What the Lakers can offer free agents...

Lets clear up this board a bit and see what the Lakers can spend before we go off and pick and choose future hall of famers to come help us out. The Lakers are over the cap which is 44 mill a year so they can't sign whomever they want. They gotta follow some rules!

What can the Lakers spend on free agents:

-ONE MLE (mid-level exception 4.6 mill. It can be split up between more than one player)

-ONE LLE (low-level exception 1.5 mill. It too can be split up between more than one player)

-ONE vet min (.8-1.2 mill. Can't be split up between players)

-ENDLESS supply NBA min salaries as long as there is enough roster space! (400-600k I believe)

*note: no two exceptions can be combined. So we can't combine the LLE and the MLE and offer somebody 6 mill a year.

How do trades work:

There are many many exceptions and annoying little clauses like the BYC players that I won't elaborite on here. For purposes of this message board though, the Lakers need to give up the EXACT amount of salary (+-15% I believe) as they wish to recieve. So we can't go off and trade Fisher for Kidd even if NJ was stupid enough to make that trade. The salaries don't match up!

CL, please sticky this so we don't have to go through it again and again and again this offseason...

WE can go as far over the LT as we want. We could sign Jermaine O'neal, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Buy GA with a hefty contract, as long as Buss is willing to pay 100-200 mil a year for guaranteed championships.m I understand we want to try to minimize our taxed salaries and follow the rules, but we can't afford to do that if Shaq wants his huge extension and we certainly can't let Shaq just go to another team and be stuck with Kobe and a bunch of MLE, LLE and Minimum bums...

dude do you not understand what I'm saying bro.

according to NBA's current rules teams are not allowed to spend any money on new players other than what I have listed if they are over the salary cap. They just can't. The NBA doesn't allow it. Even if Buss wanted to spend a zillion dollars HE CAN'T.

You are confusing the lux tax with the salary cap. These are two different things bro. The cap is at 44 mill, the lux tax was at 54 mill last year.

After teams go over the salary cap they only have the exeptions that I have listed to spend. THAT'S IT!!!!! In other words As long as Shaq and Kobe are in the Lakers and gold the Lakers ONLY HAVE THE EXEPTIONS AND THE DRAFT TO IMROVE!

The way teams go over the LT is by increasing the salaries of their own players and by spending their exceptions each year. The LT is made for rich owners and it makes them pay sugnificantly with the doller for doller tax which is then split up amongst teams that stayed below the LT. The Lakers are already above the LT at a current payroll of 64 milll or so.

Then we aren't going to win another championship. It is as simple as that. We can't add a few washed up scrubs trying to sell their tattered carcas for the MLE and LLE and then hope late first rounders that are at best long term projects and second rounders that will end up benchers in Europe somewhere (or the NBDL) will save us. We are doomed because of Shaq's fat [Swearing is not permitted at Clublakers. You must edit this post prior to submitting.] contract and we will not win another ring for years to come...

lol calm down buddy....

We still have the draft!!! And we still have the ability to trade!!!

Rush, Slava, and even Pargo could look REAL nice in the trade if one of them is packaged with one or both of our picks.

Have faith, the Lakers still have Shaq and Kobe.

I thought the LT WAS The Salary Cap, but come to realize they are different, that seems like overkill to me. How can a team have more than one really good player that way? Also, we had Shaq and Kobe this year (and we traded for a guy that in many circles was supposed to be a top 10 pick and one of the top 5 all around talents in the draft and he is a bust, who is to say the same won't be for any left overs we get at #24 and #32?) in the best condition they have been in since the 2000 season and we didn't even make the WCF. Are you trying to tell me we will suddenly be better next year with Shaq having another year on his fat [Swearing is not permitted at Clublakers. You must edit this post prior to submitting.] body, Rick having what could end up being a career ending injury, Devean proving he will always let us down, Pargo and Rush proving they aren't worth the trouble, Horry leaving or staying with a mental problem and no clutch shots anymore and every popular choice for us in FA being simply unattainable? You must have a ton more faith than I have, cause that sounds like a pretty grim situation to me...

I know your looking at it like that and I SURE as hell would be too if I had my heart set on the talent you did. You have to realize one thing bro, there are players MANY players that fall under the radar each and EVERY freaking year. Let me give you three draft examples...

