You gotta be more specific with what assets are returning, and who in 2022 will be available and remotely likely to sign here.
The possibility of trading Gobert into space before July 1 next year is virtually 0 since a team would have to sit on their cap space until October to do the Gobert deal. I have hung some hope on a similar scenario with Cleveland (but for a real asset [#3] not a poo-poo platter of middling assets) but it’s the longest of shots.
All based on Mike leaving so we pivot to avoid the luxury and build for the future. So...
Rudy
for
A combination of Rozier, Miles Bridges, PJ Washington, and a boatload of picks
That saves us anywhere from $25 million to $5 million.
-Rozier and PJ saves $10 million.
-Or Bridges and PJ instead which saves about $23 million.
-Or we could take all three, and we still save around $5 million.
Then try to get Lonzo Ball or John Collins using picks and Bojan.
If we can't, we still try to work trades and/or signings.
2021 Lineup (assuming Rozier/PJ trade and no Lonzo/Collins):
Don $28.1
Bojan $18.7
Rozier $17.9
Joe $13.1
Clarkson $12.4
Favors $9.7
Full MLE Player $9.5
Royce $8.8
Washington $4.2
Udoka $2.1
Oni $1.8
#30 $1.6
Hughes $1.5
12 Players - $120 million
Luxury tax is $136
Sign a full MLE player ($9.5)
We avoid the luxury comfortably.
Our cap situation heading into 2022:
Don $30.3
Bojan $19.5 expiring
Clarkson $13.3
Favors $10 expiring
Full MLE from 2021 - $9.7
Royce $9.3
PJ Washington $5.8
Doke $2.2
#30 $1.8
Rozier contract expired
Joe contract expired
That's only $101 million of contracts and $30 of it is expiring Bojan and Favors.
We could trade picks and Bojan/Favors for a good player.
Then sign a max contract player.
Boom - Big 3. We still have Clarkson and Royce too.
And hopefully PJ, Doke, and #30 have developed.
Maybe we can find a way to keep Rozier too, or we could S&T him for more value.
2021 would be a fight to make the playoffs, but I think we could do it. From there we could have a brighter future than we do right now.