Wizenheimer wrote:
The thing about a trade like this is that both team's front offices hold their noses while looking to the future. This is a situation where there are different benefits to each team in exchanging stinky contract, perhaps enough to make both teams agree.
I understand about NY maybe having reluctance to move Mardy Collins in this deal. To be honest, I'm not sure why either team would really need to move other assets then lafrentz + miles for marbury.
So if the trade is simplified to just that, then the equation is a lot simpler to analyze. Over the next 2 years the combined salaries of Lafrentz and Miles is 41.8 million while francis's salary is a little over 42 million. So the salary exchange is a push, with a slight edge to NY.
The problem arises with the 3rd year of the Miles contract...9 million. Now it looks like even adding that to NY's salary base, the Knicks will be under the luxury tax threshold, so the 9 million would be the total that would have to be 'equalized'. Part of the equalization may be that Miles is practicing now and I believe he has been cleared to play by the doctors. He may actually be able to contribute to a team soon, and if he comes close to his original form he may be effective for the Knicks. So that just leaves some money issues...maybe.
We have a term in portland, and its SPAM (spending paul allen's money). So as long as we're doing that, we can sweeten the pot a bit for NY by modifying the original trade and adding a secondary one:
trade 1 = Lafrentz, Miles, and 3 million cash for Marbury
trade 2 = one of portland's 2008 2nd round picks and 3 million cash for NY's 2010 2nd round pick
does that get it done?
It doesn't get it done for NY.
Portland gains cap space 2 years down the line.
NY adds 9 million in salary (18 million to those who write the checks), for 2 players who (sorry, but it's true) are less good than marbs. That's why a pick would need to be included. 3 million wouldn't get it done and a swap of 2nd round picks wouldn't get it done.
The question is whether Portland would throw in a first rounder, cause that would get it done, but I'm not sure Portland would do it.
3 million - nope
swap of 2nd round picks - nope.