However, could it still be possible that Chicago would come in under the
cap next season as their present 2003-04 team salary is only $42.9 mill
and no one knows yet what the exact salary cap/luxury tax will be for
2003-04? If that be true, then the trade could fly. If not, how about
them adding a few bucks in fodder to cement the proposed deal?
If the league could only announce each season's financial restraints
in ADVANCE instead of AFTER THE FACT, all teams might know where
they stood budget-wise and trade-wise in advance of their moves.
I think you're confusing the salary cap and the luxury tax. The cap IS set
the summer before the season, around when the FA period opens mid July.
It's the luxury tax that can't be set in advance **as currently
structured**, mainly because it needs actual salary figures and revenue
figures for the applicable season. So it wouldn't matter if Chicago would
be under sometime next season if we want to deal now.