B+ from ESPN's Pelton for Thomas Trade

[colincb]

Boston Celtics: B+

Credit Celtics president Danny Ainge for some of the most masterful use of a trade exception we've ever seen. When Boston traded Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Gerald Wallace to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2013, the Celtics structured the trade such that they created a trade exception worth the difference between Pierce's salary ($15.3 million) and incoming guard Keith Bogans' ($5.0 million).

A year later, Boston used that exception to help the Cleveland Cavaliers clear the cap space necessary to sign LeBron James, taking on Thornton's contract in a three-team trade -- at a price. The Celtics extracted from the Cavaliers both center Tyler Zeller and a 2016 first-round pick. Now, seven months later, Boston used that pick and Thornton's expiring contract to land Thomas from Phoenix. Voila! A trade exception has turned into two useful members of the Celtics' rotation.

Giving up a first-round pick for a player available in free agency last summer isn't typically ideal, but the NBA market has changed in that span. With the salary cap set to escalate quickly when the new TV deal kicks in before the 2016-17 season, players under reasonable long-term contracts have become more valuable than ever. Thomas' salary decreases over the life of his four-year, $27 million contract. So while he's getting paid 11.5 percent of the team salary cap this year, come 2016-17 he figures to be making less than 7.5 percent of it -- equivalent to about $5.3 million today.

That two teams have now given up on Thomas in seven months demonstrates he's a polarizing player. His lack of size defensively and shoot-first style on offense make Thomas a difficult fit for some teams. But if Boston is willing to live with those weaknesses, Thomas will offer them efficient scoring. If things play out correctly down the stretch, Thomas could produce a .574 true shooting percentage for the fourth consecutive season. (He's currently at .579, and league average is .535.)

The Celtics should have a three-guard rotation with Thomas joining starters Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley. Smart has spent most of his rookie season playing off the ball, and Bradley is more comfortable without it, so that works -- although a Smart-Thomas backcourt will be tiny.

PHX got a C

[celticsclay]

Boston Celtics: B+

Credit Celtics president Danny Ainge for some of the most masterful use of a trade exception we've ever seen. When Boston traded Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Gerald Wallace to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2013, the Celtics structured the trade such that they created a trade exception worth the difference between Pierce's salary ($15.3 million) and incoming guard Keith Bogans' ($5.0 million).

A year later, Boston used that exception to help the Cleveland Cavaliers clear the cap space necessary to sign LeBron James, taking on Thornton's contract in a three-team trade -- at a price. The Celtics extracted from the Cavaliers both center Tyler Zeller and a 2016 first-round pick. Now, seven months later, Boston used that pick and Thornton's expiring contract to land Thomas from Phoenix. Voila! A trade exception has turned into two useful members of the Celtics' rotation.

Giving up a first-round pick for a player available in free agency last summer isn't typically ideal, but the NBA market has changed in that span. With the salary cap set to escalate quickly when the new TV deal kicks in before the 2016-17 season, players under reasonable long-term contracts have become more valuable than ever. Thomas' salary decreases over the life of his four-year, $27 million contract. So while he's getting paid 11.5 percent of the team salary cap this year, come 2016-17 he figures to be making less than 7.5 percent of it -- equivalent to about $5.3 million today.

That two teams have now given up on Thomas in seven months demonstrates he's a polarizing player. His lack of size defensively and shoot-first style on offense make Thomas a difficult fit for some teams. But if Boston is willing to live with those weaknesses, Thomas will offer them efficient scoring. If things play out correctly down the stretch, Thomas could produce a .574 true shooting percentage for the fourth consecutive season. (He's currently at .579, and league average is .535.)

The Celtics should have a three-guard rotation with Thomas joining starters Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley. Smart has spent most of his rookie season playing off the ball, and Bradley is more comfortable without it, so that works -- although a Smart-Thomas backcourt will be tiny.

PHX got a C

Pretty hard to quibble with getting a starter/6th man type on a really reasonable salary that is also young for what will amount to like the the 27th pick in the draft. Half the guys at that spot never make a rotation

[boscel33]

One thing about this trade, it blew up a few of the mock drafts that had us taking a PG, specifically with the Clippers pick.  I don't see that happening now!

[Tr1boy]

I thought it was going to take clippers 1st and our 2nd to get Thomas.  But only one 1st pick and for the 2016 draft.

Danny pulled another magic trade or RM did Danny a small favor

[Smartacus]

I thought it was going to take clippers 1st and our 2nd to get Thomas.  But only one 1st pick and for the 2016 draft.

