RealGM

Altering a previous trade idea I made.

Instead of the current deal (OKC gets TOR's 1st - Top-3 Protected and 15-30 Protected in the 2013 Draft, top-2 protected and 15-30 protected in 2014, top-2 protected and 15-30 protected in 2015, top-1 Protected and 15-30 protected in 2016, top-1 protected and 15-30 Protected in 2017 and unprotected in the 2018 Draft), Toronto and Oklahoma City agree to this new one:

The 2013 Toronto 1st becomes fully protected (or top 55 protected if that's what's needed to make it legal). The protection after that remains the same.

Why for Toronto? They have to love this trade. They get out of a sticky situation by getting their 2013 1st if they land at 4th, 5th, 6th. They still get top 2 protection in 2014 for the Wiggins/Parker draft

Why for Oklahoma City? OKC decides they DON'T WANT the 2013 pick if it's 4th-7th. The reason being that having a 2014 1st is a more stable trade asset than having a 2013 draft rookie. With needing to already fit Lamb and PJIII in the rotation, whoever they presumably take at 4th-7th in 2013 would just be riding the pine or sent to the D League anyways and possibly bleeding value. For many players their highest value is on draft day and it's all downhill from there. For other teams, future draft picks are more juicy than players, because that team who trades for the pick can take the player/position they want, plus there's some Peter Griffin a Boat's a Boat, but a Mystery Box could be anything! to it. Finally, not taking a 2013 rookie also potential cuts 3.5-4 mil of salary off their 2013-2014 roster which could be huge with their difficult task of resigning Martin without going over the lux tax

So instead, OKC intentionally rolls over the pick to the 2014 draft, both a better draft with more kind protection for them (top 2 instead of top 3), and they get to have that juicy stable trade asset of a future pick for another year, or if they keep the pick until 2014 get to pick among a more stacked group of prospects

Toronto has a lot of young talent that will improve by next season. Don't expect them to remain this bad.

I think OKC says no. They're contending now so they wouldn't want to put off receiving more help, this draft has a lot of center prospects, and Toronto will probably be a better team next season.

I don't think OKC would roll the dice on the chance that Toronto might actually wins some games next year.

I think Toronto should just give up the pick this year and move on. They will probably end up with the 8th pick this year if they keep playing hard so losing it this year would be a good idea since it's predicted to be a weak draft.

For the record I am really interested in getting a top 6 pick from Toronto to grab one of Alex Len, Zeller, Noel. If they aren't there then either McElmore or Goodwin. This may not be a great draft, but I'd be pumped to get one of those guys. Marcus Smart would be an interesting replacement for Harden, similar player.

Yeah, not changing the protection on that pick.

I really don't think that either party would want to change that protection. OKC would like some young blood sooner, and Toronto would like to give up their pick in a weak draft.