Washington Post: Wizards may consider trading pick.

[Packt]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/16/AR2009021601244_pf.html

Possible top picks in this year's draft include Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin, Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet, Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio and Arizona State guard James Harden. However, because the Wizards already have such huge financial commitments, there is a decent chance Grunfeld will consider trading the pick.

The team has about $75.9 million committed to contracts for next season, which would put them over the luxury-tax threshold (it typically rises slightly each year but may not go up next year, depending upon league revenue) before signing a lottery pick.

First-year salaries for players taken at the top of the lottery are between $2.7 million and $4.2 million, and that would place the Wizards significantly over the threshold, something Pollin has avoided in the past. Teams that go over the threshold must pay a dollar-for-dollar tax after the season.

But there are other reasons Grunfeld might try to trade the pick. It could allow him to shed an otherwise difficult-to-trade player -- such as Thomas, who is on the books for $7.4 million next season, or James, who holds a player option for $6.5 million next season -- while adding a valuable veteran.

"We'll go into the summer with a lot of assets," Grunfeld said of the potential lottery pick. "We'll have options."

Do it Geoff, call up Grunfeld. Use Bobby Jackson, Shelden, Moore... find a way to make it happen.

 

[KingsInBrazil]

If we do what you say (trade our expirings for their horrible contracts) we're going against whats the club is trying to do... shred salaries...

Our duty is to get rid of Miller first and/or Salmons/Moore/Thomas... bah everyone knows this already

 

[Packt]

What horrible contracts. Thomas and James would both end in 2010. Outside of their big three, they have no horrible contracts.

The Wizards are 11-42, that's only slightly better than us. That's a high pick even if Gilbert comes back.

 

[asakkings]

I do this in a heartbeat, long as we dont take on arenas or jamison their top 10 pick would be awesome.

 

[ParniValjak]

I'd do it to get their pick (unprotected).

Then I would turn around and shop that pick or our pick to PHX or TOR for Amare or Bosh. It would easily be the best offer the team gets.

What you are then left with is a true star PF, a lottery pick likely to be in top 5, Houston's pick and still some solid youngsters on the roster.

Sure you take a bit of a financial hit this year and next year with salaries, but you get a young perennial all-star at PF without really losing your position in the lottery or Houston's pick.

I would prefer Bosh over Amare (he is younger) but wouldn't be disappointed with Amare either.

Hawes / Thabeet (with the lottery pick)
Amare or Bosh
Garcia
Martin
PG with Houston's pick.

That makes a solid core to build around

 

[Kings Faithful]

We have to go for it... Etan Thomas, Mike James, and Brendan Hawood all end before 2010, so id be willing to take on all 3 if it came down to it to get that other pick. This would pretty much ensure awesomeness for years to come...

 

[asakkings]

even if we cant trade that pick for amare/bosh we still get two really solid players.

 

[nbrans]

We have to go for it... Etan Thomas, Mike James, and Brendan Hawood all end before 2010, so id be willing to take on all 3 if it came down to it to get that other pick. This would pretty much ensure awesomeness for years to come...

Problem is, the Kings couldn't do that without paying luxury tax next year. The only hope of a deal like this is clearing Brad's salary for an expiring, then sending BJax/Mikki to Washington. Don't think it's going to happen though.

 

[vikinginferno]

Hawes / Thabeet (with the lottery pick)
Amare or Bosh
Garcia
Martin
PG with Houston's pick.

That makes a solid core to build around

What happened to JT? Also Garcia is a decent backup but not starter material. Also the pg with houston's pick is likely not to be very good in the NBA.

 

[VF21]

Problem is, the Kings couldn't do that without paying luxury tax next year. The only hope of a deal like this is clearing Brad's salary for an expiring, then sending BJax/Mikki to Washington. Don't think it's going to happen though.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

We have a winner!

 

[vfettke]

I'd do it to get their pick (unprotected).

Then I would turn around and shop that pick or our pick to PHX or TOR for Amare or Bosh. It would easily be the best offer the team gets.

What you are then left with is a true star PF, a lottery pick likely to be in top 5, Houston's pick and still some solid youngsters on the roster.

Sure you take a bit of a financial hit this year and next year with salaries, but you get a young perennial all-star at PF without really losing your position in the lottery or Houston's pick.

I would prefer Bosh over Amare (he is younger) but wouldn't be disappointed with Amare either.

Hawes / Thabeet (with the lottery pick)
Amare or Bosh
Garcia
Martin
PG with Houston's pick.

That makes a solid core to build around

Not bad but a few ideas: Out of the two lotto picks we keep the one that is highest and draft Rubio. We send the other to Phoenix or Toronto along with whatever other filler is needed (I'd even be willing to throw in Houston's pick). That way we keep JT and Hawes and have Amare/Bosh and Rubio

That gives us:

Rubio/whoever
Martin/Garcia
Garcia/Donte
Bosh/Amare/JT
Spencer/Bosh/Amare

And personally, if we had that group I'd prefer to start Donte and bring Garcia in off the bench for energy and scoring. Having him and Thompson off the bench with a strong starting five deepens our team quite a bit.

