Don't under-estimate the NBA's Tankapalooza

[OneBadMutha]

As much as I'd like to see the Pistons trim this roster before the season begins, don't under-estimate how valuable those expiring contracts combined with a few fringe young players (Middleton, Singler) could be half-way thru the season.

Once 1/3rd the league realizes that they are on the outside to make the playoffs, I expect a full on, all out tank job by many teams due to the quality of this draft. That means teams will be getting bad on purpose...even more so than in an average year. Teams that think they're competing for the playoffs now will be trying to get worse for the draft and clear cap space for next off-season come January.

Pistons have to stay ready. That means holding on to their expiring contracts as long as it takes to take advantage of 1/3rd of the league having fire-sales eventually.

So as Pistons fans, it's time to start identifying where the next potential Sheed-like trade may come from.

[mercury]

Agreed, We shouldn't get into a hatefest over our lingering dead weight... these players may net our replacement for next years pick... The league knows all about Stuckey & CV but if they get some minutes early on there always a chance they catch fire against the right team... Stuckey can breakout at anytime... IMO Mitchell and KCP will be fine if they don't get 15+ minutes right away.

We talk about the strength of next years draft... how deep is it?... if this plays out like most believe then we can get a better player with the MLE or trading exps than we could with the 2014/15 draft... it's not like we need to add much more mid-talent youth.

[ImHeisenberg]

I need to get my phantom sports medicine degree, methinks phantom injuries will be at an all time high next season!

[Pharaoh]

Another thing people haven't noticed (or posted about) is the new CBA

You're not seeing crazy contracts thrown around left and right this off-season. Using dudes are getting overpaid all over the place and owners/GMs are signing random players to massive contracts

J.J Hickson got a 3 year $15 mil deal... that's nothing for a big man in free agency! Hell, he got Josh Smith for 4 years and $54 million! In years past he'd get the MAX!

Teams are not throwing money around because of the 2014 Draft/Free Agency... and IMO Joe has set this up rather well... if I had more faith in him I'd assume this was all done on purpose!

We signed the #3 free agent in the NBA this off-season.... signed one of the league's most popular players too... added an athletic guard to our Twin Towers... hope that our young PG can start to show and prove... plus we've got some nice cheap role players.... and 2 huge expiring contracts....

AND we could have between $5 and $8 mil in cap space next off-season

On one hand we can stand pat and add a free agent next off-season (and retain Monroe)

On the other we can trade our expirings for a quality player (and retain Monroe)

Win-win

[theBigLip]

OneBadMutha- good thread.

This is going to happen. For sure. Now it's just a matter of being patient. It could be Rondo, or anyone on a bad team that needs to lose a bit more. It may take until the trade deadline, but very good players are going to be available. If we can grab a great PG/SG, we might even become, gulp, elite, this year.

[ComboGuardCity]

I doubt it. If these kind if trades happen, teams with expirings + a pick will look like better suitors.

[Pharaoh]

A team wanting to dump an "overpaid" superstar in order to rebuild via the Draft and cap space might want Stuckey and CV...

the drama is we don't have picks to include in the deal.

[The Penguin]

Another factor is the increase in the salary floor relative the cap. In the past teams who could just eat salary cleaned up, now there's less available room to absorb money.

[Pharaoh]

Another thing to consider:

Which teams have a "stockpile" of first round picks that they could trade... along with an expiring contract or 2?

[Dre Drummond]

Here are some players who could possibly be available for expirings and possibly young talent and picks... depending on the player of course.

PLAYER - 2014/2015 Salary
Amare Stoudamire $23.4
Rudy Gay $19.3
Carlos Boozer $16.8
David Lee $15.0
Eric Gordon $14.9
Nene $13.0
Rajon Rondo $12.9
Nicolas Batum $11.8
DeAndre Jordan $11.4
Gerald Wallace $10.1
Anderson Verajo $9.7
Steve Nash $9.7
Kendrick Perkins $9.6
Demar DeRozan $9.5
Thadeus Young $9.1
Evan Turner $8.7
Marcus Thornton $8.5
Ryan Anderson $8.5
Jeremy Lin $8.4
Jameer Nelson $8.0
Tashaun Prince $7.7
Aaron Afflalo $7.5
Wesley Matthews $7.2
Wesley Johnson $7.1

[ComboGuardCity]

^haha Tayshaun

[Snakebites]

Here are some players who could possibly be available for expirings and possibly young talent and picks... depending on the player of course.

