NBA Lockout: The Amnesty Clause Casualties

As we are all Tebowing (this fad will last about a week right?) that a deal comes into place shortly, ending the NBA lockout so that we have a full 82-game season, one stipulation sounds like it is certain to be in place:

The amnesty clause, which would allow teams to pay players just to stay away from their team and off of their salary cap.

However, lucky for Gilbert Arenas and others, they teams still have to pay them.

While 95 percent of the league can find a contract to get rid of right now, a new wrinkle may come into place allowing teams to save their amnesty clause through next offseason and maybe beyond. This is big, especially with a shortened offseason; this would allow teams to carefully decide who they want to have disappear and by using this clause next offseason we could appropriately name this new stipulation the Dwight Howard Clause.

Assuming Howard opts out of his deal next summer, teams can shed any deal and use that cap space to sign him while jettisoning their unwanted contract. This may work for a couple teams, but with the amount of bad contracts floating around the NBA, most teams want their worst contract off of their books now.

Here is a look at who each team would “amnesty” either now or next summer. 

1. Atlanta Hawks

This team is in trouble.

If teams didn’t have to honor their contract to the player they "amnesty" Joe Johnson would be a no-brainer, but would anyone pay someone $107 million to just go away? Who would they be able to lure to Atlanta if he was gone?

I think they need to admit to their other mistake and end the Marvin Williams era by cutting his $25 million off the books. 

Why is Rick Sund still a GM in this league?

2. Boston Celtics

Investopedia explains a sunk cost as “A worn-out piece of equipment bought several years ago is a sunk cost because the cost of buying it cannot be reversed.”

Enter the amnesty clause and now we can reverse it to say so long to Jermaine O’Neal and his $6.2 million due next year.

This would free up space for the Boston Celtics to sign someone who can contribute or even get up and down the floor to keep their small championship window open just a little bit longer.

3. Charlotte Bobcats

Take your pick here: Corey Maggette, DeSagana Diop, Matt Carroll and even Tyrus Thomas—is he worth $33 million-plus over four years?

I'll say Maggette just for a reason to play this clip, plus Charlotte shouldn't want Kemba Walker learning, well, anything about the NBA from Maggette.  

4. Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls could get rid of Ronnie Brewer and save $9 million over the next two years or they can play this shorten year out and wait till next year and have Derrick Rose talk Dwight Howard into coming to Chicago, "amnesty" Carlos Boozer and sign Dwight Howard.

Would there be a better situation for Howard to come into other than Chicago next summer?

The Bulls could feature Rose and Luol Deng in the backcourt (they should have no problem working with Noah and Howard in the post) with Taj Gibson, Joakim Noah and now Howard up front. Is Howard going to find a better situation than that? In a big market no less?

Even if Howard didn’t come this would make sense. Taj Gibson looked better in the playoffs last year and at about one-fifteenth of the price. 

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

Even though we don't need even one, here are three reasons it's Baron Davis:

1. I wouldn't want him anywhere near Kyrie Irving.

2. It saves over $28 million off of the salary cap.

3. Because it sticks it to the L.A. Clippers one more time as they can now simply pay to let Davis walk while collecting the No. 1 overall pick. 

6. Dallas Mavericks

Mark Cuban is one owner that will have no problem paying any one player to walk away so he can go sign someone else.

It's Brendan Haywood because he can eat the $45.4 million no problem and it allows him to sign someone that can actually produce.

7. Denver Nuggets

It's Al Harrington, just one of many boneheaded signings last summer that helped get us into this lockout mess.

He is owed $27.7 million over the next four years, although the Denver Nuggets might have to keep just to have enough players on their team for next year as most of them are going to play in China next year. Too bad his (former) teammates couldn't take him with them. 

Is any team having a worse offseason than the Nuggets? And we haven’t even had an offseason yet!

8. Detroit Pistons

You can make a case for Ben Gordon and an even better one for Charlie Villanueva, but you have to go with Richard Hamilton and his $25 million over the next two years.

At least the Detroit Pistons can hold out hope that either Gordon or Villanueva play well enough so that some other team may trade for them.

Stranger things have happened.

9. Golden State Warriors

It's Andris Biedrins.

I have never been so sure about anything in my life that the Warriors would use their amnesty clause on him.

10. Houston Rockets

Someone tell Tanzania that Hasheem Thabeet is coming back home.

11. Indiana Pacers

The good news is the Pacers don’t really have any deals that really warrant an "amnesty."

The bad news is that this is the only good news for this team.

They could use it on James Posey, but with his contract expiring why not ride it out and maybe you can flip him for a draft pick at the trade deadline?

