How Gasol-Okafor Deal Would Work Financially
The Suns are an NBA rarity at this point in the season, with approximately $5.25MM in cap space. Most other clubs are over the cap, and the few that aren’t don’t have quite as much room to spare. Cap space is useful for many reasons, and as the trade deadline approaches, teams with this sort of flexibility can absorb costly players in lopsided swaps.
The Suns are in talks with the Lakers about trading Emeka Okafor and his $14,487,500 salary to the Lakers for Pau Gasol, who makes $19,285,850. There’s a gulf of $4,798,350 between their salaries, but that’s less than the amount of cap space the Suns have available, so Phoenix could shoehorn Gasol’s inflated deal into its payroll and still have room left over.
Reporters have frequently cited Phoenix’s cap space as the reason why such a trade is possible, but the teams could still do a one-for-one swap of Gasol and Okafor even if Phoenix uses all or part of its cap space on someone else. In spite of the wide difference between the salaries that Gasol and Okafor make, they still fit within the league’s salary-matching rules for capped-out teams. When a team makes a trade for a player making between $9.8MM and $19.6MM that takes it more than $100K over the cap, the incoming salary must be no more than $5MM greater than what it sends out. The Suns would be taking on Gasol’s salary, and that’s less than $5MM more than what Okafor makes.
It’s reasonable to suspect this caveat might come into play. The negotiations about such a deal appear to be in the early stages, and both teams have their reservations about it. The Suns, looking to upgrade their roster for a run at the playoffs, might trade a player other than Okafor — perhaps Channing Frye — to a team other than the Lakers if they fear that L.A. won’t pull the trigger. The Suns can do this with the knowledge that they could still make the Gasol-Okafor deal if the Lakers decide in the end that they’re willing. So, the Lakers can’t gain leverage by holding up Phoenix’s pursuits outside of an Okafor deal.
The only sort of deal the Suns could do that would prevent a one-for-one exchange of Gasol and Okafor, other than a trade that sends Okafor to another team, of course, would be one that puts Phoenix’s payroll above $70,949,650. Adding the difference between Gasol’s salary and Okafor’s to that amount would bring the Suns to the $75.748MM tax apron. The salary-matching restrictions are more severe for trades that would take a team above the apron. In that case, Gasol’s salary could be no larger than 125% plus $100K of what the Suns would give up to get him. Okafor’s salary wouldn’t cut it in this circumstance.
Still, it’s highly unlikely the Suns, with a payroll of about $53.4MM, would draw anywhere close to the apron between now and the deadline. So, Phoenix president of basketball operations Lon Babby and GM Ryan McDonough have plenty of options, and they don’t need to wait for the Lakers to make up their minds. If negotiations break their way, the Suns are in a position to make multiple significant trades before the deadline.
Note: Gasol’s contract includes a 15% trade kicker, but it’s meaningless, since no player can collect on a trade kicker if it would push his salary beyond the maximum salary for a player of his experience. Gasol already makes more than the max for players with 10 or more years of experience, so his trade kicker is null and void.
ShamSports, Basketball Insiders and Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ were used in the creation of this post.
Odds & Ends: Stuckey, Harris, Barbosa
Rodney Stuckey is concerned that the Pistons “aren’t on the same page” as their woes continue this season, but he’s not ruling out returning to Detroit when his contract expires at season’s end. “Detroit is always an option,” he told Sam Amick of USA Today. “It’s going to be a tough situation, the first time I’m going to be able to go out and test the market and see what else is there and what not. It’s going to be all new to me. I’m excited for the opportunity, but right now I’m not trying to focus on that. I’m just trying to live in the moment right now and worry about making the playoffs first and foremost.” More from around the Association..
- The Lakers aren’t expected to retain Manny Harris after his 10-day contract expires tomorrow, tweets Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News. Unfortunately for Harris, his contract’s end coincides with multiple Lakers point guards returning to action. Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles wrote yesterday that Shawne Williams is a player worth keeping an eye on once that roster spot is freed up.
