TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[DanSchwartzgan]

I’m not understanding why the pick being protected or not has much bearing on whether or not we can trade our own picks. That protection on the 23 is really the only thing that matters. If we lift that protection, everything Dan and mvoss has said is true. Until then, I can’t see a way around what I said. We all know the 23 is going to convey next year, but that still doesn’t mean we can ignore the slightest of chances that it won’t.

It is a moot point now since I and Tankathon (they literally call the pick "unprotected") were wrong about the protections.

But, if the Boston pick were unprotected...the Stepien rule is a non-factor as it relates to Dallas having a first round pick in 23.  They have one and can trade their 24 if they have it.  

But, they might not have their 24 to trade as you point out.  Having the Boston pick in 23 doesn't overcome our potential inability to trade 25 or even 26.  That is why I said any deal Dallas might make at the TDL would have to send out contingent picks.  Yes, you have to account for the fact you might not have tradeable picks in 24, 25 or 26.  But, you MIGHT have the ability to trade 24 with an unprotected Boston 23 in hand.  So, you CAN account for that possibility in the structure of the deal.  That is why having an unprotected Boston 23 vs. a protected Boston 23 matters.  It advances the possible timeline substantially in a deal at the TDL vs. not having an unprotected pick.

But, the highest and best use of our draft capital is this summer.  Other than me in a prior post and now you, I've not seen much recognition that as soon as our 23 conveys we are immediately able to trade 24, 26, 28 and 30.  We'd also be able to trade that Boston pick once we made it (as you pointed out).  That makes for a powerful package of picks with which to go star chasing.