According to "Florida Today" (!), the Sonics are still trying to work out a sign-and-trade with the Orlando Magic for Rashard Lewis, who announced his intentions to bolt town last week:
ORLANDO - Hoping to clear enough salary-cap space so they can retain center-power forward Darko Milicic, the Orlando Magic continued sign-and-trade negotiations Friday with the Seattle SuperSonics.
The Magic have already convinced small forward Rashard Lewis, 27, to sign with a five-year, $75 million deal with them on Wednesday. Now, Orlando is looking to maneuver so that it can hang on to the 7-foot Milicic to fortify the frontline.
Keeping Milicic is of importance because the Magic have only Dwight Howard, Tony Battie, Pat Garrity and James Augustine along the frontline.
The Magic are trying to peddle the expiring contracts of Carlos Arroyo ($4 million), Garrity ($3.8 million) and Keyon Dooling ($3.5 million) to the Sonics. They are willing to sweeten the deal by including one or more future first- and second-round draft picks.
Read the rest here.
I can see why the Magic would like to do this, but it would mean half the Sonics roster would basically be over-paid stiffs. Granted, it would pay off huge in 2008 when all the contracts (except Wally World's) expire, but it would effectively make this year's squad a poor man's
Pittsburgh Pisces.
11 comments:
If they do a sign and trade then I believe the salaries must be at least 75% of Lewis' ~15 million.
So that means over-paid stiffs MUST be included to make the deal possible.
Orlando won't give up anyone real valuable here, arroyo will certainly be involved in the deal and we all know how in need of a mediocre small PG the soups need. Keep in mind that Lewis is gone so the idea of 'getting something for lewis' is senseless. The magic are doing this so they can get rid of crappy players' contracts. The Sonics may be able to get something in return, not for lewis, but for taking these contracts and granting orlando cap space for Darko. Best case scenario here is the sonics can get Orlando's first round pick next year.
Presumably the Sonics will have another high pick next year, because they will probably only win 30 games considering how young they are going. Orlando's pick will probably be 'relatively' high. I say relatively because Lewis is an upgrade from Grant Hill but not by as much as people think. He's a better scorer but a poorer passer. The passing is important when howard can score but can't create off the dribble like lewis. So anyhow Orlando will move up in the east but not all the way up.
Then possibly with the 2 picks seattle could move up next year.
best case scenario.
If it needs to be 75% of Lewis' 15 million, that means the salaries have to equal 11.25 million.
Arroyo = 4
Garrity = 3.8
Dooling = 3.6
Total = 11.4
That is almost perfect. If we could get Orlando's first in 2008, and 2nd in 2009, that would be a great deal for Seattle.
The problem is the Pistons are already getting Orlando's 1st round pick last year (from the Darko trade).
Most likely, they would be talking about a 2009 1st round pick and cash considerations as what would be coming back to the Sonics.
It won't really create more cap space than just letting Rashard walk. This move would have to be a precursor for several other moves.
In regards to the S&T, the salaries do NOT have to be within 15% as the Magic are under the cap. That is how they are able to sign Rashard outright. The only time the 25% rule applies is when both teams are over the cap.
Help me out with this - if Rashard walks and the Sonics receive nothing in return, how is that an inferior situation to receiving unneeded players from the Magic with expiring contracts? (Not being facetious, I'm honestly curious). Would the Sonics be in a different cap situation by going the S&T method as opposing to letting Ra leave without compensation? If not, then I can only see this happening if draft picks are included in the deal.
Or, as Jeremy points out, this is a precursor to other moves. I have to believe the point guard situation is going to change prior to Opening Night.
It is unfortunate that the Magic have so little to offer us in a S&T. But, all of those expiring contracts in '08 look pretty attractive considering who's going to be on the FA market at that time. It looks like we struck out signing the stars this year, so this would probably be the best move, especially if we can lock down a first round pick in the future.
And as I'm sure you all know, our buddy Clay wouldn't mind cash considerations.
Any possibilities they'll part with Jameer Nelson to reunite with Delonte West for an All St. Joe's backcourt? highly unlikely i'm sure but the idea of having Nelson in the backcourt sounds pretty nice.
It's just too darn bad they are letting go of Lewis to begin with. I don't see why they just wouldn't pay the man. I mean what other superstar are they going to find that won't command a 15 Mil/yr salary? To get someone else just as good the're going to have to shell out the bucks anyway.
As a lifelong Sonics fan I'm really dissapointed. To me this and the regignation of Lenny spells the death of the franchise as we know it in Seattle.
So what if they got Durant; he won't be around for us to appreciate. Hope I'm wrong, but this new ownership seems to be doing everything they can to alienate Seattle fans.
JayT
You're only alienated if you feel alienated.
GO SUPES!!!
Nuss,
The Sonics would be helping the Magic out by clearing space so they could make a run at Darko. As the Sonics currently stand, they will be right at the cap, so adding those contracts would put them over the cap for 07-08.
I have no interest in doing that unless the Sonics can get a compensation package that will be worth it. The Magic only have 1 interesting player, Dwight Howard, and he's obviously not coming back. The compensation will have to be a 1st round pick and cash to make it worthwhile.
Theres no way supes should've paid that much for shard..I like shard and I think it would've been nice to keep him but no way is he worth that much..Orlando will feel the pain for years carrying that contract on their cap..
One thing I have noticed after watching KD the past two games is that he really, I mean really needs to put on some weight. They were pushing him around pretty easily every time he went inside whether for a layup or for a rebound..I thought he could get by with his length and quickness but it was pretty evident that he was getting tossed around..
Another thing, have you guys noticed the weird (well perhaps not weird maybe unorthodox) form Green has shooting the jumper? I saw couple of his games last year and this was the first time I noticed it.
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