In addition to writing for this blog, I maintain my own website at http://www.shamsports.com. On it is a whole wealth of unnecessary basketball information and trivia, but one of the premier features of the site is the NBA salary information, which is the best and most accurate salary information available anywhere on the internet. It's also easily the slowest updated, yet there's a reason for that; the figures listed on the site are actual numbers, and not mere guesses.
With my credentials hopefully now firmly cemented - if only by myself - trust me like you would a particularly trustworthy grandmother when I tell you that the following depicting of the Bulls remaining 2010 cap room is 100% accurate.
There follows a breakdown of Chicago's 2010/11 salary situation. Note: figures do NOT include Kurt Thomas, who has not officially signed yet, and whose salaries does not actually exist yet.
(Incidentally, in the interests of fairness, we should all call Kurt Thomas "Kirk" from now on.)
Carlos Boozer - $14,400,000
Luol Deng - $11,345,000
Derrick Rose - $5,546,160
Kyle Korver - $5,000,000
Ronnie Brewer - $4,750,000
C.J. Watson - $3,600,000
Joakim Noah - $3,128,536
Omer Asik - $1,721,000
James Johnson - $1,713,600
Taj Gibson - $1,117,680
Martynas Andriuskevicius - $854,389
Roster charge for having only 11 things on the cap - $473,604
Total: $53,649,969
Cap room to $58,044,000 salary cap: $4,394,031
Entering this offseason, the Bulls had cap holds on Brad Miller ($18,375,000), Hakim Warrick ($3,600,000), Acie Law ($2,940,844), Joe Alexander ($2,763,600), Ronald Murray ($2.388.000), Jannero Pargo ($2.388.000), the #17 pick ($1,302,600), Devin Brown ($854,389) and Martynas Andriuskevicius ($854,389). The #17 pick was traded, as as deals were consummated and the need for cap room opened up, the cap holds on these players were renounced in turn. Andriuskevicius's cap hold still exists for the simple reason that they have not renounced it yet, and doing so gains them nothing until they need it. It will be a formality soon, however.
(If you don't know what a cap hold is, but would like to, click here.)
Once Kirk Thomas signs, the roster charge will be removed. Therefore, while his salary must be added to the cap number and subtracted from the cap space, the cap hold must be subtracted from the cap number and added to the cap space. If we therefore assume that Kirk signed for $1.5 million - which is in keeping with K.C. Johnson's reported amount of being "just above the veteran's minimum," and works in accordance with the Bulls's preference for very rounded numbers - then the amount of cap space decreases to $3,367,635 (58,044,000 - 53,649,969 + 473,604 - 1,500,000).
Renouncing Andriuskevicius, as and when it happens, means also adding another $473,604 roster charge. Yet because Andriuskevicius's cap hold is larger than this roster charge, this move will open up a further $380,785 in cap room, bringing the Bulls total maximum post-Kirk cap room to $3,748,420.
(The amount of the roster charge can NOT be included into the salary of the 12th player, therefore this is the maximum amount of cap space remaining if the Thomas estimate is accurate.)
After the cap space is used up, the Bulls can continue to sign players to the minimum salary using the Minimum Salary Exception. That exception is non-exhaustive, and can be used for as long as a team has open roster spots. Therefore, it is feasible, sensible, and perhaps even likely, that all of that amount goes to one player.
Here's hoping it's not Tracy McGrady,
Filed under: Free Agency, Salary cap
Tags: cap space, chicago bulls, free agency, Salaries
So the bulls front loaded the smaller contracts, but not Boozer's?
I think if Tmac isnt the last person we sign, We will be ok. If we can sign Tmac ad Butler/Mason/Almond with the money left, I dont see how its a bad thing.
The person we will give the spot tmac has wont play much anyway. So I dont see how having him, if he can play only, would be a huge detriment to the team.
How about because the 12th guy needs to be one of your best practice players, not a washed up former star who still thinks the world revolves around him and doesn't want to practice much to begin with.
Exactly, we should give it to some hard nosed undrafted kid like Bouldin or Paul Harris.
SG GUARD:
That's what the Bulls' brass appears to be shopping for.
Just a guess, but I think they have one by Tuesday, at the latest.
I like Butler. However, he's resigning with the Clips. I'll go with Roger Mason.
Roger Mason, you gotta be kidding me. The dude shot 39% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. He's only a year younger than TMAC. He's 6'5, McGrady is 6'8. TMAC can give you more scoring than Mason. If you bring him in just to score, I believe TMAC can do a way better job than Mason. He'll keep the defense honest and will spread the floor. We're not asking him to come in and play 35-40 min a game for god's sake. Leave the defense to Brewer and bring McGrady off the bench for scoring. If you can get him for about 2-3 mil for a year or two, you need to sign him. I'm sorry, but all the options for a backup 2 guard suck and I'll leave it that.
Mason was playing with a hurt shooting hand last year, he's been much better in the past. He's around 40% 3P% more often than not.
