Sam Cassell is signaling he'd take $5 million a season and Vlade Radmanovic might accept the veteran's exception of $5.5 million, they then can give Chris Kaman an extension that doesn't kick in until 2007-08 and next season's payroll would go up only $4 million.

"The first thing that is very, very positive for us, we can improve by doing nothing," Dunleavy said. "We've got guys here that are young enough that they're just going to get better. They can take us to another level on that alone."

Corey Maggette could become the odd man out though and a trade is a possibility.  He accepted his role as sixth man this spring, but is likely to express reluctance in the future.

"I'm just letting my agent [Rob Pelinka] handle it, that's not for me to do," Maggette said. " ? The biggest thing now is to be professional about it."