Posted this earlier in this thread: cLips have 17 on the roster and 2 of those contracts are unguaranteed, so they're going to either have to cut Patrick Beverley (one of the unguaranteed contracts on their books) or find a trade partner to get their roster to 15 by the time the season starts. So it looks like the cLips will have to make some type of roster decision soon. Next year, they have 4 unguaranteed contracts (Avery Bradley accounting for roughly 13m as one of those deals) and as a result can have roughly 44m in team salary next summer. That would put them in position to have roughly 65m in cap next summer, but that doesn't incorporate an incomplete roster charge. So it would be in their best interest to trade for Butler and have his 30.7m cap hold on the books (his max would be 32.7m). That would give them roughly 2m in cap wiggle and still go chase another max free agent with that extra bit of flexibility. Imho cLips should be the team to watch right now and if they get something done, I feel a whole lot better about Kawhi coming to the Lakers. Notice that Toronto wasn't on Butler's list and even tho Kawhi could join Butler as a cLip next summer, it doesn't seem like a natural fit as a duo imo. Also if those 2 did talk about joining forces, this would indicate that Kawhi is definitely not staying in Toronto. I still think Kyrie/Butler to the cLips with Kawhi to the Lakers would be amazing for LA. #StarWars
What are the Clippers going to have to give up? West won't allow them to be gutted. Does MN have any leverage? Will the Knicks or Nets want to bid against the Clips?
@LaVarBallsDad My pleasure bro. To clarify further, the cLips can even talk to Gallinari about a buyout for his 22.6m expiring deal next summer. If not, they can stretch him and have him count as 7.5m of dead cap for the next 3 years starting next summer....either option provides them a full 32.7m spot for 30% max free agents like Kyrie/Kawhi/Boogie or even a 38.2m slot for a 35% free agent like KD. So they are definitely in position to trade for Butler and add another max guy next summer. @LTLakerFan The cLips draft cupboard is bare. The earliest they can trade a 1st round pick is 2021. They would need a minimum of 16.24m in outgoing salary to acquire Butler. So I'm assuming they can offer an expiring Tobias (14.8m) + one of their 2018 1st round picks in Shai or Robinson + 2021 protected 1st and call it a day. Obviously, Tobias would have to show some sign of commitment to Minny otherwise he's just an expiring and would provide no real benefit to Minny than the pseudo expiring deal of Butler once he walks next summer. Either way, the cLips do have a variety of pieces, from expiring deals, to young team friendly contract players, to unguaranteed contracts like Beverley to complete a deal before training camps starts. The cLips are also sitting on a roster of 17 players and MUST make some type of move to bring their roster down to 15.
Ummm .... if they have 2 max slots available in July and with West's ties to Durant at GS .... are we not starting to get a little worried about that scenario with both Leonard and and Durant joining Butler rather than this talk of Durant coming to the Lakers? I'd still want a piece of them BIG time after the contingent plans Magic and Rob counter with with our cap space and growth of our own talent. Might be West just doing an amazing job there too in a short amount of time after blowing it all up. Rivaling what Magic and Rob are doing with the Lakers.
It’s actually not on there. After it was removed here on LB, I forgot to put it online. Forgot all about it til I saw that picture.
If clips get Butler, I'm okay with it, they had Blake, cp3 , and DeAndre and still couldn't do s***. Plus Butler is just as Injury proned as the clips lob City team. The only players we should be interested in is Kawhi, KD, Klay and to an extent AD's availability. I'm excited about the team we currently have and I can see us making a splash in the playoffs
i can't imagine butler and kawhi teaming up. they're very similar in their playing styles it'll be butler and irving or nothing. although as mentioned earlier, logo's ties to KD could make this very interesting god i hate this whole teaming up thing that's been happening in the NBA since 2010. thanks lebron
If the Lakers would have traded Kobe, I guarantee he would have dropped 100 on us (or 88 or 92 or something) in Staples in a regular season game, and what is more he would have gotten a standing O for it.
he wants to team up with another star in los angeles. but not with lebron and the lakers? you do you, brah.
My feelings exactly abeer3. If he wants the Clippers over the Lakers, good on yah Jimmy, but you really lost me there.