Larry Coon, weeks ago, on some of the ramifications of the new cap projections:
But there’s also a little bit of a gray cloud to go along with this silver lining. Some of the downsides include:
• The Chicago Bulls worked frantically at the trade deadline to create enough cap room to make a run at a player such as Dwyane Wade, sacrificing Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons. The New York Knicks, desperate to unload Jared Jeffries, were forced to relinquish Jordan Hill to persuade the Houston Rockets to assume Jeffries’ contract. A substantially higher cap means their sacrifices might have been for naught. The Knicks, for example, might have decided to hang on to Jeffries and Hill had they known the salary cap might be higher than they thought.
And now, ESPN’s Marc Stein, just minutes ago:
Houston has amassed an enticing cache of sign-and-trade assets. One source, offering one small example, says that the Raptors are intrigued by young forward Jordan Hill, whom the Rockets extracted from the Knicks in the Tracy McGrady three-way deal in February.
In a nutshell, the Knicks might not have had to give up Jordan Hill at all (to accomplish their objectives.) Wouldn’t it be something if Jordan Hill ended up as the primary bait that enticed the Raptors into dealing Chris to Houston (over other sign and trade options) and keeping him away from the Knicks? Irony you can cut with a knife.
