2010 contracts:
Jefferies 6,883,400
Chandler 2,130,481
Hill 2,669,520
Total contracts = 11,683,401
Total saved (including 3x caphold of 450k) = 10,333,401
$10,333,401 saved would leave enough space to maintain Lee’s caphold to ensure his bird rights and still have enough money to go after a max and a sidekick or a max and many good rotation players. Clearing this much is the next best thing to getting rid of Eddy Curry. Trading Chandler is the incentive for taking on Jefferies (who despite his good play recently would only be worth 2.5 mil tops on the open market). Trading Hill provides extra incentive and makes the salaries work for the cap.
Hill has a grand total of 42 points in the NBA. He was taken in the top 10 less than a year ago, but if the draft could be redone, he wouldn’t be taken this high. Given the CBA’s salary slotting system, this means he is currently overpaid relative to his draft slot, not to mention to his salary. Any serious discussion on how to clear 2010 payroll has to include Hill in the discussion. Since he is considered a project, it is worth it to wonder whether it is in the Knicks best interest to let him develop with the hopes that he could be a starter by 2013 or to trade him, use the cap space to ensure that David Lee remains a Knick, and to then draft a more developed player in 2011 with the pick obtained in the trade. Im willing to bet that the pick won’t have as high a ceiling, but it is possible that they could be further along in development than Hill by 2013 and losing David Lee isn’t worth the talent difference between Hill and this hypothetical pick. I wouldn’t normally want to trade him, but the Knicks don’t have anyone else on the roster to make the salaries match, except for Galinari, and he is much more ready to contribute next season.
Chandler is expendable. If the Knicks get Lebron, he would be the third best SF on the team (behind Lebron and Galinari). This means he wouldn’t get many minutes. His per game stats look good now, but they will dip considerably next year if Lebron comes. He can also play SG, but there are many free agents available this summer that are as good or better than him at this position. Dwayne Wade, Joe Johnson, and Ray Allen are SG whom could be that sidekick that lures Lebron here. Also on the unrestricted market are: Manu Ginobli, Tracy McGrady, Raja Bell, Devean George, Rasual Butler, Devin Brown, Larry Hughes and Quentin Richardson (not that I’m saying all of these guys are good fits, its just that with so many rotation players available, they will be bidding against each other in a buyers market.) Also, even John Salmons (ETO), Michael Redd (ETO), Anthony Morrow (Restricted), and JJ Redick (Restricted) could be available.
With so many SG in particular and free agents in general going to be available
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FreeAgents-09-10
And with so many teams so far over the cap that they cannot offer max contracts despite the amount of players expiring
http://hoopshype.com/salaries.htm
The top free agents will get their money, but with so little other cap room available in the league with so many players on the market, the Knicks should be prepared for a lot of rotation players going to make a fraction of what they used to. If you think JJ making nearly 7 million looks bad this season, next season it will be even more cringe worthy.
Before you instantly hate the idea, think how happy you would be if Curry could be moved and remember that wont happen and this is the next best thing.
1/9/2010 11:11 AM
