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We all have seen the jaw-dropping trades go down in the NBA, be it Kyrie Irving - Isaiah Thomas swap or just a simple draft pick switch between 2 teams. But there is a lot of things that go unseen and unnoticed in most of these trades.
So, let us find out what these unnoticed details are, what they mean, when they are applicable and an example of a trade where it was used.
1. Protected pick:
- What does it mean?
If 2 teams, Team A and Team B are trading their players and Team A decided to send a 2019 first round pick protected top 5 to Team B, it means that Team A gets the 2019 first round draft pick if it is from 1-5, Team B gets the draft pick if its from 6-30. There are different iterations of a protected pick. It could be top 3, top 5, top 10, etc.
- When is it applicable?
It is applicable the following year, when the draft lottery takes place and the order is announced. If the pick is between the range decided, say top 3, then Team A gets it if it is in between 1-3 and Team B gets it if it is between 4-30.
- Example:
1. Luka Doncic to Dallas Mavericks, Trae Young and 2019 1st round pick top 5 protected to the Atlanta Hawks.
The deal is structured in such a way that if the pick is in between 1 and 5, the Mavericks retain it, else the Hawks get it if it is from 6 to 30.
2. Unprotected pick:
- What does it mean?
An unprotected draft pick means that if Team A trades a 2019 unprotected draft pick to Team B, they have full rights to the said pick. Team A holds no jurisdiction over it anymore except that their performance in the 2018 season will determine how good the 2019 pick will be.
- When is it applicable?
Usually, if Team A thinks they are trading up to acquire a better player from Team B, they give up an unprotected pick. There are no such applicability rules to it.
Example:
1. Cleveland Cavaliers receive Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, Brooklyn's unprotected 2018 first round pick and Miami's 2020 second round pick. Boston Celtics receive Kyrie Irving.
3. Trade Swap: Best/Worst:
- What does it mean?
This is one of the most confusing trade system. Trade Swap: Best is a term that is usually used in sync with the Trade Swap: Worst. It means that if Team A has decides to trade swap their best for Team B's worst, they get the better pick. It will be better understood with an explained example below.
- When is it applicable?
It is applicable only when 2 teams decide to switch their picks of the same draft year. The team that receives the worst pick deal gets the better deal or the more favourable pick. The team that receives the best pick gets the less favourable pick. This is decided by the teams that are going to trade between themselves.
Example:
1. Celtics to receive 2019 first round draft pick from Philadelphia 76ers or Sacramento Kings:
Boston will receive the more favourable of Philadelphia's 2019 1st round pick protected and Sacramento's 2019 1st round pick while Philadelphia will receive the less favourable or the protected of these two picks.
So now Boston has the choice to pick either the 76ers 2019 1st round protected pick or the Kings' 2019 1st round protected pick, whichever has the better odds to win the lottery. The 76ers get the one which has the worse odds.
4. Lottery protected pick:
- What does it mean?
A lottery protected pick means that if Team A has traded their rights to a draft pick but it is lottery protected, it means that Team A will keep control of it if they fail to qualify for the playoffs. If Team A qualifies for the playoffs, then Team B gets control of that pick. Basically, a lottery protected pick is Team A keeps it if it is 1-14 and Team B keeps it if it is 15-30.
- When is it applicable?
It is applicable if Team A manages to reach the playoffs, only then will Team B get control of the rights to Team A's pick.
- Example:
1. The Pistons traded Otis Thorpe to the Vancouver Grizzlies for a protected pick in 1997.
I brought this particular trade because it was a heavily protected pick that the Grizzlies had received from the Pistons. It finally came to the last year of the deal, in 2003. If the Grizzlies landed the 1st pick, they would get to keep it else it would go to the Pistons.
The Cavaliers won the lottery and got the #1 pick and picked up one of the greatest players of all time, LeBron James. The Grizzlies got #2 and had to give it up to the Pistons, who managed to pass on Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, in one of the deepest drafts in modern history, to take Darko Milicic.
5. Unrestricted Free Agent:
- What does it mean?
It means that an unrestricted free agent (UFA) is free to sign with any team, though some unrestricted free agents have options on their existing contracts.
- When is it applicable?
It is applicable to any player who has his deal ending. He can then sign with any team he wishes. He has no obligation to his current team once he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
- Example:
1. LeBron James at the end of his 2018 deal becomes an unrestricted free agent, free to join any team he wishes. This is similar to when he joined the Heat from the Cavaliers and then re signed with the Cavaliers from the Heat.
2. DeMarcus Cousins at the end of his 2018 deal becomes an unrestricted free agent, free to leave the New Orleans Pelicans.
6. Restricted free agent:
- What does it mean?
A restricted free agent (RFA) can sign an offer sheet with any team, but the player's original team can retain him by matching the terms of that offer. The original team is said to have the "right of first refusal."
- When is it applicable?
It is applicable to all contracts that have a clause of Restricted Free Agency in it. A player becomes a restricted free agent when he wants to test the waters of free agency and is contemplating a move to a different franchise who might offer a higher sheet.
Example:
1. Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic is a restricted Free agent in this summer.
2. Essentially, almost all players become restricted free agents at the end of their rookie contracts.
7. Team Option/Player Option:
- What does it mean?
A team option grants the original team the right to keep a player for another year.
A player option grants the player the power to decide whether to stay for another year or become a completely unrestricted free agent.
In either case, if the option is refused, the player is completely unrestricted and free to sign with any team.
- When is it applicable?
A team/player option is a stipulation in the contract a player signs. The team decides if they want to keep the player in the team option and the player decides if he wants to stay in the player option.
- Example:
1. Carmelo Anthony has a player option to opt in for the last year of his contract for the 2018-19 season at the Oklahoma City Thunder (he has opted into it).
2. Dirk Nowitzki has a team option in his current contract where the Dallas Mavericks decide whether to exercise it or to let Dirk off.
8. Two way Free Agent:
- What does it mean?
A two-way free agent is a restricted Free Agent at the conclusion of a two-way Contract if he was on the NBA team’s active or inactive list for 15 or more days of the NBA regular season in the last season of said contract, provided that the team makes a Qualifying Offer to the player.
- When is it applicable?
This is applicable to all players who were on a two-way contract which have ended and now have become restricted free agents after their current NBA team did not offer them a new contract.
- Example:
1. Mason Plumlee is a two way restricted free agent for the 2018-19 season.
This was a small guide to the basic rules and terms that are used in the NBA during the trading that we see and are thrown around everywhere.
