TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[mvossman]

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.

This has been my plan for a while.  Trade a bushel of picks plus filler salary for a 2 way wing who can be a number 2 on offense as soon as our pick conveys.  I had thought we would need to wait until after the draft to make that trade, but we could easily do what we did in the Wood trade and agree on the trade beforehand but execute the night of the draft.  We only really have to wait for next season to be completed so we know the pick gets conveyed.  That would allow us to include the Boston pick in the trade (which as you mention we would technically have to make).  

This is why I don't get all of the doom and gloom.  After next season Bertans will effectively be an expiring and Timmy's contract will be down to 17 mil.  At that point we will have access to all of our picks and not really a bad asset.  We won't have the assets to land a superstar, but I think we will have enough to get that player that makes us a contender.