According to StoryTeller $719,373 Expires 10/31/06 $1,620,000 Expires 06/28/07 http://www.storytellerscontracts.info/resources/06-07teamsalaries.htm
According to Story tellers the Pistons have 70M committed for next year... that can't be right...we'd be way over the lux threshold (unless I'm reading it wrong).
Here's the deal. Why can't we sign Bonzi to a base deal with a fat incentive? Reading up on it, performance/milestone incentives get classed by the league head office as likely or unlikely and then applied against the cap if likely. If Joe can find out if an ECF berth, or Finals berth for the Pistons would be classed "unlikely", then they could sign Bonzi to a deal that rewards him based on team playoff performance. Food for thought. This is assuming of course that Joe is willing to spend any money at all.
I believe incentives & bonus have to be reflected on the cap.... it's just like giving them the salary as far as the CBA is concerned. They're very strict on potential loopholes and if a GM found a way to circumvent the guidlines it can still be turned down.
I'd like to believe that Hoopshype is pretty close on the team salaries (this time)... They show apprx. 57M so we could take on close to 8M without going into the tax. Here's a deal I've been mulling: Pistons send Dale Davis, the Minn pick and our 1.6M trade exception to Sacramento. The Kings S&T Bonzi for 3.5M (cause nobody has offered the MLE) and Jason Hart. The Kings can afford to take on the extra 1.8M and stay below the 65M lux tax. We get Bonzi and a decent backup PG.... the Kings pay 1.8M for a high 2nd rounder and a backup 5. We would then re-sign Cato or a minimum salary center. Bonzi is the backup SG/SF at a reasonable price... Delfino gets his wish Murray would be insurance or trade fodder once his restriction is over in December. Jess passin' time during the slow dayz.
I dunno Merc. I get the feeling that Joe ain't spending any more money. We should be looking at SF free agents for next offseason unless AJ comes along quickly. Dupree has a player option next year, and if Delfino walks and Super Dupe plays, he'll be up for a healthy raise...
