I think this should be the last season we ever hear about the trade value of an expiring contract. Up until this year, there were glimmers that they were worth something. This year proved they are not worth nearly as much as we have been led to believe. If the RLEC wasn’t enough to entice a good trade, which one ever will? It is apparent now that such contracts are FAR more valuable to the teams that hold them then to any other team. Is this true? It sure seems like year after year teams who stock up on them get very little in return.
well,except for Gasol. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-081129-30 that's list of the expiring contracts...the likely contracts to be traded....Szerbiak and RLEC didn't get traded....Wally World I suspect because the Cavs are the best team in the east right now and he has been contributing..might not want to have screwed up their flow The Blazers....just didn't have the right deal in front of them or couldn't get the one they wanted done I suppose.
The value of contracts has changed. Hanging on to expiring deals is probably better than trading it at this point, especially for teams that will be under the cap. I imagine Portland will get some trade offers this summer that will far surpass anything they may have received over the past few weeks solely because of the ability to absorb a contract yet not having to match the trade value.
http://www.bullz-eye.com/paulsen/2008/0212.htm these are last season's expiring contracts. Jamison- Wizards- Resigned with WIZ Ratliff- T-Wolves. On February 29, 2008 Ratliff was waived by the Timberwolves[3], and he rejoined the Pistons on March 4.[4] After his Pistons contract expired, he returned to the Philadelphia 76ers.[5] Williams- Heat Kurt Thomas- Sonics: 2008 February 20: Traded by the Seattle SuperSonics to the San Antonio Spurs for Brent Barry, Francisco Elson, and a 2009 first round draft pick. Artest- SAC Ricky Davis- Heat Cassel- Clippers Barry - Spurs Najera- Nuggets of course the big one was Kwame- Grizzlies
Didn't I just read somewhere that Jerry West had a hand in the Gasol deal? Not sure where I saw it, but I think he admitted to it a month or so ago. That wasn't about expiring contracts so much as about the Logo giving his old team a gift.
Perhaps. We don't know though. West wasn't on staff with the Grizzlies I believe. But given the facts (expiring contract- huge one) and the end result (lakers get gasol), I wouldn't call it useless. Absent of the Expiring contract, the deal would have simply not have gotten done.