- Suns guard Leandro Barbosa battled his way back from an ACL injury after many had written him off, writes Shams Charania of RealGM.
- Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report (via Twitter) runs down guys that have been identified as trade candidates by basketball people around the league. The rather lengthy list includes Chris Singleton of the Wizards and Raptors guard Greivis Vasquez who is already well-traveled.
- Evan Turner has been all over Hoops Rumors lately, but he’s not letting the trade talk get to him, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media. “I don’t read the papers. If I did, I’d have my bags packed for different weather,” said the Sixers forward.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown says the club will “keep an eye” on Dewayne Dedmon, Moore tweets. Philadelphia elected not to re-sign Dedmon after his second 10-day pact expired.
Suns Considering Deal For Pau Gasol
4:00pm: The main reason the teams haven’t agreed on a deal involving Gasol is that the Lakers want a pick for this year’s draft that would be higher than what the Suns currently have to offer, tweets Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. Phoenix could have as many as four picks, but the best of them would come in at only No. 17 right now. The Lakers are also in the exploratory stage with other teams about deals, notes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
MONDAY, 10:36am: In confirming Stein’s report, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic says the Suns and Lakers have indeed spoken about a Gasol-Okafor swap, a detail that wasn’t initially clear. The discussion is just one of many exploratory talks in which the Suns have engaged, Coro writes.
SUNDAY, 4:41pm: The Suns are exploring the feasibility of a trade for Lakers big man Pau Gasol, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Of course, the big man is on an expiring contract and earning ~$19.3MM for the year.
The Lakers have reportedly been adamant about not compromising their future cap flexibility in any deal for Gasol. As Stein notes, the Suns could use the $14.5MM expiring contract of injured big man Emeka Okafor to get a deal done. Even though there’s a significant gap between their salaries, there’s a disparity of less than $5MM and the deal wouldn’t put the Suns over the tax apron so it would be kosher under the CBA.
The 33-year-old is no stranger to criticism but he has performed reasonably well in the face of another year that’s been chock full of trade rumors. Gasol is averaging 17.0 PPG and 10.2 RPG with a PER of 19.1 that puts him No. 12 among centers. It’s not his best work, but the Spaniard still has plenty to contribute to a contender.
The Okafor idea sounds like it could be of interest to the Lakers, but they had a similar opportunity earlier this year when the Cavs were dangling the contract of Andrew Bynum. The Lakers reportedly backed away from those talks and insisted on getting an impact player in exchange for Gasol.
Sixers Intensify Push To Trade Evan Turner
The Sixers are becoming more aggressive in their pursuit of a trade before the deadline, and Evan Turner is at the forefront of their efforts, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. The Thunder had interest in Turner earlier this year, and the Suns had discussions with the Sixers about acquiring him, but there’s no movement on either front, according to Deveney, who hears that Philly’s insistence on draft compensation for Turner has held up talks.
Philadelphia is reportedly seeking first-round picks in trades for Turner, Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young. Turner is slated for restricted free agency this summer, but he would become an unrestricted free agent if the Sixers decline to tender a more-than-$8.7MM qualifying offer. One GM tells Deveney that he’d be reluctant to give up assets for a player he could simply sign outright in a few months.
The trade chatter is no surprise to Turner, who tells Deveney that he’s not at all fazed by it, and that he never expected to receive an extension when he was eligible for one this past offseason. The former No. 2 overall pick is averaging a career-high 18.4 points per game on a depleted Sixers roster.
Pacific Notes: Suns, Bledsoe, Warriors, Kobe
Amazingly, Suns big man Emeka Okafor could be one of the most intriguing trade chips in February even though he’s probably done for the season. Earlier today, our own Chuck Myron examined Okafor as a trade candidate and explained what his sizable expiring contract could do for the club that acquires him. Here’s more from the Pacific Division..
