thecampster

Post trade salary: Any deal where we take back both Harris and Simmons would push us into the tax. You're reading "non tax paying teams". Any deal where we trade Knox separately where we take back $7.8 million pushes us into the tax.

I took a second to rethink why people are focusing on the Harris part of the deal so much. This is a rumor that is running rampant in media circles right now but there can't be any logic to it without a 3 team deal. I'm going to try and explain as best I can. Harris + Simmons is almost $69 million (or about 62% of the cap and 50.5% of the LT line). With 13 more players on a roster, that's an average of less than 5 million per player to avoid the LT. IE, taking both back = going into the LT. The only teams that would entertain taking both Harris and Simmons is a team already in the LT that could/would send back equal to or more salary. The Morey goal here is to reduce his LT costs. Philly paid close to $25 million in luxury tax penalties last year and is on pace to pay $9 million this year. Any deal should be to shed future payroll to dip Philly below the LT line. This means anyone they take back should be expiring soon, at least one player. Reports they are trying to sign and trade for Harden are grossly exaggerated, the money doesn't even close to lineup without Harris. A sign and trade where they send Harris + picks/young players gets the deal done to get Harden (financially speaking). But because only Embiid, Harris, Simmons make enough to send back in a package for Harden, they are the only central pieces that can be used. Of those, Simmons makes the least meaning any trade back for Harden at a max salary would increase their cap situation upwards of $7 million more (adding $20 million or more to their tax) and leave then without a power forward. Any deal where they bring in Collins, Gallo, Bogi + picks leaves them so LT heavy they'd be in Tax hell and would lack the trade capital to pull off the sign and trade (without sending out Collins as well). This is all convoluted, I know. The only way for Morey to accomplish what he wants to accomplish is a trade for Gallo, Bogi, 2 x 1sts. This makes Bogi and Harris the center piece of any future trade for Harden and then they pass through the picks we sent. They waive Gallo or spend on him for 1 year only to set themselves up to get out of tax hell. But any trade where they get/keep Collins pairs too much salary with the future salaries of Harden/Embiid and will make surrounding them with shooters (a must) untenable. Their young players will come up for extension and they will lose them because they can't pay them. Philly isn't a rich franchise. It is the ability to use Bogi as a trade chip and/or the ability to waive Gallo with only a $5 million cap hit that makes it all work for Philly. An extra $25 million a year in Collins' salary breaks their cap situation going forward if they want Harden. Its too much.

Knox can be traded but only in a 1 for 1 scenario. He can't be packaged. Kevin can go anywhere. It doesn't take OKC to take him. But the math for trading him is Current salary + average of the extension then divided by 2. His current salary is a smidge over 4 million, his incoming average salary is a smidge over 16 million. Average the 2 and just have to trade him for a player making about $10 million (give or take). This pushes us into the LT. But he is tradable. Yes TLC can be traded but as you say its the fit/value. Cooper has drawn interest around the league as a throw in to any deal (to which we've answered with a resounding no).

So the end result of the Luka for Trae deal was #3 for #5+#9 + 2022 1st (protected). I'm still not seeing how anyone says we lost that trade when Luka = 1st round exits and these stats this year. BY YEAR TEAM GP MIN PTS FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OREB DREB REB AST TOV STL BLK PF FP DD2 TD3 +/- 2021-22 DAL 32 35.2 25.6 9.2 21.0 43.7 2.3 7.9 29.1 4.9 6.5 75.0 0.8 8.0 8.8 8.7 4.6 1.2 0.5 2.3 49.7 20 5 0.0 Trae = ECF appearance BY YEAR TEAM GP MIN PTS FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OREB DREB REB AST TOV STL BLK PF FP DD2 TD3 +/- 2021-22 ATL 42 34.8 28.0 9.3 20.5 45.5 2.9 7.7 38.0 6.4 7.1 90.0 0.6 3.3 4.0 9.3 4.1 1.0 0.1 1.6 45.7 21 0 1.0 + Knox and a future asset Trae is winning in games played PPG, FG%, 3PT%, FT%, ASS, TOV, +/-

but seriously, I believe that chemistry has a good bit to do with it but also remember we spent half of December/January in Hunter injury/Covid hell. It was really hard to put anything together when we had up to 10 people out with injuries/Covid at the same time.

and nachos. Nothing brings people together like sharing nachos!

I just watched the Grayson Allen foul on Alex Catiso for the first time. Something has to be done about that dude. The initial foul was okay until he added the hard swipe after. He's going to hurt someone.

Early challenge again. Good job Nate.

Love the Commentary from Bob. That's 3 fouls on Plumlee and he's earned every one!

Couldn't be happier for Stafford and the Rams.

As I said last night, in sports.

Got to say, I'm really proud to be an Atlanta fan this morning. The ovation Knox got after hitting that 3, from the crowd/the announcers/his teammates. Whole thing was classy and the kid responded with the block. He looks lost on most sets. Lets hope the coaching staff helps him with his recognition of what we're trying to do. I know its really different than the Knicks. Loved how he got up on that block and followed the play all the way through.

Bad 3 Trae. Bail out on the other end.

Good call!!!

When Knox is in, you can see our schemes are blowing his mind. Only knowing one system, it's like he's a rookie again.

There it is. Knox on wood.

Do not underestimate the impact of xhemistry and karma.

Yah he's just hanging in the corner looking lost on offense.

I'll just leave this right here...

Kevin Chouinard: McMillan on Kevin Knox: “He’ll get an opportunity to play tonight.” 8 mins ago – via Twitter KLChouinard Nate McMillan, Kevin Knox, Atlanta Hawks

I read it but didn't realize it was part 2.

Anyone got the article that can post the most interesting snippets?

In all fairness I'm thinking of my Gallo/Bogi 2 firsts deal. You'd have a starting lineup with Trae/Huerter/Hunter/Collins/Capela, swap out Hunter early to swap in Ben, then when Trae goes out (4 minutes later) you're playing Ben at the point. Until Trae comes back in. You're staggering Ben/Hunter to minimize the time Ben is on the floor with Capela and using OO as the backup 5. Basically giving both Ben and Hunter about 30 minutes but in different positions. When Ben and Trae are on the floor together, Collins is playing mostly as a stretch 4 to open the floor up, give him shot opportunities from 3.

The opposite. Its a 3 man game that JC is good at, Simmons is great at. You have the ball handler, the pic setter and the dunk position. This set is designed to force big men to stop bodying up their man and stop penetration. If the big leaves the dunker, he has an easy stuff, if the moving big leaves the roll, he gets an easy roll and often draws a foul. If both stick with their man, it gives the ball handler lots of options and forces a wing to dip to help leaving a shooter open. Simmons advantage over Collins here is the ability to put the ball on the floor as the roller and being a better passer, decision maker to all people on the floor.