ESPN Insider: Team Trade Assets

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( Houston Rockets in bold )

ESPN Insider: Team Trade Assets

By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

Want to know what your team has to offer in a trade? Whether it needs to cut cap space? If it has a valuable trade exception or expiring contracts? Who on the team is untradeable?

As Insider runs through every NBA team digging for answers, here are a few notes to keep in mind:

Team payroll: The 2004-05 payroll numbers for each team are estimated. The exact numbers aren't available right now due to slight fluctuations with non-guaranteed contracts and trades. However, the numbers are close.

This year, the cap came in at $43.87 million. The 2005-06 payroll figures are for committed salaries only. First-round draft picks and free-agent cap holds can potentially reduce the amount of cap space the team has available.

The Hawks, Bobcats, Cavaliers, Bulls, Clippers and Sonics should have significant cap room next summer if the cap comes in at around $45 million. The Sonics (Ray Allen, Vladimir Radmanovic, Antonio Daniels), Bulls (Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler), Cavs (Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jeff McInnis) and Clippers (Marko Jaric, Bobby Simmons) have significant free agents they intend to re-sign, which will cut well into their cap room.

Team assets: This contains a list of all current cap room, owned draft picks and trade exceptions. Only three teams have cap room for the trade deadline: Hawks ($3.3 million), Bobcats ($6 million) and Jazz ($5.5 million).

A team cannot trade consecutive future first round picks. However, once the team has made its draft selection, it is free to trade the rights to the player it selected. Teams that are prohibited from trading their first-round pick are noted below.

Trade exceptions can be used to acquire a player or players whose salary equals the trade exception, or to claim a player off waivers whose contract equals the trade exception. Free agents cannot be signed using the exception, however. For a more detailed explanation of how the exception is aquired and used, see our trade primer.

Tradeable expiring contracts: Under each team is a list of expiring and non-guaranteed contracts, and contracts with team options for '05-06, that teams can deal before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. Several players, such as Stromile Swift and Toni Kukoc, are not on this list, despite having expiring contracts. That's because the contracts they signed prohibit them from being traded this season.

These expiring contracts are valuable trading chips. Teams want to acquire them to cut payroll for the upcoming summer. A team willing to trade an expiring contract for one with a few years on it can get a lot in return.

With that said, expiring contracts aren't as valuable this year as they normally would be. Teams believe there won't be a luxury tax this year. In past years, teams have tried to radically reduce payroll at the deadline in order to avoid paying the tax.

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade contracts: The term "poison pill" is not a derogatory term for a player. It's a specific term for a certain type of contract tied to rookie extensions.

Check out our trade rules story for fuller definitions of all the terms we've used on the team assets page.

Atlanta Hawks

Team payroll:
2004-05: $40.5 million
2005-06: $18 million

Team assets:
# $3.3 million in cap space
# 2005 first-round pick
# Draft rights to David Andersen ('02, Austraila)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Kenny Anderson, $745,046
Chris Crawford, $3,250,000
Predrag Drobnjak, $2,550,000 ('05-06 not guaranteed)
Tyronn Lue, $1,650,000
Antoine Walker, $14,625,000
Kevin Willis, $1,300,000

Boston Celtics

Team payroll:
2004-05: $63.6 million
2005-06: $49.9 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Lakers' 2005 first-round pick (top-14 protected)
# Trade exception: $1,337,500

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Tom Gugliotta, $2,700,000
Gary Payton, $5,408,700
Justin Reed, $385,277
Yogi Stewart, $4,800,000

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Mark Blount (base-year player)

Charlotte Bobcats

Team payroll:
2004-05: $23 million
(Note: Charlotte's cap, because it is an expansion team, is $29,250,000 this year.)
2005-06: $10.7 million
(Note: Charlotte's cap, because it is an expansion team, is restricted to 75 percent of the cap in 2005-06.)

