Thinking about this some more, why would the Knicks make a trade like this? It's not like Nate has a long contract. They are likely looking for some actual value in return for him, not just garbage contracts. I don't think this is happening.
Yeah, we'd have to include cash, at minimum.
If it took a #1 pick, I'd probably give that up for the right player, although I'm not sure that that's Nate.
I'm positive that's not Nate. Nate takes one of our key bench players off the floor, has questionable character, as well as no real BBIQ. I don't know if I would take him without giving anything up, let alone giving up a first round pick.
I was thinking about this: do the Celtics see their first round pick as an asset? Or at least, one that holds real value? Or instead, do they see it as a gamble where, in most cases, you've got a J.R. Giddens on your cap for two years, taking up cap room and roster space while not contributing?
If the Celtics see a player they want, it wouldn't shock me to see them include a #1, even if in a vacuum that's more "value" than one would think.
I think it is is an asset in that it will allow a team making a salary dump to save some face with their fans. So if a team wanted to get rid of a decent player (say, John Salmons), but didn't want to have nothing to show for it other than expiring contracts, or a second round pick, the C's pick can be valuable.
You are right that it won't have much value at the time of the draft, but at the trade deadline, it is still relatively valuable.
Mostly though, I just can't think of any player in the NBA that I dislike more than Nate Robinson. And that is including guys like Kobe. Maybe it is irrational, but IMO, he stands for everything that is wrong with the NBA, and will never be a "winner".