- Eric Bledsoe refused to confirm or deny whether he had a significant operation performed on his torn meniscus in a talk with Shams Charania of RealGM. For a guard with his explosion, a major repair procedure of the meniscus part would bring long-term benefits but would also rule him out for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, it would behoove him to return to the court this season before he hits restricted free agency in the summer. For their part, the Suns have said that they expect the guard to be back in action some time after the All-Star break.
- About a dozen NBA scouts watched Arizona practice at the Warriors‘ facility today, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo (via Twitter). Big men Aaron Gordon and Brandon Ashley are getting most of the attention and about 20 NBA GMs have seen at least one Wildcats practice (link). Colleges are now allowed to practice at NBA facilities and scouts are taking full advantage.
- While Phil Jackson admitted during a TV appearance that the Lakers‘ two-year, $48.5MM contract extension for Kobe Bryant was more than he would have given, he also said that he expects the future Hall of Famer to return to prominence, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles,
Trade Candidate: Emeka Okafor
Emeka Okafor probably won’t have any sort of on-court impact this year, since he seems destined to miss the season after suffering a neck injury this past autumn. The 31-year-old center could nonetheless have a significant effect on the Western Conference playoff race and this summer’s free agency, thanks to his outsized expiring contract.
The Suns have been planning to trade Okafor ever since acquiring him from the Wizards just before the regular season began, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports wrote this week. He’s making nearly $14.5MM in the final season of a six-year, $72MM deal on which he’s already been traded three times. Whichever team finally winds up holding Okafor’s hot potato of a contract can renounce his rights this summer and clear significant cap room for a free agent push.
The cost of taking on Okafor’s deal will probably involve at least one veteran who could help the Suns make the playoffs. Phoenix has won five of its last six, including two victories over the Pacers, but while the Suns are in sixth place in the Western Conference, only three games separate them from the ninth-place Grizzlies, who’ve been even hotter since Marc Gasol returned from injury. It’s uncertain when Eric Bledsoe will come back from his torn right meniscus to try to give Phoenix a similar boost, so the Suns, who are determined to make their fairy tale push for the playoffs come true, appear to be seeking outside help.
The current collective bargaining agreement makes it easier for teams to create cap space, so expiring contracts like Okafor’s aren’t as valuable as they used to be. The Suns may have to attach a first-rounder or two with Okafor to find the kind of deal they want. GM Ryan McDonough suggested last month that the team is willing to trade one or more of their four potential 2014 first-round picks for a star player. The Suns are also prioritizing the acquisition of players on short-term deals so they can preserve their cap space, but those might be competing aims.
It seems logical that if the Suns were to acquire a star, they’d want to find someone who wouldn’t simply be a three-month rental. If Phoenix instead receives offers that include second-tier players, it would be difficult for the Suns to trade Okafor and receive only players on expiring contracts, and virtually impossible unless Phoenix includes at least one first-rounder. Perhaps a rival team would be willing to package one or two expiring contracts that would allow the Suns to retain their flexibility going forward along with another deal that ends after next season, but that would also be hard to for Phoenix to pull off.
A workable scenario might exist between McDonough and the Celtics. Boston GM Danny Ainge, McDonough’s former boss, is reportedly anxious to trade Jeff Green and Avery Bradley in an effort to clear cap room. Green, a non-star whose four-year, $36.24MM deal runs through 2016, probably wouldn’t interest the Suns, but Bradley might. The fourth-year guard’s aggressive on-ball defense could help solidify a Phoenix team allows the 12th most points per possession in the league, according to NBA.com, and he could provide backcourt depth while Bledsoe is out. He’s up for restricted free agency this summer, so the Suns can retain him if they want to or renounce him and clear his cap hold from their books. If McDonough could convince Ainge to give up Brandon Bass, and he accepts Keith Bogans from Ainge, the Suns could come away with a pair of useful players and no commitments beyond next season. The cost would probably be Okafor plus draft considerations, and Ainge has spoken about his belief in building through the draft.
