All Hope is Lost?

Your first one is a beaut. It all depends on Chandler’s (and his agent’s) ego. He has $12.3 million coming next season. I think most people (and presumably Tyson) would look at that and see if he takes that deal he’ll make $7.7 total for three seasons following it. (5 million x 4 years = 20 million total) If he thinks he can finish up in Charlotte, pocket his 12.3 and sign with Charlotte or another team for more than that 7.7 million remaining dollars (or roughly $2.6 million per year for 3 years) he won’t bite on it. I’m assuming you were just pulling numbers to explain your deal, and I’m just plugging in mine based on your figures. My point is, we have to break up his contract with enough money in it that he’ll think it’s his better value to jump for it. He might be willing to do it for $7 million per for 4 years – a guaranteed $28. That still saves us over $5 million bucks to go shopping with (or give some to Thomas and shop with the rest) and the only downside is that we’ll be stuck with Chandler for an extra 3 seasons. Given that $7 million is a lot closer to his real market value than what he’s making now, the pill won’t be too bitter for fans to swallow. I LOVE your idea man! I wish there were a way to drop it in Jordan’t ear. I could sell that to Chandler real easy. “Tyson, this keeps you in a Charlotte uniform for most of your remaining career, gives you a solid salary, AND it gives us an opportunity to improve the team and really fight for a shot at a title ring for your finger to boot.” I’d start with your $5 million x 4 deal to give him and his agent a base number and then wait for his counter offer. (If he comes back asking for 6 so much the better!) It ROCKS man. Pure genius. Next season you and I have GOT to hook up at a game. Between the two of us we’ll solve all the teams problems before the cheesy halftime show!

As to the other things you presented, I think some combination of Chandler, Nazr, and Deej will be actively shopped around the league – especially if we keep RayRay in town. Larry Brown LOVES Felton and probably would barely notice if Augustin wasn’t around anymore. If StingRay DOES go the free agent route, we’re kinda stuck with Augustin and will probably even have to extend him until we get a draft pick or two. If DJ plays the way we know he can, he’s a bargain. But if he is as inconsistent next season as he was for the current one, he’ll kill us dead as a starter. Maybe we can get someone to wear a Diop mask, dummy up a highlight reel, and trick some other team into thinking he’s really the next Bill Russell instead of the next Bill Overdue!