It may be the end of an era in San Antonio, with Tony Parker headed for free agency and Manu Ginobili uncertain about playing another season. More troubling for the Spurs was Kawhi Leonard‘s 2017/18 season, which saw him appear in just nine games due to a lingering quad injury and has resulted in some apparent tension between the franchise and the superstar’s camp. While Parker’s and Ginobili’s futures in San Antonio are up in the air, resolving the Leonard situation will be the Spurs’ top priority this summer.
Here’s where things currently stand for the Spurs financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:
Guaranteed Salary
- LaMarcus Aldridge ($22,347,015)
- Kawhi Leonard ($20,099,189)
- Pau Gasol ($16,800,000)
- Patty Mills ($11,571,429)
- Manu Ginobili ($2,500,000)
- Tim Duncan ($1,881,250) — Waived via stretch provision
- Derrick White ($1,667,160)
- Dejounte Murray ($1,544,951)
- Total: $78,410,994
Player Options
- Danny Green ($10,000,000): Bird rights
- Rudy Gay ($8,826,300): Non-Bird rights
- Joffrey Lauvergne ($1,656,092): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $20,482,392
Team Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Brandon Paul ($1,378,242)1
- Total: $1,378,242
Restricted Free Agents
- Kyle Anderson ($4,749,591 qualifying offer / $6,455,112 cap hold): Bird rights
- Davis Bertans ($1,699,698 qualifying offer / $1,699,698 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Bryn Forbes ($1,699,698 qualifying offer / $1,699,698 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Total: $9,854,508
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Tony Parker ($23,179,689): Bird rights
- No. 18 overall pick ($2,337,014)
- Nikola Milutinov ($1,689,080)2
- Total: $27,205,783
Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000
Projected Cap Room: $11,302,947
- With so many player options and free agents to consider, the Spurs’ projected cap room could change significantly – or disappear altogether – depending on who returns and who leaves. For our projection, we’ve counted the Spurs’ seven guaranteed contracts, the cap holds for Anderson and the team’s first-round pick, and cap charges for three empty roster spots. The result is a total team salary of $89,697,053.
- That projection assumes that Green, Gay, and Lauvergne will all opt out, Paul will be waived, and all non-Anderson free agents – including Parker – will be renounced. That may not be realistic. If a couple of those players are back, the Spurs’ cap room figures to dissipate quickly.
Footnotes:
- Paul’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 1.
- Milutinov was the Spurs’ 26th overall pick in 2015, meaning his cap hold is equal to the rookie scale amount for this year’s No. 26 pick. That cap hold will be removed when it’s officially determined that Milutinov won’t sign with the Spurs for 2018/19.
Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
If Leonard doesn’t want to remain a Spur … trade him to Boston for Tatum, Rozier III and it’s 2018 1st round draft pick. Keep Parker & hope that Ginobili comes back … also, keep Anderson, Bertans, Forbes and Rudy Gay
Celtics will keep Tatum, Hayward is more likely with additional filler, maybe Yabusele or Theis
Celtics wouldn’t trade Tatum straight up.
Rozier and C#1 and maybe the Sacramento pick if there is assurance he’ll sign, otherwise, no
Why would Boston sent JT, TR & a 1st round for Kawhi. This would be very favourable to San Antonio, even without matching salaries. Boston would definately loose this trade. Kawhi is a conundrum, is he healthy? Does he wanna play ball? JT with 7 years experience like Kawhi will be way better so please Boston do not trade, or use Hayward as a trade chip instead of JT.
agreed. Those guys I’m Boston are balling already at such a young age. Boston would only hurt themselves trading more than one(and a first) away as well as more cap. Doesn’t even begin to make sense. They didn’t get this far due to a bad team or coach so they don’t NEED Leonard
“JT with 7 years experience like Kawhi will be way better”
I am always amazed by the ability of Celtics fan to so clearly see the future. It is just uncanny. It’s also amazing that the prediction will be the exact opposite after Tatum IS traded for Kawhi.
There goes C’s fans overvaluing every player they have again. I understand not wanting to commit too much to acquire Leonard right now after this past season’s debacle, but slow down on the Tatum being better than Kawhi comments. Leonard is a two time DPOY, Finals MVP and was considered a serious MVP candidate.
I would take Hayward and picks for him though if both were healthy. I think Gordon would fit well with the Spurs.