 

[kingsnation]

Not bad but a few ideas: Out of the two lotto picks we keep the one that is highest and draft Rubio. We send the other to Phoenix or Toronto along with whatever other filler is needed (I'd even be willing to throw in Houston's pick). That way we keep JT and Hawes and have Amare/Bosh and Rubio

That gives us:

Rubio/whoever
Martin/Garcia
Garcia/Donte
Bosh/Amare/JT
Spencer/Bosh/Amare

And personally, if we had that group I'd prefer to start Donte and bring Garcia in off the bench for energy and scoring. Having him and Thompson off the bench with a strong starting five deepens our team quite a bit.

Please tell me how we get BOTH Amare and Bosh??

 

[VF21]

If Petrie could pull that one off, I would defy anyone to ever doubt his skills again.

 

[vikinginferno]

Not bad but a few ideas: Out of the two lotto picks we keep the one that is highest and draft Rubio. We send the other to Phoenix or Toronto along with whatever other filler is needed (I'd even be willing to throw in Houston's pick). That way we keep JT and Hawes and have Amare/Bosh and Rubio

That gives us:

Rubio/whoever
Martin/Garcia
Garcia/Donte
Bosh/Amare/JT
Spencer/Bosh/Amare

And personally, if we had that group I'd prefer to start Donte and bring Garcia in off the bench for energy and scoring. Having him and Thompson off the bench with a strong starting five deepens our team quite a bit.

We would definitely still need a decent small forward. Donte has not gotten enough minutes to see how he would even fit as a backup. Garcia is a good shooter and a decent defender, but should not be a starter either and would fit much better with some energy off the bench. Maybe we could trade JT if we actually got Amare/Bosh for a good SF.

 

[vikinginferno]

Please tell me how we get BOTH Amare and Bosh??

He meant Bosh/Amare as one of the two not both.

 

[ParniValjak]

What happened to JT? Also Garcia is a decent backup but not starter material. Also the pg with houston's pick is likely not to be very good in the NBA.

JT is with the Suns or Raptors in my trade. JT and a lottery pick with expirings gets you Amare instantly.

 

[Smills91]

Ding! Ding! Ding!

We have a winner!

Whatever, use some creativity for once.

B-Jax/Moore for Thomas/James add a pick swap of Houston for lotto pick

Then you move Brad to NY for Rose/Robinson

Move Salmons/Shelden/Douby to Portland for LaFrentz/pick


All rumored and realistic deals.

New roster going into the draft:

C: Hawes, Etan Thomas
PF: JT, Kenny Thomas
SF: Garcia, Greene
SG: Martin, Nate
PG: Beno, Brown


That gives us THREE first round picks(two lottos), an early 2nd round pick

And a lot of expirings

 

[nbrans]

Whatever, use some creativity for once.

B-Jax/Moore for Thomas/James add a pick swap of Houston for lotto pick

Then you move Brad to NY for Rose/Robinson

Move Salmons/Shelden/Douby to Portland for LaFrentz/pick


All rumored and realistic deals.

New roster going into the draft:

C: Hawes, Etan Thomas
PF: JT, Kenny Thomas
SF: Garcia, Greene
SG: Martin, Nate
PG: Beno, Brown


That gives us THREE first round picks(two lottos), an early 2nd round pick

And a lot of expirings

If that deal was on the table it'd be done by now. Correction: it would be done yesterday.

 

[vfettke]

Please tell me how we get BOTH Amare and Bosh??

it was an either/or scenario

 

[asakkings]

If this gets pulled off it would make this season a success. I would be so happy but sadly nothign will happen.

 

[kingsfan101]

Problem is, the Kings couldn't do that without paying luxury tax next year. The only hope of a deal like this is clearing Brad's salary for an expiring, then sending BJax/Mikki to Washington. Don't think it's going to happen though.

Agree on this. In fact, Hollinger had mentioned something like this in one of his post on ESPN, when we were talking to Suns about Amare.

One has to wonder as to how much salary are the Maloofs willing to take for next year, even without the LT.

By most accounts, the team is losing money. Product on the court is not going to change drastically next year, and with the down economy, revenues are not going up either. On top of it all, arena deal shall be even more difficult in such times. Even if the team stays below the LT, it might still be in red (maybe significantly).

It is one thing for fans to expect owners to dig in their pockets and take on salary, if it helps improve the team. Maloofs have shown in the past, that they are willing to do so, but the team then was really good. As of now, it will neither be unique, nor unreasonable on their part, to try and cut costs, instead of losing millions of dollars for 3-4 additional wins.

 

[VF21]

And, if reports are correct, the Maloofs also lost hundreds of millions of dollars in the whole Bernie Madoff fiasco. I do NOT expect to see them take on any more salary unless they find a way to get Dwight Howard...or LeBron James.

 

[AriesMar27]

yeah... its a nice lil dream but it wont happen unless we trade brad and/or salmons... so we would need a 3rd team. if we could trade salmons and thomas for raef then maybe it would be possible. but i dont see any other options for a huge expiring contract to trade for after the washington trade.