SB Nation User Blog: Storyteller

Top 5 misunderstandings about what the Blazers can do this summer with regards to the salary cap

Storyteller — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:53:10 -0000

I’ve seen some misunderstandings about salary cap issues posted here and on other forums over the last couple of weeks. Just to be clear about these issues, here are the misconceptions, followed by the truth as outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement:

Misconception #1: If Portland gets below the cap, they can use their cap space and then use the Mid-Level Exception (MLE), Bi-Annual Exception (BAE) and trade exception to finish out the roster

The truth is that exceptions count against the cap unless they are renounced. So in order to get below the cap in July, Portland would have to renounce the exceptions that they currently have. These renounced exceptions would be lost forever and cannot be regained. The ‘big’ exceptions would be the MLE, the BAE and (if they still haven’t used it before getting below the cap) the trade exception gained in the Diogu trade. So, even if the team goes above the cap at a later time in the season, they would not be able to regain these lost exceptions to use in player acquisitions.

Misconception#2: Portland can renounce Raef LaFrentz to get cap space, then sign-and-trade him for a $15+million deal

It’s not wisely publicized, so it’s easy to understand why some have never heard this, but re-signing a player using Bird rights is using an exception. So, in line with the information in #1 above, getting below the salary cap would necessitate that the Blazers renounce their Bird rights to LaFrentz. Therefore, the most that they could sign-and-trade him for would be the amount of cap space that they had. Unless the Blazers were miraculously able to get $15 million in cap space, they could not sign LaFrentz to this large of a contract.

Misconception #3: If the Blazers have $7 million in cap space, they can take back $8.85 million more than they send out in a trade using the 125% + $100,000 trade rule

Again, not widely publicized, but the 125% + $100,000 rule is an exception for teams over the cap. It’s impossible to combine cap room with an exception, therefore the most that the Blazers could take back in trade if they had $7 million in cap space would be $7.1 million.

Misconception #4: Now that Miles is back on the books for $9 million, Portland can trade him as an expiring contract

Contracts are never traded, players are traded. Portland waived Darius Miles over a year ago, and a team cannot trade a player that has been waived, regardless of whether or not a team is paying that player.

Misconception #5: If the Blazers get cap space, they will not be able to use any exceptions until July 1, 2010

A few days ago, I saw this over-reaction on another forum. And it’s not true. It is true that if Portland gets below the cap, they lose any exceptions that they have earned up until that point. However, once they go above the cap, they can once again use certain exceptions (such as the minimum player exception) and start once again to accumulate others (such as trade exceptions). It is true that they will not be able to use the MLE or the BAE until the 2010-11 season, but the idea that they would not be able to use any exceptions until then is just not true.

If any of this doesn't make sense (because I know that these issues can be confusing) post a comment below with additional or follow-up questions and either myself or someone else should be able to post an answer.

6/5/09 Junk Drawer : Congressman of the Year Edition

Storyteller — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:04:51 -0000

This Junk Drawer is dedicated to all the fine men and women who represent us in their role as elected officials. Intelligent folks like Steve Cohen:

From Yahoo Sports

So Congressman Cohen says that the NBA shouldn't discriminate against guys who want to enter the league when they are younger than 19, huh?

It's a good thing that he personally isn't in a field with any sort of age restriction. After all, if an 18 year old should be allowed in the NBA, he should also be allowed to run for Congress, right? Oh, that's right, Congressman Cohen is himself part of the largest age-discriminatory profession in the nation!

Listen, Stevie, when you sponsor the amendment to the Constitution to get rid of all age requirements for Federal office, then we can start talking about how the NBA is reviving slavery by discriminating against 18 year olds. Until then, please keep quiet.....

Feel free to make your own nominations for elected officials (and your own awards if you like) in this junk drawer.

Summer League schedule - Blazers play 5 games

Storyteller — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:46:14 -0000

Summer League schedule - Blazers play 5 games

July 13th - Raptors
July 15th - Rockets
July 17th - Nuggets
July 18th - Spurs
July 19th - D League

Summer League Dates are set

Storyteller — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:48:59 -0000

Summer League Dates are set

I'm getting excited......

BTW, I don't get the price increase again this year. 2 summers ago it was $15 for a day's admission. Last year they raised it to $20. This year it's $25? I don't think (especially with the economy the way it is) that's the best way to increase attendance/exposure. In fact, I had friends who wouldn't go with me last year because of the price increase - I don't think they'll be jumping to go this year. I'll go because it's Summer League (a 12 year tradition for me) and my one real chance to catch the Blazers live, but as for others.....

John Canzano wins award from the AP

Storyteller — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:54:13 -0000

John Canzano wins award from the AP

Changes, changes, changes - Part I

Storyteller — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:03:43 -0000

I say Part I because I assume that more trades will take place before the NBA trade deadline passes tomorrow afternoon…..

