With 6 days left until the NBA Trade Deadline, the Liberty Ballers crew will provide you one trade each day to bandy about. Since there are no actual games being played, we've got to keep occupied somehow.
Caron Butler - 1 year, 10.6 million
Dominique Jones - 2 year, 1.1 million
Ian Mahinmi - 2 years, 885 thousand
2011 1st round pick
Dallas receives:
Thaddeus Young - 1 year, 2.9 million (RFA in '11-'12)
Darius Songaila - 1 year, 4.8 million
Jason Kapono - 1 year, 6.6 million
--
The Sixers become a significantly weaker team without the services of Thadeeus Young, and would be lucky to receive significant production during this year's playoff run from the unproven twosome of Jones/Mahinmi. But, we all know Thad is a restricted free agent to-be, which is why he's been reportedly dangled. He'll likely get overpaid this summer, and I'd prefer if his overpaid checks came elsewhere.
However; I'd rather not lose Thad without compensation. Hence trading Young to the Mavericks for two young prospects with potential – one being at center – along with a late first round pick, who could very well turn into Kenneth Faried or Lucas Nogueira.
John Hollinger mentioned both Jones and Mahinmi as "under-the-radar" pick-ups in a recent column, and compared the injured Jones to Quentin Richardson. Some see him with more of a ceiling, but the beauty is he's on the first year of his rookie contract. Time, bought.
Mahinmi makes the all man-crush team for bloggers and advanced statisticians alike. He's posted absurdly good advanced numbers during his extended cup of coffee in the NBA, and owned the D-League when he played there. Standing 6'11" at the ripe age of 24 makes him an intriguing, yet risky piece.
The way I see it, the Thad situation is a lose-lose – the Sixers will either overpay or lose him without compensation. And you're telling me I can salvage two intriguing <24 prospects and a first-round pick out of the whole thing?! Just tell me where to sign, bub.
What say you? Is the haul too unknown and risky to part with a commodity like Thad? Does it hurt the Sixers short-term success too much for your liking? Or all you all for it? Go!