Grantland Jefferson article.

[nuraman00]

CourtVision: Big Al Jefferson and the Symmetry of the NBA - The Triangle Blog - Grantland

 

[Sackataters]

That is a super interesting read. Do you think the Jazz are better to resign Al or let him walk? I can not decide. He is the nearest thing we have to a go to man in crunch time. I really do not understand why Corbin is not pairing Al with Favors right now to see if they can work together. I just don't understand the logic behind keeping Al and Paul together, unless they plan on making a run at both?

 

[nuraman00]

The Jazz only have $25,327,916 committed next year, before cap holds are applied (which would then make the cap space negligible).

Let Millsap go.

Resign Jefferson, but to a lower salary than he currently makes. That will free up cap space, since his cap hold would be greater than his new salary.

Then make a run at getting more than one of these players (I think it's possible): Calderon, Tony Allen, Stephen Jackson, Dominic McGuire, Matt Barnes, Josh Smith, Brandan Wright.

I'll see if a Smith + Calderon offseason is possible, at the end of the year, when the final cap numbers can be calculated.

I'll calculate the final cap numbers at the end of the season, when the final roster is in place.

 

[MHSL82]

The Jazz only have $25,327,916 committed next year, before cap holds are applied (which would then make the cap space negligible).

Let Millsap go.

Resign Jefferson, but to a lower salary than he currently makes. That will free up cap space, since his cap hold would be greater than his new salary.

Then make a run at getting more than one of these players (I think it's possible): Calderon, Tony Allen, Stephen Jackson, Dominic McGuire, Matt Barnes, Josh Smith, Brandan Wright.

I'll see if a Smith + Calderon offseason is possible, at the end of the year, when the final cap numbers can be calculated.

I'll calculate the final cap numbers at the end of the season, when the final roster is in place.

Would getting in on the Memphis trade to get Calderon help? Or would we be better off to get in the offseason? If now would have been better, than who should w have traded? Can we still trade for him or is it now pointless/impractical?

Could you explain what a cap hold is an its implications? Thanks.

 

[Sackataters]

Let Millsap go.

Resign Jefferson, but to a lower salary than he currently makes. That will free up cap space, since his cap hold would be greater than his new salary.

I think I agree. Why then are the Jazz featuring Al and Paul together this deep into the season? If this were the slant they were taking, I would think they would have slid Paul into a backup role by now. Unless they are just marketing him as a starter now with the hopes that they can get a bite before the deadline.

Many say that a team with a Jefferson core is doomed. Personally, I don't see much else out there, especially if Favors and Kanter are the future. Both look solid. But neither are as gifted on the offensive end as Al...and likely never will be.

Al has been durable...one worry that we had (didn't he have a major surgery as a wolf)?

Al: the post scorer. Derek: the enforcer and garbage man. And, hopefully Hayward can figure out how to play along as a starter...many point to his success on the bench and say, see, Al kills his game (Al is the problem and needs to go).

As you say, I think, for the right price, Al is a good piece to have. Reliable. 2nd highest scoring C in the league. Much improved passer. Team leader. Especially when you have Favors that can offset some of Al's liability and slow footedness on D.

 

[nuraman00]

I think I agree. Why then are the Jazz featuring Al and Paul together this deep into the season? If this were the slant they were taking, I would think they would have slid Paul into a backup role by now. Unless they are just marketing him as a starter now with the hopes that they can get a bite before the deadline.

Many say that a team with a Jefferson core is doomed. Personally, I don't see much else out there, especially if Favors and Kanter are the future. Both look solid. But neither are as gifted on the offensive end as Al...and likely never will be.

Al has been durable...one worry that we had (didn't he have a major surgery as a wolf)?

Al: the post scorer. Derek: the enforcer and garbage man. And, hopefully Hayward can figure out how to play along as a starter...many point to his success on the bench and say, see, Al kills his game (Al is the problem and needs to go).

As you say, I think, for the right price, Al is a good piece to have. Reliable. 2nd highest scoring C in the league. Much improved passer. Team leader. Especially when you have Favors that can offset some of Al's liability and slow footedness on D.

Agree.

This team needs better defensive wing players, which is why I suggested Matt Barnes or Stephen Jackson or Dominic McGuire.

If Josh Smith can be had, then a Smith-Favors-Jefferson rotation lineup will be good, and will have the best defensive SF-PF tandem in the league.

 

[nuraman00]

Would getting in on the Memphis trade to get Calderon help? Or would we be better off to get in the offseason? If now would have been better, than who should w have traded? Can we still trade for him or is it now pointless/impractical?