12. L.A. Clippers

Same goes for L.A. Clippers and Chris Kaman—ride out his contract as it expires after this season or possibly trade him.

I’d go with Ryan Gomes and his $8 million owed over the next two years, but wouldn't argue if they keep him.

On another note, Dwight Howard has to at least think about signing with this team next year, doesn’t he?

13. L.A. Lakers

I'd go with Metta World Peace just because his contract is one year longer than Luke Walton’s.

That and because he is just good enough that the Lakers have to play him, whereas Walton is bad enough that the Lakers can warrant benching him without any trouble. 

14. Memphis Grizzles

I would want to use it on Mike Conley, but I couldn't justify paying anyone $32 million to walk when he is serviceable, albeit overpaid.

Their best bet is to save their "amnesty" to cover themselves in case Zach Randolph shows up to camp at the 350-lb mark.

15. Miami Heat

It should be Mike Miller, allowing them to hit the reset button on their mid-level exception.

16. Milwaukee Bucks

It should be Beno Udrih.

A salary of $15 million over two years is quite a lot for a backup point guard, isn’t it?

17. Minnesota Timberwolves

That Darko Milicic deal isn’t all that bad after looking over every team's payroll. That being said, I’d save their "amnesty" because you know Minnesota GM David Kahn is going to sign someone this year that he will need to use the "amnesty" on next summer.  

18. New Jersey Nets

It's Travis Outlaw, no question.

I can already see the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary in a few years describing how the free-agent summer of 2010 ruined the NBA.

19. New Orleans Hornets

Can you believe the Hornets only have six players under contract right now?

I’d get rid of Trevor Ariza and his $21.8 million owed as he could be easily replaced with a cheaper option. Some other team can sign him for what he is worth and he can go back to being a slight overachiever for the price.

20. New York Knicks

The New York Knicks could’ve used this clause a few years ago, as now there is no one to really use it on.

Too bad they can't use it on Mike D'Antoni.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder

You can’t justify the Oklahoma City Thunder using their "amnesty" on anyone on this roster.

Maybe Cole Aldrich just to save time by not having to send him back and forth from the D-League.

22. Orlando Magic

Even with Hedo Turkoglu on their roster there is no way the Orlando Magic pass up getting rid of Gilbert Arenas and the $62.4 million left on his contract.

23. Philadelphia 76ers

Elton Brand has actually played well enough so that his contract can now only be described as being just a bad one.

Andres Nocioni is not a $6.6-million-a-year player and here is the 76ers' chance to nullify his deal. 

24. Phoenix Suns

A team figured to be featured heavily on the impending 30 for 30 doc, the Phoenix Suns have plenty of options here, but I can already hear the line “The Suns gave a $33 million deal to a swingman who hadn't played in the NBA for two years and who averaged 15 points a game in Europe!”

As soon as the Suns "amnesty" Josh Childress, don’t you think he would have a hard time landing even a league-minimum NBA contract? 

25. Portland Trail Blazers

It would be tough to pull the trigger on this one, but it has to be Brandon Roy and his $68.7 million remaining.

Ideally, they should wait at least this season just to see if he can hold up at all, and if not, just use the amnesty clause on him next summer.

The Blazers have a great core and if they can use that cap space on an elite player they could become a Western Conference power. 

26. Sacramento Kings

There is no one that is really overpaid or that hampers the Sacramento Kings.

Although I could see them using it on Francisco Garcia, but he can still light it up at times and is "only" owed $11.9 million over the next two seasons. I’d say save it, but have no problem if they used it on Francisco.

27. San Antonio Spurs

It's Richard Jefferson and his $30.5 million owed over the next three years.

If the Spurs can add a productive player in lieu of Jefferson, it might take the sting out of that first-round playoff exit.

28. Toronto Raptors

Jose Calderon is owed $20.3 million over the next two years.

Linas Kleiza is owed $13.8 over the next three seasons.

I’d go with Calderon, but you can’t go wrong either way.

29. Utah Jazz

Lots of good options for the Utah Jazz.

They can get rid of the $10.9 million owed to Mehmet Okur.

Or they could wait until next season (they are not going to contend this year anyway) and use it on Al Jefferson, paving the way for Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter.

Or they can trade Jefferson; they should be able to trade him to a contender with only one year left on his deal and use it on Devin Harris, giving them a backcourt of Alec Burks and Gordon Hayward and a ton of cap space.

Assuming their draft picks pan out and they get a high draft pick in next year's loaded draft, the Utah Jazz could become the next Oklahoma City Thunder. 

30. Washington Wizards

OK, I lied—now I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life: The Washington Wizards will use their amnesty clause on Rashard Lewis.