read this:

http://eye-on-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22748484/33070493?ttag=gen10_on_all_fb_na_txt_0001

I know many here debate on whether adding a 3rd star is the right move or not and I've been pretty clear that I think it is, but according to this article and most of the leaks from the CBA negotiations, it's now a pretty much guarantee that there won't be a hard cap and the cap number won't be much lower (if at all) for the first few years of the deal. So what does this mean? It means that if the cap number is between $56- $62 million in 2012 and we'll have around $40-$44 million committed (between Melo, Amar'e, Shumpert and possibly Douglas and/or Balkman), That means between $12-$22 million available in space (not including the small cap holds, which could possibly be eliminated according to reports). So that means we'd probably be able to be in the running for one of Paul/ Williams/ Howard and when you consider the lure of NY combined with the 2 all star already under contract, you'd have to imagine at least one of them would want to sign here (and maybe more than 1 does and we get to choose which one).

Also there's been talk of an amnesty clause (which I have been talking about since like June) that could be delayed or "kept in the back pocket" which leads to a very interesting situation. What if we go into 2012 and either Paul or Deron wants to come along with Dwight and we have to chose whether to amnesty Amar'e. I know it would suck to let Amar'e go after all that he's done for this franchise, but the truth is he'd be getting a $60 million going away gift (along with the ability to sign a new contract with someone else while still young).

Personally my plan for the 2012 off-season if we have ample cap space would be to sign Dwight Howard and then try to nab one of the many veteran PGs (Andre Miller, Jason Kidd, Chauncey Billups and Steve Nash) for the minimum and some older veteran guys.

Opinions? Thoughts?