winforlose wrote:shrink wrote:Let me talk about apron paths in a different way, using Durant as the example here for deal structure (not value).
MIN can’t make a Durant trade without aggregating salary which caps us at the second apron, so we want to avoid any restrictions that cap us at the first, specifically taking back more money than we send out.
PHX will likely find themselves capped at the first apron in any two way trade without us. Neither of us wants to take back more money, but an exactly matching trade can only happen if they receive a free agent in a sign-and-trade who’s salary was specifically created to match, and receiving a free agent in an S&T is a rule that caps them at the first apron anyway.
Getting down to the first apron would be a challenge for PHX, because they are even more expensive than us, and their three max deals are all locked in place. But they could do a deal that avoided this if the deal included a third team. For example
MIN SENDS: Randle (opts in at $30.9) + DDV ($12) + NAW (signs for $12)
MIN RECIEVES: Durant ($54.7)
PHX SENDS: Durant ($54.7)
PHX RECEIVES: Randle ($30.9) + DDV ($12) + Player X ($11)
THIRD TEAM SENDS: Player X ($11)
THIRD TEAM RECIEVES: NAW ($12) (ignore BYC for this example)
If you look at the apron rules, in this trade PHX doesn’t violate any 1st or even 2nd rules. They took back less money. They didn’t acquire a S&T player. They could do a deal this way on July 1, and not even worry about staying above the second apron while they did it.
I would note that if MIN wanted to keep DDV and NAW, they could use Naz this way instead, and the third team sending a bigger contract. I chose this way to create playing time for Clark and TSJ, but there are a lot of options.
So you know far more about it this than me, but I do see a few issues.
1. NAW would be newly signed, doesn’t that have a restriction period from including him in a trade? Also doesn’t he get the unilateral right to block any trade within the first year?
2. The Wolves must have 14 players under roster minimum. If we consolidate 3 salaries into 1, accept a hard cap at the 2nd apron, and resign Naz, then aren’t we in real tight financial restrictions on the other players?
3. Are we sure that a team that includes KD and force promotes Clark and TSJ into essentially spots 7 and 8 in the rotation isn’t a major step backwards from last season? Forgive me, but I don’t see KD being that much more productive than Randle that can you say he is worth the salary slot much less the depth. Plus NAW and DDV have trade value independently and could be used to help balance the roster. KD is not a video game cheat code that gets us to the playoffs much less advancing in them.
I have been vocal against several trades over the years including adding Ben Simmons and now over adding KD. This is a great way to take a step out of contention and a giant leap toward trading a sour Ant to another contender so we can rebuild. Play along for Ant’s sake and then stay far away from KD.
P.S. FAR, FAR, VERY FAR, away from KD!!!
1. The CBA has a waiting period when you sign free agents, but not your
own free agents. Sign-and-trade are common, teams work together to get a player to the team he wants,
1. The CBA only awards players an implicit no trade clause if they are signed for only one year. This is to prevent them from being traded and losing their Bird rights, this making it harder for them to get their next new contract. NAW’s new deal will almost certainly be multiyear, and that means he will retain his Bird rights in a trade, so he won’t get a no trade clause.
2. To be clear, there are no roster minimums or maximums until the first day of the season. But yes, the caps at the aprons are hard caps. When we are talking about small amounts of money, it’s hard to determine exactly how close we will be to that apron with all the ways Connelly could take the team. However, we have several very cheap players that can help add production, we could add two more in the draft, we can sign two-way players, and we can sign and release players on minimum deals. Overall, we are well-designed to do a consolidation trade, with some possibly good prospects already on the roster to fill in the minutes.
3. It’s true that one of the team’s strengths the last two years has been the depth, the ability to bring three strong rotation players off the bench (Naz, Naw, SloMo/DDV). I didn’t address the value of Durant here, just the way we likely see it get done under the CBA. I don’t agree with people though that believe the team is designed to do a consolidation trade, where a shallower team like DEN would struggle.
