Expiring contracts: Who's got 'em?
02/12/2008
Paulsen Home / Sports Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
It’s a yearly ritual. Every January and February, the NBA trade winds heat up. We’ve already had two blockbuster deals go down -- Pau Gasol to the Lakers and the Shaq/Shawn Marion trade -- and we might see a few more before the Feb. 21 trade deadline. Gasol was traded for peanuts, but the deal included Kwame Brown’s $9.1 million expiring contract, which allows the Grizzlies to get rid of the remaining $50 million that they would have owed Gasol over the next three seasons. For Memphis, it was worth giving away an All-Star to slash salary. The franchise has been for sale for the past couple of seasons, and the lower the payroll, the more appealing the Grizzlies are for potential buyers. They feel that they have a good core to build around in Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, Hakim Warrick and Juan Carlos Navarro, so it would hinder the sale to have Gasol’s big (but fair) contract on the payroll.
Now it looks like the Grizzlies might be moving Mike Miller, who has two years and $18.8 million remaining on his contract. Miller is one of the best shooters in the league -- second-best, according to my calculations -- and his salary is reasonable considering what he brings to the table.
This got me thinking, if Memphis was willing to give Gasol away for an expiring contract, they might do the same for Miller. The Grizzlies did get a couple of first-round picks and Javaris Crittenton for Gasol, but they might not need those kinds of extras if they can rid themselves of Miller’s contract.
So which teams have expiring contracts and what could they do with them?
Below is a list of nine players who are in the final year of their contracts and are getting paid at least $5 million this season. There are a few good, several mediocre and a couple of bad players on this list, but the truth is that each player’s value is enhanced simply because he’s in the last year of his contract. We’ll start with the biggest contract and work our way down.
Antawn Jamison, Wizards
Salary: $16.4 M
The 31 year old is still playing at a high level and was just named to his second All-Star Game. It’s not clear what the Wizards plan to do with him, but Washington is still in the thick of the playoff hunt so don’t expect the team to move him unless they fall out of contention, and that shouldn’t happen before Feb. 21. They might just wait for the end of the season before negotiating a new contract. The plan is to re-sign Gilbert Arenas, so it will be interesting to see just how much money is left for Jamison.
Theo Ratliff, Timberwolves
Salary: $11.7 M
Ah, Theo. Your contract is more famous than you are. Right now, Ratliff is sitting on the Minnesota bench. The Timberwolves could probably land any number of good players for Ratliff’s contract, but buyer beware. If teams are looking to get rid of a player, there’s usually something wrong. GM Kevin McHale will have the team’s payroll slashed to $35.5 million in the 2009-10 season, so unless he can get a good, young player at a fair price, expect Ratliff to be in Minnesota all season. (Though you never know what bad deal McHale will execute.) Memphis’ fire sale is one good place to shop -- Mike Miller turns 28 in a few days, and should still be effective once Al Jefferson, Randy Foye and Co. are ready to compete.
Jason Williams, Heat
Salary: $8.9 M
“White Chocolate” is another player that could be traded for Miller. In fact, it would make more sense for the Heat to add Miller than the Timberwolves, since the Heat will be ready to compete next season. Miller would join a lineup that already includes Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion. Wade brings the penetration, Marion the rebounding and defense, and Miller brings the shooting.
Kurt Thomas, Sonics
Salary: $8.1 M
Seattle is building around 19 year old Kevin Durant and 21 year old Jeff Green. They don’t want to do anything to stunt either player’s growth or reduce salary cap flexibility down the road, so there’s a good chance that they’ll sit on Thomas until the end of the season and let his contract come off the books. The Sonics are projected to have major salary cap space in 2009-10, so it’s feasible that they could add a couple of big time players when Durant and Green are ready to compete.
Ron Artest, Kings
Salary: $7.8 M
Artest is an expiring contract with a caveat: he’s basically a nutcase. If you bring him in, you’ll risk messing with your chemistry and you’ll be expected to sign him to an extension. Over the past month, he has said that he thinks the Kings would be better off without him and that it’s probably time to move on. His contract may be up, but his value is as a basketball player, not as future salary cap flexibility. If he gets moved, it will probably be to a playoff-bound team with a lack of toughness.
Ricky Davis, Heat
Salary: $6.8 M
There are rumors swirling that the Grizzlies may trade Miller for Davis (instead of Jason Williams). Neither player would likely be on the Memphis roster next season so it doesn’t really matter. Either move makes a lot of sense for the Heat.
Sam Cassell, Clippers
Salary: $6.2 M
Cassell has asked the Clippers to agree to a buyout so that he can sign with Boston and play for a championship. It’s not going to make him happy if the Clippers move him to another team, but Miller might be had for Cassell, Dan Dickau and a draft pick.
Brent Barry, Spurs
Salary: $5.6 M
Here’s a trade that won’t happen but should: Brent Barry, Michael Finley and a first-round pick for Miller. Why won’t it happen? The Spurs are so worried about messing up their vaunted chemistry that they wouldn’t trade away known (but old) quantities in Barry and Finley for Miller, who just might mess things up. It’s too bad, because the Spurs aren’t looking like a championship-caliber team right now, and adding Miller for peanuts might just put them back in the running come April.
Eduardo Najera, Nuggets
Salary: $5.0 M
The Nuggets are reportedly interested in Ron Artest, so how about trading Najera and the up-and-coming Linas Kleiza for him? Or, if the Kings would rather get a pick, they could opt for one of the Nuggets’ lesser-known players to make the numbers work.
Like I said, there are some good players on this list. Considering the Wizards’ solid playoff chances, Jamison is probably too good to be moved this season, but Ron Artest and Sam Cassell could have new zip codes by the end of the month. Of course, with expiring contracts it’s not as much about the player’s ability as it is about the future salary cap flexibility he represents. That’s why guys like Theo Ratliff, Ricky Davis or Brent Barry can get you Mike Miller. Somebody needs to pull the trigger on this guy!
Send questions and comments to jpaulsen@bullz-eye.com.