A week ago, the Nets had the second biggest hoard of cap space in the league, at nearly $15 million. Now after acquiring Troy Murphy and losing Courtney Lee in that four-team deal, that hoard is down to $4.5 million...and it could go lower. Add in non- guaranteed deals for Sean May, Brian Zoubek and Ben Uzoh and the Nets could have as little as $3 million.
The Nets want to have $21 million in cap space by July. They already have $16.3 million in expiring pieces (Murphy, Kris Humphries, Quinton Ross) available for mid-season trades. The big questions of course are not about numbers, but what will the new collective bargaining agreement look like and will there even be a 2011 free agency if the owners lock the players out?
And who might the Nets be targeting with all that cap space? How about Carmelo Anthony? If he's available, reports Frank Isola of the Daily News, "Nets' minority owner Jay-Z has close ties with Anthony and is committed to signing him". Melo's not talking about his future beyond deciding what to do with that three year, $65 million contract extension Denver dropped on his desk.