I think $12 is in the ballpark for Favors after looking at comparables. And the Jazz have worked at keeping favors salary down i believe. Jazz want Big Al/Sap to be as productive as possible to maximize trade options, they want to make the playoffs for pure profit reasons and they want to keep Favors salary under control. Ty is not stupid for his coaching plans, he being coached on his coaching plans. Same with Kanter. If either of these two were to show too well too early, it could thwart the overall plan. (Same with Burks i believe.) But also, if Mo was healthy AND if he melded in nicely, (a big if) the Jazz would be closer to a 4 seed playoff team, furthering the profit motive. And furthering the youngin's buried on the bench...
Also, in the original post I did not take into account, as someone noted, how to pay for the rookies in the next 3 years. These are $1, $2M at least on the books for mid to late 1st rounders. This is another variable that makes it less likely to pay a Core4 for the long term (unless you sandbag them a bit.) But Vslice said the model is to get Core3 and trade out role players through draft/trade planning so as to have a lot more rookie contracts to pay. Did the core three model come first, or did Tim Duncan's salary demand it... Did tim every get the 17+M?
One of the variables in this is Millsap's attitude toward starting. If he is demanding that role, then he should not be resigned. If he's willing to take what GVC outlined in another thread which is the pay up front model, then this significantly helps the C4 problem. I think Sap is a very good fit (not being identical) to the Favors/Kanter combo.
Also consideration to a Core4 model is the idea that it creates less chance to go to all-star game and be a 'franchise player.' Not enough ball to go around for that many players; stats are diluted. If you add Sap, MoWill in to that mix it ends up being C5-6 - even less likely to get all-star stats. The hope is that the players in the C4-6 we have now would be interested in this model... the only hope actually. Lebron is not walking through the ESA (home team) door... So maybe Ty is not a Turd at all. Maybe the Jazz are working a smart plan.