CTMagicUK

That's true, they finished second in the West. And both were good. But let's be fair that's the year JJJ won DPOY and Ja averaged 26/8/6. But realistically the same is true here, as good as Bane and, to a lesser extent, Tyus might end up being this team will go as far as Paolo and Franz take us.

To be fair, I didn't specify but bringing back Mo was part of my "basically done".

What's the consensus, are we basically done? Head says yes, heart says there might be something else out there for us.

Kings giving Dennis Schroder 3/45 is wild.

Gary Harris has signed with Milwaukee.

Oh **** Bucks waived Dame. Crazy.

Wow Bucks getting Myles Turner, that Pacers team really might end up being a flash in the pan. Not even guaranteed to make the playoffs without Hali or Turner.

Teams are still trying to navigate the best way to approach the new CBA and Memphis basically decided they think it's better to only have 2 guys on max money (Ja and JJJ) rather than trying to construct a roster around 3 max guys. I don't know what the appetite in Memphis ownership is to paying the luxury tax either which probably influenced it (a quick Google says they haven't paid the luxury tax since 2005 apparently).

I don't think it's an overpay to be honest, he was worth more than the vet minimum last year he just took a reduced salary to be a starter on what was supposed to be a contender. His brother Tre just signed a 3 year 24mil deal. Davion Mitchell just signed a 2 year 24mil deal. Ty Jerome just signed 3 year 27mil. Sam Merrill 4 year 38mil. I think I'd rather have Tyus at 1 year 7mil than any of those guys at their numbers.

I'm thinking we're going to need to have a big man on one of our 2 way spots considering: Mo, if brought back, might miss half a season or something WCJ averages about 60 games a season. Isaac is the kind of fall back option for big minutes and his health can't ever really be presumed. There is still 1 unsigned UDFA who might be worth a 2 way (or at least an Exhibit 10 to try and earn a 2 way) and that's Viktor Lakhin.

Ok so we'll see if we have anything else to do but for now: Guards: Suggs, Bane, Tyus, AB, Jase, Jett Forwards: Franz, Paolo, TDS, Isaac, Penda Bigs: WCJ, Goga, Mo (presumed) It's not as deep as I'd like to be without some growth from TDS (which I am hopeful of tbf) or Jett or contributions from rookies but it's definitely the most talented team we've had in recent memory and it's addressed significant weaknesses from the last couple years.

Also since the Tyus money was more than the Taxpayer MLE it means we used the full MLE and are now hard capped at the first apron amount of $195.9mil. If you account for Jase and Noah contracts I make it we have about 5 mil of room with 2 open roster spots. Doesn't feel like a lot to give Mo who it's been reported is coming back. Maybe I'm being greedy but I would have liked 1 more aggressive move, some creative sign and trade or something.

I'm incredibly skeptical Tyus Jones can survive on defense in a playoff setting, he's just so small. So in that regard I'm a little underwhelmed because I'd have liked to add someone who could realistically impact a playoff series with our one free agency move. But this is a team that started Cory Joseph 16 times last year and were bad at shooting, assists and turnovers all year and Tyus helps with all of that, plus according to Grizz fans he plays great with Bane. More of a regular season, floor raising move for me. I.e. if we have some guard injuries Tyus can step in and start and keep us afloat but I'm not expecting him to elevate us in a playoff setting.

Both those deals were fine at the time. Nobody thought KCP was an overpay when it happened and Cole was a fair gamble on his improving that didn't pay off but ultimately didn't matter considering it would have expired at the end of this season which, before the Bane trade, was timed for when the Paolo max hit and put us in the tax. Without either of those two contracts we don't have the salary to match Bane and might have to give up players we actually want to keep. I don't really buy that Sam Vecenie stuff that we gave up picks to get off their money. We gave up picks to avoid giving up any of the core.

If you believe the rumours the Hawks are signing every available wing in free agency.

I actually like Clarkson for us weirdly, I dunno why I just always liked him, dude gets buckets. (Yes I understand the irony of me calling Tre Mann an inefficient combo guard and then saying I like Jordan Clarkson).

Rumour is that the Rockets are getting DFS.

I like it. I'd do it. I just think if Weltman is in "win now" mode he'll take more known commodities. EDIT: I'd actually only do it at very cheap. Inefficient, not great defensively, combo guard coming off back surgery isn't super exciting as your big FA move even if he is young and talented.

Luke Kennard and Landry Shamet both "drawing interest from a number of contenders looking for shooting and guard depth" we're not specifically mentioned but that could very well include us for either. Definitely more tax payer mid level calibre guys than full MLE guys though.

This is interesting, the Magic have extended the two way qualifying offer to Mac McClung but to my knowledge he's not eligible to play on a 2 way this year so the qualifying offer is a 1 year minimum deal with some minimum guarantee unless he gets a better offer from another team. Suggests we might be getting to a situation where we need to fill that last roster spot with someone cheap, OR maybe we want to sign and trade him as part of some larger deal to make up some salary (if that's possible, which I think it is but am not 100% certain about).

It is believed Orlando’s Sunday business — declining the $11 million team option for Moe Wagner along with the $2.1 million team option for Caleb Houstan — represents two steps toward creating the financial wiggle room needed to finally land Tyus Jones in the Magic Kingdom after the veteran point guard has been linked to them for years. And also League sources say Memphis spent the weekend actively trying to shed the contract of newly acquired Cole Anthony, who joined the Grizzlies as part of the Desmond Bane trade with Orlando, by finding a trade partner willing to absorb his salary. Both from Jake Fischer.

Alright so looking into the numbers, we're about 17.5mil under the first apron and have access to the full MLE. BUT if we use the full MLE we are hard capped at the first apron meaning we'd basically be able to use most of the MLE, sign Jase and Penda and call it a day (there may be a couple mil wiggle room I CBA to do the math). We'd have to get off of more money to re-sign Mo or Caleb or add other vet minimum guys. If we only use the taxpayer MLE we have considerably less money to offer (about 2 years 11mil total) but we'd then only be hard capped at the second apron leaving us plenty of space to bring back Mo or add other vet minimum free agents. Which is to say we might still need to dump Jett or trade Goga or JI for less incoming salary to add an impact free agent.

I'd honestly be open to giving Caleb a small raise and an extension if we have the room. Like a 3 year 10mil deal total with a team option in year 3 or something. If he's just as he is now he's basically a vet minimum guy and can be a throw in in trades etc, if he improves he's a steal for a couple of years.

That was the more fun off-season option. Now we wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Trade Goga for a guard. Dayron Sharpe for the minimum (or at least a discount on Gogas 8 mil) as a third C?