Danny pulled another magic trade or RM did Danny a small favor

RM just keeps looking out at Brandon Wright and is thankful that his new PG Brandon Knight has a near automatic lob target. Knight Wrighter should be a strong connection for years.

[chambers]

I thought it was going to take clippers 1st and our 2nd to get Thomas.  But only one 1st pick and for the 2016 draft.

Danny pulled another magic trade or RM did Danny a small favor

Not really a magic trade or a huge favor.
He's not the most loved player in the NBA locker room. This is his third team in 6 months and the Suns wanted to get him out of there ASAP.

Clippers first is projected to be 23rd at this point.
We gave them the Cavs pick which will be somewhere between 25-30 next year.
Not a huge difference between the two- in fact you could argue that the 2016 pick is more valuable because it can be traded down the line and provides more flexibility.

Late first round pick and expiring contract is pretty good for Phoenix considering IT was a disgruntled player who wanted out after 10 games into the season.

[saltlover]

I thought it was going to take clippers 1st and our 2nd to get Thomas.  But only one 1st pick and for the 2016 draft.

Danny pulled another magic trade or RM did Danny a small favor

Not really a magic trade or a huge favor.
He's not the most loved player in the NBA locker room. This is his third team in 6 months and the Suns wanted to get him out of there ASAP.

Clippers first is projected to be 23rd at this point.
We gave them the Cavs pick which will be somewhere between 25-30 next year.
Not a huge difference between the two- in fact you could argue that the 2016 pick is more valuable because it can be traded down the line and provides more flexibility.

Late first round pick and expiring contract is pretty good for Phoenix considering IT was a disgruntled player who wanted out after 10 games into the season.

The Cavs pick is simply less valuable.  The further away in time something is, the less value it has, due to uncertainty.  Furthermore, the Clippers pick is not-protected, compared to the Cavs pick which is in a way not favorable to the team holding the rights.  That further lowers its value.   Finally, from the Crltics perspective, this was their least valuable of four 1st round picks in 2016 --their own and Brooklyn's have more value due to lack of protection and expected placement, and the Mavs has lesser protection and likely greater placement.  In fact, of the 6 1st-rounders they were likely to receive in the next two drafts, this was unequivocally their worst.

Certainly Ainge was asked for better picks -- it was a good job just passing along this one.

[tance]

Boston Celtics: B+

Credit Celtics president Danny Ainge for some of the most masterful use of a trade exception we've ever seen. When Boston traded Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Gerald Wallace to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2013, the Celtics structured the trade such that they created a trade exception worth the difference between Pierce's salary ($15.3 million) and incoming guard Keith Bogans' ($5.0 million).

A year later, Boston used that exception to help the Cleveland Cavaliers clear the cap space necessary to sign LeBron James, taking on Thornton's contract in a three-team trade -- at a price. The Celtics extracted from the Cavaliers both center Tyler Zeller and a 2016 first-round pick. Now, seven months later, Boston used that pick and Thornton's expiring contract to land Thomas from Phoenix. Voila! A trade exception has turned into two useful members of the Celtics' rotation.

Giving up a first-round pick for a player available in free agency last summer isn't typically ideal, but the NBA market has changed in that span. With the salary cap set to escalate quickly when the new TV deal kicks in before the 2016-17 season, players under reasonable long-term contracts have become more valuable than ever. Thomas' salary decreases over the life of his four-year, $27 million contract. So while he's getting paid 11.5 percent of the team salary cap this year, come 2016-17 he figures to be making less than 7.5 percent of it -- equivalent to about $5.3 million today.

That two teams have now given up on Thomas in seven months demonstrates he's a polarizing player. His lack of size defensively and shoot-first style on offense make Thomas a difficult fit for some teams. But if Boston is willing to live with those weaknesses, Thomas will offer them efficient scoring. If things play out correctly down the stretch, Thomas could produce a .574 true shooting percentage for the fourth consecutive season. (He's currently at .579, and league average is .535.)

The Celtics should have a three-guard rotation with Thomas joining starters Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley. Smart has spent most of his rookie season playing off the ball, and Bradley is more comfortable without it, so that works -- although a Smart-Thomas backcourt will be tiny.

I realize that Pelton and others are frantically putting up assessments of the trade, but the sloppy nature of this post is annoying.  The Cs did not "trade Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Gerald Wallace to the Brooklyn Nets,"  Wallace is what they took back for PP and KG.  Similarly, Smart's 6'4" and strong.  A backcourt with him would not be "tiny."  6'2" Bradley-IT could be described as "tiny."  I would comment on the original story but I HATE that they make you log in to FaceBook to post a comment. 

[Chris22]

A lot of disgruntled players in Phoenix.

What's the deal?