Rumor: Hawks looking to get Jeff Green

[ssspence]

I'm actually inclined to think Ainge would take back Lou Williams to keep ATL happy about giving up a pick or Schroeder.

Nope -- the whole point of Ainge dealing Green is to clear his salary. You basically have Ainge paying $5.5mil next year (Williams salary) for a pick around 20... when he already has picks. The flexibility is more valuable.

Presumably Ainge's goal is to get two pieces: a) an expiring contract, and b) either a pick or a young player on rookie contract (for the sake of argument here, Schroeder). I also presume he's only gotten half that offer yet... the expiring... or Green would have been traded already, just as Courtney Lee was. 

Ainge knows offers will likely improve a little before the deadline, so he'll wait and see if he can squeeze out a pick or a rookie contract player before the deadline by shopping the Hawks (or anyone else's) offer around to other teams to see if they bite before 2/20.

If not, I bet he'll ship Green for the expiring alone.

I think it's pretty close to a lock that Green is moved in some deal, but no chance Ainge simply dumps him for an expiring.

He did with Courtney Lee. Considering their price tag per year (on the same length contracts), which guy is the better player?

[PhoSita]

Looks like it's good someone is interested in Green:

"There has been discussion about Jeff Green, too, but his contract (two more years at $19 million total) makes him difficult to move."
http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2014-02-10/boston-celtics-brandon-bass-trade-rumors-deadline-phoenix-suns-golden-state-warriors-charlotte-bobcats?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

I find it hilarious how Bass' contract is "reasonable", but Green's is "hard to move". SN's sources are seemingly worthless.

Yeah I dont get this either. Green is on a fairly reasonable contract for his production and what he would give to another team.

I think it depends on whether or not you think Green is picking up his player option.  If he doesn't, it's one year after this year, the same as Bass's contract, and so probably is just as reasonable.

If he does pick up the option, then it's two years after this one, and becomes a bit more burdensome.  The thing is, if Green picks up his player option, it means he thinks he's being overpaid and isn't going to get nearly as much on his next deal.  So if you think Green is going to pick up the option, it means that you probably think he's very overpaid, and so it's a bad deal.  Accordingly, if SI sources are saying he's got two years, $19 million left, they're probably in the anti-Green camp.  If they think he's only on the books for one more year, then they're in the pro-Green camp.

Players pick up their options all the time without necessarily being grossly overpaid -- this may be due to anything including expecting to have a better season next year, being in a good situation, or simply not leaving money on the table.

I don't see how anyone who has good knowledge of the NBA can think that a reasonably productive player who has a 2-year commitment (at less than $10 per) that expires before he's 30 can be "hard to move". But that's just what I think.

I don't think Green is hard to move if you're willing to take back an expiring and maybe a 2nd rounder.

If you want to get 1st round pick value in return for him, though, it'll be tough to find takers.

Also, regarding the player option -- usually players under 30 would opt out of the final year to secure a 3-4 year deal unless the money they make in that final year is going to be equivalent to what they expect to get out of 2-3 years of their next deal.  I think Green will probably opt out as long as he thinks he can get a 4 year deal north of $20 million total value.

[cb8883]

Jeff Green is not worth a mid round pick in this draft. He would have been worth a top pick last year because that draft was just terrible going into it. Anyways rumors this morning mention they want to build around Green. Are you serious?' This guy disappears faster than a hooker at 4 am. He's the real life invisible man. If you can get an asset for him then DO IT!

[BballTim]

Jeff Green is not worth a mid round pick in this draft. He would have been worth a top pick last year because that draft was just terrible going into it. Anyways rumors this morning mention they want to build around Green. Are you serious?' This guy disappears faster than a hooker at 4 am. He's the real life invisible man. If you can get an asset for him then DO IT!

  The top pick in last year's draft was worth more than a mid-round pick in this year's draft. The fact that there are a few potential stars in a draft doesn't mean than pick #15 will be any better than pick #15 the year before or the year after. For instance, the 15th pick in the 2003 draft (best draft in years) was Reese Gaines. The 15th pick in 2004 (not one of the best drafts ever) was Al Jefferson.

[TheTruthFot18]

With all this talk about Green and Bass moving how about this:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=k79r4av

1. Get rid of Bass and Green
2. Get Asik and Carroll plus Brand's expiring.
3. Possible s/t part with AB to Houston to get them to move Jones to ATL in hopes of making their deal sweeter thus sending us their/BKN's first.

[slamtheking]

With all this talk about Green and Bass moving how about this:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=k79r4av

1. Get rid of Bass and Green
2. Get Asik and Carroll plus Brand's expiring.
3. Possible s/t part with AB to Houston to get them to move Jones to ATL in hopes of making their deal sweeter thus sending us their/BKN's first.

Green, Bass and AB for Asik, Brand and Carroll?  that's awful.
Just from a talent perspective:
Green > Asik  (some will disagree but Green is a solid player on both ends of the floor, whereas Asik is very good on D and useless on O and cannot be kept in at the end of close games due to horrid FT shooting)

Bass > Brand (at this point in Brand's career)

AB > Carroll  (gunner or not, AB's better than this journeyman player)

[Jailan34]

With all this talk about Green and Bass moving how about this:

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=k79r4av

1. Get rid of Bass and Green
2. Get Asik and Carroll plus Brand's expiring.
3. Possible s/t part with AB to Houston to get them to move Jones to ATL in hopes of making their deal sweeter thus sending us their/BKN's first.

Green, Bass and AB for Asik, Brand and Carroll?  that's awful.
Just from a talent perspective:
Green > Asik  (some will disagree but Green is a solid player on both ends of the floor, whereas Asik is very good on D and useless on O and cannot be kept in at the end of close games due to horrid FT shooting)

Bass > Brand (at this point in Brand's career)

AB > Carroll  (gunner or not, AB's better than this journeyman player)

I think this is kind of a simplistic way to look at it, because there are many ways to build a team. Green is solid in certain aspects of the game on each end of the floor but hes not entirely solid offensively or defensively, few players are. While Asik is a obviously a defensive specialist as well as a great rebounder.

Teams don't always have to be built with guys who are good on both ends, many players fill a specific role and Asik's role is much more defined than Green's is. Asik is a rim protector and rebounder which this team sorely needs.

So while Green may be more "talented" for however much that counts for with his inconsistency, this team would benefit more from having on it Asik than Green.