Trading Picks Question

doct3r dr3 · Post #1 » by **doct3r dr3** » Tue Jan 7, 2014 2:42 am

Nowadays we're seeing all kinds of new and complicated protections on draft picks being traded. This one I've never seen before, and I'm wondering if it's ever been done, or if it's even legal. Assume all teams involved possess their own 2014 picks.

Suppose there's a multiple-team trade --say: Team A, Team B, Team C, and Team D. Now, Team D trades some big-time win-now asset to Team A, and wants to ensure that it receives a high 2014 pick in return.

Is it possible for the teams to agree on terms such as: "Team D receives the highest 2014 first round pick from either Team A, Team B, or Team C"?

Post #2 » by **DeBlazerRiddem** » Tue Jan 7, 2014 2:52 am

Highly doubt its ever been done, but it seems legal to me as long as no team owes a 2015 pick.

However, I don't see any way that value works out. If team A gets a super high pick from one of B, C or D then all 3 of them are going to want value equal to a super high pick. Say team B is projected to have the highest pick so they get the best asset, but that asset makes them better than team C, then team C is going to give up the most valuable pick without getting the best asset and team B will have gotten the best asset without giving up a pick.

IamaCeltsfan · Post #3 » by **IamaCeltsfan** » Tue Jan 7, 2014 3:03 am

I suppose the 3 teams could trade rights to swap picks with team D.

shrink · Post #4 » by **shrink** » Tue Jan 7, 2014 3:04 am

I haven't seen it done either, but as you've noticed, the CBA doesn't really limit the ability to provide protections.

It might be something we see in the future though. Ideas on protections seem to trend, and in the last couple years, we've seen more and more pick swaps. Since pick swaps don't affect the Stepian Rule, you may see it in the future. good call.

giberish · Post #5 » by **giberish** » Tue Jan 7, 2014 3:49 am

I can't recall that sort of thing happening in one deal, but sometimes there can be multiple team's picks that get lumped together through multiple trades. Cleveland's 1st round pick selection last year was particularly complicated (involving their own pick - which they kept, but if it had been much later technically could have been moved, Sacramento's - top 12 protected, so it stayed with Sac, Miami's - which eventually went to Phoenix, and the Lakers - which went to Cleveland as well, but if it had been in the lotto would have gone to Phoenix in place of the Miami 1st).

Some of these distant future pick swaps that BK and NYK have given out are likely candidates for getting bundled together with other teams at some point down the line.

KuruptedCav · Post #6 » by **KuruptedCav** » Tue Jan 7, 2014 4:17 am

Post #7 » by **HartfordWhalers** » Tue Jan 7, 2014 4:21 am

doct3r dr3 wrote:Nowadays we're seeing all kinds of new and complicated protections on draft picks being traded. This one I've never seen before, and I'm wondering if it's ever been done, or if it's even legal. Assume all teams involved possess their own 2014 picks.

Suppose there's a multiple-team trade --say: Team A, Team B, Team C, and Team D. Now, Team D trades some big-time win-now asset to Team A, and wants to ensure that it receives a high 2014 pick in return.

Is it possible for the teams to agree on terms such as: "Team D receives the highest 2014 first round pick from either Team A, Team B, or Team C"?

Celtics get the worst of the Nets and Atlanta's pick. Could the Celtics trade the best of their pick and the Nets pick? Sure. Which gets you close to what your asking.

Similarly Denver has the best of New York and Denver's pick, while Orlando gets the worse one. If Denver traded that pick to another team, lets say Houston, Houston could then trade the best of their own pick or the pick from the Denver and New York one. Sounds a little convoluted because it is to get that many teams involved.

But in short, yes.