Phoenix Suns waive guard Leandro Barbosa
The Phoenix Suns will not be picking up the $4 million salary of guard Leandro Barbosa for next season, as reported by Arizona Sports' Craig Grialou..
Phoenix Suns guard Leandro Barbosa (19) drives past Boston Celtics forward Gerald Green in the second quarter during an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 5, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
The Phoenix Suns will not be picking up the $4 million salary of guard Leandro Barbosa for next season, as reported by Arizona Sports’ Craig Grialou and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
#Suns decline 217-18 team option on guard Leandro Barbosa, making him an unrestricted free agent
— Craig Grialou (@CraigAZSports) July 3, 2017
The Phoenix Suns are waiving guard Leandro Barbosa, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2017
Barbosa’s second year of his contract had only $500,000 guaranteed. The contract became guaranteed at 2 p.m. local time.
The move grants Phoenix an additional $3.5 million in space they can use to either be more aggressive on the free agent market or take on unwanted contracts for future assets from other teams.
Wojnarowski notes this possibility in his piece.
The NBA’s marketplace is teeming with clubs looking to shed high-money contracts, including Toronto, Milwaukee, New York and the Los Angeles Clippers. Phoenix is angling to use its salary cap space as a landing spot for salary dumps, if those contracts are attached to young players or draft picks.
Suns general manager Ryan McDonough is committed to growing a gifted young group of talent, including Devin Booker, TJ Warren, Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender and the No. 4 pick in the June NBA draft, forward Josh Jackson.
Barbosa played 14.4 minutes per game in his third stint with the Suns last season, averaging 6.3 points per game in his 67 games played.
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Comments
43 Comments
There isn't a penalty for being under the cap. The salary floor is $11 million below the cap. So Phoenix could meet the salary floor of $89.2 million which would leave them $11 million under the cap of $99 million.They would have to spend another $20 million before reaching the tax threshold.
So yes, they currently are saving money by waiving Barbosa. NBA doesn't force a team to meet the floor. The worst thing that happens is Phoenix has to pay the difference to their own players.
Phoenix signed a former second overall pick in 2012 without absorbing a bad contract.
The 2nd overall pick from 2011 is an UFA and Phoenix can sign him without absorbing a a bad contract.
So what exactly is your point?
Being the second overall pick doesn't mean a thing unless the guy picked is a great player.
I like that trade