RealGM

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/may/16/dont-rule-out-calipari-going-to-cleveland/

The NBA confirmed that teams can begin discussing possible sign-and-trade scenarios in advance of the July 1 start of free agency.

Teams can discuss potential sign and trades before July 1, so long as no discussions are with the player(s) involved.

Wouldn't you want to have some idea of what the player agreeing to the S&T wants in terms of salary?

This seems strange to me...

1 I have an idea of what some players want. Lebron wants the max. As does Wade, Bosh, and so on.
2 The question to the prior team of "are you open to snt's regarding _____ if he doesn't resign with you" are informative even without knowing the number it will take to sign the player, because you already have an idea of how much you'd pay them (which is what you have to match in salary).
3 This isn't a new rule, just some info getting into print that some fans may not have already known.

The reality is [if a player is solidly worth the max] this type of discussion would go nowhere. The teams with bird rights on players such as LeBron, Wade, or Bosh are not going to disclose to anyone they would consider a SnT under any circumstance. If they did, they would be increasing the chances of losing the player by expanding the options the player has. The official stand of the teams with such a player in FA status will be they wish to resign the player and will make a max offer as soon as possible. Additionally, whether true or not, they will say no trades will be considered.

Now, if a player (let's say LeBron) reaches a deal with a team (let's say the Knicks) and LeBron convinces the Cavs he is willing to sign with the Knicks for less money in order to get out of Cleveland, only in that circumstance the Cavs might consider a SnT. But, the only team the Cavs would ever do this with is the Knicks because they have the cap space and (LeBron's willingness) to otherwise sign him outright. IOW, the Cavs wouldn't trade LeBron to a team over the cap (like the Lakers) even if the Lakers offered Kobe under any circumstance. The Cavs would be foolish to help LeBron out of Cleveland by opening up to LeBron the possibility of playing anywhere but Cleveland or a team that has cap space.

d-train wrote:Now, if a player (let's say LeBron) reaches a deal with a team (let's say the Knicks) and LeBron convinces the Cavs he is willing to sign with the Knicks for less money in order to get out of Cleveland, only in that circumstance the Cavs might consider a SnT. But, the only team the Cavs would ever do this with is the Knicks because they have the cap space and (LeBron's willingness) to otherwise sign him outright.

In that situation I think it makes all the sense in the world for the Cavs to take offers from other teams. They're looking at a trade exception and maybe a 2nd round pick if they will only deal with NY. Plus it gives them a chance to move Lebron out of the east (or even out of the Cavs' own division if he wants to go to Chicago).

I wasn't referring as much to a max player, whose salary demands everyone on Earth knows, as I was to someone like David Lee. Sorry for not clarifying.