Team assets:
# $6 million in cap room
# 2005 first-round pick
# Cavs' 2005 first-round pick (top-13 protected)
# Raptors' 2005 first-round pick (top-17 protected)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Keith Bogans, $620,046
Jason Kapono, $620,046
Brevin Knight, $745,046
Bernard Robinson, $385,277
Kareem Rush, $1,174,200
Steve Smith, $745,046
Theron Smith, $620,046
Gerald Wallace, $1,652,454
Jahidi White, $6,146,465

Chicago Bulls

Team payroll:
2004-05: $57 million
2005-06: $33.7 million

Team assets:
# Trade exception: $1,746,434

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Tyson Chandler, $4,801,102
Eddy Curry, $3,896,402
Chris Duhon, $385,277
Adrian Griffin, $870,046
Othella Harrington, $3,150,000
Jannero Pargo, $695,046
Jared Reiner, $385,277
Frank Williams, $957,480

Cleveland Cavaliers

Team payroll:
2004-05: $49 million
2005-06: $22.6 million

Team assets:
# Trade exception: $1,585,920

Tradeable expiring contracts:
DeSagana Diop, $2,695,164
Zydrunas Ilgauskas, $14,625,000
Jeff McInnis, $3,600,000
Robert Traylor, $1,600,000
Dajuan Wagner, $2,643,600
Scott Williams, $1,600,000

Dallas Mavericks

Team payroll:
2004-05: $88.1 million
2005-06: $79.3 million

Team assets:
# Trade exception: $893,400

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Darrell Armstrong, $2,270,000
Alan Henderson, $8,273,125

Denver Nuggets

Team payroll:
2004-05: $46 million
2005-06: $38.7 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick (can't be traded before the draft)
# Wizards 2005 first-round pick (top-13 protected)
# Draft rights to Xue Yuyang ('03, China) and Sani Becirovic ('03, Slovenia)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Francisco Elson, $620,046
DerMarr Johnson, $745,046
Voshon Lenard, $3,275,000 ($250,000 in salary protection next season)
Bryon Russell, $745,046
Nikoloz Tskitishvili, $2,910,600
Rodney White, $1,800,000

Detroit Pistons

Team payroll:
2004-05: $53.3 million
2005-06: $52.5 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick (can't be traded before draft)
# Draft rights to Andreas Glyniadakis ('03, Greece) and Ricky Paulding ('04, Missouri)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Horace Jenkins, $620,046

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Darvin Ham (untradeable, one-year Bird right contract)

Golden State Warriors

Team payroll:
2004-05: $51 million
2005-06: $47.9 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Mavs' 2007 first-round pick
# Future first-round pick from Sixers (two years after Sixers send a pick to the Raptors)
# Trade exception: $5,287,100
# Draft rights to Mladen Secularac ('02, Serbia)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Dale Davis, $10,068,750

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Adonal Foyle (base-year player)
Troy Murphy ("poison pill" contract)
Jason Richardson ("poison pill" contract)
#

Houston Rockets
Team payroll:
2004-05: $60.9 million
2005-06: $55.4 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Trade exception: $5,480,000
# Draft rights to Malick Badiane ('03, Germany) and Vassilis Spanoulis ('04, Greece)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Andre Barrett, $385,277
Jon Barry, $1,800,000
Ryan Bowen, $745,046
Dikembe Mutombo, $4,496,434

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Scott Padgett (untradeable)

Indiana Pacers

Team payroll:
2004-05: $65.4 million
2005-06: $73.9 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Trade exception: $1,225,000

Tradeable expiring contracts:
John Edwards, $385,277
James Jones, $620,046

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Michael Curry (untradeable before deadline)
Jamaal Tinsley (base-year player)

Los Angeles Clippers

Team payroll:
2004-05: $45.9 million
2005-06: $29 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick if in top 14 (can't be traded before the draft)
# Draft rights to Sofoklis Schortsanitis ('03, Greece)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Rick Brunson, $745,046
Lionel Chalmers, $450,000
Marko Jaric, $2,100,000
Kerry Kittles, $10,266,666
Mikki Moore, $745,046
Mamadou N'diaye, $750,000
Zeljko Rebraca, $2,500,000
Quinton Ross, $620,046
Bobby Simmons, $825,000

