NBA Lockout: One Player Every Team Should Cut If "The Arenas Rule" Passes

Raise your hand if you remember the 2005 labor negotiations between the NBA players and owners. 

Okay, you can put your hand down.

I remember all the talk of the "Allan Houston Rule," which was basically the owners way of taking a mulligan on some really stupid business decisions. You see, the owners grossly overpaid several aging players, and now they didn't want to pay the luxury tax on those bad contracts.

So they came up with "The Allan Houston Rule," because Allan Houston was the poster child of this particular problem. He was a good player, but he was past his prime, and he was fighting off a series of injuries that would eventually force him to retire. 

Of course, this all sounds really familiar, right?

Here we are, six years later, and once again the owners are crying about how the system is broken, and they are complaining about players who are basically "stealling money."

Move over, Allan Houston. Hello, Gilbert Arenas.

Arenas is the new poster child for the "Houston Rule," as he is a shell of the player he used to be, but is still owed more than $60 million dollars over the next three seasons. If the owners get their way, they will all be able to pick one player on their roster that they get to "pay to go away." That player will still get his money, he just won't count against the cap or, more importantly, the luxury tax.

Here is who I would cut if I were in charge of every NBA Team.

Boston Celtics: Jermaine O'Neal

2011 Salary: $6.2 million dollars.

Summary: The Celtics will be tempted to sever ties with Kevin Garnett and his $21 million dollar contract, but Garnett still has a little bit left in the tank, and the Celtics have one more year as a title contender. Cutting Garnett would close that window. O'Neal's production doesn't justify his price tag. Cutting him loose might allow the C's to go out and get one more player to get them over the hump.

New Jersey Nets: Travis Outlaw

2011 Salary: $7 million dollars

Summary: Outlaw isn't a bad player, he's just not worth that price tag. The Nets have several guys to pick from: Outlaw ($7 million), Dan Gadzuric ($7.2 million), or Sasha Vujacic ($5.4 million). 

Ladies and gentleman, fact that Outlaw, Gadzuric, and Vujacic make almost $20 million combined is a year is why we are having a lockout! Outlaw draws the short straw because his contract is longer than the other two guys.

New York Knicks: Chauncey Billups

2011 Salary: $14.2 million dollars

Summary: Simply put, Billups is the only real choice the Knicks have. Their roster is made up of Anthony, Stoudemire, Billups, and a bunch of guys that don't make any money. The only other player on the Knicks roster that makes over two million dollars is Rony Turiaf ($4.6 million). Could the Knicks cut Turiaf instead? I guess so, but let's all be honest here. The Knicks aren't going anywhere with this roster. 

Billups doesn't fit the style that Mike D'Antoni wants to play. Cut Billups loose, and then go sign two more players that can help the Knicks get out of the first round of the playoffs!

Philadelphia 76'ers: Elton Brand

2011 Salary: $17 million dollars

Summary: This is probably one of the easiest decisions any team will make. Elton Brand was a really good player, an All Star power forward, and a double-double machine. He got hurt.  He's not worth $17 million a year. 

Was he worth $17 million a year before he got hurt? Probably not, but then again, that's why we're having a lockout.

Toronto Raptors: Bryan Colangelo

2011 Salary: ???

Summary: What? I can't choose Colangelo because he is the GM?  But he put together this crappy roster!

Okay, if I have to pick one player on the Raptors, I'll pick Jose Calderon. He makes $9.2 million dollars a year, and he only averages 10 points and 8 assists per game. To put it in context, he makes almost as much money as Rajon Rondo, and more than Derrick Rose. 

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR 2011 NBA LOCKOUT!!!

Golden State Warriors: Andris Biedrins

2011 Salary: $9 million dollars

Summary: The Warriors would ship Biedrins out so fast it would make his head spin. This guy is a stiff, and he is Exhibit M for why we are having a lockout. 

And all the Warriors' fans said, AMEN!

L.A. Clippers: Mo Williams

2011 Salary: $8.5 million dollars

Summary: Williams isn't a bad player, but there is a reason he's been on four different teams. The Clips could also look at Chris Kaman ($12 million),but I think they could actually trade Kaman and get something back in return. Serviceable big men are hard to find.

Undersized shooting guards who don't come through in the clutch?  Those are easy to find.

Phoenix Suns: Vince Carter

2011 Salary: $18.3 million

Summary: Vince Carter is probably pissed off that this rule is going to be named after him. He is one of the most overpaid players in the NBA. 

