RealGM

I'm just wondering if this double trade with the Clippers is legal under the CBA?

And do you think that Clipper Owner Donald Sterling would do it?

Again, the question is not whether you would do this double trade.
The question is whether Clipper owner Donald Sterling would do it?
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Trade 1:

Boston sends Gabe Pruitt and $3 Million Cash to the Clippers for the Timberwolves Top Ten Protected Pick owed the Clippers from the Marko Jaric-Sam Cassell trade?

Why Does Boston do this?
Because Boston Trades a player who is the 6th guard for a higher future pick.

Why Does Los Angeles do this?
They have Brevin Knight returning, with Dan Dickau and Shaun Livingston as unrestricted free agents (LA won't make a $5.8 Million qualifying offer to Livingston, so he will be unrestricted). Free agent signings can be expensive. And, it could be 3 or even 4 years before the Timberwolves pick is actually delivered.

Pruitt is a local USC product with two more years at approximately $650K per season. Clipper owner Donald Sterling knows that in addition to the immediate $3 million cash received, he gets two years of Gabe Pruitt at $650k per year, which is a lot less than any free agent point guard that he could sign for the next two seasons.
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Trade 2:

After completing the previous trade,

Boston sends an additional $3 million Cash and the Timberwolves future Top Ten Protected Pick back to the Clippers for the Clippers 2008 First Round Pick.

Why Boston Does This: For a total Cost of $6 Million Cash and Gabe Pruitt,
the Celtics have just bought the Clippers 2008 First Round Pick (Likely the #6 Pick).

Why Los Angeles Does This: #6 Picks can be busts. Donald Sterling gains $6 Million Cash by Doing this Double Trade, and the rights to Gabe Pruitt, who will play the next two seasons at the bargain rate of $650K per. The Clips retain their future Top Ten Protected Pick from the Timberwolves.

my head hurts.

so basically you are asking if Sterling would sell the #6 pick for $6 million?

Only PHX's owner would do that.

Is there any reason why this would have to be two trades? Could you not just trade 6 mil and Gabe Pruitt straight up for the pick?

I doubt Sterling would do it. If he trades that pick away from anything less than quality players and I wouldn't be surprised if Brand walks after that, which would probably cause too many fans to just boycott their games, after letting Brand walk and giving away the pick for nothing.

Also, the C's probably wouldn't do it either. As fans, we'd love to have a young player to develop, but it's just not worth it from a financial perspective. Also, there isn't much of a point to bring in young talent with our win now mode, so you don't do the trade unless they were to ship off the pick and Ray Allen (which I'm opposed to trading Ray) for a better player or two, and I don't think that trade would be available.

The Clippers could probably get more for the pick anyways.

Zin5 wrote:Is there any reason why this would have to be two trades? Could you not just trade 6 mil and Gabe Pruitt straight up for the pick?

The most cash allowed in any single trade is $3 Million.

However, since their are two separate trades in this proposal,
each sending $3 Million to the Clippers,
that is how the total cash to the Clippers ends up at $6 Million.

I doubt the NBA allows it. The double trade is clearly being done to circumvent the $3 million rule.

Both teams will be fined by Mr Stern if they attempt this.

All deals involving cash I believe have to be approved by the commish. So unless he is an idiot, he will probably catch on.

Anytime the justifications why a team would do a trade are "xxx can be expensive" or "a high draft pick could be a bust", the original trade idea is pretty silly.