The Sixers are looking for first-rounders in exchange for Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young, so perhaps the Suns could get involved with Philadelphia. Turner would be an upgrade over Bradley, but Phoenix would be in a similar position, since he’s also a restricted free agent this summer. Hawes is on an expiring deal, but Young’s contract, which pays him an average of more than $9MM a year through 2016, could be tough for McDonough to stomach. Still, the salaries would match if the Suns traded Okafor for just Turner and Young, and the Suns could facilitate such a deal with a first-rounder.
Okafor might not bring the sort of return he could have under the old CBA, but he’s nonetheless an intriguing asset who could bring in a return that helps the Suns now and for the future, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if Western Conference GMs, fearing Phoenix’s warm-weather, large-market advantages in free agency, are skittish to help the fast-rebuilding Suns along, leaving McDonough to deal chiefly with Eastern Conference clubs. GMs around the league expect the Suns to trade Okafor somewhere, so I’d be surprised if Phoenix doesn’t cash in its Okafor ticket by the deadline.
Broussard’s Latest: Carmelo, Rondo, Love
Most of the executives to whom ESPN Insider’s Chris Broussard has spoken believe the Bulls will make a run at Carmelo Anthony this summer. Some are “completely convinced” Chicago will go after him, Broussard writes. A rival GM thinks the team’s confidence in Nikola Mirotic‘s ability will play heavily into the team’s decision regarding Anthony. A report in recent days indicated the Bulls are among the front runners for last year’s scoring champ. Broussard has plenty more in latest piece, and we’ll round it up here:
- Rajon Rondo quickly ended extension talks with the Celtics, and the discussions didn’t even get to the numbers stage, according to Broussard, who says the point guard wants to keep his options open as he seeks a payday and a winning situation. Rondo has expressed his commitment to Boston, but the Knicks, who remain interested in trading for him, view him as the perfect complement to Anthony.
- A GM tells Broussard that it’s “a 100% certainty” that Kevin Love will sign with the Lakers after next season. Most executives who’ve spoken to the ESPN.com scribe also believe the former UCLA star is headed for the purple-and-gold.
- The Lakers might be willing to overpay Eric Bledsoe to bring him aboard via restricted free agency this summer, a source tells Broussard. Suns owner Robert Sarver has indicated he’s willing to match any offer for the point guard, so it’d be a surprise if Bledsoe wound up back in L.A.
- If the Celtics, who are looking to clear cap room, can find takers for Gerald Wallace, Jeff Green and Avery Bradley, “they’re gone,” Broussard says. It’s not a surprise that GM Danny Ainge would be quick to unload Wallace, but his apparent enthusiasm for moving Green and Bradley is noteworthy.
- The Raptors had engaged in trade talk with other clubs about DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry before their run to the top of the Atlantic Division, but Toronto is no longer looking to move DeRozan, barring an substantial offer. Broussard hears the Raptors are not high enough on Lowry to offer him a sizable contract when he hits free agency this summer, but an opposing GM thinks Toronto will hang on to Lowry through the trade deadline because of fears about alienating the fan base.
- The Pacers will only trade Danny Granger if another team “blows them away” with an offer, Broussard writes.
- Broussard detects a strong sense around the league that the Pistons are eager to trade Josh Smith.
- The Sixers would be willing to take back a little bit of salary to acquire draft picks for their veterans, according to Broussard. I assume he’s referring to long-term salary commitments rather than players on expiring deals.
- The strong play of the Grizzlies has quieted chatter surrounding Zach Randolph, Broussard reports.
- The Heat are interested in Andrew Bynum, but they’re unwilling to pay him more than the minumum salary, an executive tells Broussard. Bynum is reportedly holding out for more than that.
- GMs who spoke to Broussard identified the following players as candidates to be traded before the deadline: Andre Miller, Jameer Nelson, Emeka Okafor, Kenneth Faried, Shawn Marion, Dion Waiters, Jarrett Jack, Francisco Garcia and Arron Afflalo.