Los Angeles Lakers

Team payroll:
2004-05: $64.8 million
2005-06: $66.3 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick if in top 14 (can't be traded before the draft)
# Heat 2006 first-round pick (top 14 protected)
# Trade exceptions: $1,983,720; $2,038,700

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Tierre Brown, $720,046
Vlade Divac, $4,903,000 ($2 million in salary protection next season)
Luke Walton, $620,046

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Kobe Bryant (no-trade clause)
Slava Medvedenko (base-year player)

Memphis Grizzlies

Team payroll:
2004-05: $65.7 million
2005-06: $55.7 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Draft rights to Sergei Lishouk ('04, Ukraine)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Ryan Humphrey, $1,223,160
Earl Watson, $1,458,000
Bonzi Wells, $7,700,000

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Shane Battier ("poison pill" contract)
Pau Gasol ("poison pill" contract)
Mike Miller (base-year player)
Stromile Swift (one-year tender offer contract, untradeable)

Miami Heat

Team payroll:
2004-05: $58.7 million
2005-06: $58.8 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick (can't be traded before the draft)
# Draft rights to Albert Miralles ('04, Spain)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Malik Allen, $1,697,500
Shandon Anderson, $692,455
Udonis Haslem, $620,046
Christian Laettner, $745,046
Wang ZhiZhi, $745,046

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Rasual Butler (base-year player)

Milwaukee Bucks

Team payroll:
2004-05: $56.1 million
2005-06: $37.7 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Draft rights to Szymon Szewczyk ('03, Poland)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Marcus Fizer, $736,281
Dan Gadzuric, $695,046
Zaza Pachulia, $620,046
Michael Redd, $3,000,000 ('05-06 player option; will opt out)
Daniel Santiago, $1,320,000
Erick Strickland, $1,650,000

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Toni Kukoc (untradeable, one-year Bird right contract)
Desmond Mason (base-year player)

Minnesota Timberwolves

Team payroll:
2004-05: $70.1 million
2005-06: $53 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Anthony Carter, $745,046
Eddie Griffin, $720,046
Ervin Johnson, $4,909,062
Mark Madsen, $745,046
Latrell Sprewell, $14,625,000

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Troy Hudson (base-year player)

New Jersey Nets

Team payroll:
2004-05: $63.7 million
2005-06: $49.8 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Clippers 2005 first-round pick (top-14 protected this year; no protection thereafter)
# Trade exception: $4,979,167
# Draft rights to Christian Drejer ('04, Denmark)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Travis Best, $745,046
Rodney Buford, $745,046
Cliff Robinson, $5,287,500 (cannot be aggregated in a trade)
Brian Scalabrine, $850,000
Jabari Smith, $745,046
Jacque Vaughn, $745,046

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Elden Campbell (claimed off waivers in last 30 days)
Jason Collins ("poison pill" contract)
Richard Jefferson ("poison pill" contract)

New Orleans Hornets

Team payroll:
2004-05: $64.6 million
2005-06: $49.4 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Trade exception: $1,376,600
# Trade exception: $1,538,667

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Dan Dickau, $893,400
Casey Jacobsen, $1,082,160
Bostjan Nachbar, $1,493,880
Lee Nailon, $745,046
Rodney Rogers, $2,700,000
Jackson Vroman, $385,277

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Jamaal Magloire (base-year player)

New York Knicks

Team payroll:
2004-05: $101.6 million
2005-06: $109.0 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick (can't be traded before the draft)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Trevor Ariza, $385,277
Jamison Brewer, $720,046
Bruno Sundov, $745,046

Orlando Magic

Team payroll:
2004-05: $67.4 million
2005-06: $70.2 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Kings 2005 first-round pick (top-13 protected)
# Draft rights to Remon Van de Hare ( '03, Belgium)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Andrew DeClercq, $2,560,000
Brandon Hunter, $620,046
Mario Kasun, $385,277 ('05-06 salary becomes 25 percent guaranteed Feb. 21)

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
DeShawn Stevenson (base-year player)

