RE:Back To Big Z
Reply, I'm not a professional capologist, but this is an easy question. The answer is a qualified yes--in two possible ways.
1. Trades have to match within 15% plus 100,000. So, since Z makes about $14 million, we could do a trade with Cleveland where we sent back 85% of his salary (about $11.9 million) less 100k or about $11.8 million. If his salary were exactly $14 million (it's not) then that woudl increase Cleveland's cap room by $2.2 million. That's not enough to match Utah, but I suppose it's a start. Cleveland might be able to get enough cap room by waiving a player or two.
2. We could involve another team that has cap room (Atlanta looks like the most likely suspect). For example, if Z comes to us, then we could ship Laettner to Cleveland (saving them $7 million in cap room) and Stackhouse to Atlanta (because we have to give up as much salary as we take in [plus or minus 15% and $100k). Atlanta has to give up something to make it a trade, so they give us a second round draft choice.
In sum:
Dallas gives up:
Laettner and Stackhouse
Dallas gets:
Z
Cleveland gives up:
Z
Cleveland gets:
Laettner (and cap room)
Atlanta gives up:
Second round draft choice
Atlanta gets:
Stackhouse
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