luther

This isn't accurate, at least not for next season. Because we already signed Jefferson to his extension, we're at just over $55 million for next season before any negotiations with Smith, Gomes, Telfair, Richard or Green. Even if we don't resign our own players and let Ratliff's deal just come off the books (as opposed to using it in a trade this season), we're already virtually capped out for next year.

We're likely to have about $3 million under the cap, assuming it goes up the usual couple million per year. Look around the league and notice that $3 million gets you the likes of a Smush Parker, a Brian Scalabrine, a Matt Barnes or a Francisco Elson. Of course, that's assuming you can convince them to come to a small market, cold-weather team. What would our much ballyhooed cap space likely buy us on this free agent market? The likes of a Mark Madsen.

We do have some other cash, but it's not cap space: it's the same cash everyone always has, and what we would've had no matter what. We'll have our midlevel and our biennial exceptions, or just under $6 million and just under $2 million. Historically, we usually don't use this money, or we split it on lower level players.

It is true that after 2008-09 we're down to $35 million or so, but that assumes we don't give anyone an extension. More likely (knowing the Wolves), we're going to give Smith several million, Gomes several million and maybe even Telfair several million. Our $20 million will become $10 million. But of course, by then McCants and Foye will be up around extension time, and decisions will have to be made regarding them.

We've never managed the team well from a player personnel/financial standpoint. While this trade offered plenty of options to improve the situation, I don't see it happening. (Anybody remember Troy Hudson and Trenton Hassell?)