Could you explain what a cap hold is an its implications? Thanks.

A cap hold is the amount that a team's own free agent will have on the team's salary cap.

It is either 150% of the player's salary, or the max allowable salary for that player, whichever is less.

So if the Jazz had $25M in committed salary, they would still have a cap hold for Jefferson's salary, until he either resigned with them, signed with another team, or his rights were renounced. If the Jazz renounced his rights, then there wouldn't be a cap hold anymore. They would also lose Bird Rights to him. (But they could resign him, they just couldn't go over the cap to resign him, nor offer him the max raises and years).

The maximum salary for a 7-9 year veteran is 30% of the cap, so it was $16,402,500 this past year.

Jefferson makes 15,000,000 this year, so 150% would be over his max salary, so the max salary is taken.

So the Jazz actual salary amount would be $25M + 16,402,500 = $41,402,500, in this simplistic example. So their amount under the cap would be SALARY CAP - 41,402,500, instead of SALARY CAP - $25M.

The cap hold isn't always 150%, but that's the most common scenario.

Here's a more detailed chart:

NBA Salary Cap FAQ

There are also other types of cap holds. Such as minimum salary place holders. Say you only have 3 players under contract for next year. 9 "minimum salary" filler contracts are then added to your total salary. They would eventually be replaced by the salaries of the real players that you sign.


Getting Calderon via trade, such as Detroit did, would have been a little better, since the Jazz would then have Bird Rights to him. Which means they could offer him higher raises.

But at the end of the day, signing FAs is a sales job. You have to sell them that they will be a featured part of the offense (or if they're a defensive player, that they'll play), and you have to show them the money. Offer them the most years possible. (For someone good).

Calderon still would have explored his options this offseason, even if the Jazz had traded for him. The Jazz would still have to do the same sales job to him (and Josh Smith) that they value what they bring; that they'll play a lot; that they'll be featured in the offense and not benched for someone else; and that the Jazz offer them the most years possible. It also helps if current players call, so Hayward, Favors, Tinsley (if wants to be back) better make the call.

Having a good playoffs run, would have helped too. Say if the Jazz won a series. But considering that many of these guys will have plenty of suitors, and FAs usually believe they're good enough to make a team a winner, that would be a small part of it. It's up to the GM and current players to sell them on why they should be here, then it's up to ownership to be proactive and make them a good offer.

One thing about negotiations with Millsap and Matthews, is that it wasn't pro-active. I understand not wanting to bid against yourself, and make an offer higher than another team would have. But you also can't wait for someone else to make an offer, THEN match, all the time. Sometimes you have to be the first to strike. FAs want to feel like they're important and valued. Sometimes it's as simple as whoever the first to call and show the most interest.

 

[nuraman00]

Would getting in on the Memphis trade to get Calderon help? Or would we be better off to get in the offseason? If now would have been better, than who should w have traded? Can we still trade for him or is it now pointless/impractical?

Could you explain what a cap hold is an its implications? Thanks.

The Jazz could still trade for Calderon, technically. But I doubt Detroit would want to part with him. They've been searching for a PG for 4.5 years.

And, considering that Detroit needs guards, while the Jazz strength is big men, it doesn't seem like a good fit. However, you never know how multi-team deals (3+) could go. Perhaps the Jazz give a big to some other team, that team gives Detroit a comparable guard, and Detroit gives Utah Calderon.

Detroit could always do a sign-and-trade with Calderon during the offseason too. If they think he's going to leave, they could offer him slightly higher raises and make a trade with the team he wants to sign with. Maybe they get a draft pick back, maybe an actual player. But he is an asset to them, whether he resigns with them, or they get something back in a sign-and-trade.

 

[Sackataters]

Al closed it out again tonight...over 50% in crunch time.

 

[Sackataters]

Here's another proposal involving Big Al. Not really on our page:

Trade Machine Madness: A Three-Team Al Jefferson Deal That Makes the Jazz a Force in the West - The Triangle Blog - Grantland

 

[Sackataters]

Here's one on Millsap:

Report: If Jazz trade, they would trade Millsap, not Jefferson - CBSSports.com

 

[Sackataters]

Would they do this?

NBA Trade Machine - ESPN

 

[nuraman00]

Here's another proposal involving Big Al. Not really on our page:

Trade Machine Madness: A Three-Team Al Jefferson Deal That Makes the Jazz a Force in the West - The Triangle Blog - Grantland

Would they do this?

NBA Trade Machine - ESPN

I don't think these make sense for all parties.

 

[Sackataters]

My hang up was, why does either team trade their expiring for expiring. Just throwing it out there though.