Sixers Sit Out Jarrett Jack Trade With LeBron Overtones as Celtics Steal Their Thing

There has been a trade involving a team with cap space acquiring assets for nothing. And the Sixers are not that team. It's the Boston Celtics who have joined the three-teamer with the Cleveland Cavaliers shedding salary for LeBron James and the Brooklyn Nets getting marginally better with Jarrett Jack.

Three-team trade will see Nets acquire Jarrett Jack and Sergey Karasev from Cleveland. Boston gets Thornton, Zeller and a first

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 9, 2014

Cleveland sends three players and a 2016 protected first round pick for nothing in return. There's no guarantee LeBron goes to Cleveland (although it seems like it's down to Cleveland or Miami), so this is a calculated risk. Brooklyn gets to upgrade one year of Marcus Thornton for two years of Jack and an LB fave in Sergey Karasev. Boston takes on the expiring Thornton contract in exchange for a first-rounder and Tyler Zeller. As Derek points out, that first would not be that excellent if LeBron signs with the Cavs.

So the question becomes: Why were the Sixers not involved? This is prime Sixers territory. This is the amnesia love drama to Sam Hinkie's Nicholas Sparks. This is his signature move. This is his Jeff Hardy frogsplash swanton bomb, and he just let somebody else step in and execute the pin.

At the risk of giving Hinkie too much credit (little late for that), I'm going to assume he has something else lined up that would net more than a probable late 1st and backup center in Zeller. You don't use up your cap space at the first opportunity, you wait for the right time and be smart about it. Maybe that's Jeremy Lin, maybe it's something else.

Otherwise, a calculated move by all three teams.

Also: The Rights To Edin Bavcic!

#Nets have given up draft rights to prospects Ilkan Karaman, Christian Drejer, and Edin Bavčić, who are going to Cavs, per .@WojYahooNBA.

— Reed Wallach (@ReedWallach) July 9, 2014