Odds & Ends: Dragic, Jefferson, Carmelo
The summer of 2010 shows why teams would be unwise to make compromising moves at next month’s trade deadline just to clear cap space for the coming offseason, SB Nation’s Tom Ziller writes. Few clubs land true superstars in free agency, but many more have success with cheaper additions, as Ziller explains. While we wait to see how teams position themselves for the summer ahead, here’s the latest from around the NBA:
- Goran Dragic has a realistic chance to earn a spot in next month’s All-Star Game, and if he does, he’ll receive a $1MM bonus, notes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Al Jefferson thought Kemba Walker was joking this summer when he suggested the big man should join the Bobcats, but agent Jeff Schwartz persuaded Jefferson to travel to Charlotte, where Steve Clifford helped convince the 6’10” free agent to sign. Steve Aschburner of NBA.com has more from one of 2013’s most surprising moves.
- Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times hears Carmelo Anthony wouldn’t mind joining Chris Paul and Blake Griffin (Twitter link). Rumors have linked Anthony to the Clippers, but most such reports suggest Griffin would go to the Knicks in return for Anthony.
- The Sixers have again sent Lorenzo Brown to the D-League, the team announced. Philly sent Brown to the Delaware 87ers early Monday so he could play in their day game and recalled the point guard in time for him to appear in the big club’s loss to the Suns at night.
- Jimmer Fredette may not be long for the Kings, but he isn’t destined to become the sort of star he was in college no matter where he ends up in the NBA, opines Brad Rock of the Deseret News. Rock hears the Jazz would have passed on him in the 2011 draft even if he had slipped to them at the No. 12 pick.
- The United States Olympic Committee and the NCAA’s Big East Conference have shown interest in hiring incoming NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, according to USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt.
Suns Sign Leandro Barbosa For Season
TUESDAY, 1:16pm: The Suns have officially announced their signing of the Excel Sports Management client.
MONDAY, 9:54pm: We learned last week that the Suns planned on keeping guard Leandro Barbosa for the rest of the season. After tonight’s win, President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby and Coach Jeff Hornacek informed the veteran that he will in fact be with the club for the remainder of the 2013/14 campaign, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
The veteran guard admitted to being nervous over being in contract limbo, but he’s breathing a sigh of relief after hearing the good news.
“My shoulder is not 100 percent but I’m trying to help the team,” Barbosa said. “It’s a great, talented team. Very fun. I’m happy that I found out I’m going to stay. I’m going to pray and thank God because it was a hard time for me when I did the surgery. If I look back and see what I’ve been through, many people didn’t believe I could come back and play for the NBA again. Now, they say they want to stay with me for the rest of the year. It’s a great thing. There are more things for me to do. It’s not like I’m going to get the contract and chill. Now I’m going to work really hard because I really want to help the team and I know I can. But, for now, thank you Phoenix.”
The 31-year-old returned to the NBA following some tough injury rehab and a successful stint playing in his native Brazil. While filling in for the injured Eric Bledsoe, Barbosa has put up 8.6 PPG and 2.0 APG with a PER of 10.6 in 21.5 minutes per contest.
Emeka Okafor Could Be Trade Chip For Suns
As we approach the February 20th trade deadline, notable names like Kyle Lowry and Andre Miller figure to see lots of time on the pages of Hoops Rumors. However, one of the most desirable players on the trade block might be someone you wouldn’t quite expect – Emeka Okafor. The big man has been sidelined all season long with a neck injury, but with insurance picking up the tab on 80% of what remains on his $14.5MM salary, he could bring quite a return for Phoenix.
The Suns, who are determined to make the postseason despite losing Eric Bledsoe to injury, have expressed a willingness to absorb a veteran player on a short-term deal who wouldn’t wreck their future cap space, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. With clubs looking for ways to dump payroll and avoid luxury-tax penalties, Phoenix could have a multitude of deal possibilities to consider over the next few weeks.
The Suns could have up to six first-round draft picks over the next two years, including four in the talent-packed 2014 draft. GM Ryan McDonough has said he is willing to explore using his draft picks, young assets, and cap space (~$5MM) to explore possible deals for All-Star-level caliber players.