Once a year, teams are allowed to sign a player to a contract equal to the average NBA salary, even if the team is over the salary cap already, or if the signing would put them over the cap. This is known as the Mid-level exception (MLE). The MLE may be used on an individual free agent or split among multiple free agents, and is available to any team that exceeds the salary cap at the beginning of the offseason. The Mid-Level Exception for the 2008–09 NBA season was $5.585 million.[2] The MLE is $5.854 million for the 2009–10 NBA regular season.[3]

Examples include the Toronto Raptors' acquisition of Jason Kapono during the 2007 off-season, and the Los Angeles Lakers' signing of Ron Artest in 2009.

I got the impression that the MLE can now be used to go over the cap, unlike previous years, you must be over the cap to use it.

But from this article, it says, we wouldn't have the MLE to use on Grant Hill if we amnesty Billup's.
So I am confused, if I am reading it correctly someone is wrong, or I am misinterpreting it?

In making a move for the elite center, the Knicks are having to go under the salary cap in using Chauncey Billups as an amnesty waiver and trading Ronny Turiaf. As such, the Knicks will lose their mid-level exception. The Chandler deal likely will be finalized Friday after the last piece of trading Turiaf is completed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_salary_cap

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/knicksblog/hill_re_signs_with_suns_after_knicks_uIfQy3wyyrHC5I84FxPDSL

it might be enough to get Barea.

So we need to get under the salary cap to sign Tyson Chandler unloading
Billups
Turiaf

If we trade with a team under the salary cap, can we get an exemption, use it to sign Tyson Chandler?
We must get value back, if we take back Harrington's contract and Billups get's to go back home where Denver also said never really want to part with...

I am pretty sure I can get the numbers to add up, only incentive for Denver to do this is unload Harrington of their contract, and probably get the scrubs from us to tank his year, in full blown rebuilding with

Gallo and whoever they keep....

crzymdups wrote:

eViL wrote:http://www.charged.fm/blog/post/1296/a-comprehensive-look-at-the-nba-s-new-cba

The room exception is important for a team that uses its cap space to sign a player and reaches the salary cap. Under the 2005 CBA, the team would have to fill out its roster with minimum salaried contracts. Under the new deal, they will have a $2.5M exception to offer after they have reached the cap.

AHA! excellent! thanks. maybe the knicks can add a decent PG for that money.

hope so. we offered it to Grant Hill and he turned it down.