TMAC is an unknown at this point. We don't know if he can really play anymore, and we definitely don't know what kind of attitude he'll have. Mason is also a much better defender. I'd rather have a two way player who can shoot at that position.
Of course, as I said above, I'd still rather have a kid who's going to be intense in practice.
You could make the argument that TMAC was coming off a serious injury. I know Mason's been better in the past but so has TMAC. The guy's career average in PPG is 21.5 and he's also a pretty underrated passer. The guy is a former All Star who can score. We need scoring off the bench. Aside from Taj who's not really an offensive player, we don't have scoring off the bench. I don't really care what TMAC's attitude is. If he comes here willing to come of the bench, sign for a decent price, and impresses on Monday in his workout, I give the guy a chance. The guy has an ego, and I'm fine with that. He'll go out and if he can prove to the Bulls that he can beat out Brewer for the starting job as the season goes then you give it to him. IMO, i would take the risk. We'll see what happens on Monday.
Mason's injury wasn't serious, just one that limited his shooting severely. He was still able to contribute in other ways, or he probably would have gotten the time to recover.
TMac's injury was very serious, and one where full recovery is very much the exception and not the rule. Especially at his age.
I seriously doubt he'll be happy coming off the bench, no matter what he might say at this point. The guy has cancer written all over him if he doesn't get his way. Our roster looks like it's going to have an absolutely excellent chemistry, I have no desire to ruin that with an over the hill, broken down, ego maniac.
USA UPDATE:
I'm not being a HOMER when I say DROSE and KD were the best 2 players on the floor tonight.
TMAC UPDATE:
http://twitter.com/TheReal_TMAC/status/19462621263
* He followed that up by immediately tweeting that he has UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
...mmm.
Mitchell,
DROSE's passing was OUTSTANDING.
D.ROSE HIGHLIGHT FROM TONIGHT'S GAME:
http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2010/07/24/the-saturday-night-challenge/?ls=iref:nbahpt1
It's good to see him do that again!!
USA STATS:
http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/showcase_box_score__2010_07_24.html
Derrick Rose...15 points, 8 assists and 5 steals on 7/13 FG Shooting.
He and Kevin Durant where clearly the best two players on the floor.
Those are some pretty good numbers. Seems like he was doing at all.
Vedo,
To have a GAME HIGH 8 assists and a GAME HIGH 5 steals is a great showing.
I can't wait for Worlds at this point.
when does it start? aug 15th?
Vedo,
August 25th thru Sept. 12th.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIBA_World_Championship
28th...oops.
cool thanks man!
0 Turnovers in 30 mins. That's the kind of thing that will get the coaching staff's attention. Especially when you add it to his other impressive numbers in the game.
SURPRISED and DISAPPOINTED:
Team USA really only has TWO gritty veterans in Chauncey Billups and Lamar Odom.
I'm a bit surprised Paul Pierce didn't go out for the team.
He doesn't really have any international hardware to showcase on his career resume.
* Billups, Pierce and Odom all have NBA championship experience.
Oh well...the young kids will have to get it done and end the drought.
NOt sure that anyone has ever called Odom gritty before.
Bigway,
Gritty in the sense of having NBA FINALS experience.
We have to temper our enthusiasm about Rose. This was just a scrimmage and the referees let them get away with lot of stuff. I am not saying Rose is not going to be great but we need to give him a little more time to grow his game.
schaum,
They FIBA referees last night. I'm not sure they let them get away with stuff.
What I liked about Rose and Durant was their FOCUS. They seemed DIALED IN.
Rose is zeroed in on making the USA team and wants to be one of it's leaders.
That's good to see.
RASUAL BUTLER:
Cross him off the list. He's going back to the LA Clippers.
http://realgm.net/src_wiretap_archives/68344/20100725/rasual_butler_will_return_to_clippers/
I wonder if that says anything about Tracy McGrady's workout with them.
THIS JUST IN:
The Chicago Bulls are set to add Tracy McGrady.
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=5408617
should the 3.748420 be more? cause when the roster spot for Marty is filled after they renounce him, then that roster charge will no longer have to be paid since the spot is not vacant...so should the cap just be a bit over 4 million?
When Marty is renounced and Thomas is signed, the Bulls will have only 11 things on the cap still, meaning one more roster charge.
ok i see. but then once 12 players are signed (tmac, for example), what happens to that 400grand roster charge? does that not get added back to the cap room? interesting article and thanks for posting it. i always wondered how and what the terms meant...just trying to understand it more..
If we have 12 players under contract, there are no longer any roster charges.
IN HIGH REGARD:
Both Jerry Colangelo and Coach K praised Derrick Rose after his performance last night.
http://www.usabasketball.com/video/index.html?vid_id=1_pogvs58n
That has to make him feel good.
Wrong link, here's the right one.
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2010/07/24/20100724_blue_white_play3.nba/