Cavs trade: Jr Smith, Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson, 2021 1st rounder(Top 10 protected 2021, Unprotected 2022)

Pelicans trade: Omar Asik, Quincy Pondexter, 2018 first round pick(Lotto protected 2018, 19, 20, Unprotected 2021)

Knicks get: Asik, Frye, Pondexter, Jefferson, 2021 1st rounder(Top 10 protected 2021, Unprotected 2022) from Cavs, 2018 first round pick(Lotto protected 2018, 19, 20, Unprotected 2021) from Pelicans.

Cavs get: Carmelo Anthony

Pelicans get: Jr Smith

Why Knicks do it: Frye, Jefferson, Pondexter all come off the books this season. Get 2 future first round draft picks. Frye can be moved again for a a future pick(probably 2 2nd rounders) since he can shoot at the center position. Asik would be dead weight who will sit the year and then get bought out next off season. Cost of acquiring a 2nd future first rounder.

Why the Cavs do it: Add Melo without trading Kevin Love.

Why Pelicans do it: Asik is dead weight with Cousins in the mix. Flipping Asik into Smith turns dead weight 10 mil into someone who can help them on the perimeter which they need.

JR Smith and D.Cousins on the same team would be entertaining though.

newyorknewyork wrote:

meloshouldgo wrote:I always thought the only way Cleveland trades for Melo is by holding on to Love and the only other thing of "value" albeit questionable, that they have is JR. This is definitely a creative way to make use of JR in a trade to get them Melo. Pelicans may want more though.

More for Asik?

My bad didn't realize Asik had three years left on his contract. So essentially we get Asik, Frye and two first rounders. I think that's about all we can get for Melo.

Uptown wrote:Very well thought out trade....Props to you for that

However, from the Knicks standpoint, other than the unprotected pick, we really wont have anything to show for the Melo trade in the 2018 season. If I'm the Knicks, I'm asking for Jordan Mcrae to the be included in that trade. McRae is the type of under the radar young talent the Knicks should be looking for. Also, I feel like the pelicans would want a little bit more than just JR. I would flip the Cavs unprotected pick for McRae and keep the Pelicans pick...

Thanks. I don't see how Pelicans can ask for more. All they can ask for is not giving up an unprotected lotto pick. Asik is going to eat 22 mil total over 2 years since his 3rd year is an team option. And he isn't going to play. Jr also has a TO for his 3rd year. So they would be swapping Asik who isn't going to play for Smith who is going to play and the price for that is giving up a future first. The only question is would we be able to swindle that pick into an unprotected pick or if they will hold strong and demand that it only turns into 2nd rounders.

newyorknewyork wrote:

Welpee wrote:Pelicans have to take on JR Smith and give up a 1st round pick just to unload Asik? No way they do this no matter how many protections you have to that pick. And remember, JR Smith on a championship caliber team is a lot different than JR Smith on a non-playoff team. We should know that more than anyone.

Asik isn't going to play yet collect 22mil total over the next 2 years. Smith would immediately be their starting SG. With Davis, Boogie the resigning of Holiday and other role players like Asik eating up cap. They are capped out and have no way of improving their team at the moment. Even if they traded a draft pick to a team to dump Asik out right they don't have the cap space to use that savings to improve. And teams are going to want more than 1 first since Asik has 2 years left.

By giving up a heavy protected pick to swap Asik for Smith. They turn dead weight into a starter and if it fails and they miss the playoffs they maintain their pick. If it works and they make the playoffs swapping Asik for Smith was a contributing piece.

If they are capped up with Asik they will be more capped out with Smith. Basically you're trading a 1st round pick for JR Smith, a guy nobody wanted in free agency and only got the deal he has because of Lebron. You can find a 8 ppg shooting guard off the NBA scrape heap.

This doesn't even factor in Smith's affect on locker room if they aren't contending. Knuckleheads like Smith or Nick Young can be effective in veteran/winning environments like GSW, San Antonio or Cleveland. Look at their track records in losing environments.

meloshouldgo wrote:

Welpee wrote:Pelicans have to take on JR Smith and give up a 1st round pick just to unload Asik? No way they do this no matter how many protections you have to that pick. And remember, JR Smith on a championship caliber team is a lot different than JR Smith on a non-playoff team. We should know that more than anyone.

Asik has three years left and is a complete dead weight, JR is productive, well you know - in a one pout of every three games kind of way.

Remember when Isiah Thomas give up a down the road 1st round pick in the Eddy Curry deal? They will come back to bite you. That's how the Lakers got Magic and Worthy.