Do Detroit have no MLE this off season?

[semut]

Their total salary according to hoopshype.com is 39.6 (not including Prince salary which is about 9 mil) Total is 48.6, still under the 2005/2006 cap, 49.6. So they dont have MLE this year, rite?

[bnwhuxley]

They will when they re-sign Ben.

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by semut

Their total salary according to hoopshype.com is 39.6 (not including Prince salary which is about 9 mil) Total is 48.6, still under the 2005/2006 cap, 49.6. So they dont have MLE this year, rite?

I believe that if you're under the cap by an amount less than what your exceptions are (MLE + LLE) that you are technically considered over the cap. Since the Pistons are going to be under the cap by a mil or two, they're considered over the cap and get an MLE, and the LLE if they didn't use it last year.

[MarineForLife]

Do you have no grammar check?

[JTD]

Originally Posted by MarineForLife

Do you have no grammar check?

Thanks!

[Seventyniner]

The Pistons technically are not even under the cap unless they renounce their Bird rights to Ben Wallace, which won't happen unless he signs with another team. A free agent's cap value continues to count against a team's cap until that player is re-signed or signs with another team.

For example, even if the Spurs traded away several players to get under the cap, Nazr Mohammed's $5.5M counts against the Spurs' cap until he signs with another team, or is re-signed. This is moot because the Spurs are going to be over the cap anyway.

[semut]

oh ic thanks. So they are over the cap unless Ben signs with another team without s&t. Can they use MLE before Ben makes any decision? Even if Ben ends up signing with another team without s&t? This cap thing is very complicated.

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by semut

oh ic thanks. So they are over the cap unless Ben signs with another team without s&t.

No. Ben does count against their cap, but they're considered as being over the cap even without Ben because they wouldn't be under the cap by more than the MLE. Think of it this way, if you're under the cap you don't get an MLE. If you're only under the cap by $1 dollar then you'd get hosed because even though you technically have capspace, you have capspace that can't get you anything. If you're under the cap by less than the MLE the league says you're technically over the cap and gives you an MLE to use, which is a better situation than being under the cap by a small amount.

Can they use MLE before Ben makes any decision?

Yes.

Even if Ben ends up signing with another team without s&t?

Yes.

This cap thing is very complicated.

Yes.

[semut]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

No. Ben does count against their cap, but they're considered as being over the cap even without Ben because they wouldn't be under the cap by more than the MLE. Think of it this way, if you're under the cap you don't get an MLE. If you're only under the cap by $1 dollar then you'd get hosed because even though you technically have capspace, you have capspace that can't get you anything. If you're under the cap by less than the MLE the league says you're technically over the cap and gives you an MLE to use, which is a better situation than being under the cap by a small amount.

Never heard about this before, but it makes sense. Thanks again

[Amente]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

No. Ben does count against their cap, but they're considered as being over the cap even without Ben because they wouldn't be under the cap by more than the MLE. Think of it this way, if you're under the cap you don't get an MLE. If you're only under the cap by $1 dollar then you'd get hosed because even though you technically have capspace, you have capspace that can't get you anything. If you're under the cap by less than the MLE the league says you're technically over the cap and gives you an MLE to use, which is a better situation than being under the cap by a small amount.

I don't remember if the "If you're under the cap by less than the MLE the league says you're technically over the cap and gives you an MLE to use" is true with the new CBA but prior to the new CBA the rule was the team had until a certain date to notify the NBA as to whether they wished to declare being over the cap in the above situation and get a MLE or to declare being under the cap and use their available cap space to sign players.

Virtually all teams in that situation declare themselves over the cap to ensure getting a MLE which is more than their available cap space. A no-brainer.

[Fool]

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#20

So it is not true that being under the cap necessarily means a team has room to sign free agents. For example, assume the cap is $49.5 million, and a team has $43 million committed to salaries. They also have a Mid-Level exception for $5 million and a Traded Player exception for $5.5 million. Even though their salaries put them $6.5 million under the cap, their exceptions are added to their salaries, putting them at $53.5 million, or $4 million over the cap. So they actually have no cap room to sign free agents, and must instead use their exceptions.

Teams have the option of renouncing their exceptions in order to claim the cap room. So in the example above, if the team renounced their Traded Player and Mid-Level exceptions, then the $10.5 million is taken off their team salary, which then totals $43 million, leaving them with $6.5 million of cap room which can then be used to sign free agent(s).