Current Avatar:
No Avatar image uploaded
No Avatar image uploaded
NBA Trade Rumors Member Posts
Koby's Profile
Koby's Posts and Other Poster's Replies To Koby's Posts
Koby's banter posts with other poster's replies to Koby's banter posts
20 Apr 2014 00:29:31
Some GM's think Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook to leave Thunder
Neither Kevin Durant nor Russell Westbrook can leave the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency for the next few seasons, but that doesn't mean a few NBA general managers aren't convinced that one of them will be on the move down the road.
Citing the difficulty of sharing the spotlight, according to Ric Bucher, a handful of GM's believe one of the two will eventually depart Oklahoma City for greener pastures.
It may be wishful thinking, but several GMs are still convinced Westbrook and Durant will go their separate ways, the challenge of sharing top billing in a market as small as Oklahoma City being too much for them.
It's not outlandish to think such could happen, but there aren't many better markets (in terms of fan support) than OKC and the Thunder have a good thing going. Add all that up and you have a situation where either player leaving seems like GM's wanting it to happen rather than it actually going down.
20 Apr 2014 00:28:02
Carmelo Anthony's time with the New York Knicks is seemingly at an end, as Melo is expected to exercise his early termination option and enter the free agent class of 2014. So who could afford Anthony and what would it take to get him there?
The Chicago Bulls have been linked to Anthony, and according to NBA salary cap wizard Larry Coon, they might be able to outbid other potential suitors with next season's new cap structure.
According to Coon, the league has raised the projected 2014-15 salary cap from $62.9 million to $63.2 million and the luxury tax threshold has gone up from $75.7 million to $77. 0 million. This puts the Bulls in a good position to make a run at Melo.
When Coon crunches the numbers, he says the Knicks could go as high as five years and $129.1 million, while other teams (Chicago included) would max out at $95.9 million over four years. But Anthony has stated he doesn't want to re-build with the Knicks, so this is a case where money may not be the deciding factor.
The Bulls won't be able to give Melo a max deal without gutting the roster, and that's not going to happen. Anthony would have to take a pay cut to play in Chicago, with a first-year salary that would top out at around $17.5 million, which is significantly less than the $22. 45 million he could get in a max deal.
Anthony is nearing the end of his career, and he knows it. The window for winning an NBA title is quickly closing, so chances are that he'll go with a team that offers a competitive contract and gives him the best shot at finally getting a ring.