Jammer wrote:For those who wonder if a Kyrie Irving trade to the Wolves is possible under the CBA, the answer is yes. Whether it could happen is something completely different.
The new CBA requires, for the salaries in question and CAP SITUATIONS in question, that the Wolves ship out within $5 million of what they take back.
Since Kyrie Irving makes approximately $18,868,626 the Wolves would have to send out $13,868,626. This amount does not have to go to Cleveland, it just has to be outgoing to any combination of teams.
How could they get there today?
$7,300,000 Cole Aldrich
$3,949,999 Nemanja Bjelica
$1,471,382 Tyus Jones
Vet Minimum Contract to one of Brandon Rush or Adreian Payne (not doable with Shabazz, who will get more than Minimum). There is no practical reason for Rush or Payne to do this other than the Wolves possibly sending cash to the team in question to "guarantee" the second or third years, which for Rush and Payne, might matter.
That would cover the salary aspect. The Wolves would probably have to add at least one 1rst round pick to the above.
Other than the above collection of players, to get to the $13,868,626 number without the above potpourri would require trading someone like Gorgui Dieng or , after December 15, someone like Teague or Gibson, which you would not expect.
I think that there is a bit of a drunk reaction on the part of some fans of Minnesota and Cleveland.
In July 2010 LeBron James was Traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat for a 2011 2nd round draft pick (Milan Macvan was later selected), a 2012 2nd round draft pick (Jae Crowder was later selected), a 2013 1st round draft pick (Nemanja Nedovic was later selected) and a 2016 1st round draft pick (Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot was later selected). Cleveland also received a trade exception from Miami. Cleveland had the option to swap 1st round draft picks with Miami in 2012 but did not do so. James signed a 4 year contract to get Miami to give up that "Haul." And Kyrie Irving aint' a LeBron James.
Irving's value declines with time, by next summer, with only one year left on his contract (his player option for a third year is meaningless in the context of the new CBA's Big Dollar contracts), moving Irving anytime after the trade deadline is foolish because the return will be puke. Probably less than Paul George fetched with his one year contract. So if Irving is going to be moved, it's either before camp or before the All-Star game. Cleveland might have dreams of another run with Irving, but the distraction and dysfunction will not be worth it.
So the timetable is set. Whether anyone wants to admit it is something else.
Now before everyone goes off giving up multiple rotation quality guys, you have to say what is each player's value. The team on the clock never gets as much as a team not on a clock.
For example, looking at some of the Wolves players who can be traded now (Teague, Gibson and Crawford are off limits until 12/15),
Tyus Jones has panned out, and despite being a #24 pick, has come along from the 19 year old drafted two years ago and on his own is worth around a #19 pick.
Nemanja Bjelica, all 6' 10" of him, is decent defensively and can stretch the floor. Despite being a #35 pick, he will be a Restricted Free Agent next summer, meaning whatever team that has him will have the Right to Match Any Offer, and Bjelica's value on it's own is a pick in the 20's. That's another First Round Pick value. He made it in the NBA. He's not a free agent. The Knicks even wanted to trade for him on his own at one time.
Now, people may say Cole Aldrich wasn't able to be moved (due to his $7.3 million salary), but Cole Aldrich happens to be around the 56th best center in the NBA. He's not a starter. But he's better than an end of the bench guy. Unfortunately the Wolves are now stacked with SIX good BIG's. Aldrich's game is more suited for the classic post player era, where his offense and defense would have been more suitable than today's mobile era where switching centers on defense are craved and guys who can step out and nail jumpers are searched out. But Aldrich is still around the 56th best center, which means there are 4 teams that he's better than the backup on, but those four teams have so many dollars committed to their current backup they can't justify Aldrich's additional salary, or they simply don't have the cap room. Now, Aldrich may not be worth a pick back, but he's better than the current backup center in Atlanta, Brooklyn, New Orleans or Phoenix.
So, just sending out Jones is worth about a #19 pick,and Bjelica about a twenty something pick. They wouldn't have to go to Cleveland if another team were sending back a pick in exchange.
The OKC pick is probably going to be around #23 to #26.
The Wolves 2020 First Round Pick (the earliest one they could trade) is probably out of the lottery, but who knows where.
Adding ONE of the Wolves future first, or the OKC pick, in effect brings the offer up to 3 First Round Picks ((Jones + Bjelica + (One of the 2018 OKC pick or Minnesota 2020 pick).
Cleveland will make a huge savings in that they are into the repeater luxury tax, so by taking back less salary than they send out will have HUGE savings for them. That's actually a good deal. Bjelica and Jones would actually fit into the Cleveland roster. Aldrich would not.
For CBA reasons the Wolves would have to send out another $800k of salary, someplace, by signing and trading either Brandon Rush or Adriean Payne to a minimum deal and "guaranteeing" the 2nd or 3rd year by sending a cash payment to the destination team. Since up to $5.1 million or so can be transferred between teams under the new CBA, any cash not going to the team taking on Rush or Payne could go to Cleveland.
That's actually sort of the return Cleveland's going to end up with, since I can't see Phoenix parting with Bledsoe and Jackson, despite Cleveland probably requesting both. What you read and what will happen are two different scenarios, based on who the reporter was talking to. Most of what we are reading now is Cleveland's "wish list." In any event, I think some folks are giving up the store when the cup boards do not have to be laid bare. Kyrie actually wields a lot of power since they really can't trade him to a team that he will not agree to re-sign with, or else whatever the receiving gives up is for a 2 year, and possibly less, rental.
