RealGM

The following has come up a couple of times on the Trade Board recently, and I wanted to get opinions on it here:

As I understand it, the "Stepien Rule" basically states that Team X cannot make trades that would leave it without first-round draft picks in two consecutive years. So in this example, the Raptors, having traded a pick to Miami that could be conveyed in 2010, cannot under current conditions make another trade that conveys their 2009 pick to another team.

(If any of my assumptions are wrong, please let me know.)

Some posters on the Trade Board are suggesting that the Raptors could, prior to the deadline, make a trade that involves "future considerations"...and that those considerations could involve a wink-wink agreement where they draft a player in June 2009, then send him after to the fact to the other team.

Is this possible? It seems a pretty blatant contravention of the CBA to me, but I don't know what the league could do in that situation. Anyone here have any insight?

To start, as a raps fan, I feel the need to remind you that raps fans are almost universally idiots, especially when it comes to what is legal/realistic in trades.

So to be brief, no, that isn't allowed, and the league would go **** on someone who tried. I imagine they would do something along the lines of rescinding the trade, and then taking away multiple future draft picks from the Raps, and fining BC. I'm not certain the other team would get punished, but I would bet they do, though to a lesser degree.

Also, I don't think future considerations are an allowed component of an NBA trade, though I might be wrong. But that part could also be wink-wink, I suppose, since we are in fantasy land anyway.

Can the Raps make a trade now that includes unnamed "future considerations"? No. Because of the cap rules, everything being traded must be spelled out.

However, that doesn't mean the Raps are stuck with their 2009 pick.

They can negotiate a deal with Another Team on draft day or before, hold off on the trade, pick in their 2009 slot and pick the player Another Team wants in trade, and then consummate the trade after the draft.

FGump wrote:Can the Raps make a trade now that includes unnamed "future considerations"? No. Because of the cap rules, everything being traded must be spelled out.

Gotcha. I think that was the piece of information we were missing. Thanks, gents.

Also, the Stepien rule only prevents you from being without a 1st round pick, which can be from another team instead of being your own, in consecutive future drafts. If a team so chooses, it could never again have a first round pick.