Philadelphia 76ers

Team payroll:
2004-05: $66 million
2005-06: $53.8 million

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Kedrick Brown, $2,332,388
Samuel Dalembert, $1,599,549
Josh Davis, $620,046
Willie Green, $620,046
Kyle Korver, $620,046
Glenn Robinson, $12,071,250

Phoenix Suns

Team payroll:
2004-05: $44.4 million
2005-06: $45.4 million

Team assets:
# Bulls first-round pick (top 3 protected)
# Draft rights to Milos Vujanic ('02, Serbia)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Joe Johnson, $2,358,954
Walter McCarty, $1,337,500
Bo Outlaw, $718,750

Portland Trail Blazers

Team payroll:
2004-05: $81 million
2005-06: $49.9 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Draft rights to Federico Kammerichs ('02, Argentina, Nedzad Sinanovic ('03, Bosnia) and Sergey Monia ('04, Russia)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Shareef Abdur-Rahim, $14,625,000
Richie Frahm, $695,046
Damon Stoudamire, $12,500,000
Nick Van Exel, $11,931,875

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Darius Miles (base-year player)
Zach Randolph ("poison pill" contract)

Sacramento Kings

Team payroll:
2004-05: $61.6 million
2005-06: $61.2 million

Team assets:
# Trade exception: $1,652,454
# Trade exception: $1,665,500

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Matt Barnes, $695,046
Erik Daniels, $385,277
Maurice Evans, $695,046
Bobby Jackson, $3,150,000

San Antonio Spurs

Team payroll:
2004-05: $46.9 million
2005-06: $55.1 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Suns 2005 first-round pick (top-20 protected)
# Draft rights to Luis Scola ('02, Argentina), Viktor Sanikidze ('04, Georgia) and Sergei Karaulov ('04, Russia)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Devin Brown, $695,046
Linton Johnson, $620,046
Tony Massenburg, $745,046
Mike Wilks, $720,046

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Sean Marks (untradeable, one-year Bird rights contract)
Tony Parker ("poison pill" contract)

Seattle SuperSonics

Team payroll:
2004-05: $53.5 million
2005-06: $21 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick
# Draft rights to Peter Fehese ('02, Germany), Paccelis Morlende ('03, France)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Ray Allen, $14,625,000
Antonio Daniels, $2,200,000 ('05-06 player option; will opt out)
Reggie Evans, $880,000
Jerome James, $5,455,200
Ronald Murray, $695,046
Vitaly Potapenko, $6,191,250
Vladimir Radmanovic, $2,300,984
Damien Wilkins, $385,277

Toronto Raptors

Team payroll:
2004-05: $61 million
2005-06: $54.5 million

Team assets:
# 2005 first-round pick if in top 17 (can't be traded before draft)
# 76ers 2005 first-round pick (top-8 protected)
# Nuggets 2006 first-round pick (top-5 protected)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Matt Bonner, $385,277
Donyell Marshall, $5,032,850
Milt Palacio, $807,546
Pape Sow, $385,27

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Morris Peterson (base-year player)

Utah Jazz

Team payroll:
2004-05: $38.4 million
2005-06: $48.3 million

Team assets:
# $5.5 million in cap room
# 2005 first-round pick
# Mavericks 2005 first-round pick (top-3 protected)
# Pistons 2006 first-round pick (top-14 protected)
# Knicks 2006 first-round pick (top-23 protected)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Raja Bell, $1,320,000
Howard Eisley, $740,663
Keith McLeod, $750,000

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Andrei Kirilenko ("poison pill" contract)

Washington Wizards

Team payroll:
2004-05: $49.6 million
2005-06: $38.6 million

Team assets:
# Draft rights to Juan Carlos Navarro ('02, Spain)

Tradeable expiring contracts:
Steve Blake, $620,046
Kwame Brown, $5,361,873
Juan Dixon, $1,348,200
Larry Hughes, $5,455,200
Anthony Peeler, $1,650,000
Laron Profit, $745,046
Michael Ruffin, $745,046
Samaki Walker, $745,046

Untradeable or difficult-to-trade players:
Brendan Haywood ("poison pill" contract)
Etan Thomas (base-year player)

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

 

PART TWO OF ARTICLE ABOVE--
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Five Essential Trade Rules

By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

Every year around the trade deadline, wild trade rumors surface that can't possibly work under the rules of the collective bargaining agreement. (For a more extensive breakdown of the entire collective bargaining agreement, check out Larry Coon's excellent CBA FAQ.)