But just in the last week, we’ve seen:

- Toronto go from a team that was destined to be well over the cap this summer now become a team that, depending on what they do with Marion and Graham, could have some cap room to play with.

- Miami go from a team that many thought would make a bid for Carlos Boozer this summer to a team that sees Jermaine O’Neal as their primary big man for the next year and a half.

- New Orleans go from a team that was going to be a tax payer in 2009-10 to a team that will be just over the cap.

- Oklahoma City go from a team with a huge amount of cap space this summer to a team with a lot of draft picks and the MLE to help them round out their young team.

Thinking about some of the implications league-wide, you have to consider things like:

Does Miami's deal change Boozer's mind about opting out? If so, doesn't that probably make Milsap available? Before, Utah might have been contemplating letting Boozer go and keeping Milsap at a cheaper rate. But now.....

And OKC was set to be one of the biggest potential spenders this summer in the FA market. Does that give KP more ammunition not to make a trade? Since his 'competition' for FA players who would want more-than-MLE money has now become one less team?

Very interesting developments to say the least. And there’s more to come, I bet……

The Oregonian on trade talk

Storyteller — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:10:24 -0000

The Oregonian on trade talk

Decent analysis, but one line really gets me. How can this one get by the editorial staff?

"but would Portland want Butler's contract?"

What??????

Does it ever rain in Oregon? Does Patrick Ewing spend a lot of money? Was Augustine intelligent?

But if you can get past that one silly question.....

The Mad Rush for 2010 Cap Space

Storyteller — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:07:09 -0000

Created this as a blog on my site today, but thought I'd post it here as well.

I read a rumor today - in the NY Daily News among other places - about the Knicks possibly moving Eddy Curry to continue to try to obtain the maximum amount of cap space in July of 2010. That teams are trying to get well under the cap in order to try to make offers to such players as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh has been discussed a lot recently in the media. But what I haven’t seen much of is editorializing on whether or not such a strategy is a good one.

After all, for every Phoenix-signs-Steve-Nash-with-cap-space, you have a Chicago-signs-Ben-Wallace-with-cap-space. For every Orlando-uses-cap-space-to-trade-for-Tracy-McGrady, you have an Orlando-uses-cap-space-to-trade-for-Grant-Hill. To say nothing of the teams (Cleveland for example) who have made major transactions to gain cap space, only to end up with the likes of Larry Hughes and Donyell Marshall.

Fact is that there are more teams gunning for large amounts of cap space in 2010 than there are high-profile free agents. And that even assumes that players like James, Wade and Bosh (among others) will leave their current teams.

The potential reward is great. Donnie Walsh no doubt has James Dolan - as well as Knick fans and the NY media - drooling over the prospect of pairing LeBron James with Chris Bosh during the next decade. But the risk is even greater - can you imagine Walsh trying to spin the fact that they made all these drastic roster moves just to be able to sign Brian Scalabrine, Amir Johnson and Luis Scola?

Needless to say, although the summer of 2010 promises to make one or perhaps more General Managers a prince in the eyes of the media, fans and ownership, that same summer will probably make even more General Managers paupers. Sadly, it might even cost a few their jobs.

24 Games in....is this what you expected?

Storyteller — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:21:31 -0000

I remember looking at the schedule for the Blazers when it first came out and could not believe how difficult the first 24 games looked. Right now, the Blazers have played more games than any other team, which means they've had fewer days off than every other team in the league. Right now, the Blazers have played more road games than any other team, including two long 5 game trips. That's a tough way to start the season for any team, much less a very young team like our Blazers.

So how have they done? Personally, I'm very proud of what the team has been able to accomplish. I was hoping that they'd be able to get through this 24 game stretch at 12-12. 15-9 puts them 3 games ahead of my personal expectation, which has been nice to see. Yes, they've lost some games recently and I have my concerns, but I consider them to be further along than where I expected them to be at this point. Injuries, trying to incorporate a number of new players, long road trips - I think in general they've held up nicely to the challenges.

I'm interested in your thoughts. Have the Blazers played up to your expectations or fallen below? Have individual players progressed as much as you hoped? Do you look at the team differently than you did on opening night? Or.....(fill in your own question to answer)?

LV Review-Journal disrespects the Blazers!

Storyteller — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:20:32 -0000

LV Review-Journal disrespects the Blazers!

OK, so after searching, I can't find this on the online version of the paper, so the link above won't let you see this atrocity, but in the print version, here is what appears in the television section of today's Las Vegas Review-Journal, under the heading of "Best Bets":

NBA Basketball Road wins have been tough to come by for the Portland Trail Blazers so far this year, so tonight's tilt in Boston against the Celtics will certainly come as a challenge. As of mid-November, Brandon Roy and the Blazers had managed only one win on enemy hardwood, although their unbeaten home mark has them right behind Utah in the Northwest. At 5 p.m. on ESPN.