The notion that Russell Westbrook will accept a buyout upon arriving at his new team (all assumed at this point, no actual evidence he will be traded) has come under little to no scrutiny. Well, let’s change that. Because you can’t truly buyout Westbrook unless he obliges his new team by forfeiting money he is due to be paid. Waiving him leaves his salary on the books. In fact, any salary NOT forfeited will remain on whatever team he may end up on’s cap sheet.
So…what amount does anyone think Russ will willingly walk away from? Knowing this is his last big payday he’ll ever get what is a number that would make sense. Frankly, if it’s me I forfeit zero. Pay me. I earned that money. But I’m not a pro athlete looking for a situation where I can come in and help a team win a ring.
I would imagine the cutoff is no lower than half of that massive amount of money. So half of $47,063,478 is exactly $23,531,739. Honestly, even that feels like a big “if”. Unless you’re planning on tanking outright that’s a gargantuan chunk of cap space to account for. Most ownership groups will think twice about either paying out that much money just to watch sign with Team X (potentially in their division and/or major rival) and I find the idea that Russ will walk away for more than half absurd.
So, since team’s in contention in large markets value cap space more than just about anything else when it comes to filling out a roster that means zero contending teams will be interested in Russ but we kind of knew that already. They won’t pay Russ to not play. Same, I would imagine, for teams on the cusp of contention (Knicks, Hornets, really any team that is 10-6 seeding wise in this year’s playoff/playin). That shrinks your trade partners to less then a handful of teams: Houston, Orlando, Oklahoma and maybe, just maybe Portland.
Now a team could choose to waive and stretch him meaning they stretch his salary out over the next 3 seasons (this is a not malleable, the 3 seasons is based on the number of years remaining on Russ’ deal which will be 1) and maybe a team like Charlotte or Indy and possibly others (most of whom have already signaled “No thank you!” on a Westbrook trade) looks at that scenario as being better than paying a broken down player of their own. Hard to say.
In the end the question seems like a big one considering the implications of someone taking Russell’s contract on. Very hard for me to imagine Russ walking away from so much money or a team allowing him to clutter up their cap space to such a degree while he plays elsewhere on their dime. Again, while it’s likely to happen this summer seeing as how poorly the Westbrook fit has been, the devil is often in the details.
I’m no salary cap/CBA expert so if I am wrong on something written above please feel free to leave a correction. Thanks.
Aloha Jamie, here is how it works. If the Lakers waive and stretch Russ. He becomes a free agent. Any team that signs him will not owe any money. What could happen is his agent might find a deal out there for let’s say generously offers him 2 years at say 15 mil. Each. Russ might agree to reduce his buy out figure by 15 mil to 32 mil instead of the 47 he is owed. Unfortunately teams might just wait to see if Russ is bought out without a promise. If no promise exists Russ might want out so badly that he may agree to give up a little of that 47 mil but realistically it probably only be maybe 3 to 5 mil. Or Some figure that his agent feels he can realistically get on the open market. I definitely would give his agent permission to talk with other clubs. Now we all know that his agent can’t talk to anyone before free agency begins. Wink wink nod nod.
That part I get, I was wondering more about the potential cap hit a team trading for him would have to deal with after buying him out as has been semi-reported/theorized.
In exchange for his freedom, he might be willing to give up a small bit of salary. Typically it’s somewhere in the ballpark of a vet’s minimum (1-2mil) he can easily collect elsewhere. It’s never anything remotely close to half the remaining salary. Let’s just say he gives us 2mil, leaving around 45. Then anything else he earns, even including deals in other leagues, can partially offset the remaining money owed. It’s a complicated equation, but if Russ gives up a couple mil to be free and signs a minimum deal, it’ll offset another 3-400k from whichever team ends up waiving him. http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm #Q64
Thanks, that’s helpful
Russ ain’t about that leaving millions on the table life. I’m not even sure he’s about that winning a title to legitimize his legacy life. I think he’s about that F*%k You, Pay Me life.
$$$$$$$$. When they asked JD Rockefeller how much more money is enough and he replied “Just a little bit more.”
He’s ensured no Lakers fans will be buying cars from his dealerships in the future. Might be time to rebrand.
Lol
Good post, Jamie. Russ being more willing than Wall to buy out his last year rather than sit is a wild card and you don’t know where he might end.
Lots of teams might be willing to gamble on Russ on $5 to $7M contract than a $47M one. I could see him ending up with the Knicks or even the Clippers (one can hope, LOL).
Most buyouts are limited to how much the player can get on the market once he is bought out. I think Michael’s $15M over two years could be high for Russ at this point. $6.2M ME for a year could be his limit.
That’s my theory as well, Tom. Which still begs the question of what team wants to play next season with a $30ish million handicap? Feels like you’re choosing to tank out of the gate.