Blazer's getting NO's pick (27th)

[Gainesville Celtic]

it's kind of a bummer from a "fan of the NBA" standpoint. NO has definite needs in the front court and on the wing. they actually need a starting SG IMO.

i hope they don't turn out to be a "cost cutting" franchise because they are on the verge of being REALLY good.

from a Cs fan standpoint it is a bummer because Pritchard is definitely on his game and could easily scoop up anybody that might have otherwise dropped to us like a Batum or a Lee..

good point about being a bummer from "fan of the NBA" standpoint.  But i think you're hope will be true -- George Shinn ran the Hornets into the ground in Charlotte (which had a great fanbase originally) and he'll probably do it again in New Orleans.

the rumor/guess that i've read is that Stern is letting Bennett move the Sonics b/c he thinks/hopes Shinn will eventually sell the Hornets and they'll move back to Seattle when it's more feasible to abandon N.O.  Who knows.

[Emperor Young]

I heard a few days ago that blazers are trying to acquire Barbosa. I think they bought this pick to make a package for barbosa and still have a pick for their own.

[winsomme]

just reading the new RealGM mock and they had NO taking Walker which made me think that maybe Portland could be trying to grab Walker away from DET - that team rumored to have given him a promise at #29.

[wdleehi]

I hate trading draft picks for money.  It means rich teams can get extra picks why frugal teams lineup to save money.  




Memphis is ready to sell the 5th pick to the Knicks to save money.  6 million of Cardinal in 2 years plus the rookie contract.  For a team starving for talent.  

[oldmanspeaks]

I would agree with you except for the fact that the teams that spent money like water such as the New York and Dallas haven't won many championships doing it.

I am however concerned that the Celtics may not be able to spend money this draft and that is a shame because moving into the 20-24 range could pay off. Besides the luxury tax I believe they are paying interest on considerable debt from when the owners bought the team. If there is any year that it would be worth spending money it would be this year. I think next years draft is going to be below average.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I hate trading draft picks for money.  It means rich teams can get extra picks why frugal teams lineup to save money.  

The league should make this pick sellers add the value of the pick they sold to their MLE exception. Like say that NO sold its pick for 2 million, then NO can use those extra 2 millions for free-agents. Or something along those lines.

[wdleehi]

I hate trading draft picks for money.  It means rich teams can get extra picks why frugal teams lineup to save money.  

The league should make this pick sellers add the value of the pick they sold to their MLE exception. Like say that NO sold its pick for 2 million, then NO can use those extra 2 millions for free-agents. Or something along those lines.

They pocket the money.


Plus, no rookie contract. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

I hate trading draft picks for money.  It means rich teams can get extra picks why frugal teams lineup to save money.  

The league should make this pick sellers add the value of the pick they sold to their MLE exception. Like say that NO sold its pick for 2 million, then NO can use those extra 2 millions for free-agents. Or something along those lines.

They pocket the money.


Plus, no rookie contract. 

I know what they do, just saying that the league should make them do. This way they don't get any to pocket. They can only use the money to improve the team or save on the rookie contract.

[Chris]

I hate trading draft picks for money.  It means rich teams can get extra picks why frugal teams lineup to save money. 

The league should make this pick sellers add the value of the pick they sold to their MLE exception. Like say that NO sold its pick for 2 million, then NO can use those extra 2 millions for free-agents. Or something along those lines.

I don't think the league wants to encourage it.

I think it would be more likely that they add a rule where teams cannot sell them outright.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I hate trading draft picks for money.  It means rich teams can get extra picks why frugal teams lineup to save money. 

The league should make this pick sellers add the value of the pick they sold to their MLE exception. Like say that NO sold its pick for 2 million, then NO can use those extra 2 millions for free-agents. Or something along those lines.

I don't think the league wants to encourage it.

I think it would be more likely that they add a rule where teams cannot sell them outright.

I don't mind if they encourange it in a way that it's looked as "what's best for my team to get better" instead of a "how can I get richer" idea. I mean, for a team that's looking for vets, this could help them, while a team that's looking to get young, this can help them too.

Imagine that we could sell our picks for a couple of millions in order to use it for free-agents, wouldn't you consider it? In order to look for an established back-up PG and at the same time be able to afford Posey without problems.

The idea is that the selling team really doesn't get the money when they sell it. They can use that money to get free-agents, and when they do the money is sent to them. Otherwise, the money is sent to some sort of "league pool" or something along those lines. So there won't be the whole, sell the pick for the sake of selling it.

