Playing with the DEN-NYK-MIN deal .. plus PHI

[shrink]

Its December 15th, the unofficial start of the trade season, so I was goofing around a bit with the DEN-NYK-MIN trade.

A. If we assume that Melo goes to NYK now, then they have no need for the summer cap space, and Telfair turns into Ridnour.

B. Eddy Curry is needed for financial reasons in a Melo trade, but it makes little sense to send him there. Curry is insured, so a team only has to pay 20% of his contract after 41 games missed, but since DEN is over the lux, at the end of the season they need to pay an additional 100% -- for no production. Insured contracts should not be traded to teams over the lux.

C. If we add Anthony Randolph, he'll never develop without minutes, and really the only place we can find them is in Tolliver.

D. According to rumors, if DEN moves Carmelo, they'd love to be under the lux.

Putting those three things together, I can come up with a trade that looks like this:

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine

DEN OUT: Carmelo Anthony + Chris Anderson
DEN IN: Gallinari + Tolliver + Roger Mason + UTA 1st + $14.7 mil in cap space (Saves $31 million)

NYK OUT: Gallinari + Randolph + Azubuike (inj) + Mason + Curry + cash
NYK IN: Carmelo Anthony + Chris Anderson + Ridnour

MIN OUT: Ridnour + Tolliver + UTA 1st + $10.3 mil in cap space
MIN IN: Randolph + Curry + Azubuike (inj)+ $3 mil cash

Now I'm not too excited about this deal for MIN, but note this. Curry is only paid 20% of his $11.26 contract, so he only costs $2.25 mil .. and NYK pays $3 mil in cash. While I wouldn't want to use our cap space this way, he's a net zero overall, and if you look at the rest of the deal (Ridnour + Tolliver + 1st for Randolph + Azubuike), that's not that bad.

What I would suggest for those people that love Iguodala is to spin Eddy Curry's insured contract to PHI, plus incentive, to grab Andre. The Sixers are under the lux, so Curry saves them money. We can debate how much additional incentive needs to be include, but the end result would be to add Iguodala and Anthony Randolph, and that may be something to shoot for.

[eyeteeth]

Ridnour and Tolliver for Randolph and Azubuike? Owww. No thanks.

Tolliver is worth holding on to except for a proven asset. He brings too much hustle, smarts and locker room upside to give away. Randolph looks like he might be interesting and Azubuike is worth a flyer, but neither is worth reaching too hard for.

[funkatron101]

I would think that the Nuggets would want a higher pick.

Is Chris Anderson considered negative value?

[shrink]

I would think that the Nuggets would want a higher pick.

Is Chris Anderson considered negative value?

They are negative if you have the chance to not pay double for them.

Compared to the amount of money involved, as a ratio, a higher pick loses significance in this deal.

[Saltine]

That doesn't help us at all, no way. Why help out the damn knicks???