Salary Cap - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

MavsX · 07-10-2007, 09:26 PM

Hi

Can you guys explain to me how the salary cap works? Also, explain how signing players works, meaning all the different levels of contracts and their names. I read everyday about sign and trades, and minimum vet and max. contracts, or what does all that crap mean?

So yeah this can be the thread where we talk about it and explain what everything means so someone can understand all the ins and outs.

thanks fellas.(and ladies too)

dalmations202 · 07-10-2007, 09:44 PM

Coon has a good write-up. Google it.

Remember this one thing though.. Salary Cap and Luxury Tax threshold are not the same thing, and keep them separated.

Meaning that Finley's salary keeps the Mavs way over the Salary cap, but doesn't get counted towards the Luxury Tax. So when you hear that the Mavs have 80 M in salary, but subtract 18 for Fin, they are only at 62M when it comes to the LT threshold. If the LT threshold is 63M, for every dollar added to salary by the MLE or LLE or generated SNT like Cro, or KVH -- that each dollar is matched in LT.

MLE, LLE, the amount of the Salary Cap, where the LT threshold kicks in, and all that are listed by Coon in his write-up.

<edit>
http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm

bobatundi · 07-10-2007, 09:56 PM

Looks like the cap has been officially set. Key figures:

Cap: $55.63 MM
LT: $67.865 MM
MLE: $5.365 MM

That LT threshold is higher than I was expecting, and the MLE slightly lower. That should benefit the Mavs.

bobatundi · 07-10-2007, 10:07 PM

Just added up the numbers. Looks like, with George & Stack's new contracts, the Mavs' LT number is right at $67MM for the year (guessing $6MM for Stack) with two open roster spots. Fazekas & Terry, if they make the team, would be at just over $400k each, putting the Mavs right on the verge.

The moral of the story is, without moving a signficant contract--Buckner, Terry--anyone we sign to the roster--who presumably takes a roster spot away from one of Fazekas, R. Terry, Barea or Pops, possibly Ager or DJ--is going to cost the Mavs double whatever the contract figure is. Think PJ Brown is worth the MLE of 5.365MM? Maybe you can argue that he is. But is he worth $10.730 MM? Doubt you'll find anyone that says "yes," even if they're spending Mark Cuban's money.

chumdawg · 07-10-2007, 10:22 PM

Chances are they could find a way to get under the cap later on down the road, if they wanted to. Hell, if nothing else, you could trade Buck for a second-round pick and pitch in $3MM, which would effectively pay his salary for the other team, while shaving $3MM off your luxury tax bill. I think Buck is guaranteed only for this year and next year. Conceivably, if you wanted to move him badly enough you could make a second trade with the same team and buy another late pick and send them another $3MM.

They could get creative, in other words.

I'm curious, how much (if any) of Bradley's salary are you counting for LT purposes?

DelNegro · 07-10-2007, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobatundi

Just added up the numbers. Looks like, with George & Stack's new contracts, the Mavs' LT number is right at $67MM for the year (guessing $6MM for Stack) with two open roster spots. Fazekas & Terry, if they make the team, would be at just over $400k each, putting the Mavs right on the verge.

The moral of the story is, without moving a signficant contract--Buckner, Terry--anyone we sign to the roster--who presumably takes a roster spot away from one of Fazekas, R. Terry, Barea or Pops, possibly Ager or DJ--is going to cost the Mavs double whatever the contract figure is. Think PJ Brown is worth the MLE of 5.365MM? Maybe you can argue that he is. But is he worth $10.730 MM? Doubt you'll find anyone that says "yes," even if they're spending Mark Cuban's money.

Did the Mavs get cap relief for Bradley's deal? I know he retired, but did he get the official league blessing for retirement due to medical reasons? I haven't been able to find any confirmation online, but it's entirely possible I just don't know where to look. If Bradley is still on the books, and I'm not saying he is, that makes a big difference to the Mavs tax situation.

bobatundi · 07-10-2007, 11:03 PM

I am assuming they got relief for Bradley, but if not, then they're already $5MM over the LT threshold, whether or not anyone else is added.

dirno2000 · 07-10-2007, 11:45 PM

I would think that they got relief for Bradley. Wasn't his injury a bad back? And isn't it virtually impossible to prove that someone's back doesn't hurt?

Whatever the case, you probably won't find the answer on the net since the NBA's ruling probably falls under some confidentially clause. There's no reason for the medical status of a retired player to be made public.

DelNegro · 07-10-2007, 11:50 PM

Bradley played 77 games the year before he retired. That certainly wouldn't have helped the Mavs if they were trying to make the case to the league that he couldn't play anymore.

bobatundi · 07-11-2007, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelNegro

Bradley played 77 games the year before he retired. That certainly wouldn't have helped the Mavs if they were trying to make the case to the league that he couldn't play anymore.

That depends...did you see him in those 77 games? Proof positive that he couldn't play anymore.

Didn't Eschmeyer "retire" under similar circumstances? "Sucking" is a career-ending injury in the NBA. Too bad "being an a-hole" isn't or we could have gotten cap relief for Tariq Abdul Wahad too.

MavsX · 07-11-2007, 07:56 AM

well thanks fellas for the help, i will google coon.

Thanks boys

DelNegro · 07-11-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MavsX

well thanks fellas for the help, i will google coon.

Thanks boys

No offense, but this really isn't something that can be easily summarized in one post. If you're truly interested go find Larry Coon's CBA page. It's about the simplest breakdown of an incredibly complicated system that you'll find and if you're willing to take the time to read through it, it should answer nearly all of your questions.

dalmations202 · 07-11-2007, 10:36 AM

Just added the link to post #2 of this thread so you don't have to search, and if someone else might have that same question.

MavsX · 07-11-2007, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelNegro

No offense, but this really isn't something that can be easily summarized in one post. If you're truly interested go find Larry Coon's CBA page. It's about the simplest breakdown of an incredibly complicated system that you'll find and if you're willing to take the time to read through it, it should answer nearly all of your questions.

yeah i know, thats why i said i was going to go google 'coon', as in Larry Coon and his CBA page. because you are right, this thread is basically wortheless, which is why i said i was going to go google coon.

then i thanked everybody for their insight, more specifically the guy who said go look up larry coon.

Mavdog · 07-11-2007, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirno2000

I would think that they got relief for Bradley. Wasn't his injury a bad back? And isn't it virtually impossible to prove that someone's back doesn't hurt?

Whatever the case, you probably won't find the answer on the net since the NBA's ruling probably falls under some confidentially clause. There's no reason for the medical status of a retired player to be made public.

according to the great and seemingly all-knowing of mavericks info patricia bender, bradley's salary did count against the salary cap last season but does not count against the cap this coming season (the last year of that contract, paying him $5.2M).

dirno2000 · 07-11-2007, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavdog

according to the great and seemingly all-knowing of mavericks info patricia bender, bradley's salary did count against the salary cap last season but does not count against the cap this coming season (the last year of that contract, paying him $5.2M).

If true, that would confirm that the league signed off on the claim that his retirement was due to injury.