Comments on: Jose Calderon trade, amnestying Charlie Villanueva could give Pistons more than $30 million in cap space

By: Joe Dumars’ triumphant return puts focus on what’s next, especially for Brandon Knight

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:49:54 +0000

[...] Jose Calderon trade, amnestying Charlie Villanueva could give Pistons more than $30 million in cap s… [...]

By: Rudy Gay trade -- Rounding up reaction from around the web | The Point Forward - SI.com

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:57:20 +0000

[...] one fell swoop, Dumars upgraded the current roster and improved the salary structure. All it took was trading a player he’s clearly fond of, a move many thought Dumars was incapable [...]

By: tarsier

tarsier — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:28:38 +0000

True. And I pulled my info from hoopshype too. But they don’t account for draft picks (which would be awfully hard to account for as we don’t know what position each team will end up in).

By: tarsier

tarsier — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:24:23 +0000

It would only take 12 mpg of Millsap at SF for all three of Drummond, Monroe, and Millsap to be playing 36 mpg.

Millsap has repeatedly shown he is more than capable of handling that much time at the three.

The reason you don’t normally pay $10M for a backup is because backups typically don’t play 36 mpg and because that would normally mean you have another guy who is better than an 8 figure player at the same position. Most teams only have two or three players making 8 figures. So of course none of them are usually backups. But if you are getting top level play (and plenty of it per game), who cares when in the game it comes.

By: jamesjones_det

jamesjones_det — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:56:13 +0000

Hoopshype figures in player options and team options but I missed some of the restricted players. Houston could have 12 million to spend if they don’t pick up their team options and let Douglas go, your right on Milwaukee though, I missed that Jennings will be a restricted FA so they are probably out of the running unless they get lucky and get no offers for him.

I don’t think SA will let Ginobili walk but you never know, especially if they think they can get someone they like.

All I was trying to say is with a limited pool out there I’m not 100% confident we can pull enough quality players to put us back into contention. The nice thing is we have a front line so we can focus on high availability positions (SG, SF). Our PG spot could be iffy but at least there are possible option there if things work out (Knight and/or Jose).

By: jamesjones_det

jamesjones_det — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:39:30 +0000

I think your dreaming a bit. Millsap isn’t Mcdyess trying to win a championship with a backup role.

If you were Millsap, would you trade a starting role for a backup roll on a team that might or might not make the playoffs? I don’t think so. Not to mention paying 10+ mill a year for a backup is insane if it doesn’t make you an immediate contender to win it all.

There is no way you could get all 3 of those guys 36 mins without making your SF which he wouldn’t be great at.

I’m fine if you want to sign him and start him and run Monroe until you trade him, but it’s a pipe dream to think you can keep those 3 guys happy on the same team.

By: tarsier

tarsier — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:05:56 +0000

Why not? You need at least three rotation big men. One may come off the bench, but with Millsap playing just spot minutes at SF, there’s still enough playing time for them all to see about 36 mpg of court action. That is easily within the range you can “get away with”. And if it turns out not to work, just flip one of them for a better fit.

By: tarsier

tarsier — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:57:45 +0000

Atlanta and Utah, yes. Largely because they are the teams from whom we are talking about possibly grabbing FAs.

But many of these teams will only have the kind of cap space to which you refer if their players inexplicably opt out of their deals or the teams don’t pick up options that they obviously will.

So Cleveland is looking at more like $15M. Milwaukee is under $10M unless Ellis opts out, which seems pretty 50/50. New Orleans isn’t cutting well-priced Lopez or Smith, so they too are looking at about $15M. Houston has no way of getting $20M under. But they could get a little over $10M of room.

The only way San Antonio has any cap room is by letting Ginobili or Splitter go. Not gonna happen. The only way the Clippers have room is if they don’t hold on to CP3. And that would be good news because it would mean there is a t least a chance of Detroit getting the offseason’s best FA. And if they don’t, that would still eat a ton of cap room off a competitor while only opening maybe $10M for LAC. To get more than $10M, Charlotte would have to let go of Henderson and Mullens. Sacramento has about $12M assuming they let all of Garcia, Evans, and Johnson walk.

All these number are before draft picks and cap holds for empty roster spots. So for most teams, take off about $5M. So the competition for 8 figure FAs is pretty much Atlanta, Utah, Cleveland, New Orleans, and maybe Milwaukee.

By: jamesjones_det

jamesjones_det — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:44:37 +0000

You touch on a great point here.

Monroe’s 1-1 defense is so bad it’s hard to watch sometimes, but if we can pick up someone who can guard the guy bring the ball up the court and add a couple shooters we should be in good shape.

I kept hoping Knight would pick up his D this year but so far he’s close to Monroe like. Some of that is the crap defense our couch has us playing though.

By: jamesjones_det

jamesjones_det — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:36:00 +0000

Why do you want Millsap? We have a C and a PF, is he going to ride the bench?

If you want Millsap I would just trade Monroe for him now and hope to resign him. Your not going to get away with having those 3 guys on your team at the same time.