FanPost

OKC is the target -- think it works

I probably don't understand matters so be kind. But as I understand it OKC has for years sacrificed itself to avoid paying luxury tax. They dumped Harden just for that purpose -- amazing. Well, somehow they got themselves in a bind and I think they owe tax this year. Never mind, they stand to owe a huge tax next year without serious action.

This year they traded for Enes Kanter and he has flaws, especially on defense. But can they keep Kanter even if they want to do so. If they let both Kanter and Singler walk, OKC is at $78.3 million -- right about the tax threshold. But they have draft picks -- the #14 to be exact -- and he will cost money. What do they do? Last year OKC, to avoid rookie contract costs, simply drafted this kid Heustis and never signed him to a contract. Follow me, I am getting there.

At least for fun I am going to argue that OKC wants to avoid the tax next year and, therefore, wants to get rid of costly players and draft choices THIS YEAR. That is, they will want good draft picks in exchange for their players -- but they want those picks moved forward in time to when the salary cap is raised significantly. The CELTS can do well by them in this desire.

Here goes. OKC sends Kanter and Steve Novak to the CELTS as well as their #14 pick in 2015. The Kanter trade must obviously be a sign and trade and it will have to be a salary number that fits within the Rondo TPE of somewhat more than $12 million. Novak will be taken with the Tayshaun Prince TPE. That will be a hit on the Celtics cap space of about $11 million. But OKC reduces their cap hit to about the luxury tax level without taking any salary back.

In exchange, OKC gets future picks, lots of them. They get the Celt's 2 second round picks in 2015, the Minnesota pick in 2016 that is likely to become seconds, and they get a couple of Celts additional second round picks. As the ultimate sweetener, they get a future Celt's first round pick.

The upshot is that Celts get the OKC #14 pick in 2015, Enes Kanter and Steve Novak as salary dump. The Celts give a lot of future picks away -- just what OKC should want -- but nothing terribly damaging. The Celts have three first round picks in 2015 and three in 2016. After that who knows anyway with lockouts and new TV money in 2017.

In short, OKC should want to roll picks and salaries forward in time and that is exactly what the Celts should want to accommodate given all of their future picks. What could go wrong? as the builder of the Hindenburg blimp said..

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