Sacremento Kings: Samuel Dalembert

2011 Salary: $13.4 million

Summary: 8 points, 8 rebounds, and not quite 2 blocked shots per game equals over $13 million dollars? I think I'm going to be sick. 

What are these owners thinking giving these kind of contracts out? In what universe is Samuel Dalembert worth $13 million dollars to play basketball?

L.A. Lakers: Ron Artest

2011 Salary: $6.8 million dollars

Summary: The Lakers would have a tough choice between cutting Artest or Luke Walton ($5.7 million). I think Artest is just a shell of himself, he can't shoot, and he has never looked comfortable playing alongside a player as good as Kobe. 

Having said all that, maybe Coach Mike Brown will see value in Artest? If so, Walton could be cut instead of Artest.

Chicago Bulls: Carlos Boozer

2011 Salary: $13.5 million dollars

Summary: Boozer proved my theory of "there are only 6-8 max players in the league." Why do the owners insist on paying max deals to guys like Boozer, Rashard Lewis, and Elton Brand? The owners are the biggest reason we are in this mess. Would Bulls' management pay Boozer about $100 million dollars to go away? 

That is doubtful, but if the Bulls are serious about winning a championship with Derrick Rose, they would do it in a heartbeat.  Get that awful contract off the books and get some cap flexibility.

Cleveland: Antawn Jamison

2011 Salary: $15 million dollars

Summary: Jamison is a decent player, a good role player, the kind of guy that could be a nice third or fourth option on a contender...

He is not worth $15 million dollars a year. Sorry Baron Davis ($13 million), but Jamison is my cut for the Cavaliers.

Detroit: Ben Gordon

2011 Salary: $11.6 million dollars

Summary: Gordon, another player who would be a nice addition as your third or fourth best player, or maybe a lethal scorer off the bench (his role with the Bulls), just isn't worth this kind of money. If this rule was put into place last year, the easy choice for the Pistons would have been Rip Hamilton, but now Hamilton is in the last year of his contract.

Detroit can probably trade that expiring contract to somebody else trying to clear some cap space for next summer's bumper free agent crop.

Indiana: Mike Dunleavy

2011 Salary: $10.5 million dollars

Summary: Dunleavy is a decent player, but again, somebody not worth that price tag.  Doesn't it always seem like Indiana is just stuck in "The Middle?" Isn't that the name of a TV show about a family in Indiana? 

That's just weird, but it's true. The Pacers are always picking in the back of the lottery, or they are the eighth seed in the playoffs. Either way, they have a hard time picking up impact players drafting there. 

Dumping Dunleavy's salary might give them a chance to get some help.

Milwaukee: Michael Redd

2011 Salary: $18.3 million dollars

Summary: Michael Redd has been hurt, so it's hard to remember that this guy is one of the purest shooters on the planet. No disrespect to Redd, but even when he's healthy, he isn't worth this kind of money. 

This is why I keep saying contracts need to be shorter, and they don't need to be fully guaranteed. 

Dallas Mavericks: Deshawn Stevenson

2011 Salary: $4.1 million dollars

Summary: They have players making more money that you could argue they might cut instead. 

I'll keep this short and sweet: Mark Cuban doesn't care about the luxury tax. He might not use this exemption at all, but if they do, I think they will cut Stevenson. He is a Bruce Bowen type of player, a defensive specialist that knocks down open threes. I think they could cut him, use Corey Brewer or Rudy Fernandez in that role, and then use the extra money to resign J.J. Barea.

Houston: Hasheem Thabeet

2011 Salary: $5.1 million dollars

Summary: I think we can officially call it, right? Thabeet is a bust. The Rockets roster is actually in really good shape in terms of not having any really bad salaries. They have done a good job managing that part of it. Now they just need to find more talent. 

If they want to hold onto Thabeet for a year to give him one more chance, okay. 

I just don't think it's going to matter. This guy is a bust.

Memphis: Nobody

This is one of the best managed rosters in the NBA. They hit a home run by picking up Zach Randolph. He is one of the few guys who was vastly overpaid for a few years, then all of a sudden started living up to his pay grade.

The question for this team is, "What do they do with Rudy Gay?" They have to do something to free some money up for Marc Gasol. Do they trade Rudy? Do they hold onto him?

Personally, I'd love to see the Grizzlies hold onto Rudy and try to mesh him with the group that did so well in the playoffs last year. That would be a fun team to watch.

