OKC extends Ibaka Options

[Balta1701-B]

OKC extends Ibaka.

Presti didn't provide details of the contract, citing team policy, but a league source confirmed to ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard that the deal is for four additional years and $48 million.

[2nd_city_saint78...]

In order for Taj to remain a restricted free agent, the Bulls will have to make him a qualifying offer of something in the neighborhood of $5 million. When they do that, that immediately takes $5 million out of their available cap space. Thus, DRose, Deng, Noah, Butler, and Teague, along with a cap hold for Taj, would put the Bulls already having $52 million committed.

If the Bulls wanted that $5 million for something else, they could rescind the qualifying offer to Taj, but then they would lose his Bird rights, and thus they could not go over the cap to sign him. Signing him would be like signing any other unrestricted free agent.

So no, there's no way they could get down far enough to offer Harden $12 million a year without losing both Boozer and Taj, unless they can dump Deng or Noah as well.

Also, be prepared for Taj to get offered well over $8 million a year, probably with a poison pill also. If Omer Asik gets an $8 million a year average, then I could totally see Taj being offered $10-$12.

Ahh, thanks for the explanation. I thought it may have been plausible but I didn't bring the qualifying offer into the picture.

I also just realized the "2014 Plan" that I keep trying to wrap my head around is the 2014/15 season not the 2013/14 season. So all these wild scenarios for next season I keep bringing up are all for naught lol.

Though looking at the 2014 FA Market I hope they do what they can to move Deng because I can't see Kobe or Wade leaving LA or MIA and those are the only 2 star, aging stars at that, on the market...The 2014 market as a whole kinda sucks, unless of course Miamis big 3 breaks up and all become FA or someone like Evan Turner or Paul George hit the market.

Only plan I can get with in 2014 is if Dirk comes over cheap enough that we can sign him and George or Turner (Don't Derrick and him have a feud tho?)

Rose-George/Turner-Butler-Dirk-Noah

With Dirk on board maybe they can get Mirotic over to learn from him.