Mo Williams has had a very solid NBA career that has spanned 14 seasons. He has averaged 13 and 5 for his career and appeared in one All-Star game in 2009 (thanks LeBron).
Williams began the 2016-17 season on the Cavaliers before being traded to the Hawks as part of the trade that landed the Cavaliers Kyle Korver a few weeks back.
Since being waived by the Hawks, he has been acquired and waived by the 76ers and Nuggets numerous times and has not actually appeared in a game for any NBA team this season.
So why do the 76ers and Nuggets feel the need to toy with Mo’s emotions by dropping him and picking him back up repeatedly? The answer isn’t the fickleness and indecisiveness of these organizations, it is the salary cap.
Both of these teams are currently have $84.7 million in player salary for the 2016-17 season and whatever amount these teams end the season with under the salary floor it must be distributed evenly among the players on their roster at the end of the 2016-17 season.
That means that having Mo Williams $2.2 million salary on their books saves them a little money that they otherwise would have to pay to their players in addition to their current salaries for the year. Hence the reason to claim poor Mo off of waivers just to drop him.
Only one team can benefit from having Williams contract on their books to limit the salary floor penalty at the end of the 2016-17 season and that is why the 76ers and Nuggets are engaging in a game of cat and mouse for the opportunity to save a chunk of money.
This tweet from known cap enthusiast and expert Albert Nahmad breaks down the potential savings for either team by being able to claim Williams’ truncated season salary on their books at the end of the 2016-17 season
Breakdown of savings in the Mo Williams trade/waiver/claim: pic.twitter.com/qM1DDYO5Z0
— Albert Nahmad (@AlbertNahmad) January 23, 2017
There you have it, the curious case of Mo Williams. A continually bizarre ending to a career that was originally supposed to be over before this season when Williams announced his retirement but didn’t file the paperwork before the deadline.
You know what they say one man’s inability to file paperwork on time is another man’s $1 million in savings.