[Chris]

I hate trading draft picks for money.  It means rich teams can get extra picks why frugal teams lineup to save money. 

The league should make this pick sellers add the value of the pick they sold to their MLE exception. Like say that NO sold its pick for 2 million, then NO can use those extra 2 millions for free-agents. Or something along those lines.

I don't think the league wants to encourage it.

I think it would be more likely that they add a rule where teams cannot sell them outright.

I don't mind if they encourange it in a way that it's looked as "what's best for my team to get better" instead of a "how can I get richer" idea. I mean, for a team that's looking for vets, this could help them, while a team that's looking to get young, this can help them too.

Imagine that we could sell our picks for a couple of millions in order to use it for free-agents, wouldn't you consider it? In order to look for an established back-up PG and at the same time be able to afford Posey without problems.

The problem is, all of the teams at the end of the first round will be selling off their draft picks, so they can sign the best FA's (who will help their team much more).  Then the young teams will just get worse and worse, because they wouldn't be playing on an equal playing field in the FA market.

[Who]

The league does enough to prevent picks being sold. They have a largely trivial maximum sum of money ($3mil) which will dissuade any competent team from letting a good player go. It no way does three million count more than having a good young player in your rotation, a player who is also on a minuscule contract. Phoenix don't pay Banks 24mil if they just had of kept Rondo. Selling picks doesn't pay off, you don't get enough value for them, you just lose.

Also worth pointing out that most picks don't get the full three million. Phoenix got three mil from Chicago from Deng who was a lottery pick. Most 2nd round picks are below 1mil. When someone like New Orleans sells the 27th pick they are not getting more value for their franchise by taking the money.

[Lucky17]

Living in Portland, I've adopted the Blazers as a second team (maybe third, along with my SO's Pistons). Pritchard has been great for the organization, light years ahead of his predecessor, Steve Patterson. It helps when you have a billionaire owner who likes to take risks.

Barbosa's name has come up recently. Another that I remember coming up during the offseason was Richard Jefferson: young vet, accomplished scorer, and fills a positional need at SF, with the young nucleus of Roy, Oden, and Aldridge, and Rudy coming from overseas this year.

Remember that the Blazers have Raef Lafrentz' huge contract (although I think he can't be traded until after June 30), and some other nice young players (Jack, Webster, Outlaw) to package along with their picks (#13 and now #27) to get involved in a big time trade. I'm expecting something big from them.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I hate trading draft picks for money.  It means rich teams can get extra picks why frugal teams lineup to save money. 

The league should make this pick sellers add the value of the pick they sold to their MLE exception. Like say that NO sold its pick for 2 million, then NO can use those extra 2 millions for free-agents. Or something along those lines.

I don't think the league wants to encourage it.

I think it would be more likely that they add a rule where teams cannot sell them outright.

I don't mind if they encourange it in a way that it's looked as "what's best for my team to get better" instead of a "how can I get richer" idea. I mean, for a team that's looking for vets, this could help them, while a team that's looking to get young, this can help them too.

Imagine that we could sell our picks for a couple of millions in order to use it for free-agents, wouldn't you consider it? In order to look for an established back-up PG and at the same time be able to afford Posey without problems.

The problem is, all of the teams at the end of the first round will be selling off their draft picks, so they can sign the best FA's (who will help their team much more).  Then the young teams will just get worse and worse, because they wouldn't be playing on an equal playing field in the FA market.

Yep, that's true... but alternatively teams with high picks can sell their picks at a higher price, and get an even better chance in the FA market. Also, you regulate the thing, maybe have some sort of scale that specifies which picks can be sold at what price and what not.

Maybe add some penalties too. Like if you sell your pick, we'll allow you a bigger exception, but you'd also need to pay X amount of money to the league or something. Sort of like a transaction fee. I don't know, these are raw ideas.

Then you have to consider the luxury tax, and how it plays out in all of this. Also, it doesn't have to be added to the MLE, maybe just a seperate exception that can't be combined with other exceptions. That way it elimantes the issue of going after better players. You have the chance to get more depth though.

[wdleehi]

We wouldn't be having this conversation if Portland had just sent two future 2nd rounders. 

NO would still have the 'financial' benefits.  But now, there is a chance they might find an actual player from this move. 



Portland loses nothing since they are already so deep.