They still have huge question marks at the positions most difficult to fill—center and point guard—and will have very little cap space to add anyone significant to play either position until Brendan Haywood, Etan Thomas, and Antonio Daniels become free agents in 2010. The Wizards could have cap space in 2010, but they might have to use it to fill out their roster with so few players under contract.
The Suns have three huge contracts that expire in the summer of 2010—those of Steve Nash, Shaquille O'Neal and the opt-out possibility of Amare Stoudemire. Nash has a player option for the 2009-10 season, but is sure to exercise it, and test free agency in 2010 with so many teams under the cap.
If they decide to let O'Neal and Nash go, the would still be able to re-sign Stoudemire and bring in a significant free agent. If they are able to move either Boris Diaw or Leandro Barbosa, then they would be able to retain Stoudemire and bring in two significant free agents.
Because of the average age of their current roster, the Lakers only have two question marks before 2010. The first is, will they trade Lamar Odom, allow him to walk in free agency, or give him a contract extension next summer? The second is, will Kobe Bryant opt out in 2010?
If the Lakers allow Odom to walk, then they'll have the ability to sign someone with their mid-level exemption that wouldn't cost them as much as Odom, even with the luxury tax.
If they trade Odom, they're looking at the same type of financial situation they are currently in, regardless of the player they receive in return.
If they extend Odom, then they better hope he's willing to take less money for more years to remain with the team, or they won't have the ability to add anyone significant until Vladimir Radmanovic's contract expires the year after.
With respect to Kobe Bryant, the Lakers don't have to worry about teams offering Kobe a deal for more money per year. Even a team with cap room wouldn't be able to offer Bryant as much money as the Lakers and still have the money to fill out its roster.
It's highly unlikely that Bryant would choose not to opt out, considering he'll be approaching his 32nd birthday. At 32, he can still get a five-year deal for $100 million or more. If he chooses not to exercise the option, then he won't be able to test the market until he's 34, when it will be unlikely that he'll receive more than four years.
The good news for Lakers fans is that the team overachieved this past season, and they are extremely young. The bad news for Lakers fans is that if they take a step backwards they run the risk of being stuck with an overpriced underachieving team—or worse, the looming prospect of Kobe going elsewhere.
I'll call the next category of NBA teams "The Fine Wines
61 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete