Enter the trading contest here:

[Casperkid23]

So I have this spreadsheet that I use for the draft lottery that has all the different combinations of 4 when using 14 different cards (A-K, joker), and I normally use it to just see what the draft order would be if I were the one drawing.

Well, looking at the trade board, I got to thinking - why not use it for trading as well? So I assigned each team (outside of the Timberwolves) an equal amount of combinations, and thought I'd put together a game. Anyone who wants to take part in this "game" just put your name down here and then tomorrow night I'll draw teams for everyone.

Rules: There will be a maximum of 7 players (or rights e.g. Pekovic) involved in two team trades, or 10 players involved in three team trades - however any number of draft picks can be exchanged. Trades can also be pre- or post- moratorium.

So, put your name down and specify whether you want either a two team trade (Minnesota and another team) or a three team trade (Minnesota and two other teams), and see what realistic and beneficial trade you can come up for the teams involved (especially the Timberwolves) after I draw for you.

I think this could be a blast and get some creative ideas out there, so I hope we get 10+ people entering (non-Timberwolves fans welcome, but realize all trades will include Minnesota as a team). If this bombs, then whatever, but I got something I'll use for future ideas to force me to think outside the box.


Me? I'm signing up for a 3-teamer.

[Esohny]

I'll play. 3 teamer for me.

[ritt0093]

sign me up! I'll start small with a 2 teamer.

[Vindicater]

Ill go with a 2 team trade as well

[shrink]

Sounds like fun. It may be a good opportunity for me to refamiliarize myself with some of the less likely trade partners.

[Casperkid23]

No one else? And how many teams do you want shrink?

[shrink]

Make it 3. Hopefully I get some crazy team like ORL with very little obvious trading connections. Thanks!

[ritt0093]

Make it 3. Hopefully I get some crazy team like ORL with very little obvious trading connections. Thanks!

I think we should give Shrink BOS-LAL-MIN, walk away and say have fun.

[Casperkid23]

Okay, I just did the drawings and here's how it came up:

Casper: MIN-MIA-MIL
Esohny: MIN-MEM-HOU
ritt0093: MIN-MEM
Vindicater: MIN-OKC
shrink: MIN-DAL-LAC

If anyone else wants to join this, feel free to put your name down... or if anyone above wants to do another once they finished the one I drew (or completely hates the one I drew and wants to do another - beware of LAL), then throw your name down and the preference. I'd be down for changing up the way I do this too, like for a 3-teamer I'd just draw one team and then let the person pick the 3rd... but I think this should be fun even if Memphis got doubled up.

Remember the base rules above about the # of players and such. Put your trades in this thread once you finish them.

[Casperkid23]

MIN-MIA-MIL trade:

MIN out: Gomes, Sessions, Hollins, #23
MIN in: Gadzuric, Jones (waived), #15, #18, MIA cash
Cap Significance: (Assuming Gomes/Jones waived... 2010-11: 3.5mil less room, 2011-12: 4.0mil more room, 2012-13: 1.25mil more room)
Reasoning: Move up in the draft and pick up an extra mid-first. Two (or all three) of their picks in the 15-18 range can then be combined to move back into the mid-lotto to select Johnson, Henry, or George. Cash from MIA virtually pays for the difference between the Jones and Gomes contracts, but their cap space is taken down to roughly 10mil. This move is done to upgrade young talent while keeping core pieces intact and they will look to move Jefferson in future moves.

Draft: #4 - Cousins, #16/#18 - combined for George, #15 - Udoh
MIN Core rotation:
PG: Flynn/Bradley(#18)
SG: Brewer/Ellington
SF: George(#16/#18)
PF: Love/Udoh(#15)
C: Jefferson/Cousins(#4)

MIA out: Beasley, Jones, Cook, #18, cash to MIN
MIA in: Gomes (waived), Hollins, Jackson (waived), #37, Cook TPE
Cap Significance: (Assuming Gomes/Jones waived... 2010-11: 7.0mil more room, 9.25mil more room, 11.0mil more room)
Reasoning: Open up the room to conceivably sign three max FAs (~47.5mil space versus ~40.5mil w/o move), but more likely getting two (aim for Wade/Bosh) and then another relatively good FA and role-players to surround them. Gomes is only 1mil guaranteed, while Jackson is fully unguaranteed. Get another mid-high 2nd so they can add three cheap rookies there to help fill the roster. Hollins can play the role of 4th big but was a necessary contract to add if they wanted to shed Jones and Beasley and open up much more room.

MIL out: Gadzuric, Jackson, #15, #37
MIL in: Beasley, Sessions, Cook (absorbed w/ TPE), #23
Cap Significance: (Assuming Gomes is waived... 2010-11: 3.5mil less room, 2011-12: 13.25mil less room, 2012-13: 12.25mil less room)
Reasoning: Pick up Beasley and Sessions and only trade down 8 spots and give up a high 2nd to do so. Seeing as they were a plus defensive team last year, but needed help offensively, this move makes sense even though it potentially kills them as far as the cap is concerned and is highly risky w/ Beasley's attitude. From here, they'll look to unload some of their players as they have a glut of wings.

[Vindicater]

I have to go away for a couple of days so someone else can take my spot if they want.

First in first served

[ritt0093]

well since vindicator can't I decided to combine my two team and his into 1 three team. Not sure if its possible under the salary cap rules since I don't understand sign and trades, but here it is.

MIN in
James Harden
S&T Rudy Gay

MIN out
Al Jefferson
Jonny Flynn

OKC in
Al Jefferson
Hasheem Thabeet

OKC out
Jeff Green
James Harden

MEM in
Jeff Green
Jonny Flynn

MEM out
S&T Rudy Gay
Hasheem Thabeet

MIN gets a massive overhaul on the wings, all for moving a redundant PF and PG.

OKC gets a dominate low post offensive threat and a solid defensive player to go with Durant, Westbrook and Thabo. It costs them the redundant Jeff Green.

MEM turns Thabeet into a starting PG, and they get a solid replacement for Rudy Gay. They also delay having to extend their SF by a year in which the market should be different with fewer teams having availible cash to drive up prices.

[skorff26]

I'll take a 3 team trade

[karch34]

I'll take a 3 teamer.

[Casperkid23]

skoroff26: MIN-SA-GS
karch34: MIN-DAL-LAC (shrink already has that, so redrew - pick either) or MIN-OKC-CHI

[shrink]

Your random generator came up with the same three team combo? That's unusual.

I probably won't be able to get to work on this until later, so if skoff chooses one, I'll do the other.

[Esohny]

MN out:
Gomes, Sessions, rights to Pekovic, 2010 23rd pick.
MN in:
Battier, 2010 12th pick

MN uses Pekovic and solid role players to move up from 23 to late lottery and obtain a year of a vet wing to mentor the youngins.

Houston out:
Battier, 2010 14th pick, 2012 knicks 1st rounder
Houston in:
Gomes, Sessions, rights to Pekovic, 2010 23rd pick

Houston obtains a beefy low post scorer and a strong 2nd PG to replace expiring Lowry. They can keep Gomes in place of Battier on the bench, or can cut him for cap space.

Memphis out:
2010 12th pick
Memphis in:
2010 14th pick, 2012 knicks 1st rounder

Memphis obtains a future 1st for dropping a couple spaces in the late lottery.


Edit: I swear I didn't see the Pek trade rumor before I posted this.

[skorff26]

skoroff26: MIN-SA-GS

why does GS have to be included... they only have all-stars on their team. Anyway here's my attempt.

Minnesota Out: Gomes In: Azubuike
-we take a chance on him next year and see how he fits in

GS Out: Maggette, Azbuike, Wright In: RJ
-they get out of Maggette's contract, Wright has potential and Azubuike is a solid player, but I really don't think either are part of GS long-term plan

SA Out: RJ In: Gomes, Maggette, Wright
-they save money next year. Also they would hope that Mags would fit in better then RJ did. Plus Wright might develop more playing with Duncan. It's a bit of a desperation move, but I think SA will become desperate to try and win Duncan one more ring.



Sidenote with SA/MN (especially with Parker and Jefferson's names being mentioned in trades): I could see a trade where Jefferson goes to SA, Tony Parker goes to team X, and Teams X's assets go to Minnesota... teams such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Indiana, Clippers, Memphis, Miami, NY, Portland, Sacramento (if Evans plays SG), and Toronto I think would all be very interested in Parker.

[shrink]

I was getting kind of a "square-peg, round-hole" feel doing this trade. Trades work best when the teams have very different specific needs, so a player can be more valuable to one team than another. When teams have similar positions, like MIN and LAC (rebuilding, cap space, want to see what their stars can do, its often difficult to force a trade out of them. But here's my attempt:

DAL OUT: Dampier + Beaubois
DAL IN: Kaman

LAC OUT: Kaman + 2012 unprotected MIN 1st returned
LAC IN: Dampier (cap space) + Flynn + Pekovic

MIN OUT: Flynn + Pekovic
MIN IN: 2012 unprotected MIN 1st returned + Beaubois + $2 mil in cap space

WHY FOR DAL?: Kaman is an effective big that they can start next to Dirk as they make another play-off run. They are on borrowed time with the aging Kidd, Dirk, and Terry, and Kaman is a good age and skill-set for them. Kaman gives them leverage when they discuss a new contract for Haywood. Beaubois looks promising but he's young, and they probably prefer Barea as a back-up - both played well when they got minutes.

WHY FOR LAC: The Dampier "dust chip" can be waived to turn Kaman into raw cap space, and give LAC the enviable position of being able to offer a sunny alternative for two elite free agents. How good would LeBron and Amar'e look on this team, with a vet PG already in place?

If they don't get them, they are still set up nicely, with only Baron Davis being over-the-hill. Flynn is a great replacement for the aging and injury-prone Baron Davis. Moving Kaman also provides more minutes fo DeAndre Jordan, and Pekovic provides nice strength, a yin to Jordan's yang, and a nice three man big rotation. They have few players on their roster, but they could quickly put together something like

Davis, Flynn
Eric Gordon
Rudy Gay, Aminu?
Blake Griffin, Pekovic
Deandre Jordan

WHY FOR MIN: They remove the uncertainty of losing a potentially Top Pick in 2012, which gives them one more chance to bring in an elite player. The price is high here, and it might be tough for Kahn to swallow. On the other hand, if rubio is coming over in 2011, Flynn would need to be moved eventually. Beaubois gives us a young back-up PG with upside, without the big investment. Trading Pekovic means we don't need to use cap space on him this year, so we gain perhaps $6 mil of cap space to use as an asset this year while its so valuable.

[Casperkid23]

I like all three, but probably shrink's the best.

And yes, I drew the same two team's twice that early. Very odd. Maybe it was because your deal makes a whole lot of sense for the team's involved.