Wilson Chandler to Toronto? Forget about it (473)

[mcHAPPY]

Then the Raptors would still have the full mid level then. They haven't used it if they haven't spent up to the cap. So 5 million then.

Wolstat is reporting that the Raptors used half the MLE on Gray.

If he is signed for $2.5M, then it would be true. Up until the first day of the regular season, JV and Weems counted towards the cap which would have had their payroll at around $56.5M. The most Toronto could have offered was about $1.5M.

[mcHAPPY]

More facts emerging on the Chandler in Toronto situation:

Wilson Chandler's list of possible destinations now extends beyond his former team in Denver, his agent, Chris Luchey, told SI.com.

Chandler, the five-year veteran and restricted free agent small forward who played in China during the lockout, visited Toronto on Tuesday and is considering joining the Raptors. Chandler is still waiting for his clearance to return to the NBA from the Chinese Basketball Association but was in Denver on Monday for a game against Minnesota, talking contract terms with Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri and even visiting his old locker room.

Luchey said the Raptors (9-23), who have salary cap room to add Chandler without the use of an exception, are in the mix and that he is talking to six other teams. Chandler made $2.1 million last season and had been hoping for a long-term deal with Denver.

"We are exploring all avenues," Luchey said. "Our talks [with Denver] thus far have been OK. It's just the nature [of free agency]. They have options and Will has options."

Chandler has said for months that his intention is to re-sign with the Nuggets, but Ujiri -- according to Luchey -- has made it clear he has no interest in signing him for only the rest of the season and that he wants a long-term deal. If an agreement between the two sides can't be reached soon, Chandler has two options.

He has until March 1 to sign an offer sheet with another team, then either join that club or return to the Nuggets if they match the offer.

After March 1, Chandler can't sign with any team but Denver for the remainder of the season. And because the Nuggets aren't showing interest in that option, he could then be left to sit out the rest of the season and be a restricted free agent again in July.

Chandler spent his first four-plus seasons with the Knicks, but was sent to Denver as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade last February. He has averaged 13.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 45.1 percent for his career.


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz1nAC7F3S3

Looks like Ujiri is playing hardball.

The logical thought would be, "Why doesn't Toronto offer what they can ($2.5M) and make him UFA this summer?" Coon squashes that idea:

Larry Coon @LarryCoon
Two things: 1) Since RT @ChrisMannixSI: As @sam_amick notes, Toronto very interested in Wilson Chandler. Willing to offer a multi-year deal.

Larry Coon @LarryCoon
...he's restricted, they'd HAVE to offer a multi-year deal (at least 3); 2) If he's not free by 3/1, they can't sign him. @ChrisMannixSI

So Toronto has to offer at least a 3 year deal. IF they offer 3 years at $2.5M (most they can offer in year one with 4.5% raises for year 2 and 3), how long would it take DEN to match it? Nevermind the fact WC obviously wants more than $2.5M.

[ceez]

He's at the game cheering on the raps...

[saints91]

Is he?

[wallz]

He's at the game cheering on the raps...

yeah are you being serious? haha

[ceez]

Yep

[thead]

I'm really interested in what Colangelo is going to pull out of his ass... Is anyone's salary not gauaranteed that could be waived?

[mcHAPPY]

I'm really interested in what Colangelo is going to pull out of his ass... Is anyone's salary not gauaranteed that could be waived?

Nope. That deadline has past. All contracts guaranteed for the season now.

[saints91]

All I can see is him sending off the guys with expiring contracts to make room. Unless him and Ujiri have something going.

[thead]

After examining every possibility and Matt telling me why they aren't really possibilities (killjoy) Nuggets need to be involved to make this happen. Or Chandler has to play for a lot less than he is worth

[mcHAPPY]

Make sure to check out post 317 as well.

