I was just playing on the NBA Trade Machine on espn.com and realized some things. If the Wizards void Gilbert Arenas’ contract via the morals clause for the gun incident, they could have a ton of cap room this off-season. Under contract for next season is Jamison at $11.6 million, Butler at $9.7 million, Blatche at $3 million, and Young at $1.7 million.
The Cavaliers have been rumored to be interested in Jamison, so the Wizards could package Jamison and Mike Miller ($9 million, expiring) for Shaq ($21 million, expiring). That would save the Wizards $11.6 million next season (could also probably get some draft picks thrown in).
The Rockets are looking to unload T-Mac’s league high contract of $22.8 million (expiring). The Wizards could offer Butler ($9.7 million), Mike James ($6.5 million expiring), and Brendan Haywood ($6 million, expiring), for T-Mac (again could also probably get some draft picks back).
That would leave the Wizards with only Blache and Young under contract next season for a total of $4.7 million (minus the contract of the top 5 rookie), would leave them roughly $50 million in cap space.
With possibly the deepest free agent class ever with, LeBron James, D-Wade, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Amare Stoudemire, and others – the Wizards could be major players.
With rumors circulating that members of the Olympic team want to play together, wouldn’t Washington be a good possible destination? Lots of cap room, able to sign 2-3 of the star players, with enough money left to fill in the holes with cheap role players (who might take a discount for the opportunity to play with 2-3 superstars).
So please, Ernie Grunsfeld – void Arenas’ contract, trade Jamison and Butler, bringing in the expiring contracts, and make the Wizards a big time players in the free agent market this off-season!