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These topics are getting a little ridiculous-- I can't be the only one that thinks that, right?

Let's condense them into one, central topic... because if I see one more pie in the sky trade thread, I'll probably have to shoot one of y'all.

Anyway, let's get to it! What are your thoughts on trades this season? Think one will happen? Who's goin', who's stayin', and when do y'all think it'll happen?

Personally, I don't see any significant trades happening for the Jazz this season. I think they'll play it out, and just cash in on AK's expiring contract once the season is over. If not that, I don't see AK surviving the rest of the season. The guy's a walking piggy bank.

Anyway, I have faith in KOC and Co. Let's hope they don't mess anything up.

CHRIS MORRIS & GREG FOSTER for RONY SEIKALY

I really have to believe the Jazz are actively trying to move AK's contract to save money. Considering the deal they were trying to pull of before the season started, I think the Millers are looking to cut costs big time.

Bat wrote:I really have to believe the Jazz are actively trying to move AK's contract to save money. Considering the deal they were trying to pull of before the season started, I think the Millers are looking to cut costs big time.

I haven't seen anything to convince me the Jazz were an active part of trying to get that deal done. I think it's more likely that one of the other GMs called up KOC, asked if there was any interest in being involved based on a Diaw for AK swap, and KOC said there was interest with the intention of bartering for more. However, I think the deal fell through long before the Jazz got seriously involved.

Bat wrote:I really have to believe the Jazz are actively trying to move AK's contract to save money. Considering the deal they were trying to pull of before the season started, I think the Millers are looking to cut costs big time.

As much as I don't like it, I think you're right.

Not buying the cost cutting for this season. The Jazz are still atop the division, and in the hunt for home court in the playoff seeding. If they were middle of the pack in the division and hovering around the 8-9th seed in the playoffs I'd be more inclined to believe a cost-cutting trade was likely.

That said, I could see a trade coming if there was another player that came in return for AK and provided someone that could help the team without causing another round of financial pain next year I could see it. But you also need to consider the possibility of a lockout next year. If there is a partial year lockout, does the same financial penalties hold for being over the luxury tax threshold? That unknown may be enough to keep teams from being willing to go there if they can help it.

I predict nothing big happens trade wise during the season (surprise). Next year is DWill contract year, so I think next off season/season could be busy for the jazz, obviously, trying to convince DWill that he can win a championship here.

Fido wrote: If there is a partial year lockout, does the same financial penalties hold for being over the luxury tax threshold?

It's completely unknown at this point, since that's all dictated by the CBA which expires this upcoming summer.

There's speculation that the owners want a hard cap, or at least a less-soft one. There's also talk of more revenue sharing. The luxury tax is a form of revenue sharing (though a poor one, IMO) and perhaps it will go away and be replaced by something else, or maybe it will be more severe. How it all shakes out and how much of the 2011-12 season is lost is anyone's guess.

If Hayward can continue to show improvement and play solid minutes it's going to be really hard for KOC not to trade AK. After last nights game I couldn't help but think how expendable AK looked.

If anyone gets traded it's going to be AK. Maybe we should keep our eyes on the Rocket, they are apparently shopping nearly everyone on their roster. Maybe we send them AK for Martin and fillers so they can have AK and Yao come off the books at the end of the year and make a run at Melo or other FA's. I would still love to see an AK for Iggy deal too....

I think AK is still the most likely to be traded Jazz-man. He radical inconsistency and inability to stay healthy make him more expendable, despite the fact that, when his game is on, he's one of the best players in the league.

Fido wrote:Not buying the cost cutting for this season. The Jazz are still atop the division, and in the hunt for home court in the playoff seeding. If they were middle of the pack in the division and hovering around the 8-9th seed in the playoffs I'd be more inclined to believe a cost-cutting trade was likely.

Do you not remember last year? The Jazz were 16-12 when they traded Maynor & Harpring's contract. They were 34-19 when they traded Brewer. They were clearly in the hunt for the division title the entire year and they made TWO cost-cutting trades.

I don't have any reason to believe this year will be any different.

I think CJ is the most likely to be traded. His value is at an all-time high, he is young, and he is due a contract extension. He's great off the bench, but we need a good starting shooting guard.

