13 Jan 2024 16:53:56
This is probably not the site to get a salary cap education but I'm gonna ask anyways. In this case I wish to focus on the pacers/raptors as my example. Some say why would a team trade a young prospect they are high on to acquire Siakam from the raps when they can get him for nothing in free agency. When I look at the pacer payroll the only path I see to acquire a max player in free agency is to (not sure the term to use but) give up their rights to at minimum Buddy Heild and Bruce Brown (meaning drop them for zero return)? Therefore the following options seem to make at least as much sense especially if you factor in developmental playing time opportunities for below mentioned prospects.

Option 1- Buddy OR Bruce (main salary fill)+ Obi Toppin OR Jalen Smith + Benny Matherin
For Pascal Siakam.

Option 2- Buddy OR Bruce + Jarace Walker + Aaron Nesmith for Pascal Siakam.

I won't haggle over picks (or lack there of) at this point as that would be just the final detail to push the real deal over the top. Also open roster spots have been left out as other players could be added or deleted to make such details work.
Acquiring Siakams bird rights could be a very valuable future asset to the pacers at some point and time down the road and you DONT get them thru free agency. There is always a flight risk but honestly if your gonna offer him a max deal anyways on a competitive team I just don't see it there. Losing Buddy and Bruce fer zilch to create necessary cap space also isn't free. Where's the logic in keeping players like Jarace who don't get minutes now let alone after signing said free agent. Obi (RFA) and Jalen (Player Option) would also see diminished minutes and could easily jump ship for nothing as well. It then becomes the question would one of either Matherin or Nesmith be worth the value of Pascals bird rights? Please enlighten me. Thanks eh.

1.) 13 Jan 2024
13 Jan 2024 20:11:09
Dumping salary is easy. My Hawks dumped John Collins who has 75 million left at 25 million per year. The issue is finding a team with a yearly cap space amount willing to take on the players. As far siakim he is threatening not to sign with a team that trades for him because he wants to choose his own team. I doubt if he would resign with the pacers.