Confusion sets in as Wolstat changes his blog entry again:

Now that I have re-read the new CBA, this post has been edited:

So, Wilson Chandler’s in town. At first it seemed it was just for pleasure, since his agent had said earlier this week that he definitely would be rejoining the Denver Nuggets for the rest of the season.

But things change and it appears the restricted free agent is using the Raptors – who have long coveted him – for leverage. Denver has a lot of money tied up long-term already and with Arron Afflalo and Danilo Gallinari the starters, might not want to make Chandler one of the highest-paid reserves in the league.

In Toronto, he’d fit a need, a two-way small forward who can also play shooting guard. It’s still not clear who the real Chandler is – the guy who lit it up as a Knick, or the solid, but unspectacular guy who played for the Nuggets following the Carmelo Anthony trade? Either way, the Raptors like him and will make a play for him.

Right now they can’t do a sign-and-trade (under the rules of the CBA) and they can only offer him a contract starting at $4.3 million U.S. (what they have left under the salary cap). That won’t get it done, meaning they’ll have to make a trade that opens up some more cap space (trading out a bigger salary for a player or players making $2 million or so less or moving someone like Leandro Barbosa for a trade exception).

The team spent the new mid-level exception for room teams ($2.5 million) on Aaron Gray, allowing them to keep their remaining cap space.

Bryan Colangelo and Denver GM Masai Ujiri have a close relationship but with sign-and-trades not allowed during the season, it’s hard to see how that comes into play now. Surely Denver doesn’t want to lose Chandler for nothing though. Either way, expect Chandler to use Toronto’s interest to his advantage in order to win a big payday, from the Nuggets, Raptors or somebody else.

http://blogs.canoe.ca/courtside/gene...-for-leverage/

So the Raptors did not use their MLE. They used their room exception ($2.5M). Supposedly this allowed them to keep their remaining cap space so we are back at the original $4.3M we started out with.

Should it be this complicated?

So the questions become:

1) Does he get the letter of clearance before March 1st? or

2) Can BC clear a little more cap space to make an offer Denver won't match? or

3) Can BC and Ujiri work together to make a win-win situation within the new rules of the CBA? i.e. trade where Denver takes on more salary and Toronto offers a contract the Nuggets will not match.

[NoPropsneeded]

If chandler was watching the game i think he'd be quite impressed and happy to play with us. Sign em up BC!

[Maleko]

I remember reading the details about a recent signing, I can't remember who but it may have been Kenyon Martin, signing for the remaining room under the cap (let's call it $3M) and due to the proration of half a year remaining got the entire $3M instead of $3M/2. In other words the effect of a $6M contract but still fitting under the cap since he was only in half a year. (complicated as hell so I didn't pay that much attn at the time).
IF this is true under the CBA then is it possible that the $4.5M remaining can be an effective up to $9M salary as a starting point for a 3-4yr offer sheet?

[Chr1s1anL]

What happened to all the people that weren't for signing WC?

[Afro_Daddy]

Wilson Chandler News

"Not so fast on the express train to the Denver Nuggets for Wilson Chandler. Despite sounding optimistic about signing with the Nuggets within a week or so, Chandler and his agent, Chris Luchey, are talking with the Toronto Raptors, according to Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick:

Sam Amick@sam_amick
Wilson Chandler is visiting Toronto to discuss a possible pairing with the Raptors, according to his agent, Chris Luchey.
22 Feb 12 ReplyRetweetFavorite
However, Chandler and Luchey are still talking contract with the Nuggets at the same time, according to Amick. Luchey wouldn't be doing his job as an agent if he wasn't trying to find the best possible deal for his client.

Let's also remember that Chandler is still a restricted free agent, meaning the Nuggets can match any offer Chandler might agree to with the Raptors. It's just a question of how high the Nuggets are willing to go to match such a possible deal.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Denver for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the Denver Nuggets be sure to visit Denver Stiffs. Visit SB Nation NBA for more news and notes from around the league."

http://denver.sbnation.com/denver-nu...oronto-raptors