Does The Jackson Trade Allow The Warriors To Make A Bigger Move?

SB Nation’s Warriors blog, Golden State of Mind, certainly thinks so.

Perhaps more significant though is the potential to make another move this year. In terms of the fabled “package of expiring deals to land a superstar”, the Warriors will soon posses $14.36 million in contracts that come off the books next year. While that package would require wrapping up Raja with Mikki Moore, Speedy Claxton, Devean George and CJ Watson, sending out these players would allow the Warriors to pick up a player priced at up to $18million. (CBA rules prevent a team utilizing the traded player exception to make trades while over the cap from taking back more than 125% +$100k in salary than the combined players being traded away. Such a deal cannot happen for two month until Bell can be re-packaged in another trade.

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Solely in terms of cap implications, this makes it theoretically possible to construct a deal for all but 9 players in the association without the trading partner taking on a single contract that will extend into next season.

This wouldn’t be totally unprecedented for the Warriors. In 2005, despite being well out of the playoff race, they traded some expiring contracts to land Baron Davis. That was the first step that temporarily turned around the franchise and led to the “We Believe” team.

So, if you’re brainstorming which team Disgruntled Star X will be traded to during the season, don’t forget to now include the Warriors on your list of possible suitors.