Want to avoid being duped?

Here are five essential rules to help sort out the types of trades that can and can't happen:

Rule 1: All contracts traded must be within 15 percent and $100,000 of each other.
This is the most basic trade rule. It means teams can't swap a $10 million player for a $2 million player. If a team wants to trade one player or a group of players, it has to abide by this rule – with a few exceptions.

The first exception is for teams under the cap. A team that is $10 million under the cap could obtain a $10 million player without sending back anything in return.

The second exception is for teams that own trade exceptions. Referring to our last example, if a team that was over the cap sent a $10 million player to a team under the cap (the Nets did exactly that when they traded Kerry Kittles to the Clippers last summer), the team sending the player receives a trade exception from the league in the amount of the traded player's salary minus any contracts it might have received in return.

In the Nets' example, they didn't get any contracts in return, creating a $10 million trade exception. The Nets used it last week to acquire Cliff Robinson. Even though the Nets were way over the cap, they were able to acquire a player who made $5.3 million without meeting the 15 percent, $100K rule. As a result of the trade, the Warriors created their own trade exception in the amount of Robinson's salary. The Nets' exception was reduced to $4.9 million.

Cash (up to $3 million), draft picks and the draft rights to players who have been selected but not signed don't count toward the 15 percent, $100K rule when included in a trade.

Rule 2: Some contracts are more tradeable than others.
There are two types of contracts that can be almost impossible to trade.

The first is called a "base-year contract" or (BYC). The basic rule is pretty simple. If a team is over the cap and re-signs a lower-priced player to a big contract (a raise greater than 20 percent), his salary receives base-year status for one year. During that one year, the team that signed him can take back only half of the player's actual salary in a trade.

For example, Darius Miles made $4.1 million last season. Over the summer, he signed a six-year contract in free agency with a starting salary of $6.75 million. That's more than a 20 percent raise, and the Blazers were over the cap. Thus, Miles' contract earned base-year status.

If the Blazers wanted to trade Miles straight up, they could take back only $3.375 million in return. Because of the 15 percent, $100K rule, trading Miles becomes almost impossible, because the Blazers are really sending out double what they are able to take back.

There are ways around the rule, however. If the Blazers could package Miles with several high-priced players, they might be able to get the salaries they get in return to fit into the 15 percent, 100K rule slot. But it isn't easy.

If a team does trade a base-year player or falls under the salary cap, the base-year status goes away.

For our list of each team's base-year players, see our team trade assets page.

The second troublesome contract is nicknamed a "poison-pill contract." This contract is reserved for players in their rookie contract who sign long-term extensions in the fall. Because extensions don't kick in until July 1 of the next year, a special rule applies.

If a team tries to trade a player still in his rookie contract with a pending extension between the date his extension is signed and the date it takes effect, the poison-pill provision kicks in. The team that sends out the contract uses his current salary to figure his value. The team that receives his contract must average his current salary with the salaries he's paid in each year of the extension.

For example, Andrei Kirilenko signed a six-year, $86 million contract extension last summer. If the Jazz wanted to trade Kirilenko, they would use his current salary ($1.7 million) to figure his trade value. The value of Kirilenko's contract to the team acquiring him, however, would be $12.5 million. Unless the team trading for Kirilenko was $11 million under the cap, it wouldn't be able to swallow the difference.

Poison-pill contracts are almost impossible to trade, especially when a low-salaried player such as Kirilenko signs such a huge extension.

For our list of each team's poison-pill contracts, see our team trade assets page.

Rule 3: Some players can't be traded, period.
There are two types of contracts that can't be traded under any circumstances.

The first is for players in their rookie contract who sign a one-year tender offer. Stromile Swift did that last summer for the Grizzlies. Because he signed the Grizzlies' tender offer, he cannot be traded and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The second is for players who sign a one-year contract with a team using the team's Bird rights. Teams that own players' Bird rights can go over the cap to re-sign their own players. However, if the player signs a one-year deal, he cannot be traded. Toni Kukoc is an example of a player who fits this rule.