PLAYER - 2014/2015 Salary
Amare Stoudamire $23.4
Rudy Gay $19.3
Carlos Boozer $16.8
David Lee $15.0
Eric Gordon $14.9
Nene $13.0
Rajon Rondo $12.9
Nicolas Batum $11.8
DeAndre Jordan $11.4
Gerald Wallace $10.1
Anderson Verajo $9.7
Steve Nash $9.7
Kendrick Perkins $9.6
Demar DeRozan $9.5
Thadeus Young $9.1
Evan Turner $8.7
Marcus Thornton $8.5
Ryan Anderson $8.5
Jeremy Lin $8.4
Jameer Nelson $8.0
Tashaun Prince $7.7
Aaron Afflalo $7.5
Wesley Matthews $7.2
Wesley Johnson $7.1

A somewhat sobering list.

The Sixers aren't trading Thadeus Young, not that he'd be a fit for us. I'd also be quite surprised to see Batum moved. He'd be a fit if small forward wasn't his primary position.

[The Penguin]

I'd love to make a play for Turner. Turner/Richardson for Stuckey/Singler/Middleton clears up cap for the Sixers, gives us the best guy in the deal and solves our 16 players problem.

[DocRI]

Evan Turner is an interesting name on that list, but part of what makes him interesting is the risk he brings. On one hand, I think he never got a chance to blossom playing with Jrue Holiday (who really dominated the ball), he's another terrific rebounder for his position, and he could actually play some 1, 2 and 3 for us in different lineups (providing an extra facilitator for the offense, like what Iggy could have brought from the wing). On the other hand, this might just be what he is — a solid glue guy and role player (think Tayshaun), and that's it. With "Tankapalooza" in full effect, would the Sixers do Stuck & CV for Turner & JRich, or would we have to either absorb more long term salary (like Lavoy Allen) or send more assets than just expiring contracts? The thing about Turner is, he's gonna show his true value on that depleted Sixers team this year; either he's gonna explode as the primary offensive option, or he's gonna out himself as a complimentary piece. As such, trading for him now could literally be either an overpay or a shrewd "buy low" opportunity. Do you take the gamble and deal for him, or do you risk him putting up big stats on a lousy team and jacking up his trade value?

Another one along those same lines who didn't make Dre's list is Goran Dragic. I know he's not available now, but it's entirely possible that the Suns will embrace the "Tankapalooza" spirit and use him to dump salary (as well as completely turn the reins of their team over to Eric Bledsoe). Could eating both Beasley and Frye get it done around the deadline (Stuck & CV for Dragic & those two bad contracts)?

P.S. — Know how "HBaP" became an acronym for Nets fans trying to package Humphries, Brooks and a pick? Get ready for "StuckCV" to become our version from here until the deadline ...

[mercury]

T Young, Batum, Rondo, Afflalo...

G. Wallace if we can send back more than just an expiring.

[dan2314]

I want to wait for the right oppurtunity. I dont know the names for free agency, but thats what we have to compare. Are these players better than our options in FA? The players we can trade for will likely be on worse contracts than those in FA, hence why they are available. The new CBA has done a great job of dropping salaries down, theres a good chance we can get better value if we let stuck and cv expire.

Rondo might be the only one i would push hard to trade for, despite the extreme lack of spacing that would create. For someone like that you can definitely give picks a long with those big expirings, if it means you dont have to give up serious value such as monroe or knight. Something tells me boston is going to be better than you think though, they have young pieces, but they have enough to not be the worst in the league. They likely wont blow it up completely. Rondo is still fairly young too.

[retrolenny]

You're already seeing BOS set themselves up for a high draft pick. Rondo will definitely be moved but no need to move him until he's ready to play. Sit and wait for the highest offer. They're going to want cap relief and unprotected draft picks for him or some young potential Allstar who can grow and gel with a rebuilding team.