Nick Van Exel 37th pick in the draft
Gilbert Arenas 31th pick in the draft
Tony Parker 28th pick in the draft

Also how about players who are playing for cheap

Troy Hudson (2.3 mill a year, He came out of the CBA for crying out loud)
Erc Strickland (LLE, he's having a great year and we might be able to get him for cheap)
Rod Strickland(1 mill a year. He's old, but he's still quicker than our starting PG)
Speedy Claxton(LLE, he was often more effective than Parker in the series)
Ben Wallace(5 mill a year. Tell me he's not worth it)

the list goes on and on. You just need a creative mind, an eye for talent and simply NOT overvaluing vet leardership over sheer athleticism every time to be able to pick them out.

the Logo had this ability.....Mitch........we will soon find out.....

Dude you are in panic mode. The Lakers will be fine next year. We don't need any more superstars like Kidd and J. O'Neal. Who needs to go, Fisher, Horrey, Fox, and maybe Rush. Pargo is up and comming let's not give up on him so soon I see a big future with him. Last we let Lou get away which cound have made a big differance for us. I'd like to see him back in Laker gold. Another solid up would be Payton if he willing to take a pay cut to win a championship. P.J. Brown would be nice also. I thought we had the mailman for sure but I guess he still wants to be the spotlight of the team and that will cause conflict in Laker Land and we've been there before. Give us PJ and Payton, keep Pargo, Madsen, Slava (not sure on the spelling) and George comming off the bench and we have another three-peat in the workings. We need to give Pargo and Slava the minutes in the regular season if we expect them to gain the confidance to play at championship level in the playoffs. Even with the SC and the LT issues there are enough free agents who looking for a ring. If we can't put the right combination of supporting cast members togeather, shame on us. Also on the comment of Shaq's contract, if he would go to another team you.d wish the Lakers would had doubled his pay to keep him. Shaq's a nightmare for other team's and I'd hate to have become a Lakers nightmare. Keep Shaq and Kobe abd pay them well. They bring dollars to the Lakers and the NBA, and last but not least they bring championships. This may sound funny be this past piss poor season was the best thing that could have happened to the lakers.

Dude you are in panic mode. The Lakers will be fine next year. We don't need any more superstars like Kidd and J. O'Neal. Who needs to go, Fisher, Horrey, Fox, and maybe Rush. Pargo is up and comming let's not give up on him so soon I see a big future with him. Last we let Lou get away which cound have made a big differance for us. I'd like to see him back in Laker gold. Another solid up would be Payton if he willing to take a pay cut to win a championship. P.J. Brown would be nice also. I thought we had the mailman for sure but I guess he still wants to be the spotlight of the team and that will cause conflict in Laker Land and we've been there before. Give us PJ and Payton, keep Pargo, Madsen, Slava (not sure on the spelling) and George comming off the bench and we have another three-peat in the workings. We need to give Pargo and Slava the minutes in the regular season if we expect them to gain the confidance to play at championship level in the playoffs. Even with the SC and the LT issues there are enough free agents who looking for a ring. If we can't put the right combination of supporting cast members togeather, shame on us. Also on the comment of Shaq's contract, if he would go to another team you.d wish the Lakers would had doubled his pay to keep him. Shaq's a nightmare for other team's and I'd hate to have become a Lakers nightmare. Keep Shaq and Kobe abd pay them well. They bring dollars to the Lakers and the NBA, and last but not least they bring championships. This may sound funny be this past piss poor season was the best thing that could have happened to the lakers.

Well, lakeshow, it is not as simple as all that. Any major name FA out there, no matter what they say is ultimately out for money. If they can get both money AND a ring, they will go for a team like Dallas, SActo or Portland, or especially SA cause they beat us and now will get more offers from the guys that would have wanted to join US if we had won.

GP wants cash, KM wants cash and the record. And the other guys good enough to put us back on top (PJ, JT, Juwan) are all simply TOO EXPENSIVE. They can take three times as much as we can offer them from another team and still be a bargain.

LP,

Now who needs to step away from the crack pipe? Are you seriously telling me we can count on getting a player late in the draft because three teams in the history of the league have done it before? Hmm...isn't that a mite unrealistic...

