Joe D's cap management....

[BIG BEN'S FRO]

What do you guys think of it overall? I thought it was among the best, and then checked out hoopshype to look at the other teams in the league. For various reasons, quite of the other GMs have smartened up as well. I look at some of these teams though, and I wonder if we really aren't more in the middle in terms of cap management. Examples of great strategies:

1. San Antonio has to be among the tops. Not only have they kept their nucleus without moving anyone, they will have enough space to add a superstar next season. Parker, Ginobili, Duncan, AND a player like Pierce? That will really suck. Of course they will have to renounce their other guys, but they have done a great job of already stockpiling overseas talent. Greatly planned roster. They have planned most of their cap around just a few key pieces, but they have invested wisely in the right players.

2. Phoenix - they have overspent, but have a great core with a great backup PG who is actually worth his cash, as well as the rest of the roster. Competitive with very few fossils. They have the unfair advantage of being in sunny Phoenix.

3. Portland - the #1 pick helps them like it did San Antonio when Robinson was out. But they did an awesome job of turning the entire roster and buying picks, and will not smell the lux tax for many years.

4. Toronto has rebuilt around a great player who should have been ours if not for a collective brain fart, but has added great foreign prospects to add depth.

5. Utah will be in a position to significantly upgrade from Giricek next season.

Yes their are bad managing teams, but they are starting to invest much smarter. Even the Knicks are starting to finally take advantage of their ability to outspend everyone else. Where do we fall in this?

Without a doubt, the Nazr Muhammed signing is going to prove horrendous for us. Not only does that panic move not play well, but the handicap in free agency will hurt horribly. moving him for an expiring deal is going to be almost impossible considering the fact that expiring deals will be at a premium.

[Kstat]

It's a lot easier to manage your cap for 2-3 seasons, when you're working with nothing but rookie deals or you only have 2-3 core players.

Dumars (A) had FIVE core players, and he's managed to keep four of them, over a SIX-year span.

If you want proof, go look at the Bulls. They're going to go from cheapest salaries in the NBA to cap hell in a 3-year span, because they have to start re-signing all their rookies to new contracts.

Same thing will happen to Portland in a few years.

[Kstat]

And yes, Utah will be in position to significantly upgrade their SG position next year. All they have to do is use their team option to terminate the contract of some kid named Deron Williams.

Not to mention, they're going to sign MoPete to an MLE deal this summer.

[WTFchris]

I think he's done a superb job of cap management. Unfortunately, I think he's had to make some decisions that other teams do not have to do (with owners willing to pay taxes). You can't put the Suns in this discussion because they're way over the cap. Portland shouldn't count either. They simply sucked for years. Toronto sucked too for a while. You have to consider other teams that are in the playoff races like Detroit. It costs a lot more to maintain that then to simply rebuild.

Utah benifited from Malone and Stockton leaving (financially benifited that is), but certainly they did a nice job of staying afloat and adding new talent.

I agree with the Spurs and also the Jazz. Both have been solid franchises all around.

Just imagine if Joe hadn't botched the Darko pick. If we had Bosh instead (he was the other one considered) we never would have signed Nazr, instead using that on a MLE small forward. We'd have 2-3 titles and be stocked about 10 deep with players right now.

[Glenn]

Just imagine if Joe hadn't botched the Darko pick. If we had Bosh instead (he was the other one considered) we never would have signed Nazr, instead using that on a MLE small forward. We'd have 2-3 titles and be stocked about 10 deep with players right now.

Okay, that's not depressing at all.

p.s. Do we need two cap threads? Maybe we do, I dunno.

[Higherwarrior]

thing is with portland, i don't think they'll have any problems keeping their players in a few years. they are willing to 'buy' draft picks and throw money around like it's confetti. so i don't think they'll hesitate to pay the luxury tax if needed.

i could see them paying those kids whatever it takes to keep them even if they go WAY over the luxury tax. their owner's pockets are PLENTY deep and he doesn't seem to care about throwing money around as long as he gets results. when they start contending, i can't see them letting players slip away. good time to be a blazers fan i guess.

[Kstat]

being willing to pay the LT doesn't mean you have grat cap management.

[Joe Asberry]

well i have to agree, Joe D's cap management was very good from day one, getting rid of guys like Loy Vaught and his enourmous contract was awesome...of course he gambled with Ben and Chauncey @ full MLE and it payed of big time...10-12 mil for 2 allstars for a 5 year period, certainly a good foundation to build a championchipcontender...BUT he overpayed for veteran roleplayers, and not just once...resigned Corliss in 2001(i believe it was 36mil/6y) resigned Cliffy in 2002(2/3y for 6 a year? im just guessing, but it was too much), in 2003 it was Elden Campbell who got a large chunk of the MLE for no reason, in 2005 it was Dale Davis(3,5 a year, i mean wtf, again Joe waisted the most of the MLE for a fucking useless 3rd backup center)...and of course there is Nazr, Joe D's worst FA signing so far...most of the guys were bigs, but most of them were pretty useless...(the ironie: Joe D was ready to spend 40 mil on Memo, and after we've seen how Memo developed this would have been a bargain)
so other than Joe Ds inability to sign cheap roleplayers his cap managment is one of the best

[Glenn]

being willing to pay the LT doesn't mean you have grat cap management.

I agree, cap management and luxury tax avoidance/minimization are two different things.

Joe D is pretty good at both, but getting better at the latter all the time.

[WTFchris]

Right, but if you have great cap management and build your team right (see Joe Dumars), then you can go over the tax level to keep all your core there and keep winning (see someone other than Davidson).