Can someone explain the sign and trade with an unrestricted free agent thing?

[biggs]

So, I just read that the Jazz are upset about the way that Hayward left. In past deals such as LeBron going to Miami, (even though he was unrestricted), Cleveland was able to get something out of it in a sign-and-trade. Now, I'm hearing that the Jazz want Crowder in return and that supposedly Brad signed off on it.

So, can someone please explain to me the whole thing where teams get an asset back when they lose an unrestricted free agent? Why do we have to give them anything if he was unrestricted? I don't get it.

Please explain

[biggs]

Cricket sounds 

[Fan from VT]

We don't have to, and I don't think we would consider it if the cap was 103 million instead of 100 million.

However, right now, we cannot give Hayward the max. That means we must do one of two things:
- Trade other players from our roster to other teams in separate deals and take back less salary in return to increase capspace

or

- Sign and trade with Utah


As to why we would give an asset in order to do this, I think there are 4 possibilities:
1. No one wants the salaries of Smart, Crowder, or Bradley enough to give back capspace or help out Danny, or whatever.
2. Utah is willing to consider it a related but separate deal, as in they give us Hayward who was leaving anyway, then we trade them Crowder for "Minor asset X;" but we package it all in 1 deal. That way we get something extra for Crowder, Utah gets a useful player on good contract, and we get Hayward for the max.
3. I am more unclear on this, but a S+T may let us stay over the cap; if we stay over the cap it may mean we do not have to renounce bird rights on KO, etc, which would be a big side benefit, potentially, making it worth "losing" the crowder trade to Utah.
4. Or, it could be expanded even more, such that we give some picks plus crowder and take back a useful piece like Favors.

[Roy H.]

In the past, sign and trades allowed players more years and larger raises, so agents pushed for them. Those rules have now been changed, so that there's no financial advantage to the player.

Here, Utah is one of many teams we can work with to clear some necessary cap space.

[max215]

I recommend reading this short article. I think it's pretty easy to understand and adequately explains everything you need to know:

http://www.celticshub.com/2017/07/05/gordon-hayward-sign-trade-options/