I told Briggs the Nets had major issues regarding salary and got a big whatever. Simple fact is look at how Kittle's salary is impacting their plans. Imagine HAVING to let Kmart walk because you have Kittles signed to $9mm. This is what Briggs and some dont understand. Memphis and other teams are in exactly the same boat, and they watch closely the position that other teams find themselves in. THIS is why we have a good chance of getting Swift for the MLE, or Crawford, or Dampier, or Jackson... because a 40mm contract is a huge decision for the Grizz, especially for an 18 minute a game Stro Swift.

I would take Kittles...

Kittles for Shandon and Othella's expiring deal. That will save the Nets significant $$ and get us a perimeter player that can actually do something. If we need to include TSki's expiring deal to make the $$$ work than so be it.

Then the 2 for one or 3 for one clears up some roster space for a couple prospects.

i would trade for Kittles too, but it will take expiring deals or players who have reasonable deals who can play a significant role on their team next year.

If I was SA or Denver I would be very interested in Kittles. He can really shoot the ball and defend+ he has an expiring contract. Of course I would pigeonhold the Nets for an extra 3mm + 2 first rounders, but Kittles for 6mm and a couple of 1st rounders is a good deal. I think thats what they will do. They can move Luscious harris to starter and use the LLE on a back up like Ron Merecer or Rodney white.

Kittle's money comes off at the end of the year- if they can't afford to pay Martin and let Kittles walk at the end of the year, this Nets franchise will quickly be the old Nets franchise by the time they move to Brooklyn

rodney white doesnt deserve nor will he get an MLE. i wanted the knicks to acquire white for doleac a long time ago. i would still take him on the cheap as a back up 2-3, but its not likely we go in that direction. Kittles is a good compliment to Duncan and is better than anyone Denver has at 2. I dont know what Ginobli will fetch on the open market??? but its feasible he could be over paid making Kittles and a 1 year deal very attractive.

nets still hold the cards. IF denver did something like frontload the contract on max dollars--it sure would make things interesting, but the nets still hold the right to match. they could tie up denver for 15 days and match the contract as other vital FAs get picked up.
i think that ultimately the Nets will retain Martin and give up Kittles in a deal similar to what I said kittle + 2 number 1s +33m$ in cash. with that type of deal you will get atlanta utah +charlotte into the bidding.
You could also offer jefferson and kittles together in a package to a team like Clev and take back Luke Jackson Wagner and Diop + next years #1 because it would keep clev under the cap.

there are ways out but the guy i wouldnt want gone is martin.

I really think this is a potential big opportunity to move houston and shandon. a full third of the nets salary is tied up in mutombo and mourning...that's twenty million next year and another five or six per over the following two (NOT counting lux tax) in players who will never play a minute. the one thing every one agrees is that this team needs someone who can hit an outside shot.

This deal works on paper: kittles, mourning and mutombo's fifteen mill owed next year for houston, kurt and anderson. why?

nets can use houston's outside shot and anderson can come off their bench and run. kurt provides a tough guy to replace kenyon who they might very well have to let walk.

We can stomach the fifteen mill for one year for mutombo if it means not having to deal with houston's grotesque last two years (18.5, 20 mill respectively), we have the dough to buy out alonzon and we can let kittles walk or trade him at the deadline.

This addresses the nets lack of an outside shooter, their shallow bench and the fact that they might lose kenyon for nothing...

With us, it addresses our two worst contracts (shandon and houston) and our longest contract (kurt) this allows Sweetney to start with othella coming off the bench and tt possibly seeing some time at the 4. This also puts us under the cap in two years when penny, nazr and tim's contracts are up.

i don't think you have any shot at all once you involve Houston's contract in the deal...they would then have both Kidd & Houston's max deals on the books for the next 3 years...there would be no possible way they could sign K-Mart OR RJ for that matter to an extension.

the idea to take on Zo & Deke's salary remainder is intriguing, but forget about them taking on Houston or Shandon's contracts, cuz they'd probably rather have those other contracts on the books doing nothing.