Hudson, if he crazily decides to leave the Wolves, is worth WAY more than the MLE, and Strickland is worth AT LEAST the MLE as a free agent but isn't the kind of impact player that would put us on top again anyway. Rod Strickland is simply dead in the water and we would ony get him with the MLE anyway. Is he worth that? Claxton was playing Pargo for god's sake. he wouldn't be any more effective than Lue was for us, and other teams can simply pay him the MLE to keep him out of LA if he WERE worth it to us and if the Spurs WEREN'T planning on getting him back, which they ARE. BEN WALLACE! Mitch would have to pry him from the Piston's dead lifeless fingers before we got him. Besides, he is worth 10 Fukin' mil a year, not 4.5...he deserves a raise, not a cut in pay!

look SB,

I was merely giving examples of players that fall under the Radar. There are many draft picks that turned out good and they went late in the draft. There are many many FA that are contributing big time and their getting paid little.

What does that mean for us? Well it doesn't neccessarily mean we can get THOSE SPECIFIC PLAYERS, it means we can hope for getting players for the CHEAP that are able to contribute NOW! Why? Because it has happend in the past!

The draft? There is an Arenas clone in the draft with the name of Barbosa. He's listed as going at the 12th pick. Trade up for him and our PG worries go down the drain. Don't want a trade? Draft Nikagbatse with the 24th pick...he might even be there with the 32nd pick. He's a bit more of a project but he's definately got HUGE potential.

Howard AND his agent Faulk have already stated that he'd seriously consider playing for the Lakers for the MLE. Sign him and our PF worries go down the toilet.

OK, first off you said nothing that combats what I said as far as the draft goes. What NBA team in their right mind is going to hand us another championship via trade? Honestyl, why would they give us the 12th pick and take whomever crappy players we have to replace what, for them, would be a much better bargain as a draft selection that they already have. The Lakers will stay put in the draft. We will draft someone like Nick Collison (who is projected by ESPN to be someone to avoid) and probably another "risky" guy or a big name drop down who will not pan out. I am not saying it is "impossible" for our draft picks to be good or even great, but it is certainly HIGHLY UNLIKEY due simply, if for no other reason, to the percentages against us that our low level left overs in the draft will be anything but second reate benchers in the NBA. I know players HAVE taken less than their market worth to play for a ring, but why would they join LA if we didn't win this year. Why should they risk their financial futures on a gamble that they would be able to contribute enough for us to be back on top? It won't happen. We will wind up with a vet min not worth the 1.2 mil, an LLE not worth the 1.5 mil and an MLE not worth the 4.5 mil and be back at this point next year...The only kind of players we can sign are playes that are using their name to get more money than they are worth!

dude you make it seem as though the Lakers are the only ones over the cap....nearly every freaking team is over the cap.

The only contender that's not over the cap is San Antonio. They are scary, but other than that EVERYONE is over the cap. Unless you want consider Denver and the Clippers a real NBA team. Miami is going to be under next year too, but their a LONG way from contending.

Basically the best free agents will go first to the teams that can afford them. Namely Kidd, and O'Niel. A few teams will be able to pay the 6-8 mill and that's it. The rest of the FA can either stay where they are and maybe get a raise, or sign for the MLE somewhere.

We can DEFINATELY pick up some pretty damn good talent for the MLE. They won't include all-stars, but do you really think a team of 5 all-stars could co-exist? Could they include Jwan? Hell Yes! Could they include Payton? Probably not, but it's not too far fetched. Could they include old man Karl? Absolutely!

You don't think a trade will get us anything in return? Need I remind you that Fisher backup (let me back up and say that again so it sinks in....FISHER'S BACKUP!) was traded for Tracy Murrey the 20th pick in the draft and a future 32nd pick in the draft. Regardless of how Rush will turn out it shows you that trades CAN happen no matter what!

I DEFINATELY think Fish and the 24th pick in the draft could land us a mid-teen pick. Who knows what players will slip in the draft. Gaines that was considered a lottery pick is now listed at #20. You don't think Gaines could help? Also Wade who was considered lottery is now projected to go at #13.

Every team is over the cap, meaning every team will be offering the same MLE as we are, but more PT, more priority and certainly less responsibility and pressure. They will also not have to learn a complicated offense and be coached by a notoriously stern and critical mind-game playing head coach like Phil Jackson. Believe me, there is a reason we haven't gotten a decent FA interested in 3 years...The kind of players we will get for the MLE will be Cherokee Parks or Rod Strickland, Bimbo Coles or Mateen Cleeves. No self respecting free agent wants to tie themselves and their careers to a sinking ship. I don't think our ship is sinking (don't get me wrong) but the perception at the heart of this issue is not mine, it is that of the free agents in the market. If we can't offer them any real money, even if other teams can't either then they will take the lesser of two equal evils, less responsibility, less demand defensively, more shots, more PT and just more flat out fun.