Other rules also can prohibit a player from being traded.

# A team acquiring a player in a trade can trade that player straight up for another player immediately. However, if a team wants to package the player with another to make a trade work under the 15 percent, $100K rule, it must wait 60 days. For example, the Nets could not turn around and package Cliff Robinson and Ron Mercer in a trade, because they just acquired Robinson. However, they could trade Robinson to another team straight up.

# If a team matched an offer sheet to a restricted free agent in the summer, it is prohibited from trading him for one year, unless the player consents to the trade. Furthermore, he cannot be traded to the team that issued the offer sheet for one year, with or without the player's consent. This rule prohibits players such as Mo Peterson and Etan Thomas from being traded without their permission.

# Players claimed off waivers can't be traded for 30 days if claimed during the season.

# Teams cannot trade for players they've traded away for the rest of the season, unless the player has been waived. That means fans hoping the Nuggets will trade Kenyon Martin back to the Nets before the trade deadline are out of luck.

# A very small number of players have "no-trade" clauses in their contracts. To get one, a player must have been in the league eight years and have played for the team he's signing the contract with for at least four consecutive years. The clause basically states that a player cannot be traded without his consent. Kobe Bryant is an example of a player who has a no-trade clause in his contract.

Rule 4: Watch out for the trade kickers.
A number of players have a provision in their contracts that pays them a one-time "assignment bonus" if they are traded. These bonuses range from 5 to 15 percent of the total value of the remaining contract. Nicknamed "trade kickers," these little devils can derail a deal.

The trade kicker goes into the calculation of a player's salary for trading purposes. Although the player receives the money at the time he is traded (some teams will send along cash in the deal to help the receiving team pay the bonus), it's averaged over the life of the deal for cap and "trade value" purposes.

For example, Wally Szczerbiak has a 10 percent trade kicker in his contract. He has $55 million left on his contract and makes $9 million this season. If he's traded before the deadline, he'll receive a $5.5 million bonus. Because Szczerbiak has five years left on his contract, his salary for cap purposes will go up by $1.1 million each of his five years in the league.

That could cause big problems if a team isn't aware of the kicker, because, for trade purposes, Szczerbiak's outgoing value is still $9 million, but his incoming value to the team that acquires him is now $10.1 million.

This exact situation almost derailed the Shaq-to-Miami trade this summer because of Lamar Odom's trade kicker. Luckily, as with most of the rules here, there's a way around it.

Players have the option of waiving whatever portion of their trade kicker is needed to make the deal work financially. If a player wants the trade to go through, he can agree to waive all or part of the kicker. If he doesn't want to be traded, he has some leverage to slow down the process.

Trade kickers are common enough that teams have to be careful. Roughly 40 players in the league currently own one.

Rule 5: Draft picks can't always be traded.
Teams are restricted from trading away future first-round draft picks in consecutive years.

That means teams that already have traded away a 2006 pick (like the Pistons) cannot trade their 2005 pick before the draft.

This may be the most paternalistic rule in the collective bargaining agreement. It's known as the "Ted Stepien Rule" and was created after Stepien, a former Cavs owner, made some pretty awful trades that cost the Cavs multiple future first-round picks in the early '80s.

With the way Isiah Thomas is going in New York, they might have to rename this the "Isiah Rule" in years to come.

In essence, the league is trying to stop teams from shooting themselves in the foot by trading away draft picks in consecutive years sight unseen.

Again, there are ways around it.

First, a team that traded away its 2004 first-round pick before the draft can trade away its 2005 first-round pick the minute the 2004 draft ends. That's a pretty gaping loophole the league likely will shut at some point in the future. The thinking is that once the draft is over, the 2004 pick is no longer a "future" pick. Unless the team already had agreed to trade away its 2006 pick, it's free to make the trade.

The other loophole is simply to wait until the draft is over to make the trade. Once a team drafts a player, it is free to trade his rights to any team it chooses.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.