As expected, the Bucks have released veteran big man Jon Leuer, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. He’ll clear waivers and become an unrestricted on Thursday.
Leuer, 30, averaged 3.8 PPG and 2.4 RPG in 41 games (9.8 MPG) last season for the Pistons. Detroit sent his expiring contract to Milwaukee last month in exchange for Tony Snell and the No. 30 overall pick in the draft.
Because Leuer is earning less than Snell and only has one year left on his contract instead of two, waiving and stretching his expiring salary ($9,508,043) will be more manageable for the Bucks. That move was necessary in order to create the cap room to re-sign George Hill.
While stretching Leuer’s contract generates additional flexibility this year, the Bucks will have to be wary of the cap charges it creates in future seasons ($3,169,348 annually through 2021/22). Milwaukee’s roster only figures to get more expensive down the road, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo signs a super-max extension that goes into effect in ’20/21, so Leuer’s dead money could eventually help push team salary into the tax.
I have seen his salary (or maybe more accurately, his cap figure) reported as $9,508,043 (Basketball Reference and Spotrac), $9,708,043, and now today $9,758,043. I’m guessing there are up to $250k in incentives in his deal for the coming year, but have found no details on that. Spotrac says there are $1m in incentives in his deal, but that’s it.
What’s important to know is what his salary this year will be, so we can figure out exactly what the Bucks will owe him each of the next 3 years. This is the difference between $3,169,348 yearly and the $3,252,681 you list, but that extra 100 grand is important moving forward as the Bucks ownership seems to be tax-averse. Not to mention they’re also paying Larry Sanders nearly $1.9 mil yearly until 2022.
My understanding is that his 2019/20 cap hit was initially $9,508,043 but he got a $250K incentive for his team making the playoffs. Not 100% sure on that though, so I’ll poke around.
I remember reading somewhere that moving to a better team made some team success incentives in his contract for the upcoming season likely, and so increased his cap charge.
Not sure if it was making the playoffs, or making it out if the first round, or what.
That adds up, but now that he’s waived how would such an incentive work?
Hmm, good question. My assumption would be that the cap hit would remain unchanged, since I don’t think it can be adjusted once it becomes dead money, but I don’t remember the rule off-hand. I’d have to see if I could find it in the CBA.
Hope you find out the cap hit! Thanks for looking into it. I’d be a bit surprised if this $250k incentive applies here. If his team made the playoffs one year, I’d be mystified if the bonus is applied to his following year’s salary, especially if he’s traded. I’d also be surprised if he receives the bonus this current season in the likely event the Bucks make the playoffs without him on the team.
This is minute stuff I guess, but as I said, the extra $100k could be the difference between the tax or no tax in the future.
Cmon Luke, the Buck’s staff is counting on you. Bucks are riding on it.
I’m suprising they’re not keeping and building around Leuer.
Seemed like a good fit.
If I understand it well, upon reading Larry Coon’s page, no incentives, whether they are likely or non-likely, are counted as guaranteed salary, so they are stretching $9,508,043 of his salary over 3 years, and will be charged with $3,169,348 cap hits annually (his cap hit for the upcoming season only can be reduced if there is set-off, i.e. if signs new contract with any professional team that is larger than minimum-salary contract for one year veteran).
Having spoken to a couple people about this, I can confirm this is correct. Leuer’s incentives won’t count against his cap hit, so $9,508,043 will be the amount stretched.
Thanks!
I remember reading somewhere that moving to a better team made some team success incentives in his contract for the upcoming season likely, and so increased his cap charge.
Not sure if it was making the playoffs, or making it out if the first round, or what.
Oops. Double post.