding the $2mil and beyond 1 year, eats into 2011's available cap space. Jeffries and Curry's contracts equal approximately 1 max contract (Chris Paul).
If Lebron signs to a team with Curry, Jeffries, Lee, Gallo, Douglas, Chandler and Hill + a bunch of 1 year contract rental scrubs, then yes it's possible. But I think it's very unlikely.
The more logical (and likely) option is on draft day we trade the expiring contracts of Jeffries and Curry to teams looking to dump salary and have talented players with bloated/long-term contracts. Then sign Lebron and one other player with the cap space. Then use the MLE for some bench players. This will elimnate 2011's cap space but is a more likely approach to 2010.
Yeah it doesn't look as good as I thought. Paul isn't a free agent until 2012 (although we could do what BOS did and trade for him on his walk year, but we don't have the chips BOS had when they got KG).
The cap shrinking probably killed the DW plan, not that it was built on a solid foundation anyway. It was really an excuse to stink for 2 years and not really get blasted for it (wonder what the mantra will be this summer if they fail to sign LJ)....
I thought it was sound to employ the DW plan. I also thought it would only work if we drafted well and hit it both drafts. Maybe we did. Chandler, Danillo, Hill & Douglas are almost as important to the DW plan (and its success) as signing LJ.
Danillo looks like he could be a LEGIT 3rd option on a championship team. How long? Who knows.... Heck, he may even be a DIRK. Again, who knows. I also think HILL (even though I hated the pick) has major potential to be an offensive force.
SO, while getting LJ is the key to everything (and I do think he's coming here no matter what- he wants this stage).... I think it all depends on how quickly the kids develop (and if we can trade Jeffries or Curry).
If we trade Jeffries, I think (along with BIRD rights) that helps us retain David Lee or Al Harrington?
Even if we're stuck with Eddie Curry, if we can at least get him back to being a 18 ppg player.... he could help in 2010 (and then it frees up cap space to sign another player).
Basically, Knicks are relying on signing Lebron James, and having Chandler, Gallinari, Hill and Douglas becoming productive starters.