Pick Protections?

[shrink]

Sounds like Larry was right to be suspicious in his great FAQ.

It appears that pick protections cannot increase from one year to another (for example, if picks 1-10 are protected in 2010, then picks 1-10 or 1-5 can be protected in 2011, but picks 1-12 cannot). However, while this rule appears to exist (there are no counterexamples in the currently outstanding trades), I have not been able to confirm this rule's existence.

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm#Q71

.. are the reported protections correct, or is this the counterexample you were looking for?

Timberwolves (conditional if pick is #18 or worse, more favorable of Knicks and Jazz picks) UTA Pick, Traded 2010 second round pick (?-?) to 76ers for Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth, 2009 protected first round pick (top 22 in 2009, top 17 in 2010, top 15 in 2011, top 16 in 2012, top 16 in 2013) (?-?), cash considerations on 2008-07-09

[LarryCoon]

Yep -- it's one hell of a trade description, but it dos exactly what you said:

Utah conveys to Philadelphia Utah’s own first round draft pick in the first Draft, commencing with the 2009 Draft, in which such pick is not a “Protected Pick” (as defined below). However, if: (i) Utah would be required to convey to Philadelphia its own 2009 first round draft pick pursuant to the foregoing, and (ii) Utah is entitled to receive New York’s own 2009 first round draft pick pursuant to the terms of the February 19, 2004 trade between Utah and Phoenix and the January 5, 2004 trade between Phoenix and New York (the “Utah/Phoenix and Phoenix/New York Trades”), then Utah shall convey to Philadelphia the more favorable of its own 2009 first round draft pick and New York’s 2009 first round draft pick. Further, if: (x) Utah has not previously conveyed a first round draft pick to Philadelphia pursuant to the terms of this trade, (y) Utah would be required to convey to Philadelphia its own 2010 first round draft pick pursuant to the terms of this trade, and (z) Utah is entitled to receive New York’s own 2010 first round draft pick pursuant to the terms of the Utah/Phoenix and Phoenix/New York Trades, then Utah shall convey to Philadelphia the least favorable of its own 2010 first round draft pick and New York’s 2010 first round draft pick. If Philadelphia does not receive a first round draft pick from Utah pursuant to the foregoing in any of the Drafts from 2009 through 2013, then Utah’s obligation to send a first round draft pick to Philadelphia shall be extinguished and Utah shall instead convey to Philadelphia Utah’s own 2014 second round draft pick and pay to Philadelphia the sum of $1,150,000 in cash on or before July 15, 2014. (Korver – Giricek, 12/29/07)

The following first round picks are “Protected Picks”:

Draft Picks
2009 1 – 22
2010 1 – 15
2011 1 – 17
2012 1 – 16
2013 1 – 16