AK-47 is likely gone and Hayward going to get starting SF time with Millsap at times playing the SF as well. The Jazz would definitely want to save money on the luxury tax plus get a good SG. Heres a trade that works money wise and is good for all teams considering the Nuggets want something for Melo, Nets want Melo, and the Jazz want to reduce salary while improving the SG position. (3 team trade Jazz, Nuggets, and Nets)

Jazz trade AK-47 and get Devin Harris and Sasha Vujacic

Nuggets trade Melo, Al Harrington (bad contract) and get Ak-47 and Derrick Favors plus 2 future Nets #1 picks (lottery protected for a couple of years)

Nets trade Favors, Vujacic, and Harris (along with 2 future #1s lottery protected for 2 years) for Melo and Harrington

Jazz Lineup:
PG DWLL Watson Price
SG Harris Miles Bell Sasha Vujacic
SF Hayward Miles Millsap
PF Millsap Jefferson Elson Evans
C Jefferson Memo Elson Fess

HolyToledo wrote:AK-47 is likely gone and Hayward going to get starting SF time with Millsap at times playing the SF as well. The Jazz would definitely want to save money on the luxury tax plus get a good SG. Heres a trade that works money wise and is good for all teams considering the Nuggets want something for Melo, Nets want Melo, and the Jazz want to reduce salary while improving the SG position. (3 team trade Jazz, Nuggets, and Nets)

Jazz trade AK-47 and get Devin Harris and Sasha Vujacic

Nuggets trade Melo, Al Harrington (bad contract) and get Ak-47 and Derrick Favors plus 2 future Nets #1 picks (lottery protected for a couple of years)

Nets trade Favors, Vujacic, and Harris (along with 2 future #1s lottery protected for 2 years) for Melo and Harrington

Jazz Lineup:
PG DWLL Watson Price
SG Harris Miles Bell Sasha Vujacic
SF Hayward Miles Millsap
PF Millsap Jefferson Elson Evans
C Jefferson Memo Elson Fess

It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure Harris would see enough time to justify pulling the trigger on it. Also, Vujacic can't be traded again as part of a multi-player deal until right near the trade deadline -- and I expect that Melo will be dealt long before then.

But this is exactly the the type of trade I see the Jazz making: getting in on a major trade to dump AK's contract, save around $3-5M in tax this year, while limiting their future salary commitments.

HappyProle wrote:Do you not remember last year? The Jazz were 16-12 when they traded Maynor & Harpring's contract. They were 34-19 when they traded Brewer. They were clearly in the hunt for the division title the entire year and they made TWO cost-cutting trades.

I don't have any reason to believe this year will be any different.

This year's circumstance is certainly not last years circumstance. You only get someone to take the contract you want to move (AKs) by incenting them--either by taking a bad contract from them which by definition has multiple years on it OR by adding some prize to the package in exchange for another smaller expiring. Last year's moves were made because they didn't impact the Jazz competitively.

AKs contract is also too large to be flat out absorbed--only 5 teams have more than $3.5 mill available under the cap and none have the $17 mill they would need to take AK (Kings only have $14 mill). So the Jazz would have to take back players. Nobody is going to be taking AK without giving you someone "undesirable".

I'm not so sure if I agree with last years moves being made because they didn't effect our ability to compete. You could argue the Brewer trade didn't effect us because we had Matthews but the Maynor trade clearly hurt us since we had no back-up point guard at the time or for the rest of the season.

How about an AK, Fes and 1st rounder for Kevin Martin and Shane Battier?

Not sure if Houston or the Jazz would do it but I would bet Houston would take a good look at it since that would give them over 120+ million coming off the books between AK and Yao alone. They also get Fes and a first rounder to start the rebuilding process. Jazz would get Battier who we all know would be perfect on the Jazz (he is also an expiring) and we also get a stud scoring 2 guard in Martin for the next couple years.

Fido wrote:Nobody is going to be taking AK without giving you someone "undesirable".

I fully understand the Jazz will have to take back someone or multiple someones, but each team has a different opinion of what is "desirable." Teams that are rebuilding can have little interest in aging players with more than a couple years on their contracts. A team like the Jazz could be very interested in such players.

The harsh reality is that AK is not going to age well and I don't think the Jazz should sign him to another contract, even a discounted one. If they can flip him for a slightly younger player who can produce at or near AK's current level (even if that player doesn't have the best contract) then they should do it. It's the only way of turning the money currently committed to AK into a productive player next year and beyond.

Of course maybe the Millers don't want to commit any of that money to players next year. But as all Jazz fans on this board should know, the Jazz still won't be under the salary cap (assuming a similar or more strict cap structure under the new CBA).

UTJazzFan_Echo1 wrote:How about an AK, Fes and 1st rounder for Kevin Martin and Shane Battier?

Is Martin on the block? Jazz should do this trade immediately if it's available.

Martin is really inefficient and Battier is getting a little slower and older.

hoops4life wrote:Martin is really inefficient and Battier is getting a little slower and older.

Martin is one of the most efficient players in the NBA on offense. His TS% is always through the roof.