Trend of Trading for Expiring Contracts

[b3bawla]

I've been thinking about this trend that we see in the league whgre good players are getting dealt for basically nothing but expiring contracts. We see Pau Gasol go for a bust, a has been, a mid 1st rounder, and very late 1st round picks. tha's nothing. We saw Vince Carter get traded for New Jersey Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two future first-round draft picks. Kidd almost got traded for Stack, Devin Harris, and expiring contracts.

And so I see this trend and have to wonder, is having a few "bad" contracts such a bad thing? With the way things are in the NBA, just about everyone is over the cap. We all know that in trading for a guy that makes 10 mil a year you gotta send that team about 10 mil bucks in contracts for that year (if both teams are over the cap). So if you want to be able to make moves, you NEED these types of contracts.

Kwame Brown, bust of all busts, has been traaded for Caron Butler and Pau Gasol. If having Kwame Brown rot on your bench gets you an All-Star...that ain't so bad.

With this logic, Speedy Claxton can actually still help us two years from now. The 5 mil or so he'll have in an expiring deal could be used toward getting a player to help us go deeper in the playoffs. Also, if things don't work out this year with Bibby, we could always just shop him and his 13 mil dollar expiring contract for another disgruntled star.

I say all that to say this. Us hawksquawkwers are always concerned about having dead weight on our team...those overpaid scrubs that collect checks and wear fancy Italian suits. Well in the final year of their deals, those guys become assests comparable to first round draft picks. We just got a guy who I think has a decent chance at an All-Star slot next year for 3 expiring contracts (none of which will see any significant minutes on their team) and a guy who averages less than a point per million (2.9 ppg, 3.5 mil).

We need to remember this when we talk about how we need to get rid of "so and so's" contract. I'm starting to think that if you can keep an overpaid guy of two on your team...while winning...you put yourself in a great situation. I'm not saying that we become the Knicks, and pay our waterboy 2 mil a year because he's tall for his age. However, I am starting to see that being aggressive in taking on contracts isn't as rsiky as it may seem...you just may have to wait longer for the return.

[mattlanta]

Good post.

[b3bawla]

So I'm gonna start the chant now (given the condition that oit doesn't interefer with resigning Chillz or Smoove)...

DON'T QUIT CRAIG!!!! DON'T QUIT CRAIG!!!! DON'T QUIT CRAIG!!!! DON'T QUIT CRAIG!!!! DON'T QUIT CRAIG!!!!

Here's to hoping that one day Craig will contribute to the success of this franchise.

[b3bawla]

I could also see Zaza as trade bait next year (especially if Solomon Jones develops into a reliable 2nd stringer). It's so nice to take bad decisions (AJ trade, drafting Shelden) and turn them into a good one. It's like buying a Kia. Realizing it's crap, and then trading it to a buddy for a Honda with a few more miles.

[GST]

My question about Craig as trade bait is this: would he have to pass a physical to validate the trade?

[Final_quest]

I like what expiring contracts can get you, but I'd much prefer to have all my money well spent. So let's not get carried away here.

[frosgrim]

NBA teams can trade without worrying about the physicals. See the Hawks getting a retiring Brandon a few years ago. So, Craig can be traded without a passing the physical per se. The key is the cap relief that another team gets for acquiring an expiring contract.

[b3bawla]

Quote:

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I like what expiring contracts can get you, but I'd much prefer to have all my money well spent. So let's not get carried away here.

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I feel ya...I'm just seeing that it's not so bad to have a bad contract or two on the bench if it can net you an all-star.