OOOOHH Big point there, we traded Fisher's backup for an old man that hit about 3 shots all year, a pick that won't go anywhere and pick that has already busted....ooooohhh great bargain!...NOT! If we had the choice between the pick and Kareem or Lindsey, I'd take Hunter and I think Phil would as well...

No one of any substance will go past the #20 and we won't be able to swing a deal with D-Fish. He had a TERRIBLE playoffs and proved that he didn't have the ability when the game was tight to break down the defense enough to lessen the pressure on the two best palyers in the league, so why would a team with only one player that might approach a similar level of Kobe or Shaq's talent but not be as good want Derek?

It seems pretty obvious that the mid-level exception will go to PJ Brown. I guess what I'm pondering is, can LA give the lower level exception to Payton. If so why not go after Reggie Miller with the veteran's minimum as well.

Beacuse Indiana is prepared to pay more to keep Reggie so he can retire there...that will never happen...

PJ Brown wants to join his teammate Bruce Bowen in San Antonio...

bump

I'm not sure what the last GUEST user is stating, but........

......if we can atleast one decent free agent that can contribute in a major way, may it be Juwan Howard or Payton, then I'll be happy. I'm so sick of the last couple of years of free agent signings by Mitch. I know that he was relegated by the salary cap, but getting Rider, then Richmond, then Murray, was all busts. They never actually contributed anything. The only contribution they made was warm the seats for the starters. I like Juwan and I think that he can contribute in a major way. Pf is a first need priority. Afterwards a point guard (Daniels). Then we can get more athletic through the draft.

the GUEST member just wanted the topic to be BUMPED up.......

I know its only MAY but, I can't wait until summer camp starts to see which free agent player the LAKERS end up with. I really hope they pick somebody ANYBODY to help the Lakeshow. If MITCH only manages to get another washed up vet then, I would ask for his resignation. Tight fisted BUSS better step up to the plate against big hitters like SAC and DALLAS and PORTLAND.... BUSS needs to match their offers... because the LA lifestyle is not enough to get FREE AGENTS anymore....

BUSS remember MONEY TALKS......





KOBE OUR REAL MVP

Snakell Beast is an idiot. Learn about basketball before you prophesize the Laker's demise. We have a good opportunity to sign PJ Brown, Juwon Howard, or other free agents. In addition, the draft can produce very good players even in the later rounds. This draft class has been described as one of the deepest in recent years. You lose hope way too easily.

You said:

"Snakell Beast is an idiot. Learn about basketball before you prophesize the Laker's demise. We have a good opportunity to sign PJ Brown, Juwon Howard, or other free agents. In addition, the draft can produce very good players even in the later rounds. "

Well, if you want to think I am an idiot then more power to you. I certainly won't try to defend myself or my reputation, it speaks for itself. I am not going to sit here and try to convince you that I am an all knowing fan either, but please don't misunderstand my comments.

"I don't think our ship is sinking (don't get me wrong) but the perception at the heart of this issue is not mine, it is that of the free agents in the market."

Can't you see where I was clearly saying we cannot COUNT ON signing any BIG NAME free agents. We can still get enough from just minimum players to get back on top. I still think, and if you read my editorials (particularly The Alpha and the Omega) you won't find me saying we will be anywhere else BUT back on top ASAP. I was merely saying we might have to do it with guys like Adrian Griffin, Eric Piatkowski and Popeye Jones because ultimately the choice of a ring over money might actually lead players to Sacto, SA and Dallas because we are PERCEIVED as a dying team, even though I think we need about 3 mediocre nba talents to get back on top...No hard feelings bro? (register if you want to, you're welcome here)

Ya your welcome here...until ya badmouth one of my homedogs again. Then I'll have to layeth the smacketh down on your candy @$$.

Danny Ainge wrote:Ya your welcome here...until ya badmouth one of my homedogs again. Then I'll have to layeth the smacketh down on your candy @$$.

YUPP!
logic! :man7: