Trade: Centres and Small Forwards with one year remaining

[mcHAPPY]

Once the Dwight Howard and Chris Paul issues are settled and coveted free agents find new homes, expect the trade rumours to pick up as the big names falling create a domino effect.

Colangelo and Steffi talked about filling the roster with players on one year deals with comments that implied, in my opinion, the possibility of more than free agent signings were possible. Needs discussed were a third string PG, SF to challenge JJ, and C.

Here is a look at players around the league with one year remaining at SF and C (I'm ignoring the 3rd string PG).

SF's:
Boris Diaw - Charlotte
James Posey - Indiana
Martell Webster - Minnesota (team option for '12-13)
Andres Nocioni - Philadelphia (team option for '12-13)
Mickael Pietrus - Phoenix
Donte Greene - Sacramento
CJ Miles - Utah
Jeremy Evans - Utah

C's:
Hasheem Thabeet - Houston (if '12-13 rookie option not picked up, one year left)
Ronny Turiaf - New York
Nazr Mohammed - OKC
Marreesse Speights - Philadelphia
Robin Lopez - Phoenix
Marcus Camby - Portland
Jason Thompson - Sacramento
Mehmet Okur - Utah

[Apollo]

The question stands to be asked if they're not willing to be players in FA then why would they be willing to pull the trigger on a trade for a vet big man? I don't think they will. Speights and Lopez are interesting though. Those guys have some good defensive upside but have struggled mightily so far under their coaches.

[ceez]

With the Magloire signing its safe to say you can pick the shittiest player at each position and assume BC is going to ink them by friday

[ceez]

Joey Graham i'm looking at you

[mcHAPPY]

The question stands to be asked if they're not willing to be players in FA then why would they be willing to pull the trigger on a trade for a vet big man? I don't think they will. Speights and Lopez are interesting though. Those guys have some good defensive upside but have struggled mightily so far under their coaches.

Good question. My thinking would be:

1) to clear more salary from the payroll giving more flexibility in trades and free agency,
2) an opportunity to get another draft pick (1st or 2nd round),
3) adding one of the marquee free agent C's this summer essentially kills any financial flexibility moving forward without using the amnesty,
4) adding one of the marquee free agent C's this summer removes ping pong balls.


Trade pieces the Raptors have not currently on a rookie deal:

Bargnani
Calderon
Amir
Kleiza
Barbosa

[mcHAPPY]

Joey Graham i'm looking at you

Only if cut by Cleveland. He is there for another year.

[RAPresenting]

I wouldn't mind Nocioni's expiring deal at all. He's a decent defender, gritty as hell and can knock down the 3 ball. Him, Maglore and Jose would give us some veteran leadership. Don't think 76ers would do it but a Barbosa for Nocioni and 2012 1st rounder would be great in my books.

[Papa Burgundy]

Pietrus and Webster are intriguing.

[mcHAPPY]

If the Knicks are looking to clear cap space to sign Chandler and fill out roster, should Toronto call looking to take Turiaf if they are shopping him?

I'd like to see a 2nd round pick from the Knicks for the trouble.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

I wonder if the Raps could use the leftover of the Bosh TPE to take a guy like Diaw off the hands of penny-pinching MJ, along with a draft pick for the trouble. I would be fine with a deal like that, or possibly even 2/3 deals (SF/C/PG), as long as the player(s) coming back are only signed through this season and draft pick(s) are acquired, while giving up essentially nothing.

If trades like that brought back some low 1st round or 2nd round picks, I could see them being flipped as part of a bigger deal (ie: Barbosa and 2 2nd round picks) for another 1st round pick in the upcoming draft. It's a win-win, since players like Diaw wouldn't hurt the Raps chances of getting a high 1st round pick of their own, plus it could net additional picks for nothing.

[planetmars]

I wonder if the Raps could use the leftover of the Bosh TPE to take a guy like Diaw off the hands of penny-pinching MJ, along with a draft pick for the trouble. I would be fine with a deal like that, or possibly even 2/3 deals (SF/C/PG), as long as the player(s) coming back are only signed through this season and draft pick(s) are acquired, while giving up essentially nothing.

If trades like that brought back some low 1st round or 2nd round picks, I could see them being flipped as part of a bigger deal (ie: Barbosa and 2 2nd round picks) for another 1st round pick in the upcoming draft. It's a win-win, since players like Diaw wouldn't hurt the Raps chances of getting a high 1st round pick of their own, plus it could net additional picks for nothing.

Diaw+pick for TPE sounds like an awesome idea - however their first round pick is owned by Chicago (lottery protected). I'm not sure the rules, but I think a trade that involves someone else's pick can only be done on draft day - which by then would make this moot as Diaw's contract would have been expired by then. The Bobcat's second round pick would still be really high though - so that could work.

Also the Bobcats need to be at $49M as they have to meet the cap floor. They are at $47M now which includes 10 players (inc Diaw). It doesn't include Kemba or Biyombo, but Biyombo may not come over until next year due to his buyout. So they could use Diaw's salary just to get above the floor.

[ezz_bee]

I wonder if the Raps could use the leftover of the Bosh TPE to take a guy like Diaw off the hands of penny-pinching MJ, along with a draft pick for the trouble.

If we are awarded our 9 mil trade exception then we could. Currently, it's not showing up in the ESPN trade machine and I think it's up in the air whether we will have that to use or not. Also as I understand it we wouldn't be able to trade for diaw+pick. However, we could maybe use the exception for diaw, and if there is any left over do a separate trade of the exception for the pick. However, I'm not entirely clear on that. Also I think that we won't have much left after we use the trade exception on diaw, but i don't know for sure. Maybe someone else can shed some light on this.

[planetmars]

If we are awarded our 9 mil trade exception then we could. Currently, it's not showing up in the ESPN trade machine and I think it's up in the air whether we will have that to use or not. Also as I understand it we wouldn't be able to trade for diaw+pick. However, we could maybe use the exception for diaw, and if there is any left over do a separate trade of the exception for the pick. However, I'm not entirely clear on that. Also I think that we won't have much left after we use the trade exception on diaw, but i don't know for sure. Maybe someone else can shed some light on this.

Yes the TPE will still exist, however we only have a few days to use it. And you can use the TPE to get a draft pick. Since a draft pick has no value. You can use a TPE to get more than one player as well, you just can't combine the TPE with more salary to obtain a player.

So for example you can use the $9M TPE to get a $5M player and a $4M player. But you cannot use a $9M TPE to get a $10M player.

[ezz_bee]

So for example you can use the $9M TPE to get a $5M player and a $4M player.

Yes, but I believe they have to be two separate transactions so it is

5 mil of tpe for $5mill player; then 4 mill tpe for 4 mill player

not

9 mil tpe for $5mill player + $4 mill player

even though they are effectively the same thing.

I think

[planetmars]

Yes, but I believe they have to be two separate transactions so it is

5 mil of tpe for $5mill player; then 4 mill tpe for 4 mill player

not

9 mil tpe for $5mill player + $4 mill player

even though they are effectively the same thing.

I think

You could be right about that one. But a draft pick can be used with either transaction - at least that was the case during the old CBA.