New Orleans: Jarrett Jack

2011 Salary: $5 million dollars, for a backup point guard. Geeeeeez!!!

Summary: Jack is not a bad player, not at all. But the Hornets don't need to invest that kind of money in the backup point guard, because, you know, their starting point guard is pretty dang good.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Hornets actually used the exemption on David West ($8.2 million), one of the best bargain's in the NBA. West has been hurt, and the Hornets are cash strapped (run by the NBA), so they will probably cut the bigger salary.

If that happens, Chris Paul, you are free and clear to request a trade.

San Antonio: Richard Jefferson

2011 Salary: $9.2 million

Summary: This just hasn't worked out.  Jefferson was an all-star caliber player. Who knows if he is anymore? I just know he hasn't even been close to that kind of player for the Spurs. 

This one is pretty easy. 

Denver: Al Harrington

2011 Salary: $6.2 million dollars

Summary: This roster is in flux as much as any in the NBA. Carmelo is gone, and they have a ton of free agents. This might be another team that doesn't use the "Arenas Rule" to unload a salary. If they do, I'm voting for Al Harrington.

If you're going to be horrible, there is no reason to pay Al Harrington over six million dollars, right?

Minnesota: Nikola Pekovic

2011 Salary: $4.6 million dollars

Summary: He averages 5.5 points, 3.0 rebounds per game, and makes just south of $5 million dollars per season. Why wasn't I born taller?

OKC: Nobody

This is the best run franchise in the NBA. It has to make Sam Presti furious that these other owners and GM's are getting off the hook for making bad decisions, when teams like the Thunder make good decisions every offseason.

Of course, it helps when Kevin Durant falls in your lap! That doesn't change the fact that the Thunder just don't make bad personnel decisions.

Portland: Brandon Roy

2011 Salary: $15 million dollars

Summary: This is so sad.  This guy was a great player, maybe one of the few guys that could've broke through and been a player worth of his max deal. 

Unfortunately, he has been hurt, and it's not going to get better. Sorry Portland fans, but this has to happen in order for your team to move forward.

Utah: Al Jefferson

2011 Salary: $14 million dollars

Summary: They are finally rid of Kirilinko's deal ($17.8 million, holy cow!), and if they could wipe out Jefferson's deal, they might be on the road to recovery. Put those young kids out there and let them play. Utah, you are going to be awful, but the good news is you will have a good draft pick in a really nice draft next summer.

Atlanta Hawks: Joe Johnson

2011 Salary: $18 million dollars

Summary: Of course, they probably won't cut Johnson and pay him over $100 million dollars to just walk away. Instead, they will use it on Marvin Williams ($7.5 million).

The Hawks are a good team, but they are handcuffed by poor draft choices (Williams over Chris Paul and Derron Williams), and they are paying a bunch of money to players (Johnson, Al Horford, and Josh Smith) who are all really good, but none of them are great.

The net result, they are good for one series win in the playoffs, and then they get knocked out by one of the superstar teams (Magic, Heat, Celtics, etc).

Charlotte Bobcats: Corey Magette

2011 Salary: $10.2 million dollars

Summary: Again, this is a case of a really, really bad team that isn't going anywhere. They aren't paying the luxury tax, so they might stand pat. However, if they are going to cut one guy to help their cap number, it's going to be Magette. 

Miami Heat: None

Mike Miller might be the obvious choice, but the Heat need every good player they can get. What the Heat have to hope and pray for is that whatever the new CBA looks like, that it better include some kind of mid-level exception that allows them to go out and add another solid veteran like Mike Miller.

And they better hope that whoever that player is, he can play some point guard!

Washington: Rashard Lewis

2011 Salary: $21.1 million dollars

Summary: If Arenas is Exhibit A for why we need a reset to the system, then Lewis is Exhibit B. I am not blaming Lewis for signing the contract. If somebody offered me that much money, I'd have said yes, too!

But you can't tell me that this guy deserves to be paid more than Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, etc. The Wizards wouldn't hesitate to make this move.

Orlando: Who Else? Gilbrert Arenas

2011 Salary: $19.2 million dollars

Summary: Again, it's not his fault some dumb owner offered him this much money, but Arenas isn't a "max level" player. On top of that, he brought a gun into the locker room. 

It's not fair to label him as the poster child for this rule, but Arenas would surely be cut if "The Arenas Rule" is included in the new CBA.